Chapter 3

My head was spinning. It took a while before I found my voice again:

"I told you your lovers can have anything, except things related to my grandmother!"

Shen knew my bottom line very well. He also knew I had been holding back my emotions for a long time.

But he didn't care if I was angry or not. He just wanted to make his sweetheart happy.

I was dragged by Shen all the way to the study on the third floor. When I saw what was inside the sandalwood and gilt box, my heart sank.

"Shen, what are you going to do?!"

Shen knew exactly what he was doing as he took out the punishment book inside.

The so-called punishment book was a special iron book made by the Johnson family to punish descendants who stepped out of line.

The raised characters on it warned family members to obey family rules and restrain themselves.

Shen had once endured this family punishment to rebel against our arranged marriage.

Kneeling on the densely raised nails of the punishment book was like kneeling on needles, causing pain and fear.

But back then, Shen had knelt for a full five hours.

It made me want to give up my feelings for him and cancel the marriage.

But the elders on both sides wouldn't agree no matter what, determined to make this family union happen.

The hatred in Shen's eyes as he looked at me that day was intense.

I never thought that just for refusing one of Lily's requests, Shen would subject me to this family punishment.

"Only by suffering a little will you learn your lesson completely," Shen said flatly, throwing the punishment book in front of me and ordering me to kneel on it all night.

The housekeeper who had followed us couldn't bear it and quickly tried to dissuade him:

"Mr. Johnson, this punishment book is like torture. Madam is delicate, won't kneeling all night ruin her knees?"

Shen furrowed his handsome brows and sneered:

"She should have thought about how I would treat her when she upset Lily."

As soon as he finished speaking, he had the butler press me down to kneel on the punishment book for reflection.

Before leaving, Shen made a video call to Lily, their intimate words lingering in my ears:

"Does your knee still hurt where you bumped it? Don't worry, I've paid her back for you..."

When he turned the camera towards me, a needle-like pain shot through my knees.

It was almost deep in the bone, making my scalp go numb.

"Mr. Johnson, you're so good to me. My knee doesn't hurt anymore. You don't believe me? Come feel it~"

"I'm glad it doesn't hurt. After all, someone else is hurting for you."

"Oh right, didn't you say you had your eye on something else?"

"It will be in your hands very soon."

Shen played with the beads in his hand, smiling meaningfully.

Hearing how much Shen cared for her, Lily was so happy she could barely speak, only able to coquettishly chide him.

The two flirted on the voice call in front of me for a while longer before finally closing the door.

Watching Shen's departing figure, I felt inexplicably panicked, a cold sweat breaking out on my back.

Two hours later, my knees were bruised and swollen, barely able to move at all.

I couldn't imagine how Shen had endured five hours back then.

The housekeeper said Shen had taken over half a month to recover.

It turns out not loving someone is so obvious. What a pity I was still naive enough to think I could soften him with love back then.

I was wrong about everything. I gradually came to realize this.

In the end, I collapsed to the ground with a "thud" that caught the attention of the housekeeper outside the door.

Anna looked at my pale face and immediately wanted to call Shen.

I didn't have time to stop her before I heard a moan of pleasure leak through the phone.

Followed by an angry rebuke:

"Can't you tell I'm busy?"

"Unless she kneels to death, don't disturb me!"

I gave a bitter smile, my trembling body barely able to support itself as I tried to reassure her:

"I'm fine, don't call him..."

But the next second, my heavy fall betrayed my true condition.