Chapter 20
Ophelia clung to Kenneth, her arms wrapped tightly around him like a lifeline, the warmth of his body providing a fragile Ishield against the cool night air.
“Grandma.” she murmured softly, her words slipping in and out of coherence as if she were suspended between the realms of dream and reality. Her voice was delicate, a whisper barely audible against the backdrop of the distant hum of the city.
Kenneth cradled her gently in his arms, moving with a tender grace as he carried her back to the car. The night wrapped around them like a soft blanket, the world outside fading into an unimportant blur. They spent the entire night cocooned in that vehicle. the low hum of the city in the distance.
As dawn broke, the horizon began to awaken, spilling soft pale hues of gold and lavender across the sky. Ophelia stirred from her slumber, her brow furrowing slightly before her eyes fluttered open. Through the windshield, she caught sight of the
sunrise.
She’d seen sunrises over the slums before, but this one felt different–almost as if she were in another lifetime. Kenneth hadn’t slept a wink. His voice, low and cold, sliced through the silence. “You’ve seen it. Now let’s go home.” The sharpness of his tone sent a shiver through her, pulling her from the warmth. She’d barely had a glimpse of the sun. But Kenneth wasn’t asking for permission. He started the engine without waiting for a response, and the car roared to life. tearing down the road as if the very air of the place suffocated him. The engine’s growl was loud in the quiet dawn, the speed making it clear that staying another second here was unbearable for him.
“Of course, she thought. A man like Kenneth could never stand a place like this. It’s almost like his body rejects the slums on
instinct.
“Don’t come back to places like this again,” he said, his voice gruff with command. “You’re mine now. You don’t need to live that old life anymore. Understand?”
‘Old life? Does he even know what my life was like? Ophelia bit her lip. nodding quietly like a child caught doing something wrong, her gaze fixed on her shoes. She was still wrapped in Kenneth’s coat, its weight comforting yet foreign.
Kenneth had spent the entire night with a deep, aching pain in his chest. He couldn’t shake the memory of her clinging to him the night before, her fragile voice breaking through the silence as she murmured, “Kenneth, you’re all I have left. Can we have a baby? I want a family…”
Then, out of nowhere, shed whispered something that had stabbed at his heart. “Do you know what my birthday was as a kid! June 1st. I used to pretend Children’s Day was my birthday because the amusement park would give our free balloons and little cakes. Now I know all that stuff was just for people who could pay the entrance fee.”
She let out a bitter laugh, the memory stinging. “Back then, when I was sad or hurt, Grandma would always give me a few pieces of candy and say, Elia, sweetheart, eat this and the pain will go away. But I’ve eaten so much candy, and it still hurts. Kenneth. It still hurts. That old woman was a liar.
“She promised she’d watch me grow up, but she didn’t. She left me. She kept lying to me, saying we had enough money. making clothes for people even when she could barely see, just to keep me in school. And then she died, and I had no one. No one but you, Kenneth. Please, never leave me. Don’t die. Stay with me. I’m begging you…”
Kenneth’s chest tightened painfully, the weight of her words suffocating him. Just thinking about it made it hard to breathe. “Ophelia, if I ever catch you drinking again, I’ll definitely make you learn your lesson.”
Ophelia blinked, confused. What’s gotten into him? It’s barely morning, and he’s already in a foul mood.
Kenneth could never forget the sight of her as a four–year–old little girl, rummaging through garbage cans for food, her small, dirty hands clutching a moldy piece of bread. She’d torn off the worst part and handed the rest to him. “Here, eat this.”
Suddenly, Kenneth slammed on the brakes. The car skidded to a halt, and he sat there, his hands gripping the wheel, his knuckles white. His eyes were bloodshot, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Without a word, he reached over, grabbed Ophelia’s shoulder, and pulled her into his arms with a force that almost crushed her. It was as though he wanted to merge her into his very being, to hold her so tightly that nothing could ever take her away from burn.
Chapter 20
Ophelia overwhelmed by his sudden intensity, wondered, ‘Did I punch him last night after drinking? Why is he holding me so right? Does he want to squeeze the life out of me?
“Kenneth, L… I promise, I won’t drink again if that’s what you want. Just Before she could finish, his lips crashed down on hers, cutting off her words.
