Chapter 2 Madam Kelly

Mortimer’s blue eyes resembled deep wells under the bright light. They stared unflinchingly at Tiffany and Seth as if the mind behind them was much more alert than they had given him credit for. Seth immediately released Tiffany, his voice quivering, “I—I’m sorry, uncle. I was o—only here to c—congratulate you two on your wedding.” Seth left the room stumbling just as much as he had stumbled over his words, practically dripping with cold sweat. Tiffany stared at Mortimer’s eyes, and her breath quickened as she thought, “Has he… woken up?” She shuffled carefully over to the bedside, her hand reaching for Mortimer, but before it landed on him, the man’s eyes were closed again. Tiffany didn’t understand what had happened to make Mortimer slip into his slumber again. Terror struck her—what if she had done something wrong? She raced out of the room. “Call the doctor, someone call the doctor! Mortimer just opened his eyes!” “Madam.” Monroe appeared before her, stopping her in her tracks. “This has happened nearly every day, but Master Mortimer hasn’t shown any further signs of recovery.” “But—” Tiffany wanted to protest, however, her resolve soon faded when the butler continued sternly, “I am only a butler, madam, but my family has served the Campbells for centuries. I dote on Master Mortimer much more so, given I watched him grow from a young boy into a fine man. So please let me remind you that as his wife and a member of this family, you should start taking care of your image at all times forthwith. Running around like that just now was very unbecoming of this household. Now, it’s late. Get some rest. Tomorrow you still have to make the trip to meet the family elders.” Monroe immediately ushered Tiffany to the master bedroom while she helplessly complied. On the bed, she curled up into herself, trying to form a sense of comfort and warmth she couldn’t get anywhere else right now. Still, the howling winds outside the window frightened her. She glanced at the man beside her who had his eyes shut, then leaned into his side, murmuring quietly, “I wonder what’s on your mind, Mortimer.” Silence was her only response. Tiffany sighed. “I didn’t want to marry you in the first place, but I wish you’d wake up right now. Seth and my sister are gonna run off with your inheritance otherwise.” The moment she finished her sentence, she remembered a friend of hers who was a doctor had told her once that those in a vegetative state still had an active consciousness and awareness of their surroundings, even though their body couldn’t move. That meant Mortimer had likely heard everything she just said. Tiffany gulped, fearful of saying another word. Sure, being a Campbell now made it less easy for Seth and Tabitha to mess with her, but what if that protection faded with time? What if Mortimer’s state worsened? How would the Campbell family deal with her then? Tiffany stopped herself from overthinking, only keeping the thought of having revenge in the forefront of her mind. She would go through hell or high water if it meant those who wronged her would get their due. The next morning, Monroe’s knock on the door woke her. She rubbed her eyes, feeling a strange warmth against her body. Turning around, she found herself sleeping right in Mortimer’s arms, with one of her hands even wrapped around his elbow. It was obvious this was how she had spent the night sleeping. Tiffany blushed. She had never had such close contact with a man before. Her blush lasted until she went with Monroe to meet the Campbell elders. Madam Kelly, the family matriarch, saw how flushed she was and asked kindly, “Did you rest well?” “Yes, ma’am. Thank you for asking,” Tiffany replied shyly. “There’s no need to be so polite. You’re a part of our family now, so you can just call me Mother, like Mortimer does.” Kelly gently held Tiffany’s hands as she spoke, then unclasped the diamond necklace at her nape. “The First Lady gave this to me as a gift when Mortimer’s father, my husband, was invited to meet the President. Here, now it is yours.” As much as Tiffany knew refusing Madam Kelly’s gesture would be outrageously rude, she was still taken aback by the necklace’s worth. Madam Kelly seemed to notice this. She said with a smile, “Mortimer will be the head of the family in time, inheritance and all, with you by his side. Think of it as performing that duty early.” She then leaned in slightly and murmured, “I know it wasn’t easy accepting this marriage, but I promise you’ll be treated right as long as you stay by Mortimer’s side.” Knowing she was being given a reminder, Tiffany obediently accepted the necklace with a nod. Happy with her response, Madam Kelly took a sip of her tea before declaring to the rest of the Campbells, “Our family cannot be without an heir, so I’ve decided for Tiffany to have Mortimer’s child.” All of their expressions changed upon hearing this. Mortimer’s older brother, Alric, was the first to speak up, “Mother, Mortimer’s been in a coma for three years. I don’t think his body is capable of that anymore.” Alric’s wife, Hailey, chimed in too. “He’s right. How would it be possible for Mortimer to have children? He’s bedridden!” Madam Kelly glanced at the husband-and-wife pair with a curl of disdain at her lip. She knew any dissent from her family toward this idea was because they wanted the inheritance all to themselves. The more opposition there was, the more she wanted Mortimer to have an heir. Madam Kelly turned to Tiffany. “I had a doctor get the necessary… process done before Mortimer’s accident, so that isn’t an issue anymore. All we need to begin is your consent, Tiffany. You have my word, nothing bad will come from this.” In that instant, everyone’s eyes fell on her. If looks could kill, she’d be sprawling on the floor, dead. While she knew this was a risky move to take, she knew from Madam Kelly’s tone that refusal was not an option. The woman would get her way somehow. Besides, this was one of the best ways to stop Seth from getting his hands on the inheritance. Tiffany had nothing to lose. She took a deep breath. “I’ll do it.”