Chapter 1

"I'm married!" As soon as Zelda Cantrell woke up, those words flashed through her mind like a neon sign. She reached up to rub her temples, which were pounding from a nasty hangover. If she could, she would slap herself awake. Yesterday, her boyfriend of one year, Virgil Valdez, showed up to break off their engagement. To make matters worse, he was planning to marry her half-sister, Faye Cantrell, in just a week. Because of this, she was feeling upset and decided to go to a bar. Little did Zelda expect that after getting drunk, she would end up married. If she remembered correctly, the guy she chose was just some random "able-bodied man" she had picked up at the bar. But it was not just any random guy—he was devastatingly handsome. Zelda wondered if he could have been a male escort. Her eyes widened at the thought. As if getting married in a whirlwind wasn't enough, she had chosen a… male escort. Before she could fully process what had happened, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. It was Belinda Madron, her stepmother. She picked up the call. Immediately, a sharp, angry voice burst through the speaker. "Zelda, where on earth were you last night?" Zelda frowned. Belinda had never liked her. Not that it mattered anymore. She wasn't the little girl who had once tolerated Belinda's abuse. She responded in a calm, detached voice, "I was at a friend's place. What's the matter?" Belinda took a deep breath and then said, "Your father needs to see you. It's urgent. Get home right now." With that, she hung up the phone. She didn't give Zelda any chance to respond. Zelda rubbed her eyes, feeling the headache intensify. If she didn't go home, Belinda would surely make things even worse for her. Just as she stood up, the door opened. A tall, broad-shouldered man walked into the room. He was strikingly handsome, with a pair of deep, narrow eyes that seemed as profound as an abyss, fixed intently on her. Zelda blinked, her memories slowly aligning. This was Damian Munoz—the man she married last night. She opened her mouth to say something, to explain maybe, but then she thought about Belinda's demand over the phone. Zelda hesitated, swallowing her words. Standing up, she said, "I'll explain what happened last night another day. I have an urgent matter at home and need to leave now." To her surprise, Damian didn't say a word. He just nodded and said, "I'll drive you." Zelda thought about it for a moment before agreeing. The area wasn't great for hailing a cab this early in the day. If she dragged her feet and got back late, she didn't know what kind of trouble Belinda might stir up. Damian drove Zelda back to the Cantrell residence. After a quick thank you, Zelda rushed inside. As soon as she walked in, she ran into Faye. Faye's eyes widened with surprise. She had just seen Zelda get out of a luxury car—a Maybach. In Phoypolis, there were only a handful of people who could afford to drive a Maybach. Even the Valdez family didn't have one. Belinda said that Zelda hadn't come home all night. Faye wondered if Zelda went out partying and got involved with a man who was now supporting her. Zelda wasn't particularly fond of Faye, who was only a few months younger, so she simply brushed past her and headed into the house. Upon entering, she was immediately met with her father, Edric Cantrell. He was clearly agitated and questioned her, "Zelda! Where did you go last night? I heard that you went to a bar and stayed out all night. As a young woman, what kind of impression do you think this will leave on others?" As Edric questioned her, Zelda's face remained expressionless. It had been nearly a year since she had returned to the Cantrell residence, and Edric had barely taken notice of her before. Now, he was putting on a show of fatherly concern, and Zelda was sure his intentions were far from genuine. Seeing Zelda's silence only flared up Edric's anger even more. He stepped forward, ready to raise his hand to slap her. Seeing this, Belinda quickly intervened, grabbing Edric's arm. "Edric, calm down. Don't get yourself worked up. It's not good for your health. I'm sure Zelda didn't mean to cause any trouble." "Didn't mean to? Who knows what kind of shady man she was with last night? With her behavior, who would want to marry her in the future?" Edric's anger only grew as he spoke. Zelda couldn't help but smirk. Edric and Belinda were clearly putting on an act for their benefit. Just then, Faye also walked in from outside. She quickly ran over to Belinda's side and said in a sarcastic tone, "Mom, I just saw Zelda get out of a Maybach. When did this country bumpkin get to know such an influential person?" A Maybach was worth millions, or even tens of millions. Belinda and Edric wondered when Zelda had gotten involved with someone so influential. "Zelda, have you done something outrageous?" Edric demanded, his eyes wide with anger. Zelda thought to herself, "Outrageous? Is marrying someone on a whim considered outrageous?" Seeing Zelda remain silent, Edric sighed heavily and waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. I won't press you about what happened last night. Virgil broke off the engagement with you, and after thinking things over, I've found you a new fiancé. "He's Osbert Ferguson, the head of Ferguson Group. He's seen you before and is very pleased with you. We've discussed it, and he'll be coming over tomorrow to ask for your hand in marriage." If Zelda remembered correctly, Osbert was in his 40s. Moreover, he lost his wife six months ago and had two sons. It was said that even when his wife was still alive, he spent all his time out philandering. There were rumors that his wife died from the stress he caused her. "He's nearly the same age as you. Are you finding me a husband or a father?" Zelda finally spoke up as she walked over, her voice laced with sarcasm. Edric's face turned red with anger. He pointed a finger at her and shouted, "Who do you think you are? You were raised in the countryside, just a country bumpkin. The fact that Mr. Ferguson took an interest in you is a blessing." "I don't need this blessing. If you want it, you can have it," Zelda retorted. She had suspected that this rushed meeting wasn't going to be good news. When Edric saw her resistance, he cut to the chase. "This isn't up for debate. I've already accepted Mr. Ferguson's betrothal gifts. He's coming to propose tomorrow, and whether you agree or not, you have to accept."