THE ABANDONED WIFE

Her face and body were drenched as she was splashed with water. She blinked her eyes repeatedly and immediately woke up. She saw her mother-in-law standing with her arms crossed, a smug expression on her face.

"Do you think you're some kind of princess who can just sleep comfortably until now?" Victoria yanked Caroline's hair harshly, causing her to cry out in pain.

"What did I do wrong?" Caroline asked softly, trying to free herself.

"You're asking what you did wrong?" Victoria glared at Caroline, her grip on Caroline's hair tightening.

Caroline was feeling unwell, which was why she wanted to rest for a bit. From morning until night, she was constantly ordered to do house chores like a servant. Her husband, Johan, allowed her to be treated this way and tormented in this house.

Johan didn't care about her. His attitude was nothing like it had been early in their marriage. They had been married for three years, and initially, Johan often defended and protected her. However, over time, his concern for her disappeared.

"What's going on, Mom? Why is it so noisy in here?" Suddenly, Johan entered the room and saw his mother and Caroline in conflict.

"Look at your wife, lazing around and still sleeping! She should be working, taking care of the house first."

Seeing Caroline still sitting idly on the bed, Johan immediately scolded her. He berated her harshly in front of his mother.

"You heard what my mom said, didn't you? Stop being so lazy like this." Johan grabbed Caroline's hand to pull her up.

Victoria smiled, satisfied with Johan's actions toward Caroline. She was constantly treated like this. Only tears could convey her pain.

"I didn't mean to be lazy in this house. I just don't feel well. I'm always told to do housework all day long." Caroline cried bitterly in front of Johan.

A wife should be loved and cared for by her husband. But Caroline Margareth's fate was different. She was constantly oppressed in her husband's house. Her mother-in-law didn't like her presence there.

After getting married, she should have been happy. But instead, she faced oppression from her mother-in-law in this house, and her husband sided with his mother.

"You're such a useless wife! I deeply regret marrying you!" Johan shoved Caroline, causing her to fall to the floor.

Johan even kicked her stomach. He no longer had any conscience. Victoria was delighted to see her son treating Caroline this way. Not just once, but twice, Johan kicked Caroline in the stomach.

"I'm sorry." Caroline's voice was barely audible, even to Johan.

"What did you say just now?" Johan grabbed Caroline's chin roughly.

It was unclear what had come over Johan. He seemed furious as he looked at Caroline. His face turned red, and he slapped her hard across the face.

Johan and Victoria continually tormented Caroline. As a husband, instead of protecting her, Johan hurt her. He slapped Caroline again, leaving bruises on her face. She was in pain before them. Her hair was also pulled hard by Victoria. At this point, she couldn't fight back.

"Johan, you should divorce Caroline right now! She's completely useless in this house. All she does is laze around."

Suddenly, Johan dragged Caroline's body to the front yard. Victoria followed behind her son.

"Why are you treating me so badly in this house?" Caroline cried in front of Johan and Victoria.

"Because you deserve all this," Victoria replied firmly. "You're not a good daughter-in-law for me."

Even before marrying Johan, Victoria didn't like her. Yet, Caroline still chose to marry the man she loved, Johan Charlotte. At that time, she was blinded by love.

"Especially since you can't give Johan a child, which makes me even angrier with you! You're such an incompetent wife!" Victoria slapped Caroline hard across the face.

Blood trickled from the corner of Caroline's mouth as a result of Victoria's slap. Johan also dragged her body roughly.

"You'd better leave this house right now! My mother and I don't need you here. You're the root cause of all the problems in this house." Johan spoke harshly to Caroline.

Not wanting to be kicked out of the house, Caroline clung to Johan's legs, begging not to be thrown out. She apologized if she had made mistakes, promising to do anything to stay in the house. However, Johan and his mother were adamant about forcing her out.

"Your tears won't work on me anymore." Johan kicked Caroline's body, forcing her to let go of his legs.

Caroline's face turned pale. Her entire body felt hot. She no longer had the strength to resist. Johan dragged her out of the house and threw her out.

"I'll take care of our divorce. Don't ever come back here."

