Her face and body were drenched as she was splashed with water. She blinked her eyes repeatedly and immediately woke up. She saw her mother-in-law standing with her arms crossed, a smug expression on her face.
"Do you think you're some kind of princess who can just sleep comfortably until now?" Victoria yanked Caroline's hair harshly, causing her to cry out in pain.
"What did I do wrong?" Caroline asked softly, trying to free herself.
"You’re asking what you did wrong?" Victoria glared at Caroline, her grip on Caroline's hair tightening.
Caroline was feeling unwell, which was why she wanted to rest for a bit. From morning until night, she was constantly ordered to do house chores like a servant. Her husband, Johan, allowed her to be treated this way and tormented in this house.
Johan didn’t care about her. His attitude was nothing like it had been early in their marriage. They had been married for three years, and initially, Johan often defended and protected her. However, over time, his concern for her disappeared.
"What’s going on, Mom? Why is it so noisy in here?" Suddenly, Johan entered the room and saw his mother and Caroline in conflict.
"Look at your wife, lazing around and still sleeping! She should be working, taking care of the house first."
Seeing Caroline still sitting idly on the bed, Johan immediately scolded her. He berated her harshly in front of his mother.
"You heard what my mom said, didn’t you? Stop being so lazy like this." Johan grabbed Caroline’s hand to pull her up.
Victoria smiled, satisfied with Johan’s actions toward Caroline. She was constantly treated like this. Only tears could convey her pain.
"I didn’t mean to be lazy in this house. I just don’t feel well. I’m always told to do housework all day long." Caroline cried bitterly in front of Johan.
A wife should be loved and cared for by her husband. But Caroline Margareth’s fate was different. She was constantly oppressed in her husband’s house. Her mother-in-law didn’t like her presence there.
After getting married, she should have been happy. But instead, she faced oppression from her mother-in-law in this house, and her husband sided with his mother.
"You’re such a useless wife! I deeply regret marrying you!" Johan shoved Caroline, causing her to fall to the floor.
Johan even kicked her stomach. He no longer had any conscience. Victoria was delighted to see her son treating Caroline this way. Not just once, but twice, Johan kicked Caroline in the stomach.
"I’m sorry." Caroline’s voice was barely audible, even to Johan.
"What did you say just now?" Johan grabbed Caroline’s chin roughly.
It was unclear what had come over Johan. He seemed furious as he looked at Caroline. His face turned red, and he slapped her hard across the face.
Johan and Victoria continually tormented Caroline. As a husband, instead of protecting her, Johan hurt her. He slapped Caroline again, leaving bruises on her face. She was in pain before them. Her hair was also pulled hard by Victoria. At this point, she couldn’t fight back.
"Johan, you should divorce Caroline right now! She’s completely useless in this house. All she does is laze around."
Suddenly, Johan dragged Caroline’s body to the front yard. Victoria followed behind her son.
"Why are you treating me so badly in this house?" Caroline cried in front of Johan and Victoria.
"Because you deserve all this," Victoria replied firmly. "You’re not a good daughter-in-law for me."
Even before marrying Johan, Victoria didn’t like her. Yet, Caroline still chose to marry the man she loved, Johan Charlotte. At that time, she was blinded by love.
"Especially since you can’t give Johan a child, which makes me even angrier with you! You’re such an incompetent wife!" Victoria slapped Caroline hard across the face.
Blood trickled from the corner of Caroline’s mouth as a result of Victoria’s slap. Johan also dragged her body roughly.
"You’d better leave this house right now! My mother and I don’t need you here. You’re the root cause of all the problems in this house." Johan spoke harshly to Caroline.
Not wanting to be kicked out of the house, Caroline clung to Johan’s legs, begging not to be thrown out. She apologized if she had made mistakes, promising to do anything to stay in the house. However, Johan and his mother were adamant about forcing her out.
"Your tears won’t work on me anymore." Johan kicked Caroline’s body, forcing her to let go of his legs.
Caroline’s face turned pale. Her entire body felt hot. She no longer had the strength to resist. Johan dragged her out of the house and threw her out.
"I’ll take care of our divorce. Don’t ever come back here."
