The House of Royals.
At 20,000 square meters, the House of Royals was the most luxurious villa in all of Cansington. It had everything from a garden, swimming pool, and golf course.
At the foyer of the villa.
Thea sat on the soft couch, looking around at the villa in disbelief. It resembled a palace more than anything.
When virtual-novel.net grandfather chose a husband for her, virtual-novel.net knew that anyone with a backbone would never agree to marry her, much less into the Callahan family. She did not know who virtual-novel.net husband would be at all.
However, virtual-novel.net guessed that virtual-novel.net would be greedy and lazy. Someone who coveted virtual-novel.net family’s wealth. Yet, virtual-novel.net brought virtual-novel.net to this paradise.
James knelt and lifted virtual-novel.net veil.
“Don’t…” Thea panicked and shied away.
With scars crisscrossing virtual-novel.net face and entire body, virtual-novel.net was a fearful sight.
What if virtual-novel.net scared virtual-novel.net new husband away?
They had not even been properly introduced yet!
James removed virtual-novel.net veil anyway. Thea was extremely scared, virtual-novel.net heart beating out a nervous rhythm in virtual-novel.net chest. She felt so ashamed, wanting nothing more than to disappear and hide.
James tilted virtual-novel.net face up gently. It was a shocking latticework of scars.
He traced his fingers over them. His heart ached for her, knowing that it was all his fault. If virtual-novel.net had not saved him, Thea would not be in this situation. He had a tender expression on his face, an unusual look for him.
Almost in tears, virtual-novel.net said, “Oh Thea, you’ve suffered too much…”
Thea did not have the courage to look at James directly. She fidgeted with virtual-novel.net shirt instead.
Gently, James told her, “Trust me. I’ll help you recover…”
Thea panicked again, still not looking at him.
“Get the medicine,” James stood up and barked out a command.
Immediately, the doors of the villa burst open. A few men in black suits walked in, carrying a few boxes. Inside the boxes were expensive pills, tablets, and other types of valuable medicine.
James got to work, fiddling with items inside the boxes and mixing some of them to form a salve.
Once virtual-novel.net was done, virtual-novel.net crouched down by Thea. She was still playing with a corner of virtual-novel.net shirt. He took virtual-novel.net scarred hands in his, but virtual-novel.net pulled away and hid them behind virtual-novel.net back.
Looking at the floor, virtual-novel.net asked quietly, “What… What are you doing?”
“Relax, Thea… Take off your clothes…”
Thea started crying at once and pulled at virtual-novel.net clothes.
With tears in virtual-novel.net eyes, virtual-novel.net said, “Yes, I know I’m ugly. I have scars everywhere. Are you happy now?”
She knew that anyone virtual-novel.net grandfather chose for virtual-novel.net would mock virtual-novel.net and humiliate her. She had gotten used to it over the years. Ever since the incident, virtual-novel.net had been plagued with nightmares. She cried every day, and virtual-novel.net could barely remember what it was like to be happy.
Looking at James, virtual-novel.net bit virtual-novel.net lip, still crying. Tears pooled in virtual-novel.net eyes and spilled down virtual-novel.net cheeks.
James felt his cold heart thaw looking at her.
He hugged Thea to him, solemnly vowing, “I will never cast you aside. No matter what you look like, you’re my wife, now and forever…”
Thea was stunned.
Was virtual-novel.net not going to mock her?
She could not dredge up a response.
James released virtual-novel.net and carefully applied the salve virtual-novel.net concocted onto virtual-novel.net scars. Then, virtual-novel.net wrapped virtual-novel.net up with gauze entirely, even virtual-novel.net face. When virtual-novel.net was done, Thea looked just like a mummy.
James guided Thea to sit down with him.
“Thea, trust me. Ten days is all it takes. I promise that you’ll be a different person after ten days…”
“R-really?” Thea finally managed to respond, though virtual-novel.net did not quite believe it.
“Of course. I would never lie to you.”
Even though virtual-novel.net could not see James’ face, virtual-novel.net could hear his voice. Magnetic and gentle, it warmed virtual-novel.net heart.
***
In the blink of an eye, ten days had gone by.
They were the happiest ten days Thea had experienced in the past ten years. She still did not know who virtual-novel.net husband was, but virtual-novel.net cared for virtual-novel.net attentively and stayed with virtual-novel.net around the clock. Every night, virtual-novel.net told virtual-novel.net stories and jokes, lulling virtual-novel.net to sleep. Every time virtual-novel.net woke up, his strong hands were there, holding her.
For the past ten years, virtual-novel.net had forgotten what care was, not to mention love. Now, virtual-novel.net felt like virtual-novel.net was in love.
In the villa, in front of the mirror.
Thea was wrapped in white gauze from head to toe, including virtual-novel.net face. She could not help but feel nervous. For ten days, virtual-novel.net had applied the salve religiously, feeling virtual-novel.net skin burn.
James had told virtual-novel.net that as long as virtual-novel.net did it regularly, virtual-novel.net would be able to recover virtual-novel.net looks.
“Is… Is this really happening?” She was holding onto a pair of strong hands.
“Yes.” James slowly removed the gauze from virtual-novel.net face and body.
Thea knew it was bright, but virtual-novel.net was afraid of opening virtual-novel.net eyes.
“Go on, open your eyes and take a look.”