Caroline tried to stand amidst the pouring rain. Slowly, she walked away from Johan's house. Suddenly, she felt a sharp headache. Finally, Caroline collapsed on the ground, her body weak and unconscious.

***

"What's the condition of that woman now?"

Benjamin Charles sat relaxed in his room, smoking a cigarette. He spoke to one of his loyal subordinates who had entered the room.

"She's still unconscious, Sir."

On his way home, Ben had found a woman collapsed on the street in a pitiful state. Her body was covered in bruises, as if she had been abused. He had immediately taken her to his home and called for his private doctor.

"When she wakes up, let me know immediately." Ben ordered his subordinate to keep an eye on the woman.

"Understood, Sir."

With a gesture of his hand, he signaled his subordinate to leave the room. Ben walked to the balcony and enjoyed the fresh air outside. He couldn't stop thinking about the woman.

"She's so beautiful," Ben muttered, admiring her beauty despite the bruises on her face.

***

Caroline felt a cold compress on her forehead. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around. She was shocked to find herself in a luxurious room.

"Where am I?" Caroline tried to sit up slowly.

Suddenly, a maid entered the room. Dressed neatly and politely, she approached Caroline. The woman asked about her condition.

"How are you feeling, Miss? Does your head still hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore," Caroline replied politely.

"That's a relief."

Caroline grabbed the maid's wrist and asked, "Where am I now? Who brought me here?"

"Mr. Charles brought you to this house."

'Mr. Charles? Who is he?' Caroline thought to herself, her curiosity about the man named Benjamin Charles growing stronger.

"Mr. Charles?" Caroline's eyebrows shot up.

"Yes, Miss."

The servant walked toward the door and called someone over. Caroline winced in pain as she tried to stand. Johan's kick still lingered, causing her pain.

"Miss, what's wrong with you?" The servant rushed over to Caroline with a worried look on her face. "Is it still hurting?"

"Yes."

"Andrew, quickly call Mr. Charles to come to the room." The servant shouted and asked a man to call Mr. Charles.

Caroline didn't even know the servant's name yet. The woman was very beautiful with such beautiful hazel eyes. Her smile was also very charming.

"May I ask what your name is?" Caroline asked softly.

"Of course. My name is Florence. Just call me Flo."

"My name is Caroline."

Caroline and Flo shook hands. They both smiled at each other. Suddenly, a man walked into the room. Caroline's eyes were fixed on the man.

"Mr. Charles, you finally came." Flo called her master while bowing.

Caroline was still staring at Ben without blinking. She wanted to know more details about why he was brought here. Ben walked closer to her. Flo moved to the back of Ben's body.

Suddenly, Ben pulled Caroline's chin lightly. Ben's eyes and Caroline's eyes met each other.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ben asked.

He let go of her chin and asked Flo to leave the room, wanting to be alone with Caroline.

"Do you have anything to ask me?" Ben sat down beside her.

Caroline felt a little scared and moved away from him. Ben noticed her fear and looked confused. The trauma of Johan and Victoria's abuse haunted her, making her fear resurface at the sight of Ben.

"Why did you bring me to this house?" Caroline gripped the pillow tightly.

"Don't be afraid of me. I won't harm you," Ben said gently.

But Caroline didn't trust his words. Perhaps he was just being polite.

"Stay away from me," she pleaded.

Ben now understood her fear and resolved to uncover what had caused such deep trauma.

"I found you soaking wet and collapsed by the roadside. Your body and face were covered in bruises. You were unconscious," Ben explained.

The memory came rushing back. Caroline had been thrown out of Johan's house and forced to walk despite her injuries. The recollection of her suffering made her tremble.

Seeing her reaction, Ben felt compelled to comfort her. He wanted to embrace her and ease her fear.

"What happened to you?" Ben asked softly, his eyes filled with compassion.

Caroline shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Ben, who had saved her life.

"Talk to me. Maybe I can help," he urged.

"There's nothing I can tell you now, Mr. Charles." Caroline's grip on the pillow loosened. "But I'm very scared."

"What are you afraid of? Who hurt you?"

Ben seemed genuinely concerned. He gently touched her hand, stroking it softly.

"Did someone abuse you?"

