Chapter 243: Marriage Alliance
Aetheria, second floor of a detached villa, afternoon. A gentle breeze drifted through the window curtains.
Sunlight flooded the bedroom.
On the bedroom bed lay a woman, thin as a skeleton. Her face was pale, looking terribly ill.
A year ago, in Imperial City, James had forced her to abort the baby in her womb.
She was forced onto the operating table for an abortion once again. This was her second time on that cold operating table that chilled her to the bone.
The first time, the baby had died in her womb. Heartbroken but with no choice, she had to lie down and end her baby's life with her own hands.
For a long time after that, she was afraid to go near hospitals, afraid of the smell of disinfectant.
Night after night, nightmares haunted her, and she couldn't sleep. It wasn't until she got pregnant again that she finally let it go.
But the only man she had ever loved, the man she still loved, had people force her onto the operating table. Making her abort the baby.
As the anesthesia was injected into her body, her consciousness slowly became hazy.
In that moment, she was heartbroken and filled with hatred.
In her daze, she seemed to hear someone shouting about a fire. She wanted to move, but the anesthesia had already taken effect. She couldn't move.
She thought she would die in that fire. To her surprise, when she woke up again, she was in a foreign country.
Uri had saved her.
He brought her to Aetheria.
And because of that fire, in her confused state, she wanted to escape.
She fell from the operating table, injuring the baby in her womb. The doctor suggested removing the baby. But she desperately resisted, insisting that no one touch her child.
Even if the baby's biological father didn't want her, she would never give up the baby. She suffered terribly carrying this child.
To keep the baby, she was bedridden for long periods, constantly taking medicine and supplements.
She held on until the baby was formed, delivering prematurely at seven months. This child had completely worn down her body.
During childbirth, because of her poor health, she hemorrhaged badly and nearly died on the operating table.
Though she survived in the end, she was unconscious for over half a month before waking up. When she woke up, she saw the child lying beside her.
With big grape-like eyes, looking at her curiously.
In that moment, she felt that all the suffering she endured while carrying him meant nothing.
It was worth it.
Orla knocked gently on the door and pushed it open.
"Orla."
After several months of recovery, Mia's health had improved a lot, but she was still very weak. She smiled gently at Orla and asked softly, "Is Fox asleep?"
"Yes, sleeping soundly."
Orla was the private nurse Uri had found to care for her four months ago after she gave birth to Fox.
She was a very professional nurse.
With a wonderful personality, they hit it off right away. Most importantly, she took care of Fox with great attention to detail.
Because of her poor health, she couldn't take care of Fox herself, so Orla helped her. "Will you sleep for a bit too?" Orla was holding milk and medicine.
Since giving birth to Fox, her sleep quality had gotten worse and worse.
She often needed medication to fall asleep.
What Orla was holding was the medicine prepared for her.
"Okay."
Mia was about to reach for the medicine when the phone on the nightstand rang.
"I'll take this call."
Mia picked up the phone beside her.
The caller was Lily.
She had reconnected with Lily three months ago.
She knew that people in Imperial City thought she was dead.
She hadn't intended to use her death to cut off contact with everyone.
At the time, Fox was still in her belly, so she didn't dare contact anyone in Imperial City.
She was afraid the news would leak out and James would find out, and he would still insist she abort the baby.
Not until Fox was born.
Once, after waking up, the second day she could get out of bed, she saw news from Imperial City.
It was an exclusive news story.
About Lavinia and James.
Lavinia had entered Brookside Gardens at night and didn't leave all night.
After that, she often went at night and left in the morning.
Half a month later, the two appeared together in the same frame.
Lavinia gently lowered her head to kiss James.
Their posture intimate, deeply affectionate, a handsome man and beautiful woman, well-matched in social status, they looked perfect together.
Soon after, it came out that Lavinia had secretly loved James for years, and even after learning of his permanent disability, she still loved him and stayed by his side.
A love story that people loved to talk about.
The rumors spread everywhere, with everyone saying good news was coming soon and the two would marry.
She thought she had been completely disappointed in James and wouldn't hurt anymore.
But when she saw that photo of Lavinia lowering her head to kiss James, and him not refusing.
She still couldn't control her emotions. They fluctuated violently, and she began coughing severely.
Clutching her chest, her body swayed unsteadily.
As she was about to fall, Uri caught her and helped her lie down on the bed.
After Uri left the room, tears slid from the corners of her eyes, soaking the pillowcase.
The next day, she tried to contact Alice, but couldn't reach her no matter what.
She was worried about Alice. By her calculations, Alice's baby should have been born long ago.
She didn't have many people she could trust in Imperial City, so she contacted Lily.
She wanted to ask Lily to help her find Alice.
But the place was empty, and Alice was gone.
When Uri found out, he said he would help her find Alice.
He also roughly told her that the Franklin Family had run into trouble, and now the Franklin Family was being run by Ivan's brother.
