Chapter 2

When Nealon pushed the door open, he was soaked to the bone. He stood in the doorway, watching me, his eyes unreadable.

"Anya, it's raining today."

I stood up, poured myself a glass of water, and nodded.

"Hmm."

I was thinking about what I needed to prepare for the rainforest, things that would be useful for archaeology.

After a long moment, I turned around and realized Nealon hadn't left. He was still staring at me, unmoving, his brows tightly furrowed.

I asked, surprised, "What's wrong, Nealon?"

He was completely drenched, water still dripping from his hair, but his eyes held a surprising vulnerability, a hint of hurt.

"Why didn't you bring me an umbrella today?"

I suddenly chuckled. I thought it was something serious.

"You don't like me going there, so I didn't go. Is there a problem with that?"

I looked at him, genuinely puzzled.

"No problem."

Nealon curtly dropped three words, his voice thick with a cold nasal tone.

Then he turned and walked upstairs, slamming the study door shut behind him.

He was angry.

But I no longer cared.

Before, I cared so much. Whenever he was in a bad mood, I'd rack my brain trying to cheer him up, only to be met with his annoyance.

Nealon was a business associate of my father's.

After my parents died in an accident, Nealon took me in, provided for me, paid for my education, and taught me so much.

If I hadn't secretly fallen for him, perhaps I wouldn't have harbored these bitter, unspoken feelings.

I took a deep breath and went to bed early.

But who knew, I accidentally fell down the stairs, and the baby miscarried.

I still remember the night I got pregnant. Nealon had been drugged.

He didn’t know who I was, drunkenly pulling me onto his bed.

He was utterly ruthless with me.

His scent filled the sheets and the entire room.

I admit, I was completely lost in that moment.

Afterward, Nealon didn’t remember a thing, and I didn’t dare speak of it.

Until.

I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant.