Chapter 1 Love Bites

As Emery Young stepped out of the car, she felt like every bone in her body had almost been torn out by Kieran Carter. It was early autumn, and the mountain breeze carried a chill. To match Kieran's aesthetic preferences, she had deliberately chosen a form-fitting white dress, but the cold left her shivering uncontrollably. Her legs were so weak that she could barely stand. Emery quickly tugged at the hem of her dress to straighten it. Her body was riddled with scattered bite marks. There weren't many marks, but they were quite pronounced. The love bites were of varying shades, and they were a glaring and uncomfortable sight. The soreness made her angry. She thought that Kieran had to have been a rabid dog in his past life, with his unexplainable, horrible preferences. Every time he got a hold of her, he would torment her to the extreme. The marks left on her body would take days to start fading. It meant she wouldn't be able to go out and meet anyone for the next few days. Emery knew that Kieran had done this on purpose. As long as she didn't show up at the hospital, the elders wouldn't urge her to get married. She wasn't willing to stir up trouble at a time when her mother was sick, but she was in no position to deny Kieran's demands. After all, just before Emery had left, her mother had mustered all her strength to remind her, "Emmie, the Carter family is rich and powerful. Kieran is the best option you'll ever have in this life. Even if you die, you must die as a member of the Carter family." Had her mother said anything more, it would have turned into a threat of dying with regrets. In the darkness of the night, Emery's face was still flushed while her eyes were misty. When she thought about the reason she had come, she took a deep breath, and with a small smile, she said, "Kieran, my mom's not doing well. Could you come with me to visit her?" Emery had a stubborn personality, so her attempt to act coy was laughable. But it was different this time. Her mother was dying. The lung cancer had spread, and Emery's mother only had a few days left. Her mother had only one request, which was to meet Kieran. Emery knew what it was about even without the need to guess. Only the sound of the car door lock clicking could be heard in the silence of the night. Kieran, who was dressed immaculately, stepped out of the car. He was a contrast to Emery's disheveled appearance. He wore a light-colored shirt, and the collar was left casually unbuttoned. His neat, short hair and defined features gave him an aloof demeanor. As he turned away from the lively city lights, his expression looked somewhat cold and grave. There was a brief glint in Emery's eyes. She had to admit that Kieran was naturally good-looking. He could draw attention with ease even just by standing casually in a spot. Plus, he came from a wealthy family and was born into privilege. It was unavoidable that he had an arrogant streak. But once Kieran was pleased, everything became easier to negotiate. Emery said softly, "Don't worry. It won't take up too much of your time." She knew that Kieran was busy, but as she spoke, the thought of her mother's sickly appearance made her nose tingle as tears threatened to well up in her eyes. Kieran leaned against the car as he listened. As if nothing was amiss, he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a drag with practiced ease. Then, with a slight frown, he exhaled and asked indifferently, "So, this is the first thing you bring up after coming back?" His tone was full of disappointment. Emery was so angry that she wanted to give him a piece of her mind. He was behaving this way again. She had once believed that their engagement, made when they were younger, would naturally grow into love over time. Although they hadn't signed the marriage papers, they had lived together for years, and everyone knew of their relationship. Things between them were no different from that of a married couple. But Kieran had always been cold-hearted. When something ended with him, all affection and loyalty left with it. His heartlessness was such that Emery vaguely felt more like Kieran's hired companion than the fiancée he had personally chosen to marry. Emery felt extremely uncomfortable on the inside. Beside her, Kieran watched the cigarette between his fingers burn down to nothing. Noticing the silence from Emery, he looked up and caught sight of her pitiful expression. She was trembling as she stood in the wind, her eyes red and full of helplessness. He had to admit that Emery had an amazing figure. It was as if every part of her was made to fit comfortably in his hands. She had even gone out of her way to open up to meet his preferences. When their passion became intense, their bodies melded together perfectly. She was the perfect candidate for a wife, with her beauty, gentleness, and obedience. However… Kieran frowned. He extinguished the cigarette and tossed it into the trash can before asking, "What? Are you upset already?" At that, Emery forced herself to hold back her temper. She shook her head gently and lowered her gaze as she replied softly, "No." It wasn't that she wasn't upset. She simply couldn't be upset. Kieran was used to her predictable reactions. He simply hummed in response and said, "It's late. You should head back." It was clear that he had no intention to entertain her. Emery's breath hitched. Her heart sank when she was unable to get the answer she wanted. She knew Kieran's personality. When he told her it was time to leave, it meant he didn't want to waste any more time with her. Emery walked to the passenger side of the car in silence. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small yellow sticker on the edge of the side mirror. It was a cutely styled Winnie-the-Pooh sticker. It was adorable, but she wasn't the one who put it there.