Chapter 2

Cynthia moved into the Lloyd residence, just like that. Their family of four was finally reunited. The twins lit up with surprise and delight the moment they saw her. The younger one, Anna Lloyd, couldn't contain her excitement and blurted out, "Mommy!" Thankfully, Samuel reacted quickly. He wrapped his arms around Julie and kissed her cheek, smiling as he said, "Anna is calling for you." In fact, those twins had already been living in the Lloyd residence for three full months and never once called Julie "Mommy". Before knowing the truth, Julie had always loved them as her own children. To keep the lie going, Anna shot Julie a fierce glare and muttered reluctantly, "Mommy, I want some nuts. Peel them for me." Nuts were hard to crack, and peeling them would hurt Julie's hands. Anna wanted to see her suffer badly for trying to take Samuel from her real mom, Cynthia. Anna had always asked Julie to peel nuts for her. Julie thought she just liked eating them, so she never gave it a second thought and peeled them every time. Now, looking at the blatant malice in Anna's eyes, Julie's heart instantly grew cold. "If you want nuts, ask the maid to peel them for you," Samuel said, stepping in to shield Julie. He took her hand in his and added gently, "Her hands are too soft. I can't even bear to ask her to peel them for me." Cynthia's face darkened instantly. She silently shot Julie a glance full of resentment before suddenly asking out of nowhere, "Sam, where are your rosary beads?" Samuel always wore a string of rosary beads on his wrist. Julie had personally traveled to Saintbrook to get them for him. With deep devotion, she had climbed to the summit of Ruby Mountain at over 10,000 feet above sea level to pray for his well-being. Those beads had been blessed by the priest at the mountaintop church. Samuel had been deeply moved. He had worn them ever since on his left wrist, never once taking them off. But now, his left wrist was bare. "Where are my rosary beads?" Samuel was also startled. "I was definitely wearing them this morning..." He started panicking and was about to search for them. But when he looked up, he suddenly met Cynthia's eyes, her gaze smoldering with desire. Her face was flushed unnaturally as she licked her lips. Under Samuel's gaze, she quietly placed her hand on a spot between her legs. As she did so, she deliberately swayed slightly and let out a soft moan. "Sam, my stomach hurts all of a sudden. Can you help me upstairs to lie down for a bit?" The implication couldn't be clearer. Samuel's breathing turned heavy. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Julie, I'm taking Cindy upstairs to rest. Watch the children, alright?" Without waiting for a response, he practically rushed to support Cindy as they headed upstairs. Julie felt the chill in her heart deepen. She told the maid to take the children away, while she quietly followed them up. The bedroom door was left ajar. Samuel hadn't even bothered to lock it. "You wicked little thing. Are you out of your mind? How could you put my rosary beads there?" Samuel's words sounded angry, but there wasn't a trace of anger in his voice. If anything, there was a flicker of excitement he couldn't quite hide. "Sam… It's too deep. I can't get it out. Can you help me?" Cynthia grabbed his hand and guided it between her thighs. Soon, Julie heard the sound of beads falling to the floor. A rosary bead, covered in an unknown liquid, slowly rolled to her feet and stopped. Julie closed her eyes in despair. The beads she had painstakingly obtained for him had now become a prop for their affair. Right under her nose, they mocked her love and defiled her faith. She didn't need a marriage like this or a man like him.