Telicia burned her head and glanced briefly at Maurice, only to have her vision completely blocked by a large, warm hand. Then came Stephan’s unmistakable voice, low and possessive, his chuckle laced with jealousy.

“Look at me. No other men.”

Ah, the jealous fiancé she knew so well. Felicia couldn't help but find it amusing.

Stephan held her waist as they walked back into their cabin. Her clothes were still damp from the seawater; she needed to change. By the time she finished, Scarlet was waiting outside. The moment their eyes met, Scarlet simply said, “It’s done.”

Felicia nodded, feeling no sympathy. Pete had spent his life scheming, playing dangerous games. In the end, the ocean had been his final miscalculation.

As the ship sailed away, the island, holding so many secrets, began to sink beneath the waves. Felicia felt strongly that, no matter how many years passed, no matter how detailed the maps, no one would ever find it again. Everything would be erased by time, and eventually, even those who had been there might question whether it had been real or merely a dream. Well, it wasn’t a bad thing to treat it as a dream.

The sky was clear; it was a beautiful day. A month had passed since their return from the island, but nothing had really changed, except perhaps for one extra certificate, a new identity, and a wedding that captivated the world. Everyone in Seidvale knew Stephan had personally planned every detail. From dawn till dusk, the celebration was grand and extravagant. Fireworks illuminated the entire city, turning night into day.

Dressed in a luxurious, custom-made gown, Felicia was exhausted. The moment she stepped into their bedroom, she collapsed onto the bed. Scarlet had scattered flower petals all over the sheets, a traditional blessing for newlyweds, but for Felicia, it was just uncomfortable. She rolled over, lazily lifted her foot, and nudged the person next to her. “Hey, clean them up.”

Stephan raised an eyebrow. Instead of getting up, he caught her foot and lightly tickled her, replying with a smile, “Only after you call me ‘hubby.’”

Felicia gritted her teeth. “Haven’t you heard it enough?”

Ever since their return from the island, Stephan had found every excuse to tease her, especially in bed. Every night, it was “babe” this, “hubby” that. He’d coax her, forcing her to repeat “hubby” before letting her rest. Just last night… no, the night before… and the night before that… she had probably said it hundreds of times. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.

Felicia licked her lips. “I’m tired. Get on with it.” Her words held a hint of sulkiness.

Stephan chuckled, kissed her earlobe, and stood up. Without a word, he carefully unfastened the intricate accessories in her hair, helped her out of the gown, and carried her straight into the bathroom. Felicia enjoyed his attentiveness—until she realized something was amiss. By then, it was too late. The bathwater sloshed over the tub, flooding the tiles. The mirrors fogged up, and a single, steaming handprint remained on the glass. Neither of them was going to get any sleep on their wedding night.

In the end, Felicia’s inner fire was sparked by his teasing, and she tried to turn the tables. However, Stephan was relentless, never letting her win.

“Be good. You always have it your way during the day. At night, I’m in charge.”

It was a restless night. By dawn, Felicia was too exhausted to lift a finger. Just before she slipped into sleep, she heard Stephan’s voice whispering, over and over, “Babe, I love you.” That breathtaking glimpse upon their first meeting had etched her name into his very bones. This was an eternal love, for every lifetime to come.

Shirley was still trying to figure out what was happening. The housekeeper, who had just woken her, said, “Mrs. Blackwood, you’re awake. All your things are packed. Please leave Blackwood Manor immediately.”

Shirley’s mind cleared, her gaze sharpening. “What’s going on?”

The housekeeper lowered her head and muttered, “Mrs. Blackwood, these are Mr. Whitlock’s orders. Please don’t make things difficult for us.” The housekeeper turned and hurried away, another housekeeper following, dragging Shirley’s suitcase.

Shirley’s expression darkened. An uneasy feeling rose in her chest—Benjamin was going to kick her out. She immediately stood up, intending to follow them, but her legs were numb from sitting. The sudden movement caused them to tingle, and she stumbled, falling to the floor. Her forehead hit the corner of the table with a loud thud. A sharp pain shot through her. Shirley gasped but didn’t have time to worry about the injury. Using the sofa for support, she pushed herself to her feet, dragging her numb legs as she rushed out, only to find her suitcase already placed outside Blackwood Manor. There, she found Arthur waiting.

“What’s going on?” Shirley asked, hoping he would give her an answer.

Arthur glanced at Shirley’s disheveled appearance and sighed softly. “These are Mr. Blackwood’s orders. I think you should know better than I do.”

Shirley stared at the suitcase at Arthur’s feet, her hands clenching. She knew that if she left now, she would never be able to return. More than that, she knew that once she was gone, there would be no place for the Weiss family in Elderstone. So, she couldn’t leave.

“Mrs. Blackwood, you should wipe that,” Arthur said, offering a clean handkerchief and pointing to Shirley’s forehead.

Taking the handkerchief, Shirley noticed a scrape on her forehead, with a little blood oozing from it. A small bump had formed, causing sharp pain when touched.

“Thank you,” Shirley murmured.

Arthur bowed slightly, indicating it was time for her to leave. “Mrs. Blackwood, if you please.”

Shirley clenched the handkerchief tightly as Benjamin’s words from earlier echoed in her mind: “You think this is humiliation? Let me tell you, this kind of humiliation will never stop. So, you’d better toughen up.” At that moment, she understood. She had been too naive, foolishly talking about pride in front of him. She didn’t even have the right to talk about such things. With a single decision, he had shown her what reality was. With Benjamin, she had no choice but to please him and submit.

Seeing her hesitation, Arthur spoke again. “Mrs. Blackwood, please don’t make this difficult for me.”

Shirley’s lips opened and closed nervously. Taking a deep breath, she asked, her voice strained, “Where’s Benjamin?”