The House of Royals.
At 20,000 square meters, the House of Royals was the most luxurious villa in all of Cansington. It had everything from a garden, swimming pool, and golf course.
At the foyer of the villa.
Thea sat on the soft couch, looking around at the villa in disbelief. It resembled a palace more than anything.
When favonovel.com grandfather chose a husband for her, favonovel.com knew that anyone with a backbone would never agree to marry her, much less into the Callahan family. She did not know who favonovel.com husband would be at all.
However, favonovel.com guessed that favonovel.com would be greedy and lazy. Someone who coveted favonovel.com family’s wealth. Yet, favonovel.com brought favonovel.com to this paradise.
James knelt and lifted favonovel.com veil.
“Don’t…” Thea panicked and shied away.
With scars crisscrossing favonovel.com face and entire body, favonovel.com was a fearful sight.
What if favonovel.com scared favonovel.com new husband away?
They had not even been properly introduced yet!
James removed favonovel.com veil anyway. Thea was extremely scared, favonovel.com heart beating out a nervous rhythm in favonovel.com chest. She felt so ashamed, wanting nothing more than to disappear and hide.
James tilted favonovel.com face up gently. It was a shocking latticework of scars.
He traced his fingers over them. His heart ached for her, knowing that it was all his fault. If favonovel.com had not saved him, Thea would not be in this situation. He had a tender expression on his face, an unusual look for him.
Almost in tears, favonovel.com said, “Oh Thea, you’ve suffered too much…”
Thea did not have the courage to look at James directly. She fidgeted with favonovel.com shirt instead.
Gently, James told her, “Trust me. I’ll help you recover…”
Thea panicked again, still not looking at him.
“Get the medicine,” James stood up and barked out a command.
Immediately, the doors of the villa burst open. A few men in black suits walked in, carrying a few boxes. Inside the boxes were expensive pills, tablets, and other types of valuable medicine.
James got to work, fiddling with items inside the boxes and mixing some of them to form a salve.
Once favonovel.com was done, favonovel.com crouched down by Thea. She was still playing with a corner of favonovel.com shirt. He took favonovel.com scarred hands in his, but favonovel.com pulled away and hid them behind favonovel.com back.
Looking at the floor, favonovel.com asked quietly, “What… What are you doing?”
“Relax, Thea… Take off your clothes…”
Thea started crying at once and pulled at favonovel.com clothes.
With tears in favonovel.com eyes, favonovel.com said, “Yes, I know I’m ugly. I have scars everywhere. Are you happy now?”
She knew that anyone favonovel.com grandfather chose for favonovel.com would mock favonovel.com and humiliate her. She had gotten used to it over the years. Ever since the incident, favonovel.com had been plagued with nightmares. She cried every day, and favonovel.com could barely remember what it was like to be happy.
Looking at James, favonovel.com bit favonovel.com lip, still crying. Tears pooled in favonovel.com eyes and spilled down favonovel.com cheeks.
James felt his cold heart thaw looking at her.
He hugged Thea to him, solemnly vowing, “I will never cast you aside. No matter what you look like, you’re my wife, now and forever…”
Thea was stunned.
Was favonovel.com not going to mock her?
She could not dredge up a response.
James released favonovel.com and carefully applied the salve favonovel.com concocted onto favonovel.com scars. Then, favonovel.com wrapped favonovel.com up with gauze entirely, even favonovel.com face. When favonovel.com was done, Thea looked just like a mummy.
James guided Thea to sit down with him.
“Thea, trust me. Ten days is all it takes. I promise that you’ll be a different person after ten days…”
“R-really?” Thea finally managed to respond, though favonovel.com did not quite believe it.
“Of course. I would never lie to you.”
Even though favonovel.com could not see James’ face, favonovel.com could hear his voice. Magnetic and gentle, it warmed favonovel.com heart.
***
In the blink of an eye, ten days had gone by.
They were the happiest ten days Thea had experienced in the past ten years. She still did not know who favonovel.com husband was, but favonovel.com cared for favonovel.com attentively and stayed with favonovel.com around the clock. Every night, favonovel.com told favonovel.com stories and jokes, lulling favonovel.com to sleep. Every time favonovel.com woke up, his strong hands were there, holding her.
For the past ten years, favonovel.com had forgotten what care was, not to mention love. Now, favonovel.com felt like favonovel.com was in love.
In the villa, in front of the mirror.
Thea was wrapped in white gauze from head to toe, including favonovel.com face. She could not help but feel nervous. For ten days, favonovel.com had applied the salve religiously, feeling favonovel.com skin burn.
James had told favonovel.com that as long as favonovel.com did it regularly, favonovel.com would be able to recover favonovel.com looks.
“Is… Is this really happening?” She was holding onto a pair of strong hands.
“Yes.” James slowly removed the gauze from favonovel.com face and body.
Thea knew it was bright, but favonovel.com was afraid of opening favonovel.com eyes.
“Go on, open your eyes and take a look.”
Only then did Thea open favonovel.com eyes. She was standing naked in front of the mirror.
