In the Lagoon Villa.

The lustful and ambiguous atmosphere filled every corner of the luxurious bedroom.  

Willow Adams lay sexually on the big and soft bed, and the love bites on her neck were partly visible under her sexy lace dress. She asked the man beside the bed tentatively, "Babe... can you stay here tonight..." 

Anthony Armstrong stopped putting on his tie, and he slowly turned his head and looked at her aloofly.

"Please bear in mind. It's just a deal between us. Nothing more than that. And, there are three months left according to our marriage contract." His tone was cold.

Willow felt sad and couldn't help trembling from his words. Her heart ached.

Indeed, he was right. It was just a deal.

As to raise money for treating her younger brother, who had congenital leukemia, she had been arranged by her parents to marry Anthony in her rural hometown three years ago.

According to the agreement, she would get a handsome sum of three million to be his wife for three years.

Their relationship was nothing but a deal. Therefore, she didn't deserve to ask him to stay a night for her.

Willow bit her lips. She suppressed her emotion by tightening her hands under the quilt. She felt lost and disappointed deep in her heart.

She placed her hand gently on her lower abdomen under the quilt...

The little one in her belly was three months old. The baby was the connection between her and Anthony.

Willow held the quilt tightly and took a deep breath. She plucked up her courage and said, "Anthony, today is my..."

Today was her birthday, and she hoped Anthony would accompany her on this special occasion.

Anthony didn't seem to care what she said. He interrupted her once again before she finished her words.

"I have something to let you know. She's back."

His words were powerful and unexpected. They had a significant and lasting effect on her heart.

Willow's mind went blank. She stared in a daze, and her ears began buzzing.

"She was back..." These words kept buzzing in her ears.

Willow knew very well who Anthony was talking about. Anthony brought Willow back from the countryside and married her, it was solely because she resembled another woman in appearance.

During their three years of marriage, he doted on her. He was always considerate and gentle.

Willow had once vainly hoped that she would spend the rest of her life with him. But half a year ago, Willow first heard a lady's name when she was having intimacy with Anthony, who was drunk.

He murmured a woman's name. It was unclear, but it was undoubtedly not her name, Willow.

At that moment, she was heartbroken and wide awake from her dream.

She was just a substitute for that lady, and their marriage was merely a deal. It had nothing to do with love. If she fell for him, she would be in breach of contract.

It turned out that Anthony's love and care were not for her but especially for this woman. He treated Willow as a deal and a person that could be bought with money. And their relationship was just a piece of contract.

What a funny thing. She once thought he would fall for her gradually.

Willow looked at him and said firmly, "There are still three months left in our contract. You have to respect the spirit of the contract, not even one day less."

Anthony glanced at her coldly and left the room without saying a word.

He had a tall and slender figure, but inside his sturdy body, he was heartless. 

Willow smiled wryly. Anthony left the room without any trace of concern.

......

The next day, Willow was busy preparing a table of dishes, and she cooked all of Anthony's favorite food.

She waited with joy for him to come. She looked at the clock on the wall and calculated the time of his coming.

Soon, Willow heard a slight sound of the car approaching and stopped in the front yard. Her eyes were filled with joy to welcome him.

The door was pushed open, and a familiar and slender figure appeared in front of her.

"Antho..." She was shocked.

She stopped mid-sentence as she saw another woman standing beside Anthony.

It was a beautiful woman. Willow was attracted to her gentle and crystal-bright eyes. Her face was exquisite and flawless. She wore a light pink knee-length dress and white boots. Her long hair was tied up, which made her look elegant and charming.

Willow stared at the woman in the front as they looked alike, especially in their eyes and brows.

It was her! 

Willow immediately took her eyes off and came to her sense.

She was the woman whom Anthony cared about the most.

Willow looked at her up and down in disbelief since he even brought her back.

Anthony looked at the woman passionately instead of the usual frosty manner. It was the eyes he once looked at her half a year ago...

Seeing the way Anthony treated this woman made Willow feel uncomfortable.

"Elowen, give me a few minutes to change my clothes upstairs. I'll come down right away." He turned to the woman intimately, and his gentle voice made Willow jealous. Anthony kissed the lady dearly on the forehead before leaving for upstairs.

