Chapter 12 Chapter 12
At seven o'clock sharp, Nicholas Wolf's car pulled up in front of the hospital.
The impeccably polite driver opened the door for Caroline, greeting her with a bow.
“Ma'am.”
Caroline waved, the title still sounding strange, like a suit that didn't quite fit.
He waited for her to get in before taking his seat. The silence in the car was thick, and she noticed Nicholas Wolf's absence.
“Is your boss busy?” she asked, breaking the silence.
“A last-minute emergency, ma'am. He asked me to pick you up first.”
“I see.”
Then she felt it. Stares. Stealthy, insistent, cast from the rearview mirror. Once, twice, three times. The man's curiosity was almost palpable, and it was making her uncomfortable.
At a red light, when his eyes met hers again, she couldn't take it anymore.
“Excuse me... is something wrong? You keep looking at me.”
“Oh!” The driver seemed startled. “Ma'am, please don't get me wrong. It's just... curiosity.”
“Curiosity?” She frowned. Curious about what?
“Yes, c-curiosity,” he stammered, his gaze meeting hers in the mirror. “Before you, the boss... he never had a woman by his side. No relationship.” You and the old man introduced him to the most beautiful heiresses, but he was never interested. They were desperate.
Caroline's jaw dropped.
“Are you serious? He never dated?
A man with his power and looks? He should have been pursued since he was a teenager. How was that possible?”
The driver sighed, as if revealing a state secret.
“Ma'am, you may not know this, but our boss has ‘Antisocial Personality Disorder’.
”Disorder of... what?!“ The shock left her breathless.
”He has an aversion to women. To people in general," the driver explained in a low voice. “He can't stand contact. Apart from his mother and now you, he keeps his distance from everyone else. That's why he's remained alone, despite everything. The doctors have never found a cure. So when we heard about the marriage... it came as a shock to all of us.”
Caroline felt the world spinning as she tried to process the information.
“And what happens... if he touches other women?”
The driver's expression became somber. He pronounced each word like a sentence.
“Aggression. And a violent allergy, caused by anger. If it's mild, skin rashes. If it's severe, dizziness, tremors... and vomiting.”
A chill ran down Caroline's spine. What bizarre disease was this?
B-but it couldn't be! He hugged her. He touched her of his own free will, and nothing happened.
As if reading her mind, the driver added:
“The boss doesn't seem to have that reaction with you. That's probably why he decided to get married so quickly.”
But...
“Madam and old Mr. Wolf probably don't know yet,” the driver continued, as a warning. “Madam is trying to arrange a meeting between him and Miss Sheila Turner... who knows what will happen when they find out?”
The car stopped in front of a colossal shopping mall. As she got out, the driver said to her:
“The boss asked you to take a look around here first. This mall belongs to the family. Everything your eyes can see... is yours.”
Caroline was silent. What absurd power. Her husband wasn't just rich. He was a king.
“In addition...” The driver took out a solid black credit card with no limit and handed it to her. “The boss instructed me to give you this. It's his additional card. You can use it as you wish.”
“For me?” Caroline stared at the piece of plastic, a symbol of power that burned her. “No, it's okay.”
I don't need it.
She had never spent a man's money. And although this man was technically her husband, the word still sounded like a lie in her mouth.
“Ma'am, the boss will punish me if I fail,” the driver pleaded, desperation in his voice. “If you don't accept it, I won't be able to explain myself to him.”
His anguish won her over. Caroline took the card hesitantly, but vowed to herself that she would not use it. She would return it along with the watch as soon as she saw Nicholas.
Upon entering the mall, she was greeted by an entourage of managers, who bowed and surrounded her with suffocating deference.
Caroline tried to browse, but the feeling of being constantly watched made her nervous.
“You don't need to follow me. I prefer to look at things on my own.”
They exchanged hesitant glances before retreating into the shadows.
This was a temple of luxury, each floor a sanctuary for brands she no longer dared to covet.
When the Fords were powerful, she frequented these places. Now, she felt like an intruder.
She entered a lingerie store, an oasis of silk and lace.
The saleswomen sized her up with disdainful glances, her simple dress making her invisible. They turned their attention to more promising customers. Caroline didn't care, wandering aimlessly.
She wasn't going to buy anything, just kill time. She was about to leave when a familiar, honeyed, flirtatious voice hit her like a punch in the stomach.
“Edward, darling, do I look pretty in this dress?”
Caroline stopped. The air grew thin. She turned slowly and saw them: a couple in front of a mirror, the image of treacherous happiness.
Her ex-fiancé. And her stepsister. Claire Ford was showing off a new dress, seeking his approval.
“Yes, you look perfect,” Edward's voice was falsely affectionate, his hand caressing her head. “My love looks beautiful in everything.”
The saleswomen nearby sighed, envious of that display of affection.
“It's true! Miss Ford is beautiful, she has an incredible body. And Mr. Collins is so charming! You are a perfect couple!”
Claire's smile widened, venomous. She turned to Edward, her eyes shining.
“Edward, did you hear that? Now I'll feel bad if I don't take the dress.”
“We're just telling the truth. Miss Ford is one of the most beautiful actresses in the country,” the saleswoman flattered.
Pride swelled Edward's chest. Claire was beautiful, a rising celebrity. Showing her off was a trophy.
The Ford family was in ruins, but Claire was climbing the entertainment world. Once she became a top star, his family would have nothing to complain about.