On the other side, after returning to the Orchid Villa, Rainer went straight to his study.
Though society viewed him as a dissable and worthless, he stood tall like a normal man. All of his former and misfortunes seemed to have disappeared. He stared at the floor, ceiling, and window, his expression calm and unreadable. At that moment, he was watching the world below clearly.
Right then, his phone rang. It was Collin Humprey, his childhood friend.
"Hi, Rain." Collin said. His voice sounded casual.
"Hi, how was it? Did you find anything?" Rainer asked in a flat voice.
"I've looked up all the information about your wife. There's nothing suspicious about her. I checked her background. She's clean. She married you on that day because her fiancé, Felix O'Donnell, left her at the altar."
Collin's tone changed; a sense of cheerfulness entered his voice. "You know, all the rich, young women in this town avoid you like the plague. They think you're disabled. And you're cut off from your family. You're the perfect outcast. But Willow had the courage and heart to approach and marry you. I must say, that's an incredible amount of courage."
After a moment's pause, Collin added his thoughtful sigh, "I wonder, and thought.... when she finds out the truth, will she accept it?"
Rainer's voice was steady and emotionless, as he replied, "She won't get that chance. Once she realizes who I really am, she'll be looking for any excuse to leave. She'll probably leave me for good." Rainer said sarcastically.
He wasn't surprised that, after his accident, rejection and scorn had become part of his life. His lowly position in the Stuart's family, only added to his isolation. It had numbed her to anything that smacked of family or love.
People often said that a woman who married a man like him was a woman with no future, a waste of time and effort. It was like throwing yourself into hell.
But Collin disagreed with Rainer.
"I don't think she's that kind of woman." Collin replied with a grin. "Think of it, how many women would dare to change their groom at their own wedding? My hunch is that Willow is not the kind of woman you think she is. Since she's married to you, I don't think she'll just disappear."
As Collin spoke, his interest seemed to surface, his excitement evident in his voice. "You don't believe me? Well then, let's make a bet. I bet Willow will be back soon. If I win, you hand over that piece of land on the outskirts of town, deal?"
Rainer raised his eyebrow, his tone calm but calculating, "And if you lose?"
Collin let out a mockery that sounded dismissive, "I won't lose, okay?"
But before he could say more, Rainer's cold aura seemed to seep through the phone, giving him goosebumps. Collin quickly backpedaled. "Alright, alright, ... if I lose, you can make a request of the same value, agreed?"
Rainer who couldn't believe that Willow would return, snorted coldly. He was very sure that she must have run away from him. He was willing to bet on it, and Collin had already agreed to it.
"Okay deal..."
Just as Rainer was about to hang up, a knock sounded on the door. The voice of the housekeeper was heard, "Mr. Stuart, Mrs. Stuart is here."
....
Dragging her suitcase behind her, Willow stepped into the villa, her eyes scanning her surroundings. It was quiet, the air felt sterile, but the aura of the place seemed cold and lacked warmth and comfort.
She looked around, quickly noticing that there was little furniture. The house was simple, almost unfurnished, a far cry from the expected luxurious home of a young man from a wealthy family.
Willow's gaze hardened, now that she was married to Rainer Stuart, she felt justified in making some alteration to the place.
One thing was clear, she wasn't going to live in a cold, dreary place like this. She was going to turn it into what she wanted it to be, warm and loving, no matter what.
Just as she was thinking about how to decorate, and design her dream home, Rainer suddenly appeared, rolling himself into her intense gaze.
His gaze was fixed on her, his dark eyes seemingly dark and unreadable. He didn't think Collin was right, Willow had returned.
Though surprised, he did not show it, his face expressionless. His eyes were fixed on the suitcase behind Willow. "You've been gone this long just to pack this little thing?"
Willow smiled, of course not. Earlier she had taken the time to teach Felix and Helen a lesson.
Willow's mind wandering, staring at the road with a bitter smile, she replied, her voice sounding soft and neutral.
"This place is a bit remote, plus, I've never been here before. I was lost for a while before I found this place. That's why I'm a bit late."
Rainer nodded slowly, his expression unreadable as he turned his wheelchair around. "Follow me!"
Willow hurriedly followed Rainer, her steps light but hesitant. Her gaze was unblinkingly fixed on the wheelchair. Her mind was filled with debate as to whether she should offer to help him. But before she could decide, Rainer seemed to stop in front of a room.
The room was on the first floor. Willow glanced inside, her eyes quickly taking in the contents. The walls and furniture looked minimalist and plain. Like most villas, the room was cold without warmth, but it looked clean and organized.
"Will I be sleeping in this room tonight?" she asked, her voice sounding full of doubt and curiosity.
Rainer caught Rainer's gaze with a cold stare from the corner of his eye. A smirk was painted on the corner of his lips as he replied in a cold voice. "Yes, you'll stay here, with me."
Willow froze, her heart racing. Her eyes widened in shock, and she stared at him. Her brain unable comprehend what he had just said. "What,... what did you just say?"
Her heart beat faster as Rainer moved toward her. Did he just imply that the they would be sleeping together tonight?