Caroline tried to stand amidst the pouring rain. Slowly, she walked away from Johan’s house. Suddenly, she felt a sharp headache. Finally, Caroline collapsed on the ground, her body weak and unconscious.
***
"What’s the condition of that woman now?"
Benjamin Charles sat relaxed in his room, smoking a cigarette. He spoke to one of his loyal subordinates who had entered the room.
"She’s still unconscious, Sir."
On his way home, Ben had found a woman collapsed on the street in a pitiful state. Her body was covered in bruises, as if she had been abused. He had immediately taken her to his home and called for his private doctor.
"When she wakes up, let me know immediately." Ben ordered his subordinate to keep an eye on the woman.
"Understood, Sir."
With a gesture of his hand, he signaled his subordinate to leave the room. Ben walked to the balcony and enjoyed the fresh air outside. He couldn’t stop thinking about the woman.
"She’s so beautiful," Ben muttered, admiring her beauty despite the bruises on her face.
***
Caroline felt a cold compress on her forehead. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around. She was shocked to find herself in a luxurious room.
"Where am I?" Caroline tried to sit up slowly.
Suddenly, a maid entered the room. Dressed neatly and politely, she approached Caroline. The woman asked about her condition.
"How are you feeling, Miss? Does your head still hurt?"
"It doesn’t hurt anymore," Caroline replied politely.
"That’s a relief."
Caroline grabbed the maid’s wrist and asked, "Where am I now? Who brought me here?"
"Mr. Charles brought you to this house."
‘Mr. Charles? Who is he?’ Caroline thought to herself, her curiosity about the man named Benjamin Charles growing stronger.
"Mr. Charles?" Caroline's eyebrows shot up."Yes, Miss."The servant walked toward the door and called someone over. Caroline winced in pain as she tried to stand. Johan's kick still lingered, causing her pain."Miss, what's wrong with you?" The servant rushed over to Caroline with a worried look on her face. "Is it still hurting?""Yes.""Andrew, quickly call Mr. Charles to come to the room." The servant shouted and asked a man to call Mr. Charles.Caroline didn't even know the servant's name yet. The woman was very beautiful with such beautiful hazel eyes. Her smile was also very charming."May I ask what your name is?" Caroline asked softly."Of course. My name is Florence. Just call me Flo.""My name is Caroline."Caroline and Flo shook hands. They both smiled at each other. Suddenly, a man walked into the room. Caroline's eyes were fixed on the man."Mr. Charles, you finally came." Flo called her master while bowing.Caroline was still staring at Ben without blinking. She wanted
"Because my husband and mother-in-law treated me so horribly. To them, I was nothing more than trash. They always blamed me and insulted me as they pleased." Caroline clutched her chest, which trembled slightly from her sobs.Sharing a bit with Ben didn’t seem like a problem. On the contrary, it made her feel a little more at ease. Afterward, Caroline wiped away the tears streaming down her face. Sitting beside her, Ben showed such concern and moved closer.Caroline continued to stare at Ben. Could this be a good destiny for her, to be in this house? Meeting Ben made her feel like she was being treated like a queen."I understand now why you behaved like that towards me before." Ben reached out and gently stroked Caroline's long hair.Caroline remained silent, just feeling the gentle touch. Ben urged her to rest and pulled the blanket over her."Rest now. Don't let yourself keep thinking about negative things. Don't worry, you are much safer here, and no one will bother you." Ben spok
Caroline hurriedly stepped out of the bathtub and she put on her bathrobe. She walked toward the door, opened it, and saw Ben standing with a few servants, including Flo. As she had suspected, her intuition was correct."Have you finished bathing?" Ben asked gently."Why were you about to open the door earlier? I wasn’t even done bathing.""I'm sorry. But I didn’t actually come in, did I?"She couldn’t be angry with Ben since he had saved her life. Besides, he had already apologized for his boldness. It wasn’t a big deal."If you needed help, I could have accompanied you during your bath," Ben said with a smile and a playful wink at Caroline."What do you mean, Mr. Charles?" Caroline asked."Caroline, please don’t be mad at me. I only meant well and had no intention of disrespecting you." Ben raised both hands in apology, explaining that his comment was just a joke.Caroline turned away from Ben and sat on the bed. Unexpectedly, Ben followed her, and their eyes met briefly."Forgive m
