Chapter 3 3

After changing into her clothes, Nina stepped out of the fitting room and glanced at the VIP room on the other side of the store. It was now tightly sealed. Perhaps, the pair had already left.

"The dress suits you."

The salesman had good eyesight. After many years of working in the clothing industry, he knew what clothes were suited for the person just by looking at them. Nina had on a light blue dress that accentuated her fair skin. The belt around her sides outlined her thin waist. If anything, the fabric brought out the best of her.

As soon as Lynn saw her walk out of the fitting room, he nodded and went to pay.

"Thirty thousand?" His eyes widened momentarily, but upon thinking whom they were visiting, he gripped his bills and nodded. Turning to the side, he scowled. "Let's go."

She knew that her father had hated her, but she never really experienced it to an extent, that was, until now.

Lowering her head, she followed him into the car.

The car had stopped in front of the Stewart family's villa.

"Sir," the driver called out, opening the car door for the both of them. The two quickly made their way down the paved road.

As soon as Nina saw the villa in all its glory, she couldn't help but fall into a trance. While she and her mother were struggling to make ends meet, her father and his tramp were too busy enjoying the grand villa.

Her hands clenched. What a irony!

"What are you doing?" Lynn felt something was off, so he turned around, only to see that his daughter was still standing in front of the door still in a daze. It had been years since she had stepped inside the villa, and now...

Nina shook her head and caught up with him. This was not the time to think about this.

"Wait in the living room," Lynn commanded when he heard from the servant that the man still hadn't arrived.

The interior was just as beautiful as the architecture. With its French windows, high ceilings, and dripping chandeliers, it was like she had entered into heaven. Everything was so well-kept. As she was turning around, she saw a piano perched by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her mother had bought that for her on her fifth birthday.

What many wouldn't have known was how much she had loved to play the piano. At the ripe age of four, she had remembered practicing almost every hour wanting to play a new piece for her parents whenever they came home. However, after the incident, she hasn't touched any musical instrument since.

Her fingers trailed along the familiar keys as a smile spread across her face.

Placing her forefinger on the zither, she pressed against it. Ding! A melodious sound rang out, and she continued, letting her fingers jump along with the keys as the familiar tune played in her mind. Although her fingers were stiff, she was still able to play.

Just as she was enjoying, a clear voice sounded from behind her. "Who allowed you to touch my things?"

Her things?

Nina turned around to see Emily standing behind her. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her eyes were narrowed into slits. From what she had remembered, the young woman was younger than her by a year, meaning she was already seventeen. She must have gotten her mother's looks.

And she even had her personality.

"Yours?"

The two had ruined her mother's marriage and used their money for all their luxuries. Now, they wanted to take her mother's gift from her too? Just the thought of it was absurd enough!

Clenching her fists, Nina wanted nothing more than to slap her stepsister's face, only to let it fall to her sides. There was no point in starting a scene here, not when she still hadn't taken back what belonged to her.

All she needed was to wait.

She wasn't the little girl her father had sent away anymore. She had already grown up, and she wasn't going to cry and act rashly.

"Wait! You're Nina, aren't you?" Suddenly, Emily stumbled back in realization. Today was the day that the Gray family would come in visit, and from what she had heard, her father would be bringing his estranged wife back into the country.

She could still remember the day when Lynn sent them out.

"Please! Please, don't do this to us. Please..." Nina had screamed over and over again, hugging his leg. Yet, he wouldn't even look at them.

"You must be happy that Daddy brought you back, huh?" Emily didn't look too amused as she regarded her older sister with disdain. "Don't be too pleased with yourself. The only reason he brought you back was to marry into the Gray family. I heard that man..."

Immediately, Emily clamped her mouth shut into a sneer.

"It doesn't matter." Remembering that Nina was marrying a cripple, she couldn't help but gloat. Now, she obviously had the last laugh.

Marriage was a lifelong commitment, and it was one of the defining points of a woman's life. If she had married a man like that, wouldn't her life be ruined? That was enough satisfaction for the day.

Nina simply frowned in reply. Whoever the man was, she was only going to suck it and move on. There wasn't any point in refusing anymore anyway.