She tried to keep her mouth shut, embarrassed by the lingering taste of beer from last night, but Kenneth was relentless. His lips moved against hers with a fierce intensity, his breath mingling with hers as his nose brushed against hers in a tender yet possessive way,
The air inside the car grew thick with unspoken emotions, the tension between them almost palpable, swirling like a storm that neither could control.
“When you shared half your bread with me back then, I vowed to protect you for a lifetime.” Kenneth’s voice was gravelly, his tone a mixture of tenderness and determination.
Ophelia, still lost in the lingering effect of his kiss, felt her whole body tingling, her senses dulled. “What? What did you just say?” she asked, her voice a little hazy from the intensity of the moment.
“Nothing” Kenneth replied, releasing her and sitting upright with a nonchalance that almost felt cold. He looked like one of those men who pretended that nothing had happened after they got what they wanted. Starting the engine again, he threw out another warning. “If you ever drink again, I’ll surely make you regret it. Got it?”
He said it like he was scolding a child.
Ophelia was speechless, rolling her eyes internally. ‘Didn’t he already say that once? She took a deep breath and, just to tease him, replied with a playful smirk, “Fine. I won’t even drink at our wedding reception.”
Kenneth glanced at her sideways. In a hurry, are we?”
“Huh. Ophelia replied.
“In a hurry to make it official?” Kenneth asked again.
Even though she was technically married to him only in name, they hadn’t gotten a marriage license or had a wedding. To Kenneth, Ophelia’s comment felt like a hint, as though she was pressing him for something more official.
Ophelia was speechless again. In her last life, she and Kenneth hadn’t spent much time together, and they never developed much of a rapport. This time around, it was still hard for her to get a read on him. His thought process was like a maze she couldn’t quite navigate.
“Give me some time,” Kenneth said, his voice turning serious.
He had so much on his plate–family rivalries, power plays within his corporation, hidden schemes left and right. Until he could guarantee Ophelia’s safety, he couldn’t risk pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.
The weight of his words and his unusually serious tone made Ophelia pause, making her straighten up as well.
She understood his situation. Someday, when she was stronger, when her wings had fully spread, she wouldn’t need his protection anymore. She’d be powerful enough to stand shoulder–to–shoulder with him.
Tm not in a rush,” she replied softly.
The idea of a wedding wasn’t something she was eager for just yet.
Kenneth shot her a cold, sidelong glance. ‘Not in a rush?” he thought. ‘Last night, you talked about having kids with me, and now you’re not in a hurry? Isn’t that just like women, always unpredictable? Isn’t this the kind of thing where she’s supposed to be demanding a clear answer from me?‘
“You don’t want to marry me?” His voice was ice, and with a sudden, angry motion, he slammed his foot down on the gas pedal.
The engine roared to life, the speed climbing with a sense of reckless urgency. It almost felt like if she said “no“, he’d take them both straight to the grave.
Ophelia blinked in confusion. “Aren’t we already married?”
Chapter 20
Kenneth froze for a moment, caught off guard. “What?”
“She doesn’t know we never signed any papers? he thought, amused. Maybe it’s better this
Hearing her answer seemed to calm him. The car gradually slowed down the tension of the moment
Kenneth smirked, his eyes softening just a touch. He reached over with one hand, ruffing Ophelia’s already messy hair.
Ophelia let out a small sigh of relief, though inwardly she muttered to herself. This man is so damn unpredictable.
By the time they returned to Rosewood Manor, the sun was already hanging high in the sky, its golden rays spilling over the lush garden and stone pathways. The manor stood grand and imposing, the sprawling estate bathed in light, though there was a faint chill in the air that hinted at the early morning’s retreat.
Mark was sitting in the grand hall, waiting. Kenneth had gone out alone the night before, forbidding anyone to follow him, so Mark had shown up early at Rosewood Manor, only to find the place empty.
When he saw Ophelia walking in draped in Kenneth’s oversized coat, she looked almost like a child playing grown–up in grown–up clothes. There was even a lingering fishy scent clinging to her. Mark raised an eyebrow, wondering if she’d spent the night out at sea, fishing
“I’m going to take a shower. Ophelia said, without any more explanation
By the time she came downstairs. Mark had already left, and Kenneth was sitting leisurely at the dining table, eating breakfast as if he had all the time in the world.
Ophelia sat down across from him, biting into her sandwich with gusto, the savory taste bringing her back to life after a long night. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she had the food in front of her.
After breakfast. Ophelia noticed that Kenneth was in no hurry to leave. Curious, she asked. “Don’t you need to go to the office today?