"Be my lover starting today, and I’ll make you my queen forever," Ben said while gently caressing Caroline’s smooth cheek.Caroline wasn’t interested in the slightest. Receiving such an offer from Ben was never her wish. All she wanted now was to live a quieter life without thinking about men."You're just talking nonsense!" Caroline said as she tried to maintain her distance and moved Ben’s hand away from her cheek."Caroline, I mean it. I’m serious about this," Ben replied earnestly.She gently pushed Ben away to create some space between them. Her heart raced wildly, and she felt unsettled being so close to him. However, Ben wasn’t one to give up easily. Caroline was already nervous, her thoughts filled with distrust toward the man standing before her."Ben, what are you doing?" Caroline gasped when Ben suddenly lifted her and carried her to the bed."I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you," Ben said firmly, gripping both her hands gently.She froze for a moment, staring dee
"What happened?" Ben hurried home after receiving a message from Andrew."Miss Caroline isn't in her room, sir. We've searched everywhere, but she's nowhere to be found," Andrew reported.Ben tried to remain calm, but his heart was racing with worry for Caroline. He instructed Andrew to check the CCTV footage, but Andrew had already reviewed it before Ben's arrival."Miss Caroline left on her own and didn’t take anything with her. I've been checking the footage since earlier," Andrew explained.Ben thought for a moment before mobilizing all his subordinate to search for Caroline. His command was clear, and they promptly got into their vehicles to begin the search."No one is allowed to return to this house until Caroline is found!" he ordered.***For some reason, Ben decided to look for Caroline near Johan's house. He had secretly gathered information about Johan and his whereabouts. Parking his car a bit farther away to avoid being noticed, he observed the area.What he saw shocked
Ben had been feeling lonely at home for the past few days because Caroline was not by his side. She preferred to stay at Johan's house. Even though Johan had kicked her out of there, Caroline still wanted to stay. Ben wondered, did Caroline love Johan so much that she didn't want to separate from him?He was pensive in his room smoking a cigarette. Thick clouds of smoke floated in the air. Ben imagined Caroline was here. Suddenly, Andrew walked into his room."Mr. Charles, everything is in order. Just waiting for your orders," Andrew said firmly in front of Ben."Good job. I will call you when the time comes." Ben blew out his cigarette and puffed thick smoke into the air.He had to get Caroline back today. Whether she liked it or not, he wanted her back by his side.***[Are you still there?]A message came in from Ben via WhatsApp. Caroline had read the message but didn't reply to it. She wanted to get away from Ben, a man who always gave her attention and comfort. She felt bad if s
"Caroline, I'm Ben. I won't kill you." Ben tapped Caroline on the shoulder from behind and they locked eyes.Ben helped Caroline up. However, he was surprised that Caroline's body had several cuts. He had guessed that this was Johan's doing. Ben immediately took off his coat and put it on Caroline's body."Caroline, let's go home. In my house you will be safe, no one will dare to hurt you." Ben carried Caroline because he couldn't bear to see her in pain like this.She wrapped her arms around Ben's neck and agreed to go home with him. Ben walked towards the car. Andrew and some of his other subordinates followed him from behind. Ben could not understand Johan's actions which he thought were too much for Caroline."Ben, I'm scared. So scared." Caroline let out a low voice that probably sounded like a whisper."Don't be afraid. There is me here who will always be beside you. Don't distance yourself from me anymore. Don't push me away from now on," Ben said as he continued walking.When
Ben stayed all night in Caroline's room, not even sleeping. He was so faithful beside her as he gazed at Caroline's beautiful face. Johan was so cruel to his wife to do such a terrible thing.Just as Ben was about to fix Caroline's hair, she suddenly woke up. Caroline and Ben stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, she tried to sit up and was helped by Ben."Hi, how are you feeling now?" Ben asked gently."I still feel scared, Ben. I'm scared."The urge from inside his heart made him want to hug Caroline tightly. She just stayed still as Ben hugged her. The hug felt warm and soothing. Ben stroked her long hair lovingly."Caroline, you will be safe here. No one can bother you. Don't ever leave this house again, don't leave me, do you understand?" Ben's voice sounded very soft in Caroline's ears.She nodded and obeyed Ben's words. She would never go anywhere again. No more coming to Johan's house to beg to stay. Her relationship with Johan had to end. She cried in Ben's arms."Wil
