The discharge papers were signed faster than Linda expected. By noon, she was standing outside the hospital with a small bag in her hand and a heavy feeling in her chest. Megan hugged her tightly, like she was afraid Linda might disappear the moment she let go.
"Call me," Megan said firmly. "Even if it's just to say a single hi."
Linda smiled faintly. "I will."
She watched Megan leave before turning toward the black car waiting by the garage. The driver stepped out immediately, bowing slightly. "At your service, Mrs Lane," he said respectfully.
The title felt strange. But she was too tired to worry about that. She only nodded and entered.
The ride was quiet. Linda stared out the window, watching the city blur past, thinking about her current situation. "Before, I was nobody, but now, I'm a wife on paper…to a man I can't stand close to."
When the car finally stopped, Linda looked up and froze. The mansion stood tall and elegant, all glass and steel, intimidating on its own. This wasn't a home. It was a fortress! So this is where he lives… she thought.
Inside, everything was spotless. White walls. Marble floors. The air smelled expensive and untouched. A middle-aged woman approached her with a polite smile. "Welcome, madam. I'm the housekeeper."
Madam. Again!!
"Thank you." she nodded and sighed.
She was shown to a room, not the master bedroom, of course. The guest room was spacious and several meters away from the master bedroom. Just like the rules.
She placed her small bag on the bed. Before the door closed, the housekeeper hesitated. "Sir won't be home tonight," she said softly. "And… please remember the rules."
As if Linda could forget.
Then the door shut. Linda sat on the edge of the bed and laughed quietly, pressing a hand to her mouth. "A contract wife," she murmured. "Who can't even share the same air with her husband."
She stood and walked to the window. From there, she could see the city lights glowing faintly in the distance. Somewhere out there, Ezekiel Lane existed. And that crazy man was now her husband. She had heard many disturbing stories about him, how he handled his enemies, cruel and merciless.
That night, she barely slept. She couldn't believe she had done what she despised most during her teenage years. She hated contract marriages. No love or happiness in a contract marriage and without love, there was no way she could ever achieve her wish.
The fear of her greedy father marrying her off hit her every single day. She had been so happy the moment the man cut ties with her, thinking she would finally be free from this cursed marriage. Who knew she would jump from the frying pan into the fire?
The next morning, Linda stepped out of her room and nearly collided with a tall figure walking down the hallway. She froze.
The man, who was carrying a cup of warm water, paused and looked at her with clear dissatisfaction.
Linda didn't need an introduction. With his powerful aura and arrogance, he was none other than Ezekiel Lane himself. Seeing that she was only a meter away, Linda swallowed and instinctively took a step back. Rule four!!
He glanced at the distance between them, then looked away, as if she were nothing more than furniture. It turned out he had paused only because she was blocking his way.
"Adam," he said calmly, without looking at her. "Make sure she's settled."
"Yes, boss."
And just like that, he walked past her without taking a second glance. Linda stood there long after he was gone, looking in his direction in awe.
'So this is my husband's face?' She thought. This was her first time seeing him or hearing his voice. Ezekiel never uploaded his pictures on social media. He remained mysterious, allowing Adam to face the media attention instead. Only a few people had ever seen his face, and none of them were ordinary. Whenever he attended an important or private party, he covered his face with a masquerade mask.
She exhaled slowly, her fingers curling into fists. Fine. If this were a marriage of rules and distance, then she would play her part perfectly.
Linda sat quietly at the long dining table, sitting straight. The food in front of her looked expensive and remained untouched for a while. She picked up her fork slowly and began to eat, pitifully, believing she didn't belong there.
She couldn't get Ezekiel's face and tall figure out of her head. She admitted he was deadly handsome, no matter how much she tried to push the thought away. The sharp line of his jaw. The cold confidence in his eyes. The way his presence alone made the air feel heavy. He didn't even need to look at her. And yet… she felt him.
Linda tightened her grip on the fork and frowned slightly. "This isn't why you're here."
Across the room, Adam stood near the entrance, watching her discreetly. He cleared his throat to get her attention. "If there's anything you need, Miss Linda, you can let me know. My boss instructed me to make sure you're settled."
Settled?
She almost laughed. Linda wiped her lips gently with a napkin before lifting her gaze to him. "There is something I need, please."
Adam straightened slightly, clearly expecting that. "What is it?"
For a brief second, she felt embarrassed. Asking for favours already? But then Rodah's smug smile flashed in her mind the way her life had been ruined because of her good heart. Revenge doesn't wait for pride, she reminded herself.
"I need a laptop," Linda said calmly. "A good one."
Adam blinked. "A… laptop?"
"Yes." She looked at him innocently. "I won't touch your boss's things. I won't break the rules, I just want to work."
He studied her for a moment, puzzled. Most women in her position would ask for clothes, money, jewellery not a computer. Or perhaps she was playing hard to get.
"…Alright," he said plainly. "Wait here."
He returned minutes later with a slim, sleek laptop. The silver logo was the first thing that caught her attention.
Key Stone….
"This is one of our products," Adam said. "You don't have to worry about the internet. It's highly secure and fast. You'll definitely enjoy it."
Linda's eyes lit up. "Thank you."
For the first time, Adam hesitated before speaking. "You're unbelievable, Mrs Lane. May I know what you want to use it for?"
Linda ignored him. She rushed her food and walked back to her room without another word. Once inside, she locked the door softly and leaned against it for a second. "Ahh… good! He isn't coming after me!!" Her heart raced with excitement.
She placed the laptop on a desk and opened it. The screen came to life instantly. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. "Fully charged…I've got a lot to install here," she scoffed.
"Alright, Rodah," she snorted. "Let's see how well you cleaned your tracks." The room was filled with the soft sound of typing. Tabs opened. Files downloaded. Accounts accessed. Her smile widened. Her father had restricted her from using laptops and skincare, taking away everything her mother left her in exchange. Yet her beauty never failed her, only suffering from rashes and pimples because she hardly ate well or drank enough water.
To her, locking herself in wasn't a cage.
This was a base. Linda leaned back slightly, a slow smile curling on her lips as lines of information appeared on the screen. These were the evidence she had secretly captured before leaving her father's house. She had known Rodah would walk straight into her trap the moment she said those words. She wouldn't leak anything now. She would post it at the right time, after Ezekiel successfully cleared her name.