Caroline remained silent, though she believed Ben was not an ordinary man and probably knew more than he let on. His gaze was sincere, something she hadn't seen in a long time. Ben brushed aside her messy bangs.

"May I ask your name?" Ben finally said.

"My name is Caroline."

"Alright, Caroline. If you're not ready to talk, you should rest." Ben pulled up the blanket and urged her to sleep.

Caroline obediently lay down. As Ben turned to leave, she grabbed his shirt.

"Thank you for bringing me to your house," she said.

"You're welcome. Rest well." Ben gently patted her hair, calming her down.

***

Later, that evening, several servants entered her room, including Flo, bringing various dishes under Ben's orders. Caroline needed to eat nutritious food.

"This is too much food," Caroline said, surprised. In Johan's house, she was rarely given meals.

"Is this not enough, Miss? I can bring more," Flo offered, stepping toward the door, but Caroline stopped her.

"This is already too much. I can't possibly finish it all," Caroline replied, glancing at the servants holding plates of delicious dishes.

"This is an order from Mr. Charles. You must eat well in this house," Flo said with a smile.

Just then, Ben entered, pushing a trolley loaded with food. Caroline's eyes widened at the sight.

"Flo, has Caroline eaten yet?" Ben asked.

"Not yet, Sir. She's still deciding what to eat."

Ben sighed, picked up a plate of Sauerbraten, a marinated beef dish served with rich gravy and vegetables, and approached Caroline.

"Try this. You'll love it." Ben fed her with unusual care.

Caroline opened her mouth, tasting the food. A smile spread across her face as he fed her another bite.

"How is it?" Ben asked.

"It's delicious. I love it."

Her happiness was evident. Ben dismissed the servants, leaving the room to themselves.

"You need to eat well to recover quickly. Don't forget to take your vitamins after eating."

Caroline noticed a vitamin box on the bedside table. Ben truly seemed concerned for her. After finishing her meal, Ben handed her a glass of water and a vitamin.

"Take this. I hope you recover soon," Ben said, softly patting her head.

Caroline accepted the vitamin and quickly swallowed it. However, she began to feel uneasy with Ben's continued kindness. Her face turned sour, catching his attention.

"What's wrong, Caroline? Why do you look upset? What's bothering you?"

Ben's gentle tone made her feel cared for, like a queen in his grand house. But she didn't want to let herself be charmed by another man.

"Are all men like this? Sweet at the beginning?"

Caroline averted her gaze, her voice trembling. She had been hurt deeply and wasn't ready to trust a man's words so easily.

"Caroline, I don't know who broke your trust, but I'm not that kind of man," Ben said, speaking seriously as he looked at her.

"What makes you worthy of my trust?" Caroline asked, clutching the blanket tightly.

"If I had bad intentions toward you, you wouldn't be safe in my house," Ben replied firmly.

Caroline fell silent for a moment, processing Ben's words. She looked into his eyes.

'Can he be trusted?' She thought, gazing at Ben with a wary look

"Because my husband and mother-in-law treated me so horribly. To them, I was nothing more than trash. They always blamed me and insulted me as they pleased." Caroline clutched her chest, which trembled slightly from her sobs.

Sharing a bit with Ben didn't seem like a problem. On the contrary, it made her feel a little more at ease. Afterward, Caroline wiped away the tears streaming down her face. Sitting beside her, Ben showed such concern and moved closer.

Caroline continued to stare at Ben. Could this be a good destiny for her, to be in this house? Meeting Ben made her feel like she was being treated like a queen.

"I understand now why you behaved like that towards me before." Ben reached out and gently stroked Caroline's long hair.

Caroline remained silent, just feeling the gentle touch. Ben urged her to rest and pulled the blanket over her.

"Rest now. Don't let yourself keep thinking about negative things. Don't worry, you are much safer here, and no one will bother you." Ben spoke firmly while looking at Caroline.

Caroline nodded, agreeing to Ben's words, and lay down to rest. Ben then left the room. Caroline hoped that Ben was a good person sent by God into her life.

***

Ben sat comfortably in an ergonomic chair, speaking with several subordinates in his room. A few tall and well-built men stood before him, ready to take orders.