"No way." Caroline tried to keep her tone down to avoid sounding panicked. "She was at the party. She was wearing a waitress uniform and brought drinks for me and Ben.""I don't know who you're referring to, Miss." The receptionist was getting confused.Caroline was stunned. If Jolina wasn't hotel staff, then who was she? Was she just pretending to be a waitress to get close to Ben? Wasn't the security at the hotel usually so tight, why would anyone be able to sneak in unnoticed?Caroline swallowed. Her mind was spinning wildly, trying to put all the pieces together. If Jolina could disguise herself so easily, then she had access or someone to help her get into the party. But who, and for what purpose? She clenched her hands into fists on the reception desk, trying to remain calm despite the anxiety surrounding her."Can I see the event manager or whoever is in charge of the night, then?" Caroline said firmly."Please wait a moment, Miss. I will contact the management." The receptioni
Ben was silent for a while after receiving the message from Andrew and read it silently. Ben let out a long sigh and put his phone on the table. The look in his eyes changed slightly, but he quickly controlled his expression so that Caroline wouldn't get suspicious.Since the incident at the party, Caroline didn't talk much. She was more often lost in her thoughts as if trying to digest everything that had happened. Ben understands that Caroline still has wounds that have not fully healed and he doesn't want to burden her with other problems.Ben moved closer to Caroline who was staring at the window with a blank expression. He hugged Caroline's body from behind and she gave a small gasp before turning to him."Are you okay?" Ben asked softly as he rested his chin on Caroline's shoulder."I'm fine," she replied simply.Caroline was confused about what to do with Ben. What is clear is that her heart is still not fully open like beforeBen sensed the uncertainty in Caroline's voice. He
Sophia stopped the car right in front of Ben's gate. The lights in the yard were still on, indicating that someone was inside, but strangely, none of Ben's subordinates came out to open the gate. She pressed the horn once, but there was no reaction. She grabbed her cell phone and tried to call Ben - no luck. Feeling increasingly frustrated, Sophia got out of the car and walked to the front of the gate. She pressed the intercom roughly."Open the gate! I need to see Ben now!""Go home, Miss Morena." Andrew's voice came over the intercom."What? No! I have to talk to Ben. It's important, Andrew!""Mr. Charles is not home. You should go home." Sophia clenched her fists. She knew Andrew was loyal to Ben and if he said something, it came directly from Ben. She also couldn't accept the fact that Ben wasn't home at the moment. Maybe Andrew was lying."Then, where is he now?" Sophia demanded an answer from Andrew, her voice still sounding sharp."That's none of your business, Miss." Andrew r
Sophia walked through the corridors of her spacious house. She was just about to head to her room when her mother and father's voices were faintly heard from behind the slightly open door of their room. She was about to enter and greet them inside, but a conversation left her frozen in place."Are you sure Viktor didn't fail his mission?" Claudia's voice sounded sharp."I don't pay fools, darling," Alexander replied in a confident tone. "Ben must be removed. As long as he's around, he'll be a threat to us and Sophia.""Don't let Sophia know, Alex. She'll be furious if she finds out you're targeting the man she loves," her mother said again. "Especially since that accident didn't kill him."Sophia covered her mouth, holding back the emotions that were beginning to well up in her chest. So it was true, her father had sent Viktor to attack Ben, and Ben had been hospitalized and treated there. Her eyes heated up, anger and disappointment mixing. With quick steps, she pushed the door to he
