Samuel glanced at the woman lying in his bed through the phone screen. After a moment of silence, he finally gave in and agreed.

Once Samuel left the room, the woman on his bed opened her eyes.

A short while later, Shirley spotted Samuel's figure. She stepped out of the car and stood a few feet away, gazing at him from a distance.

Neither of them moved closer, as though an unbridgeable chasm had separated them.

Shirley had dressed to the nines that evening. She was an embodiment of elegance, carrying herself with both regal poise and the youthful charm of a young maiden.

Samuel had always known she was stunning, but that night, his heart had no room for anyone but Sophia.

"Speak."

Samuel stood there, as composed and poised as always. Yet the tenderness and indulgence that used to color his gaze were no longer there.

Shirley suddenly found herself at a loss for words. After a long

It was the right choice. As long as her family was safe, Shirley could endure anything.

Shirley stayed awake all night.

…

At the first light of dawn, she got dressed and went downstairs.

Jenny brought her a bowl of spaghetti but lingered at her side, clearly hesitant to speak.

Shirley ate half the bowl before setting down her fork. "If you have something to say, just say it. I'll be heading out soon."

Jenny hesitated before replying, "Yesterday, we received a package from abroad. We weren't sure what to do with it."

Shirley didn't think much of it. "Bring it here."

Moments later, she stared at the package, sitting frozen as the blood drained from her face.

Inside was a prosthetic limb she had specially ordered for Samuel the previous month. Looking at it, Shirley felt the barriers she had built around her heart begin to crumble. Her composure shattered, piece by piece.

Without 

After Benjamin finished speaking, he called Arthur to join him in the study.

Shirley's trembling hands quickly smoothed down her dress before Arthur knocked on the door and entered. She curled up on the couch, shrinking into herself.

When Benjamin emerged from the study later, he found Shirley huddled on the couch, looking like a lost and helpless kitten.

Unfortunately for her, his heart was made of stone. There wasn't an ounce of pity in him for her.

The moment Shirley noticed Benjamin stepping out, she wiped the sorrow off her face and replaced it with a bright smile. Some wounds, she thought, were best licked in solitude.

Benjamin tossed a document onto the table in front of her. "You have ten minutes. I don't want to see you here when I'm back."

With that, he turned and headed toward the bathroom.

Shirley picked up the prenuptial agreement and began reading it carefully.

The document was brief but specific. It stated that during their marriage, Benjamin would manage Weiss Group on behalf of Owen without compensation until Owen regained his capacity.

Meanwhile, Shirley, as the Blackwood family's daughter-in-law, was to uphold the family's reputation and treat Damian as if he were her son.

One clause stood out. It mandated absolute obedience to Benjamin's decisions. He reserved the right to terminate the marriage at any time, at which point Shirley would leave with nothing.

Her chest tightened as she read the final clause. From now on, she'd have to tether her life to this cold-hearted man, surviving by appeasing him.

The agreement made no mention of children, though. Given Benjamin's disdain for women, it was likely he wouldn't even touch her. Children were clearly not part of his considerations.

After a moment of hesitation, Shirley signed the agreement and pressed her fingerprint onto the paper.

Arthur collected the document and said respectfully, "Congratulations, Ms. Weiss, on becoming the Blackwood family's daughter-in-law! I'm Arthur Whitlock, the Blackwood Manor's butler. At 8:00 am tomorrow, I expect to see you at the city hall."

Wait... Were they registering for the marriage the next day?

Shirley nodded. "Thank you, Arthur. I'll be there on time. What about my sister?" Her voice wavered slightly.

Arthur smiled. "Don't worry. Mr. Blackwood promised she'll be returned to Weiss Manor by midnight."

For some reason, Shirley trusted what Arthur said.

When she left Benjamin's room, it felt as though she'd just awakened from a strange dream. In the end, she was marrying a stranger.

Not long after she left, Benjamin emerged from the bathroom. Turning to Arthur, he instructed, "Have someone keep an eye on her."

Shirley would be responsible for Damian's care, and Benjamin needed assurance that every move she made was monitored. Damian's safety was non-negotiable.

As Shirley walked out of the main building, she saw Cecilia standing not far away, along with several other familiar faces.

"Ms. Weiss!" A few men hurried toward her, calling out in unison.

Shirley instinctively hid her injured hand behind her back.

It was Marley, Wyatt, and the others.

