Chapter 1 When Are You Going To Divorce My Mute Sister

"Jessica, send a bottle of warm honey water to my hotel room. I need it to sober up."

Because of that brief message from her husband, Jessica Howard left the house close to midnight.

Late autumn cold gnawed at her skin as she stood by the roadside, waiting far too long before a cab finally stopped in front of her.

By the time the car pulled up in front of the hotel, the chill had seeped into her bones, her lips darkening with a faint purplish hue.

She followed the room number her husband, Adrian Buckley, had given her, walking down the quiet corridor until she stopped outside the designated door.

Her raised hand hesitated when she noticed the door was not fully shut, a narrow gap left open, almost as though someone had deliberately left it that way.

From inside, a woman's voice drifted out, soft and teasing. "Adrian, when are you going to divorce my mute sister?"

Jessica's entire body froze at that.

She recognized that voice instantly. It belonged to her half-sister, Eleanor Howard.

And her sister was clearly talking to her husband.

Jessica's first instinct was to turn around and walk away, yet the warmth of the water bottle in her pocket reminded her that she was here for a reason, and she forced herself to push the door wide open.

The moment she appeared in the doorway, Adrian looked up sharply, his gaze cold as he snapped, "Why are you here?"

Jessica dropped her eyes and reached into her pocket, carefully pulling out the bottle.

Before she could hand it to Adrian, Eleanor lunged forward and seized it from her grasp.

"Oh my, Jessica!" Eleanor said with exaggerated surprise. "You came all this way just to deliver honey water to Adrian?"

She let out a light laugh. "How considerate. But he does not need your concern. He isn't drunk at all."

With a flick of her wrist, Eleanor tossed the bottle into the trash can, then casually picked up a phone from the table, scrolling through it as she cast Jessica a sideways glance filled with mockery.

Jessica recognized that phone at once. It was Adrian's.

In that instant, a realization settled heavily in her chest.

The message that summoned her to the hotel had never been sent by Adrian; it had come from Eleanor.

Eleanor's boldness was fueled by Adrian's indulgence, his affection giving her the confidence to act without restraint.

Jessica felt her heart sink. She slowly lifted her hands and signed, "The honey water has been delivered. I will leave now."

As she turned toward the door, Eleanor's syrupy voice reached her again.

"Adrian, do you think she heard everything we said just now? What if she goes back and complains to your family about it? You know how difficult life is for a single mother like me, raising a child alone. I really cannot afford any more trouble."

She spoke with a gentle tone, each word sounding harmless yet cutting deep.

Jessica shook her head quickly, desperate to deny the accusation.

She had never complained to the Buckley family about anything; it was simply that the Buckley family had never approved of Adrian associating himself with a widow who already had a child.

Adrian did not spare her a glance. His voice cut through the air as he issued a cold command. "Why are you still standing there? Leave!"

Jessica's eyes burned, the rims flushing red as she lowered her head and nodded.

But Eleanor was far from satisfied. Her voice sharpened as she said, "The position of Adrian's wife was supposed to be mine, yet you took it before I ever had the chance."

She paused, eyes flashing with hurt. "What more do you want from me? Do you have to destroy me and my son completely?"

With that, she broke into sobs, crying as if she were the one who had been deeply wronged.

Adrian immediately softened, drawing her closer as he murmured, "That is all in the past. Do not worry. As long as I am here, no one will dare bully you or Lucas."

Jessica stood there, listening to their voices behind her, each word pressing into her chest until the pain became unbearable.

On their wedding day, Adrian had made it clear to her-other than the title of his wife, he would give her nothing, and she was not to hope for anything that was never meant to be hers.

Among the things she was forbidden to expect was love, and Adrian himself.

To put it plainly, Adrian had never loved her at all.

She was the foolish one, falling in love with someone who was never meant for her.

The thought made Jessica's nose sting, heat gathering behind her eyes as tears threatened to fall.

She held them back, turned away, and hurried out of the hotel without looking back.

Eleanor waited until the door shut before turning to Adrian, looping her arms around his neck as she said softly, "Adrian, can you really not divorce her and marry me instead?"

The warmth in Adrian's eyes vanished in an instant at that, his expression hardening as he replied, "I told you not to bring this up again. I can give you anything you want, but I can't give you the title of my wife."

Those words sent Eleanor's tears streaming down her cheeks. "Then who will hold that title? That mute sister of mine? You clearly do not love her at all. Why are you still staying with her?"

Adrian's brows tightened with irritation, yet Eleanor didn't notice it as she spun on her heel, storming out of the room, her footsteps loud after her outburst.

Adrian had drunk some that night, not enough to lose control, but his stomach still churned with discomfort.

The honey water Jessica had brought was already thrown in the trash by Eleanor, so Adrian left the room with the intention of asking the hotel staff to get him another bottle.

He had not gone far when he spotted Jessica standing near the elevator. His voice stopped her in place. "Why have you not gone back yet?"

Jessica turned at the sound, clearly startled to see him. Unsure of how to respond, she just lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the floor, lingering on the tips of her feet.

She had rushed out earlier wearing only thin slippers.

Somewhere along the way, they had been torn open at the front, a large rip exposing her toes, the shoes clearly no longer wearable.

Adrian followed her line of sight, then reached out and pulled her closer. "I will have someone bring you another pair."

He guided her back toward the hotel room, telling her to remove the damaged slippers.

Under the weight of his gaze, Jessica felt embarrassment creep up her neck as she took the slippers off, heat blooming across her face.

Adrian's eyes lingered briefly on her small, delicate feet before his arm circled her waist, drawing her in as he lowered his lips to hers.

Jessica instinctively softened, curling into his hold as the scent of alcohol reached her, intertwined with Eleanor's heavy perfume, a cloying presence she was unable to ignore.

She shifted slightly, placing her palm against his chest in a clear attempt to push him away.

But Adrian disregarded the weak resistance, his mouth pressing harder against hers as he forced her backward until she sank into the sofa.

There was a sharp, predatory tension to him, his lean frame looming close, all restraint stripped away.

Without any foreplay, pain cut through Jessica, drawing a sharp breath from her lungs as tears welled in her eyes.

Adrian lifted a hand, brushing the tears from her cheek with his fingertip before bringing them to his lips, the desire in his gaze growing.

His eyes lingered on her tear-soaked face, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth as he murmured, "You cannot even moan? Poor thing."

Jessica's tears spilled faster at his words.

She couldn't speak.

How could she make a sound for him?

Adrian knew this better than anyone, yet every time they were intimate, he said something like that to humiliate her, as if trying to force her to speak to satisfy his twisted sense of fun.

Jessica shut her eyes, then lifted her face and leaned closer to his chest.

She tried to comply, knowing that the more obedient she appeared, the less pain she would endure during their intimacy.

A flicker crossed Adrian's expression as his hand closed around her slender neck, his lips claiming hers again with force, though the movement of his body finally eased into something marginally gentler.