d her limbs, the heavy weight of her clothes a constant reminder of her discomfort. But her moment of peace was shatt

"Will I have to go down by myself? I don't think I can handle meeting his fami

ugh the silence from behind her. "My family aren't vampires, you know. Just my

ed from the bathroom, his upper body exposed save for a towel wrapped around his lower abdomen. Mara co

back to reality. "You can go ahead and ogle at me all you want, but don'

r composure. "Good morning, Mr. Lewis," she greeted

ssing table instead. With a sigh of relief, Mara made a hasty retreat to the k

es and cutlery. Mara kept her gaze fixed on her plate, avoiding eye contact with anyone at th

king fit. Gasping for breath, she coughed uncontrollably until Ethan's cold voice cut through the t

a stammered, accepting the wat

n, Ethan, don't be so hard on your wife. It's natural to feel nerv

t lingered, and she returned her focus to her

roken only by the clatter of cutlery. Then, Ethan's youngest co

scolded the young boy for speaking out of

Lewis, addressed Mara directly. "Yesterday, she arrived here while everyone was asleep. She'

ara as a daughter-in-law and promising to treat her well. The other women in

tude, her hands fidgeting with her hair in a futile attempt

Now that she's here, can I move out and live alone?" Ethan i

then you can visit your family house later with your

n this suffocating environment, but she quickly inte

rk to do," Ethan chimed in, signaling to his bodyguard

st call me Grandmother," the matriarc

er," Mara replied, bowing respec

ents' house, my foot! Parents who don't care whether I'm happy or not,

discovered a waiting driver at the door. "Serio

ructed me to escort you wherever you

couldn't shake the feeling of suffocation. "Why should I go ther

se, opting instead to head to the gym to meet her friends. But as th

' house, and this isn't the way," the driver

l me around? Tell Grandma that I have to visit my frien

e gym to meet her friends, relieved to have an excuse t

but express her surprise. "Now that you're married, I th

It's not a real marriage, though...

erbert McCauley

d his name is Ethan Lewis," Mara repli

Ethan? That imbecile? Your stepmother must have lost her mind to

w did you know he's an imbecile?" Mara

young master? Anyway, let's hit the town!" Lucian interj

off, leaving behind the complications of Mara'