Marley approached her with a guilty look. "Ms. Weiss, we just found out about what happened to your family. Don't worry. Mr. Moore will…"

"Marley," Shirley interrupted him in a calm but firm tone. "I've told you not to call me Ms. Weiss anymore. Let this be the last time. Just use my name from now on."

She added with a faint smile, "Thank you for your concern. I'm fine, and so is my family. But when you go back, don't mention me in front of him. It won't make anyone happy. Not him, and not that woman. It's better this way for everyone."

Marley and the others were visibly upset. "Ms. Weiss, is there really no chance for you to reconcile with Mr. Moore?"

They couldn't stand Sophia with her delicate and helpless demeanor. Shirley, on the other hand, was everything they respected and admired.

Over the years, Shirley had been through thick and thin with them. In their hearts, she was the only woman worthy of Samuel.

Shirley didn't respond. Instead, she patted Marley's shoulder with her uninjured hand and looked at them earnestly. "It's been an honor to know all of you. I wish you nothing but success in the future."

With those words, Shirley walked away from Blackwood Manor without looking back.

Marley and his men watched her retreating figure. Their hearts were heavy with bitterness. How could Samuel do this to her?

Outside the manor, Shirley saw Brook standing by her car while staring at her intently. She got in, and so did he. He didn't say a word, and neither did she. 

As she turned on her phone, a call came through immediately.

"Shirley, where are you? Why haven't you answered your phone?"

It was Rachel. Her voice trembled, and her emotions were on the verge of collapse. "Did you find your sister? Tell me where she is! Please!"

Shirley softened her tone. "Mom, I'm on my way to the hospital to take you home. Once you're back, you'll see Megan right away."

Thank goodness she'd managed to persuade Benjamin. Otherwise, she'd have lost her mind.

The moment she hung up, Brook slammed his fist against the car window. His frustration was palpable. He couldn't protect her, and now, she was plunging into the fire.

Brook had known Shirley since they were in kindergarten. They were as close as siblings. 

Shirley knew Brook was worried, but she wasn't in the mood to comfort him. He needed to accept reality.

"Where are we going?" Shirley turned to face Brook. "This isn't the road to the hospital."

Brook kept his eyes on the road and didn't respond.

As the car veered toward Samuel's estate, Shirley finally realized his intentions. Her face turned pale, and she snapped, "Stop the car! I said stop! Do you want to humiliate me even more?"

Brook clenched his jaw. "I can't just sit back and watch you marry that devil Benjamin. Samuel started this mess, and he should finish it."

Shirley let out a bitter laugh, and her voice was tinged with resignation. "He won't care. You don't know how much he despises my family now."

Still, she didn't stop Brook. Deep down, a sliver of hope lingered in her heart.

When they arrived at Moore Manor, Brook called Samuel. The phone rang several times before it was answered. "Samuel, Shirley and I are outside your house. Come out. We need to talk."

From the window, Shirley could see Samuel pull back the curtain. His tall figure stood silhouetted against the light.

Brook put the call on speaker, and Samuel's cold voice echoed in the car, "I've already said everything I needed to. There's no reason for us to meet."

Barely able to contain his anger, Brook retorted, "Do you even know where she was tonight?"

"I don't care, and I don't want to know," Samuel replied indifferently.

Brook's fists tightened as he glanced at Shirley's pale face. Just as his anger threatened to boil over, a soft hand took the phone from him. 

"Let's meet one last time," Shirley said calmly. "There's something I want to tell you in person."

She wanted Samuel to hear it directly from her that she would marry Benjamin the following day.

Samuel glanced at the woman lying in his bed through the phone screen. After a moment of silence, he finally gave in and agreed.

Once Samuel left the room, the woman on his bed opened her eyes.

A short while later, Shirley spotted Samuel's figure. She stepped out of the car and stood a few feet away, gazing at him from a distance.

Neither of them moved closer, as though an unbridgeable chasm had separated them.

Shirley had dressed to the nines that evening. She was an embodiment of elegance, carrying herself with both regal poise and the youthful charm of a young maiden.

Samuel had always known she was stunning, but that night, his heart had no room for anyone but Sophia.

"Speak."

Samuel stood there, as composed and poised as always. Yet the tenderness and indulgence that used to color his gaze were no longer there.

Shirley suddenly found herself at a loss for words. After a long pause, she finally said, "I just came back from seeing Ben…"

"Ah!"

She was cut off by a pained cr

Chapter 20