Chapter 3 Who Is The Prey

Ariana didn't expect Theodore would so decisively demand that she have an abortion. She stared at him for a few seconds, stunned.

Her silence caused Theodore's face to darken.

"Come here," Theodore commanded abruptly, motioning Ariana over with a wave.

Under the pressure of his dominating aura and his cold eyes, Ariana gradually gave up resisting. She meekly lowered her head, her stomach turning uneasily. She was terrified of her new husband. The bruise on her neck seemed to ache even more as her heart raced in fear.

Too afraid to deny him, Ariana hastily moved a few steps closer to the bed.

"Say you're pregnant. How are you sure it's mine?" Theodore's eyes fell on her belly, and his demeanor became contemptuous again, terrible cruelty glinting in his eyes.

Ariana trembled. She knew that Theodore must have misunderstood the situation earlier, so she explained hurriedly, "I've already broken up with Jasper. We have nothing to do with each other now..."

Before she could finish speaking, Theodore suddenly got impatient and yanked her hand. She lost her balance and stumbled, falling into his arms.

A pleasant smell met her nose. Theodore was so close that she could feel his breath against her skin.

Ariana stiffened, her mind going blank for a moment. Then she snapped back to her senses and used her arms as support to stand up.

But Theodore used one hand to press her down on the back of her neck, preventing her from escaping.

Sensing danger, Ariana went completely still, like a deer caught in headlights, her heart hammering in her chest.

Theodore turned his head slightly to whisper in Ariana's ear, "Even if you are pregnant with my kid, I won't let you give birth to it."

He lowered his eyes to study the woman he held captive in front of him. His other hand slid over, and his slender fingers unbuttoned her collar, his thumb rubbing the side of her neck as if he were being affectionate.

Ariana trembled, repulsed by his touch. Her hair stood on end. A sudden surge of fearing her death turned her into the likes of a frightened, frantic bird. Squirming desperately, she somehow broke free from Theodore's hand and sprinted out of the room. But, when she reached the door, she accidentally bumped into a person who was about to enter.

She was so anxious to get away that she didn't even look at the person properly but hurriedly apologized and then ran out of Theodore's room.

When Horace Silence entered the room, he noticed Theodore staring in the direction in which the woman had left, deep in thought. With his keen professional instincts, he immediately discerned that the woman he had seen just now was his boss's newly married wife.

Horace was a little curious, but he refrained from asking. He placed the examination report he had been holding in his hand onto the bedside table.

"The doctor informed us you're fine. You'll reach full recovery after some treatment for your legs." Horace paused and said hesitantly, "Now, the doctor is lying as you asked. Everyone in the Anderson family thinks you're permanently disabled, which makes it very likely that you will be targeted..."

Theodore glanced at his assistant with a callous smile. "Wouldn't it be interesting to see prey complacently jumping into a trap and then gradually falling into despair?"

Horace pushed his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose. He couldn't help but ask, "Then, is Ms. Edwards also prey?"

Theodore cast a scowl at Horace and warned with a cold face, "Don't ask too many questions. Mind your own business."

Horace's expression twitched in fear, and he quickly lowered his head, dutifully standing up straight.

"A background check on Ariana. I want all her information," Theodore ordered briskly.

Horace nodded.

*

After rushing out of Theodore's room, Ariana found the housekeeper, Judy Kelly, and asked her to prepare a guest room for her to reside in.

Judy was a chubby and jovial middle-aged woman with a warm smile. She noticed Ariana's pale expression and held her hand, babbling in an attempt to offer her comfort, "Mr. Anderson just woke up after so long, so he's just too surprised to accept it for now. Love needs cultivation. Please be more patient and try to make him happy. Perhaps he will learn to accept you with time."

Ariana listened to her rambling quietly, but she disagreed completely in her heart. Trying to please him would be a stupid thing to do. She might even lose her life just by being by his side.

After their conversation ended and she went back to her room, Ariana finally had time to rest. Lying on the bed, she listlessly stared at the ceiling with apprehension in her heart, worried about her future.

She had thought her husband would die soon and that she would become an approved daughter-in-law of the Anderson family.

But everything went the complete opposite of what she had expected. Not only was Theodore still alive and awake, but he also couldn't tolerate her and intended to kick her out of the Anderson family.

Ariana felt annoyed and depressed. After such an emotionally fueled day, she was exhausted and soon drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she was woken up by the alarm clock set on her phone. Blinking sleepily, she picked up her phone, trying to turn the loud alarm off. But, when she turned her phone screen on, she happened to catch a glimpse of a photo on her news feed. It was the latest news about an auction in the city. One of the auctioned items was a beautiful necklace that belonged to her mother's legacy!

Her grogginess vanished in an instant. She sat up abruptly, staring at the image, a monstrous fury rushing through her. Damn! Glenda not only sold her to the Andersons but also seized her mother's legacy and auctioned them!