The Armand family was left in stunned silence, trying to make sense of Wilfred’s sudden turn. Just moments ago, he’d been courteous, but now he seemed unhinged.“Mr. Wilfred, you’ve lost it!” Wendy snapped, furious after watching him strike Mark. “How could you hit Mr. Woods?”Wilfred’s gaze sharpened as he backhanded Wendy, sending her stumbling back. “Silence! Mark is nothing to me—a privileged nobody. Who do you think you are, telling me how to act?”Wendy, holding her cheek, glared back. “A moment ago, you were chatting with him like you were friends!”“As if,” Wilfred scoffed, the disgust evident in his voice. “I was only tolerating your presence out of respect for Ms. Tessa.” He paused, casting a steely gaze over each of them. “But now I see this family has made the fatal mistake of crossing her.”Brenda, still aching from her own beating, managed to gasp out, “We thought… we thought we were doing you a favor. Tessa humiliated your son, and you lost your hand because of her. We

While saying that, Wendy aggressively threw all the clothes out of the wardrobe and onto the floor, stomping on them with glee. Her eyes glinted with satisfaction as she watched Tessa’s face twist in fury."Are you happy now?" Tessa’s voice cracked, her frustration spilling out as tears welled up in her eyes. Anger mixed with disbelief in her chest as she turned around, ready to leave, but Wendy wasn’t finished.“Wait!” Wendy’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding as she grabbed for the Cursed-idol amulet around Tessa’s neck. “This belongs to the Armand family, doesn’t it? Hand it over.”“What are you doing? This is a gift from my husband! It doesn’t belong to you or the Armand family!” Tessa reacted quickly, clutching the pendant and pulling it protectively against her chest. She could leave behind everything else, but she couldn’t let Wendy take this away.The amulet wasn’t just jewelry. It was a reminder of the love Adam had shown her, a symbol of their bond, and though she wasn’t

Tessa stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what she had just witnessed. Up until now, she had always thought of Adam as someone slightly more capable than the average person—strong, confident, and dependable—but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he could cripple Mark with a single move. Her gaze locked onto him, a mix of awe and admiration welling up inside her. He wasn’t just capable. Adam was... incredible.Her heart raced as she continued to watch, unable to tear her eyes away. Mark, once so brash and full of arrogance, was now on the ground, groaning in pain. The fear and desperation in his eyes were evident, a stark contrast to his previous smugness."I hate people who threaten me," Adam said coolly, his voice a low growl as he released Mark from his grip and, in one swift motion, slapped him across the face.The sound of the slap echoed through the room, sharp and clear, as Mark spun from the force of it before crumpling to the floor. Before he could even begi

Adam couldn’t help but let a satisfied smirk creep onto his face as he thought about the events unfolding exactly as he had planned. He moved aside, pulling out his phone and dialing Hammer’s number with a practiced ease.The line barely rang before Hammer answered. “Lord Adam,” he greeted, his voice tinged with a mixture of respect and nervousness.“Why hasn’t Wilfred gotten Tessa to sign the contract yet?” Adam’s tone was sharp, leaving no room for excuses.Hammer, sensing the frustration in Adam’s voice, quickly responded. “Sir, I was just about to report this. Wilfred went to the Armand residence to deliver the contract, but Ms Tessa was turned away by her family before she could even take a look at it.”Adam’s jaw tightened. “And what did Wilfred do?”“After they insulted her, he decided to teach them a lesson,” Hammer replied, his voice steady. “He left the contract there and warned the Armands to bring Ms Tessa back to sign it—if they know what’s good for them.”Adam’s expressi

The days that followed were surprisingly calm. Adam had settled into the Armand residence, slipping naturally into the role of Tessa’s personal driver. Despite the Armand family’s initial disdain, they hadn’t crossed any overt lines. They would cast disdainful looks or drop subtle insults, but Adam, focused on the bigger picture, chose to ignore them. His silent patience only seemed to frustrate them more, but he felt a quiet satisfaction in maintaining his composure. For now, the quiet suited him perfectly.The only thorn in his side was the bet he had won with Tessa. She'd allowed him to stay in her room, but her compromise had clear boundaries—literally. She had drawn an invisible line down the center of the bed, enforcing a strict “do not cross” rule. Adam found himself lying in bed each night, close enough to feel her warmth, yet forbidden from moving an inch closer. This silent restraint was both infuriating and amusing; he couldn't help but smirk each night as he eyed the imagi