The night of their wedding.

Rita sat on the edge of the bed, feeling waves of bitterness in her mouth, which reached deep into her heart.

Wendy Miao didn't want to marry the disfigured eldest young master of the Harold family, so their father had her stand in for her.

From there on, she was like a bride who could never be shown to the public, brought into the Harold family without a wedding, without any guests.

Her heart was thoroughly cold towards the Lewis family.

Creak--

The sound of a door being opened interrupted her thoughts. She looked up, meeting the sharp, long and piercing black eyes of a man.

--Huo Noah.

Her husband now.

He had a tall and slim figure, not crude, with clearly defined features. His thin lips were tightly pursed. Like a hawk in the darkness of the night, he was cold, aloof, yet dominating.

Despite his originally handsome face, a scar ran from his forehead to his chin, toughening his look, adding a hint of ferocity to it.

Beneath his piercing gaze, she instinctively averted her eyes.

Suddenly, he spoke in a definite tone, "You're not Wendy Miao."

The woman in front of him was clearly more beautiful than Wendy Miao.

Rita instinctively made a few gestures towards him.

Hu Noah frowned, "What are you doing?"

Rita was startled for a moment, then she realized that he did not understand her sign language. Feeling a little awkward, she chuckled then took out a pen and a piece of paper from her bag, and wrote down something for him.

In the next instant, she could see the man's eyes freeze over completely.

He let out a sarcastic laugh, "What is this Hans thinking? Knowing full well that I want Wen Miaomiao, yet intentionally sending over a mute illegitimate daughter instead?"

The words 'mute illegitimate daughter' made Rita's breath hitch, and she cast her eyes downward.

Next, the man lifted her chin, and his icy-cold voice sounded as frosty as winter chill, "Do you Lewis family think you can pull the wool over my eyes?"

Rita's small fist clenched tight within her sleeve.

He was so angry. Would he just send her away?

But what about her grandmother's medical expenses...

Rita wanted to explain, but under the frostiness of the man's gaze, she could only feel her breath getting tighter and tighter.

As she lowered her eyes gradually, the man suddenly spoke, "Take off your clothes."

Was this...

Keeping her?

At first, Rita was elated, then her joy turned to nerves as she thought about what was to happen next, her palms growing damp.

Seeing her hesitation, Hu Noah thought she was backing out and said coldly: "Even though your Lewis family’s act of 'the dead wood in place of a melon plant' is dissatisfying to me, since you are already married, you have to fulfill the duties of a wife."

Rita bit her lower lip, apprehensively removing her clothes bit by bit.

Finally, she lay down stark naked, enduring her embarrassment and turned her face to the left.

A disdainful voice came from beside her, “I asked you to help me undress and bathe, not to undress yourself.”

With a ‘thump,' Rita’s porcelain-white face turned beet-red instantly.

She instantaneously sat up and put on her clothes, only to see the man coldly taking pleasure in her embarrassment.

Anger simmered in Rita’s eyes.

Did he enjoy toying with her this much?

Noah squinted slightly, his voice deep, “What are you still doing standing there?”

Suppressing her emotions, she slowly walked over to him, beginning to help him undress. When it came to remove his trousers, Rita squatted down, her fingers inadvertently brushing past his sensitive region.

The man suddenly grabbed her wrist and leaned in towards her, “Are you seducing me?”

Rita was startled and shook her head. Her clear and innocent eyes were filled with confusion.

Noah stared at her, another pair of clear and sparkling eyes emerging unconsciously in his mind.

He thought of Lewis family, the culprit behind the destruction of these eyes.

His cold laugh echoed in the silence: “I hadn’t planned on touching you tonight, but since you can't control your solitude, I suppose I will have to accommodate you then.”