Chapter 2000: Not What He Expected

After a short meeting at the office, Lucian rushed home. He had completed formal antenatal training and was confident in his ability to care for a pregnant woman. He was determined to handle everything himself.

Upon arriving at the manor, he found Jonathan and Madilyn already there. "You just brought health supplements yesterday, so what's your plan for today?" Lucian teased. However, Madilyn's glare and Jonathan's gloomy expression told a different story. Only Roxanne smiled. She knew they resented Lucian for his past treatment of her during their three-year marriage.

"What's wrong, Jonathan? Say something!" Madilyn's frosty gaze made Lucian uneasy. He immediately wondered if he had offended Roxanne, suspecting that was the source of Madilyn's hostility.

"Lucian, do you remember this wish bottle?" Roxanne held up a bottle. She refolded the purple paper inside and returned it to the bottle.

A single glance was enough for Lucian to recognize it. "Isn't this the wish bottle I gave you?" he said. "Jonathan dug this up. What's going on? Are you discussing the past?" Jonathan asked, glancing cautiously at Madilyn.

His nonchalance only fueled Madilyn's anger. "Mr. Farwell," she snapped, "knowing Roxanne as you did, why did you treat her so poorly after marrying her?"

"Lucian, that's the high school girl you mentioned!" Jonathan reminded him of Lucian's previous encounter with a mysterious girl.

The situation suddenly became clear to Lucian. Roxanne grinned at him. "I haven't had a chance to explain," she said. "Why don't you do the honors, Mr. Farwell?"

Lucian was at a loss. He had already apologized to Roxanne. "The reason was simple," he explained. "I couldn't accept that the girl I loved married me for money. Blame me if you want, but that's how I saw it then. It was my parents' fault, or perhaps fate. If I could go back, I wouldn't have let it happen."

That year, Lucian had just taken over Farwell Group. He faced numerous business challenges and underhanded plots. His theoretical business knowledge proved inadequate, but he didn't panic. He fought back fiercely, making shrewd investments in promising industries. This experience, however, made him distrustful.

Under these circumstances, Roxanne became his wife. His parents arranged the marriage to bring good luck to his grandfather, paying a substantial sum. He never expected his bride to be the girl he admired in school.

He disliked Roxanne's transformation. The studious girl who spent her time in the library shouldn't have married for money. He wondered if she would marry another wealthy heir for the same reason. He couldn't develop feelings for someone he perceived as materialistic.