Just then, one of the maids walked over. "The Gray family has arrived."

"Open the doors." Lynn quickly assembled his family right by the staircase as the doors swung open.

Nina turned her head to the side to see a man being pushed inside. His facial features were impressive. With high cheekbones, narrowed eyes, and full lips–he could've been on the cover of any magazine. Even if he was in a wheelchair, nobody would've dared looked down on him. However, there was something about his face that struck her as odd.

Wasn't he the man she had seen flirting with the woman in the fitting room?

He was the Young Master of the Gray family?

But in the dressing room, she had clearly seen him standing up as he hugged the woman from behind. There was obviously nothing wrong with his leg. She eyed him for a while before turning away.

What was going on?

"Nina," Lynn quickly called her out, snapping her out of her reverie. "Come over. This is the Young Master of the Gray family."

Turning to the side, he bowed. "Young Master Gray, this is my daughter, Nina."

Even the old man couldn't help but pity the man in the wheelchair. Young Master Gray was handsome, rich, and incredibly smart, yet he had been deprived of such a wonderful life ahead of him, all because of that snake.

Christopher's firm gaze fell on Nina. Her cheeks, despite looking full and bright, were slightly sunken. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her arms looked frail and malnourished. The corners of his lips tilted downwards.

Was this the marriage his mother had arranged for him? It doesn't matter. It wasn't as if he could go back on his mother's words. That was the reason why he hid the fact that the poison had been dispelled, wanting to see if the Stewart family could go back on their word.

Who would've thought that they wouldn't?

His expression had turned gloomy. Assuming that the man wasn't satisfied with her, Lynn quickly butted in, "She's still young, Young Master. I'm sure that by the time she'd grow, she'd turn into a beauty."

A beauty? Was the man already selling his daughter? That was one of the firsts. Christopher sneered in his heart. There was something off about this arrangement, and he was going to find out what.

Suddenly, his lips curled upwards. He slowly said. "A snake had bitten me, and its poison had already spread. I'm unable to walk, and as such, I won't be able to perform my duties..."

"I don't mind." Nina answered immediately.

Lynn had already promised her that as long as she married into the Gray family, he'd return her mother's dowry. Even if she got married on that day and divorced on the next, she'd still agree.

Only then did she understand the true meaning of his little 'excuse'. Christopher could clearly stand up and move around, but because of that woman, he didn't want to fulfill his promise. He had gone through these crazy lengths just to get the Stewart family to go back on their words.

He may have failed to realize how willing Lynn was in sacrificing his estranged daughter.

As if he had read her thoughts, Christopher's narrowed eyes fell on her frame.

Nina stood still, feeling the chills rush down her spine. There was confusion in his gaze, and she could feel the bitterness swirling inside of her. It wasn't as if she was willing to marry him either, not because of his physical state, but because she didn't love him. However, love was overrated.

Taking back what she had lost was her priority, and if that demanded some sacrifices, so be it.

Pursing her lips, she smiled and slowly said. "We had been engaged ever since we were kids. No matter what happens, I'll marry you."

His gaze darkened. She really knew how to speak.

Unaware of what was going on, Lynn followed up with a question, "This wedding..."

"Of course. As this arrangement had been planned by both our parents, it would be ridiculous to break it, wouldn't it?" Christopher's expression changed drastically. Calmly glancing up at the older man, he slowly nodded. "Let's follow through with it."

It was obvious that he was dissatisfied with the marriage.

He had only agreed to it because of a promise his mother had made.

"That's fine." Lynn suppressed a smile. Now, he had finally hit two birds with one stone. Not only did he lose nothing, but he gained everything. Despite the young man's condition, being related to the Gray family was a dream anyone could've asked for.

Although the Stewart family was rich, they were incomparable to the Gray family. Comparing the two would be like comparing a shark to a shrimp.

It was that far out!

Lynn clasped his hands. "I already have someone to prepare for our dinner. "Why don't you stay over to eat?"

Christopher frowned. If anything, the man's flattery only disgust him even more.

"No need, I still have other things to take care of." As Christopher passed by Nina's small frame, he quickly signaled to stop. Squinting his eyes, he turned to her. "Is Miss Stewart free?"