"Okay..." The woman agreed in a soft voice. She nodded gently with a sweet smile.

He walked past Willow and went upstairs without having a glimpse of her.

He treated her like she was invisible.

Willow felt upset that she had been ill-treated, and her face turned pale. Her heart ached so much that she couldn't breathe.

At this time, the woman walked into the living hall slowly. She looked around with her beautiful eyes, and finally, her gaze fell on Willow.

"Hello, my name is Elowen Bennett."

"Elowen Bennett..." Willow's heart skipped a beat after hearing her name.

What a beautiful name to match her appearance.

"I..."

When Willow was just about to introduce herself, she was interrupted by Elowen.

"You're a servant of the Anthony family, aren't you? Could you make me a cup of coffee with half sugar?"

How could she treat Willow as a servant?

Willow replied expressionlessly, "I'm sorry. There is no coffee at home, and I am not..."

"Let's go..." 

Anthony stood at the top of the stairs as he seemed to interrupt Willow on purpose. He assured Elowen gently, "I'll ask my assistant to send coffee here later."

"Alright..." Elowen smiled with satisfaction, and her beautiful eyes were filled with the joy of being doted on. "Uh... This is..."

She glanced at Willow briefly, who was wearing home wear and an apron...

"She is my maid."

Anthony explained indifferently and casually. Then he stared at Willow and said, "Don't forget to wear your uniform next time."

"Don't forget to wear the uniform..." His words kept ringing in her ears.

His words left Willow deflated and hurt. The feeling was so overwhelming that she felt choked.

She forced herself to take her eyes off him as he walked away gradually. She quietly removed her apron and poured all the dishes into the trash can.

......

In the Bennett family's villa.

It was bustling with noise and excitement. Every light in the villa was turned on to brighten the night.

Elowen was wearing a white, fitted floor-length dress. She was holding the arm of Lincoln Bennett, the chairman of the Bennett Group. They slowly walked down the stairs under the attention of all the quests.

"Today is a big day in my life." Lincoln Bennett was in joy to announce.

Lincoln Bennett, in his fifties, had an immeasurable joy on his face.

"Tonight, I would like to announce my lost daughter, Elowen Bennett, is finally found."  As he spoke, Lincoln introduced Elowen to everyone present.

Elowen's lips curled up slightly as she smiled bashfully at the crowd.

"And, I have another big news to announce. It is the marriage between the Bennett and the Armstrong family. The wedding of Elowen and Anthony, the president of Armstrong. Co will be held after three months!"

Following the announcement, Anthony came out of the crowd in a dark black suit. He was gorgeous with a calm temperament.

He took Elowen's hand, and he looked gentle and warm. It was the rare part of Anthony.

Everyone was amazed by this beautiful couple.

"The Bennett and the Armstrong family are two big tycoons in the business world. The daughter of the Bennett family is a lucky girl who has just been found and will soon marry President Armstrong. I'm so envious."

"The daughter of the Bennett family is stunning and elegant. She's a perfect match for President Armstrong!"

"I've never seen President Armstrong be so gentle! Look at his eyes which are warm and filled with tenderness. He used to wear a scary porker face!"

The quests' words of blessing and words of envious reached Willow's ears as she stood in the corner of the banquet.

Every word was particularly heart-wrenching. It stabbed into her heart one after another.

Willow sought an opportunity to sneak into the Bennett family's banquet to find out about the relationship between Anthony and Elowen. Unexpectedly, she heard that they planned to get married after three months.

Three months later, the marriage contract between Anthony and her would be expired. He could divorce Willow and then marry Elowen. 

It seemed the relationship between the three was under control with perfect timing.

She was heartbroken and utterly disappointed.

However, she must be strong and survive the coming three months for the sake of her brother's safety! Meanwhile, she must not let Anthony and Elowen find out about the baby in her belly!

This child was an obstacle to Elowen and Anthony's marriage. If they found out she was pregnant, she would be forced to get an abortion.

Three months later, when she got the money from Anthony, she would completely disappear from his world. She wanted to give birth and raise the child by herself.