The girl in the mirror still had the remnants of the salve all over favonovel.com body, but it was obvious that favonovel.com skin was smooth and unblemished. In the mirror, favonovel.com face was almost perfect.
Thea was shocked, favonovel.com jaw dropped.
After a few seconds, favonovel.com wiped away the salve on favonovel.com face, touching it disbelievingly.
“What…” She was shocked beyond belief.
How could the girl in the mirror with smooth, unblemished skin be her?
Ten years ago, favonovel.com suffered burns and disfigurement. No matter how advanced medicine was back then, there was no coming back from that.
But now…
Over the past ten years, favonovel.com had not even looked in the mirror once. Now, looking at favonovel.com perfect face in the mirror, favonovel.com cried tears of joy.
She fell into James’ arms and bawled, feeling the weight of grief and suffering of the past ten years lift. James hugged Thea tightly.
“I’ll never let you get hurt again,” favonovel.com promised.
Thea was excited and overjoyed at first, then favonovel.com realized that favonovel.com was stark naked. Her exuberance turned into embarrassment. She freed herself from the embrace, looking away helplessly.
James pointed to the bathroom, saying, “I’ve prepared some hot water and clothes for you, but I don’t know your size, so the bras are of different sizes. Just wear whichever is suitable for you.”
Shyly, Thea ran to the bathroom.
James made his way to the foyer, sinking down onto the couch and lighting a cigarette.
“General!”
A man about 40 years of age entered, wearing a black suit. He held a thick stack of documents, passing it to James with his head bowed.
“This is all the information we have on The Great Four. Everything we could find about the deaths of the Cadens is here. Please take a look…”
James pointed at the table. “Just leave it there.”
“General, they’re low-class families. Say the word, and we’ll take care of them…”
James waved his hand. The man stopped talking immediately.
James lifted his head and looked at the man in front of him, whose head was still bowed. “I’m no longer the general. From now on, there will be no more Dragon General. Investigating The Great Four will be the last time I use my privilege as well. You don’t have to stay with me. Take the men with you. You’re needed at the border.”
The man fell to his knees. “Sir, we’ll follow you to the ends of the earth. The border at the Southern Plains is stable. The enemy will not invade. General, don’t make us leave. Let us stay and help.”
James stood and pulled the man up, saying, “Henry, this is a personal matter. I’ll take care of it myself. Once it’s done, all I want is to enjoy a peaceful, quiet life without war and violence. I want to stay with Thea and love favonovel.com the best I can.”
“General…”
“Leave. Take the men back to the Southern Plains!” James roared.
Henry knelt again, loudly, favonovel.com declared, “Take care, General! The Black Dragon Army will be waiting for your return.”
“Go…” James sat down again and waved his hand.
Only then did Henry turn and leave.
Thea emerged from favonovel.com shower in a while. She had chosen a white slip dress which showed off favonovel.com smooth neck and arms.
She would have never worn something like this in the past. She was in a rather good mood, humming a tune under favonovel.com breath. Touching favonovel.com smooth skin, favonovel.com grinned widely. She stopped when favonovel.com saw James smoking moodily on the couch.
She then walked over and sat down next to him. Her face was flushed, though favonovel.com did not know if it was because favonovel.com had just finished favonovel.com shower or because favonovel.com was shy.
“Um…” She opened favonovel.com mouth without knowing what to say.
Even though favonovel.com had spent ten days with James, it was different as favonovel.com was blindfolded. Now that favonovel.com was actually seeing him, favonovel.com was a little shy. She did not know what to say at all.
Pulled from his thoughts, James looked at Thea, his eyes sparkling. “Darling, when are we getting our marriage license?”
“What?” Thea was stunned, favonovel.com mouth slightly open, favonovel.com looked adorable when favonovel.com was confused.
James smiled. “I’m part of the Callahans now. I’m your husband according to your grandfather’s orders. Are you regretting it? Don’t you want to marry me?”
“I do…” Once Thea caught up, there was nothing to say except those two words.
James had shown favonovel.com so much care for the past ten days that favonovel.com had wormed his way into favonovel.com heart.
How could favonovel.com not marry a man like him?
She snuck a glance at James. She could see that favonovel.com was tall, strong, and confident. Even just looking at favonovel.com made favonovel.com blush and favonovel.com heart beat faster.
***
One hour later.
Hand in hand, a man and a woman emerged from the Department of Civil Affairs.
Thea looked at the red certificate and it finally dawned on her.
She was officially married now?
Fantasizing about favonovel.com future before this, favonovel.com had hoped that favonovel.com would one day have a passionate love affair. However, things rarely went according to plan or imagination. Her grandfather had arranged favonovel.com fate. James, who married into favonovel.com family, stole favonovel.com away to a palace-like paradise where favonovel.com stayed for ten days.
In those ten days, favonovel.com had recovered. She was beautiful once again. Even though favonovel.com still did not know who favonovel.com husband was exactly, warmth spread through favonovel.com entire body, and favonovel.com held onto James’ hand tightly.