"I want you to investigate Caroline's background-whether her parents are still alive, who her husband and mother-in-law are, and where they live." With a firm demeanor and a clear voice, Ben gave his orders to his men.

"Yes, sir. We'll handle it properly."

With a wave of his hand, Ben dismissed his subordinates from the room. They promptly obeyed. Ben, of course, was curious and intrigued by Caroline's life.

"So, her husband and mother-in-law didn't treat her well at home. Alright, I'll look into this for her." Ben picked up a cigarette and lit it with a lighter.

Smoke billowed throughout the room. Among all the women who had entered his life, only Caroline had managed to captivate him to this extent, even forcing him to reveal her past. Especially after learning that she had married another man.

"It's quite interesting. So, she's married, and yet, I find myself attracted to her," Ben mused, a sly smile spreading across his face as he took a slow drag on his cigarette.

***

Just as she was about to take a bath, Caroline was surprised by the arrival of Flo and several other maids. They brought an assortment of flowers, fresh milk in a glass pitcher, essential oils, and clean towels. Caroline asked what was going on.

"Miss Caroline, you cannot refuse. This is an order from Mr. Charles, and we are here to serve you well," Flo said as she stepped closer to Caroline.

"But you don't have to bother. I can bathe myself," Caroline protested.

"Sorry, Miss, no refusals. If you refuse our services, we will all be punished by Mr. Charles. Do you have the heart to let that happen?" Flo pleaded, her expression pitiable.

Caroline couldn't bear the thought of Flo and the others being punished because of such a trivial matter. She reluctantly agreed to their assistance and let them escort her to the bathroom.

The servants began to prepare warm water for her to bathe comfortably. They pour fresh milk into the large bathtub and sprinkle various fresh flowers and essential oils for fragrance. Once everything was ready, Flo asked her to take off her clothes.

"Don't feel shy, Miss. We are all women here," Flo assured her with a smile.

"But I still feel awkward and don't want anyone to see me. It's better that you wait outside until I'm done. Thank you."

Finally, Flo and the others obeyed Caroline's request. Before leaving, they bowed to her one by one and exited the bathroom.

Alone, Caroline undressed and stepped into the bathtub, submerging her body in the warm, milk-infused water surrounded by fresh flowers and fragrant essential oils. The soothing scents filled her senses, and as the soft water caressed her skin, the exhaustion and worries that had been haunting her seemed to melt away.

"This feels so luxurious. So this is what it's like to live as someone wealthy," Caroline murmured, letting drops of milk glide over her skin.

From outside, Flo called out, asking to come in, but Caroline declined.

"Please wait outside. There's no need to come in. I can bathe on my own," Caroline replied.

"Alright then, Miss. We won't enter," Flo's voice faintly echoed from outside the bathroom but was still audible to Caroline.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Caroline continued to enjoy the comfort of the bath. Her eyes wandered over the bruises on her body-reminders of the abuse she endured from Johan and Victoria, her husband and mother-in-law.

Her abdomen still ached slightly from the kicks Johan had delivered. Ben had always ensured she received the best care while staying in this house-a stark contrast to Johan, who remained her husband.

"Is my marriage with Johan truly beyond repair? Won't he ever change his ways toward me?"

Caroline let out a long sigh. It seemed futile to hope for Johan to change, especially with Victoria constantly influencing him from behind. Her mother-in-law was cruel and intent on ruining her marriage.

If her relationship with Johan truly couldn't be saved, Caroline could only accept it as fate. For now, she remained still, savoring the peace of the warm bath.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door. Caroline froze, fear creeping into her chest as her body began to tremble. Worse, the doorknob started to turn slowly.

"Oh my God, I forgot to lock the door!" Caroline slapped her forehead, realizing her mistake.

Panicking, she called out, pleading for whoever was outside not to enter. The doorknob stopped moving, and Caroline let out a sigh of relief.

"Please, whoever is out there, don't come in. I'm still bathing."

Her carelessness in forgetting to lock the bathroom door could have led to a much more embarrassing situation, especially if it had been Ben trying to enter. Caroline could only imagine the mortification that would bring.