The Aspen family might have been wiped out, but the Aspen blood runs in Belle's veins."Did your grandfather tell you why you had to marry Grayson?" Dorothy asked tentatively. "He said Grayson was a successful man and the grandson-in-law he wanted, but he didn't mention anything else."Dorothy was silent. She'd guessed by now that the marriage was arranged to secure Belle's future. "Your grandfather has good taste. Grayson Page is indeed a successful boy."Belle thought, "But what good is he if he's successful but doesn't like me?"After that, they chatted for a while before Belle left. Dorothy's personal maid, Ethel Cole, asked confusedly, "If I may ask, Mrs. Sylvester Senior … what is Ms. Walter's relation to you?"She assumed they were grandmother and granddaughter, but they didn't look like each other. Dorothy seemed too polite to her and not kind like a grandmother should.Dorothy stared wistfully in Belle's direction, then said, "She's my master, and I'm her servant."Et
To Grayson, it sounded more like it was unlucky to have Belle. He hadn't had a day of peace since he married her. However, he didn't argue and simply nodded before he continued, "Mrs. Sylvester Senior, can you do me the honor and sell me the pill? You can name any price.""I'll be honest. I've just gifted the frostle pill to someone else. However, I have a new pill called the froston pill with the exact effect. Would you like to gift that instead?"Grayson was shocked upon learning that Dorothy had gifted such a precious thing to someone else.But she didn't seem like she was lying, so after some thought, he asked, "Did you invent the froston pill?"Dorothy shook her head. "No, but don't worry, there's nothing wrong with the pill. I've checked."After another pause, Grayson asked, "How much would one pill cost, then? I'll get Sam to transfer the money." He trusted her character and skills, so any pill she recommended must be alright.Dorothy smiled. "Just take it, free of charge.
Grayson found Belle and Sixteen in front of a barbeque food truck inside a fairground, sitting at a table piled with grilled food and surrounded by beer bottles.Belle was stuffing her face at the table while Sixteen gnawed on a chicken drumstick at her feet. The nearby tables were occupied by people either smoking, drinking, or causing a raucous commotion.One of the tables even had shirtless men trading dirty jokes and swearing like sailors, with scantily clad women wearing heavy but cheap makeup that made them look like monsters.Some tattooed men were shouting and boasting at another table, each exaggerating their abilities more shamelessly than the last."Who the hell does the boss think he is? I'll fire him if he dares give me a pay cut!""Yeah! We're all future hotshots here. Why should we let him walk all over us? When I'm rich, I'll be the first to snap up his company." The man wiped his mouth with a tissue as he talked, then tossed it on the ground just like that. The
Grayson didn't ask any further questions. It was getting late, so he demanded that Belle go home again. "Stop drinking! Get up!" he snapped."No. I haven't gone drinking in ages. Let me have two more bottles." Belle didn't want to leave and kept downing bottle after bottle. Clearly, she was drinking to her heart's content now that there was someone to drive her home.Grayson was furious now. "Belle Walters! You'll get drunk if you keep drinking!"Belle pouted. "Why so fierce? That's not very gentlemanly at all. Hmph!" Her voice was a bit whiny, like a little girl's. She was obviously drunk.Grayson was about to drag her away with an angry face when the tattooed young men got offended. "Hey, what are you doing, bro? Can't you tell the lady doesn't want to go?" A blonde guy patted Grayson's shoulder, alcohol on his breath.Grayson moved away and ignored him before asking Belle, "Are you going or not?""No.""Why you—"The blonde guy shoved Grayson before he could finish. "I t
After getting into the driver's seat, Grayson took off his suit jacket and tossed it into the trash can on the spot. It smelled like grilled meat and was stained with sauce from Belle's mouth. He found it utterly gross. After Grayson got in the car, he glared at Belle with rage before finally starting the car. Not only did his bedtime get delayed, he got into a fight with a bunch of thugs. He couldn't believe how his night had turned out. "It hurts!" Belle suddenly whined.Grayson looked at her. She was probably feeling uncomfortable now that the alcohol's effects had kicked in. She was tugging at her seatbelt with a frown, still whining.Grayson ignored her and kept driving.With a clack, Belle suddenly undid her seatbelt. Before Grayson could react, she fell right over and leaned on top of him.Grayson hated this. "Belle, get off!" He shrugged his shoulders to push Belle away. It was hard enough that her head knocked into the passenger seat's window. She hissed in pain.Th
Gritting his teeth, Grayson drove forward a little. Then, he stopped the car and undid his seatbelt.Getting out of the car, he moved Belle to the backseat so that she was huddling with Sixteen instead.He had remained celibate for decades. He couldn't believe he was reacting to Belle's flirting. Grayson was annoyed at this fact.Once home, he moved Belle into the bathroom.Ignoring her, he turned around to leave. But Belle tugged at his pants.Grayson frowned. "What?""I want to throw up," Belle said.Grayson's expression shifted. "Just throw up if you want to. Why are you holding onto me?""I …" Unable to hold it in, Belle threw up. Her vomit got onto the floor, Grayson's pants, and his shoes.Grayson fell silent.Two seconds later, he shouted, "Belle Walters! What is wrong with you?"Grayson was pissed. He hastily dragged Belle to the toilet bowl, letting her vomit there. Then, he took off his clothes and started the shower.When Belle was done, her whole body reeked as
Grayson's expression was dark. He was about to fly into a rage when he suddenly thought of something. Suppressing his anger, he asked, "You think he's old, and that's why you don't like him?"People would be more honest after getting drunk, after all. He would grab the chance to ask her why she didn't fancy him despite her rich experience in love.Belle nodded, then shook her head. She nodded again, then shook her head again. It went on and on. There was no end to it.Grayson said in a cold voice, "Speak up!"Pouting, Belle said, "Yes, but also no. I do hate that he's old, but just a little. That's not the main point."Grayson frowned. "So what's the main point?""The point is, I don't like him!"She wasn't quite answering the question. Glaring at her in disdain, Grayson asked again. "What do you not like about him?"Belle replied, "Everything! He's a useless stick in the mud! I'm telling you, there's nothing good about him other than his looks."He's old and fierce, and he ha
"I don't need you to protect me! Go to bed! Right now!" Grayson roared.Belle pouted again."What's wrong with you? I said I'd protect you, but you shouted at me instead. If you do it again, I'm leaving you alone. I'll let the beasts eat you up! I'm telling you, this mountain has tons of wild beasts!"Grayson was speechless. They weren't even on some mountain. This was his home, and they were in his bedroom!Grayson was so pissed that he didn't even know how to get mad at her. He had also gotten tired of asking, so he pointed at the bathroom."Go to sleep right now, Belle. Don't make me do it.""Sleep. Yes, I'll go to sleep."Muttering, Belle walked in the opposite direction. Instead of going to the bathroom, she walked to the bed.Grayson glared at her. "Is she truly drunk?" he wondered, "If she's drunk, how can she figure out where the bed is?"Belle was about to flop onto the bed when Grayson hastily pulled her back. She smelled terrible right now. If she touched the bed, h