Chapter 2

For the next few days, there was always a hint of joy in Xavier's eyes. But the moment he saw me, his expression would turn frigid.

My dad, Brock Joffrin, lived next door. He often came over to check on things. So, he quickly noticed that something was wrong.

He hurriedly came over and asked, "Did you and Xavier have a fight?"

I stayed silent, not wanting to respond.

My dad anxiously tried to persuade me, "If he's upset, just appease him. What good can come from angering the Sullivan family?"

I was so angry that my eyes reddened as I snapped back, "Does our entire family have to bend over backward to please him?"

Five years ago, my dad's investment failed, so he ended up owing the Sullivan family millions of dollars. He cried and begged me to sign the marriage agreement to save him.

After Xavier and I got married, my dad often said to me, "Now that you're married, take good care of Xavier. Do you know how many people dream of being a part of the Sullivan family? You've gotten lucky, so don't act like you're living a miserable life."

I knew my dad loved money more than me. He was close to the Zermeno family, so he must have known about Xavier and Elsa. Yet, he still pushed his own daughter—me—into a loveless marriage.

The thought made me nauseous, and I threw up everything I had just eaten.

Upon seeing my pale face, my dad suddenly asked with a gleeful smile, "Are you pregnant?"

Pregnant? As if!

Xavier took great precautions to ensure there was no chance of having a child with me. He made it clear that he didn't want me to have his baby.

My dad seemed to see right through me. He suddenly rushed into the bedroom and returned with a whole box of condoms.

With a smug grin, he boasted, "See, I poked holes in all of these a long time ago. If you're pregnant with Xavier's child, you'll be set for life!"

He called my mom excitedly, laughing as he told her to hurry up and buy a pregnancy test kit.

I trembled furiously with rage. Instantly, I grabbed his phone and smashed it to the ground.

My dad's face darkened. He slapped me hard, knocking me to the floor.

I instinctively put my hand down to brace myself, but my palm pressed into the broken glass from the phone. A sharp pain shot through my body. However, my heart hurt even more—it felt as if a knife had been plunged into my chest.

I held back my tears and looked down. The floor was stained red with my blood.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. In the next moment, Xavier walked over and towered above me as he looked down condescendingly.

A shrewd glint flashed in my dad's eyes as he said, "Halyna is hurt! You should take her to the hospital for a check-up."

Xavier glanced coldly at the blood on the floor and frowned. He said with displeasure, "This is a brand-new rug, and you've ruined it."

I had signed for that rug myself, and the sender was Elsa.

Already furious in the first place, I couldn't hold back my emotions anymore. I retorted, "This is my house too! I'll do whatever I want!"

With that, I grabbed an antique teapot worth 300 thousand dollars from the display shelf and smashed it to the ground. My dad rushed to stop me, but I smashed another 15th century porcelain vase that was worth more than a million dollars.

Xavier watched me impassively as if I were breaking glass instead of priceless antiques.

As I reached up again, my hand brushed against a small object. It had been carefully tucked away, so I had never noticed it before.

Xavier was taller than me. Hence, he saw what I'd grabbed before I could even take a look at it.

"Don't touch that!" he said sharply.