Chapter 215: Tonight, I’ll Teach You

I had never undone a man’s belt before. The only time I came close was with Luke, but even then, it was a blur. We were both drunk, and he controlled everything, leaving me with little memory of it.

As my fingers grazed the cold buckle, a slight tremor ran through my fingertips. A warmth spread over the back of my hand, and I felt Conner’s gaze solely on me. “Chloe, it’s not dark yet. Dinner is nearly ready.” I blushed deeper, my impatience growing.

His words touched me deeply, and I felt an overwhelming urge to express my gratitude. Carter seemed to sense my thoughts. “Chloe, everything I do is from my heart. You don’t owe me anything. What I want is your sincerity, not actions born from a sense of gratitude.” I mumbled, struggling to find the right words.

He gently placed his hand on my head and said, “Chloe, I’ve waited this long. Do you really think I’d lack patience? I don’t want your gratitude. I want you to give yourself to me willingly, with your heart.” His words calmed the chaos in my mind, bringing clarity. Carter wasn’t like Luke; he was steady and dependable. This, I realized, is what it means to truly care for someone—it’s built on respect above all else.

Feeling deeply moved, I wrapped my arms around him. “Thank you, Carter.” He whispered softly, “No, it’s me who should be thanking you.” Carter’s arm around my waist grew firmer, inch by inch. “Thank you for choosing me this time,” he murmured. We clung to each other, our embrace yielding warmth. “Chloe, I promise I’ll fall in love with you. Truly, I will,” he said with quiet confidence. “I know. That day isn’t far away.”

A knock at the door interrupted us. “Ms. Zoey, Mr. Carter, dinner is ready,” came the voice from outside. “Got it! We’ll be there soon,” I answered quickly, breaking the moment. When I looked down, I noticed his shirt was crumpled from my grip, and somehow, two of his buttons were undone. The tan linen felt delicate, and with him sitting in the wheelchair, there was an air of fragile restraint. I quickly fastened his shirt buttons, forcing myself to look away. Leaning close, I whispered softly near his ear, “Does this mean we could try something tonight? I want to take it step by step!”

His pupils dilated. Rough and low, he said, “Tonight, I’ll teach you.” Even as I walked away, my heart continued to race uncontrollably.

In the living room, Philippa fixed her gaze on me with a deep look. “Mom, are you feeling any better?” I asked gently. She nodded firmly. “Yes. Don’t worry, I’ll keep these two babies. But Zoey, you have to help me get a divorce.” Her resolve was clear. She had spent the first part of her life disappointing Nicholas and had no intention of continuing on that path.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll make sure you get the divorce you want. If he refuses, we’ll take it to court. With his affair, the law will support you! It might be a little complicated, but we’ll win in the end.”

As I finished speaking, a strange voice interrupted from behind me, “Want a divorce? Keep dreaming!” I turned around to see an old man standing at the door and immediately recognized him as Zoey’s grandfather, Benjamin Wilcher, who had once been willing to sell his own daughter just to get closer to the Gardners. I hadn’t expected Bill to bring him here. Philippa’s eyes flickered with a touch of fear when she saw him. “Dad, what are you doing here?”

“If I didn’t show up, you’d have stirred up all sorts of trouble!” he replied sharply. A few more people walked in, including a middle-aged couple I was supposed to call Uncle Harper and Aunt Linette. Linene Wilcher carried a box of bone broth, saying, “Philippa, we heard you’re pregnant, so we came to visit.”

Harper Wilcher beamed with excitement. “You’re really fortunate. If you have a son for the Gardners, our family’s future will be in your hands, Philippa. It’s all on you now.” The youngest uncle, Vere Wilcher, added with enthusiasm, “Philippa, Bill said that if you manage to have the baby, he’ll hand us the pier project. And if it’s a boy, he’ll add another ten million!”

As soon as they entered, they began chatting eagerly, and I couldn’t help but notice the greed and selfishness plastered on their faces. They resembled robbers, plotting how to divide the spoils, completely devoid of any family warmth. It was disgusting to witness.

“Philippa, wouldn’t it be great if you were having twins? That way, the reward would double!”

“Yes, Philippa. Have you checked if it’s a single pregnancy or twins?”

Philippa’s expression grew darker and darker, and it finally clicked for me. She had been raised in a family that valued sons over daughters, and from the start, the Wilchers had treated her like an object to be sold. Even without Bill, there would have been someone else. She was the Wilchers’ leech, their scapegoat. What kind of young lady is she? Her life wasn’t any better than Zoey’s. Growing up in a family like this, it’s no wonder Zoey felt so trapped that she considered ending her life. Everyone is here except for Granny. Benjamin always uses Granny to manipulate my mom! Is this really even a family? It’s like a pack of leeches.

“What does it matter to you whether it’s twins or just one?” I shot a cold glance at the so-called Aunt Linette. She looked at me with surprise, likely because Zoey usually wore black, and they didn’t recognize her new outfit today.

“Zoey, I heard you got married. You’ve really changed, becoming more and more beautiful! That’s not right. We’re family. How could we not care about your mom being pregnant?”

“Those who are involved in relationships are mostly concerned with their own gain. Since you came here, have you once shown any care for Mom? All you focus on is profit and personal advantage.”

Benjamin shot me a harsh look. “Shut up! You have no right to speak while adults are talking. Are you married? Why are you still hanging around your parents’ home?”

Carter spoke in a calm, steady tone, “Now that you’ve accepted her as part of the Boltons, it’s not for the Wilchers to tell her what to do!” Whenever Carter speaks, I always feel a sense of safety. To my surprise, Benjamin seemed especially thrilled to see Carter, almost like a beetle spotting a ball of dung.

“So you’re Carter Bolton. I heard about your quick marriage. Our family doesn’t follow the trends of your generation. I get that the Boltons just had a funeral, not a wedding, but as for the dowry, surely your wealthy family won’t try to back out of that, right?”

I could feel my blood boiling. This old man not only drained my mom, but now he’s trying to do the same to me!

Carter replied with a detached tone, “So, Mr. Wilcher, your point is…”

“The standard dowry must be no less than 100 million. Zoey is the sole heir of the Gardners, and we can’t afford to overlook things like cars, houses, stocks, and jewelry!”

I shot back with icy disdain. “One hundred million won’t cut it. It should be at least one billion!”

Benjamin remarked, “Zoey, I am pleased you feel this way.”

Then Linette chimed in, “Even I believe 100 million is far too little. The Boltons have been around for centuries; they shouldn’t be so cheap!”

“I heard you are doing quite well overseas, Mr. Bolton. You wouldn’t think twice about giving one billion, right?” The crowd erupted in laughter; their faces twisted with smug, repulsive grins.

I let out a cold scoff. “Fine, when you’re dead, don’t say it’s one billion, even if it’s ten or a hundred billion, I’ll give it all to you!”