"Are you still angry with me?" Ben asked in a soft voice, looking attentively at Caroline who was still in his arms.Caroline still remembered the incident at the gala event, she slowly let go of his embrace. She was disappointed with Ben who had betrayed her.Ben felt the change in Caroline's attitude as she slowly pulled away from his embrace. His heart sank when he saw Caroline's expression-not only sadness, but also deep disappointment."Caroline ...." Ben tried to take her hand again, but Caroline shied away, looking at him with eyes that were now filled with suppressed emotion."I'm still disappointed in you, Ben." Caroline kept her distance from Ben.Ben was silent. Those words hurt much more than the anger Caroline was showing. He tried to get closer again."But at the gala, you let a woman sleep with you." Caroline's voice trembled and still remembered vividly the scene that Ben had created with another woman on the bed."Caroline, listen to me," Ben tried to explain again. "
Jolina was intrigued by Glenn at the gala. She wondered, what exactly made Glenn so different. Her curiosity grew about him. Sophia kept asking, even thinking that Jolina liked Ben."Or perhaps... do you actually like Ben?" Sophia scrutinized Jolina's expression."Ben? Oh, come on, Sophia." She placed her wine glass on the table, giving Sophia a bored look. "I did sleep with him that night at least, that's what Caroline thinks. But it was just part of the plan and I don't have the slightest feelings for him."Jolina sipped her wine slowly, her mind still revolving around Glenn. Glenn didn't seem like the type of man who would easily fall under her spell and that made Jolina even more curious.Jolina recalled her meeting with Glenn during the gala event. The man always seemed calm, unlike other men who were mesmerized by her in seconds. Glenn had a piercing gaze that seemed to read her mind, making her feel challenged."Do you like Glenn? Ben's subordinate?" Sophia asked."Glenn is dif
"I know you're angry. I look like a jerk in your eyes," Ben's voice sounded heavy. "But I didn't do that knowingly, Caroline. I was set up-"Caroline could only shake her head. How many times had Ben said the same thing? However, she now found it hard to believe him. She saw clearly that Ben was sleeping with another woman while the gala was still going on.When Ben was about to grab her wrist, Caroline immediately turned away. She didn't want to look at Ben right now."Caroline ....""Don't touch me!" Caroline gave Ben some distance.Ben froze in place. Caroline's voice full of firmness and pain pierced straight into his heart. His hand that was about to touch Caroline stopped in mid-air before he slowly pulled it back. Ben rubbed his face and felt frustrated. He wanted Caroline to believe him, wanted to explain everything, but how could he? Caroline had seen it so clearly herself. No matter how hard he explained that it was all a trap, the images etched into Caroline's memory would
Caroline didn't think twice. As soon as she saw Ben, she ran and got into his car without hesitation. Her hands were shaking as she pulled the door shut."Caroline! Get out of that car right now!" snapped Johan.Although his condition had not fully recovered, Ben would take Caroline to a safe place first. He wasn't going to his house but to his private apartment."Don't try to touch her again," Ben's voice sounded cold and threatening.Ben didn't look back. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his gaze straight ahead. The car sped off, leaving Johan standing in the middle of the road in a fury.Inside the car, Caroline sat still and her body was still trembling. Her breathing was labored and her hands gripped her dress tightly. She didn't even dare to turn her head to the side, despite knowing that Ben was stealing glances at her.Silence enveloped them. The sound of a car engine driving down the night road was the only thing to be heard. Caroline still felt the traces of Joh
Ben stepped out of the gala venue with firm steps, even though his body had not fully recovered. His head still felt heavy and the pain in his chest made his breathing a little labored. However, none of that deterred him. Caroline was out there, hurt and alone. He would not let her think that he had betrayed her.Behind him, Glenn hurried to catch up. Glenn looked frustrated, unable to let his boss act rashly like this. Ben opened the door of his sports car-Aston Martin DBS Superleggera-without hesitation, then started the engine with one heavy breath. Glenn approached him and tried to stop him once again."Sir, let me drive," Glenn said."No, you stay out of it!"He knew that Ben was stubborn like this. The car sped out of the gala area and left a rumbling sound behind. Glenn could only curse while clenching his fists. After all, Andrew still had no news about Caroline.Meanwhile, Ben was driving at high speed on the night road. His heart was beating fast, not only because his body w