Chapter 2 Hugging Caroline Archer Directly, Who Was Crying

In the morning, I woke up from the pain, feeling that the lower part of my body had been ripped apart. And what had happened last night was surging in my mind as if it were a nightmare... On my wedding night, Patrick treated me as if I were his enemy and took away my virginity. What he had done to me ruined all my previous fantasies. The bed beside me was already cold. A drop of scarlet blood on the snow-white sheet looked particularly irritating. I got up and went to the bathroom to take a bath despite the pain. After getting dressed, I changed the sheet into a new one. I went out, stood at the entrance of the stairs on the second floor, and saw Patrick sitting at a rectangular dining table, who was reading the newspaper as well as having breakfast. The golden sunshine in the morning shone on his side through the window, making him look warm and holy. Over the past twelve years when I had a secretive crush on Patrick, marrying him and living with him under the same roof for breakfast had been something that I dared not dream of and yet yearned for. Now it came true. But I dared not take a step forward. The way how he had ravaged me like a beast last night reminded me constantly that I had never known Patrick Cowell. "Miss Archer, you're awake." When I was staring at Patrick, a servant, who had already seen me, greeted me politely downstairs. She didn't call me "Madam" the way she had done yesterday. Instead, she called me "Miss Archer". My heart trembled slightly. Despite the dissatisfaction in my heart, I dared not question her because of my identity. So I could only put away the lingering fear resulting from what had happened last night, went downstairs, and sat opposite Patrick. The servant brought me the meal. I, who didn't have an appetite, just ate a few mouthfuls ceremonially. I looked up and found that Patrick was the same as me. He almost didn't touch the meal in front of him. "I'm sorry. I got up late today. From tomorrow on, I'll wake up early every day to make breakfast for you," I said in a gentle voice. It was unknown whether I said so to enliven the atmosphere or to keep the marriage whose fate was unknown. If I did have any talents, it must be cooking. After that, I was somewhat expectant. However, Patrick threw away the tableware in his hand and got up. And his expression was as indifferent as usual as he said, "Let's go. The car is waiting outside." "Where are we going?" Seeing that Patrick seemed to be a little unhappy, I was a little flustered for a moment. I was worried that I had said something wrong. I had never been an introverted person. However, in front of Patrick, I seemed to be overwhelmimgly humble in every way. At this time, Patrick, who had already walked to the door and began to change his shoes, replied without looking back, "Let's go back to your family." I arrived at Archer Family's house in Patrick's car. Before entering the house, I originally thought that the reason why Patrick had treated me like this was that he was dissatisfied with the marriage between me and him rather than he had found out that I was not Caroline. However, when I followed him into the house, I saw Caroline, whom I had said goodbye to at the airport yesterday, standing with our parents in the living room at this time. Her eyes were overwhelmingly swollen, indicating that she had been crying for a long time. Our parents, who were standing next to her, looked angry. I glanced at Patrick. And the first thing that came to my mind was that he had discovered the fact that I had married him on behalf of Caroline and that he had sent someone to bring Caroline back. I was in a panic. Although Patrick couldn't get whatever he wanted in this city, if he wanted to mess with someone, it would be a piece of cake. I thought, "It's fine if it's just a matter of me. But now my parents and my sister are all involved..." As I felt remorseful and wondered how to explain to Patrick later on, I saw Patrick taking a few steps forward and holding Caroline, who was crying, in his arms directly. He lowered his head and comforted her, "Are you okay?" The gentleness in his eyes was something that I had never seen before.