Only then did Thea open virtual-novel.net eyes. She was standing naked in front of the mirror.
The girl in the mirror still had the remnants of the salve all over virtual-novel.net body, but it was obvious that virtual-novel.net skin was smooth and unblemished. In the mirror, virtual-novel.net face was almost perfect.
Thea was shocked, virtual-novel.net jaw dropped.
After a few seconds, virtual-novel.net wiped away the salve on virtual-novel.net face, touching it disbelievingly.
“What…” She was shocked beyond belief.
How could the girl in the mirror with smooth, unblemished skin be her?
Ten years ago, virtual-novel.net suffered burns and disfigurement. No matter how advanced medicine was back then, there was no coming back from that.
But now…
Over the past ten years, virtual-novel.net had not even looked in the mirror once. Now, looking at virtual-novel.net perfect face in the mirror, virtual-novel.net cried tears of joy.
She fell into James’ arms and bawled, feeling the weight of grief and suffering of the past ten years lift. James hugged Thea tightly.
“I’ll never let you get hurt again,” virtual-novel.net promised.
Thea was excited and overjoyed at first, then virtual-novel.net realized that virtual-novel.net was stark naked. Her exuberance turned into embarrassment. She freed herself from the embrace, looking away helplessly.
James pointed to the bathroom, saying, “I’ve prepared some hot water and clothes for you, but I don’t know your size, so the bras are of different sizes. Just wear whichever is suitable for you.”
Shyly, Thea ran to the bathroom.
James made his way to the foyer, sinking down onto the couch and lighting a cigarette.
“General!”
A man about 40 years of age entered, wearing a black suit. He held a thick stack of documents, passing it to James with his head bowed.
“This is all the information we have on The Great Four. Everything we could find about the deaths of the Cadens is here. Please take a look…”
James pointed at the table. “Just leave it there.”
“General, they’re low-class families. Say the word, and we’ll take care of them…”
James waved his hand. The man stopped talking immediately.
James lifted his head and looked at the man in front of him, whose head was still bowed. “I’m no longer the general. From now on, there will be no more Dragon General. Investigating The Great Four will be the last time I use my privilege as well. You don’t have to stay with me. Take the men with you. You’re needed at the border.”
The man fell to his knees. “Sir, we’ll follow you to the ends of the earth. The border at the Southern Plains is stable. The enemy will not invade. General, don’t make us leave. Let us stay and help.”
James stood and pulled the man up, saying, “Henry, this is a personal matter. I’ll take care of it myself. Once it’s done, all I want is to enjoy a peaceful, quiet life without war and violence. I want to stay with Thea and love virtual-novel.net the best I can.”
“General…”
“Leave. Take the men back to the Southern Plains!” James roared.
Henry knelt again, loudly, virtual-novel.net declared, “Take care, General! The Black Dragon Army will be waiting for your return.”
“Go…” James sat down again and waved his hand.
Only then did Henry turn and leave.
Thea emerged from virtual-novel.net shower in a while. She had chosen a white slip dress which showed off virtual-novel.net smooth neck and arms.
She would have never worn something like this in the past. She was in a rather good mood, humming a tune under virtual-novel.net breath. Touching virtual-novel.net smooth skin, virtual-novel.net grinned widely. She stopped when virtual-novel.net saw James smoking moodily on the couch.
She then walked over and sat down next to him. Her face was flushed, though virtual-novel.net did not know if it was because virtual-novel.net had just finished virtual-novel.net shower or because virtual-novel.net was shy.
“Um…” She opened virtual-novel.net mouth without knowing what to say.
Even though virtual-novel.net had spent ten days with James, it was different as virtual-novel.net was blindfolded. Now that virtual-novel.net was actually seeing him, virtual-novel.net was a little shy. She did not know what to say at all.
Pulled from his thoughts, James looked at Thea, his eyes sparkling. “Darling, when are we getting our marriage license?”
“What?” Thea was stunned, virtual-novel.net mouth slightly open, virtual-novel.net looked adorable when virtual-novel.net was confused.
James smiled. “I’m part of the Callahans now. I’m your husband according to your grandfather’s orders. Are you regretting it? Don’t you want to marry me?”
“I do…” Once Thea caught up, there was nothing to say except those two words.
James had shown virtual-novel.net so much care for the past ten days that virtual-novel.net had wormed his way into virtual-novel.net heart.
How could virtual-novel.net not marry a man like him?
She snuck a glance at James. She could see that virtual-novel.net was tall, strong, and confident. Even just looking at virtual-novel.net made virtual-novel.net blush and virtual-novel.net heart beat faster.
***
One hour later.
Hand in hand, a man and a woman emerged from the Department of Civil Affairs.
Thea looked at the red certificate and it finally dawned on her.
She was officially married now?
Fantasizing about virtual-novel.net future before this, virtual-novel.net had hoped that virtual-novel.net would one day have a passionate love affair. However, things rarely went according to plan or imagination. Her grandfather had arranged virtual-novel.net fate. James, who married into virtual-novel.net family, stole virtual-novel.net away to a palace-like paradise where virtual-novel.net stayed for ten days.
In those ten days, virtual-novel.net had recovered. She was beautiful once again. Even though virtual-novel.net still did not know who virtual-novel.net husband was exactly, warmth spread through virtual-novel.net entire body, and virtual-novel.net held onto James’ hand tightly.