News about Ivan had been blocked.
After that, Lily contacted her frequently.
"Lily."
"Mia, I attended Benjamin's wedding today."
Benjamin?
Hearing this name, Mia was completely stunned.
She never expected that the person Lily had been clinging to and couldn't let go of was actually Benjamin.
"Lily, are you okay?"
Mia asked with concern.
The White Family used to be involved in shady business. Three months ago, there was a change at the top.
The White Family's past affairs were exposed, and they got into trouble. Benjamin's father went to prison.
In the end, the Fuller Family stepped in and resolved the White Family's crisis.
"I'm fine."
She said she was fine, but tears were streaming down Lily's face.
"Mia, I just attended his wedding."
Saskia had invited her.
She could have not gone, but she wanted to see it with her own eyes.
He said he would take her home, but in a blink, Saskia told her that Benjamin had been lying to her all along.
They would be getting married soon.
In the end, he still let her down.
She had stabbed herself in the heart.
Completely ending this obsessive love.
She wouldn't be the other woman.
No matter how much she loved Benjamin, she wouldn't.
From the moment he married Saskia, there was no possibility between them anymore.
Lily talked a lot on the phone, and her emotions gradually calmed down. She promised Mia she would go back.
Before hanging up, she said to Mia: "Mia, can I come see you in a few days?"
"Sure."
Mia agreed immediately.
Supporting herself through her exhaustion, she hung up the phone.
As soon as the call ended, Mia felt even more tired.
"Mia, take your medicine and sleep for a bit. You need energy to solve problems."
"Okay."
Mia reached out to take the medicine Orla handed her and swallowed it.
Soon, drowsiness hit her, and Mia drifted off into a hazy sleep.
"Mia?"
After Mia fell asleep, Orla called her name softly.
Seeing no response from her.
Only then did she sit down beside her, reaching her hand toward her pocket—
...
Imperial City. After hanging up the phone, Lily didn't go back to her rental apartment.
Instead, she went to the house Benjamin had rented for her, saying goodbye to the past.
He had married Saskia after all.
After today, there would be no possibility between her and Benjamin.
That house—she hadn't been there since half a month ago when he suddenly announced his wedding date with Saskia.
Walking in again.
The furnishings inside were the same as when she last left.
At the same time, at Benjamin and Saskia's wedding suite.
Saskia had drunk quite a bit of alcohol, her face flushed like a peach blossom.
Sitting on the bed, she looked at Benjamin, who was loosening his tie, with seductive eyes.
She kicked off her high heels in an alluring manner, hinting: "Benjamin, shall we shower together?"
Benjamin pulled off the tie that was suffocating him.
This wedding had been suffocating from the start.
He didn't even look at Saskia and turned to leave.
Saskia had just kicked off one high heel when she saw him about to leave. She immediately got up and called out behind him: "Where are you going?"
"To sleep."
Benjamin walked out without looking back.
"Benjamin, stop right there. This is your room. Without my permission, you're not allowed to go anywhere. Come back."
Benjamin gave Saskia a cold glance. "I've already given you what you wanted. The condition was just to marry you."
Implying that it was just marriage—whether or not to have sex was his business.
With that, Benjamin left directly.
Saskia's face twisted with anger. She rushed forward and grabbed Benjamin. "You're not allowed to leave."
But Benjamin didn't hesitate to shake off her hand.
Saskia was thrown to the ground by him.
Benjamin looked down at her from above. "Saskia, I told you who I love, who I want to marry. And you insisted on having your way. Since that's the case, you should be mentally prepared for what this marriage will be like!"
With that, Benjamin left directly and closed the door.
Saskia sat on the floor, her hands clenched into fists.
Was this the marriage she had schemed so hard to get?
After leaving, Benjamin didn't return to the guest room but left the villa directly and went to the apartment complex he had prepared for Lily.
Opening the door, the whole place reeked of alcohol.
He froze.
By the moonlight, he immediately saw the woman who had passed out drunk by the sofa. He quickly walked over and scooped her up.
Carried her into the bathroom, cleaned her up, and changed her into his shirt.
Looking at the tears hanging on her long lashes, his heart contracted painfully.
Today, at the wedding.
She had told him through lip reading that she would never love him again.
After saying that, she turned and left.
Standing by the bed, looking at Lily's eyes, red and swollen from crying.
Benjamin couldn't help but reach out his arms and pull her into his embrace.
What started as a game of mutual consent.
In the end, he had lost the heart he shouldn't have lost.
Someone like him didn't deserve Lily's devotion.
He couldn't go against his father, couldn't disregard the White Family.
He had no choice. For the White Family, he had to give up Lily, whom he truly wanted, and marry Saskia.
This path he was destined to walk from birth he thought he had accepted it from his heart long ago. But today, when he truly walked this path, he discovered it was full of thorns at every step.
The night deepened. The phone left on silent in the living room kept ringing.
In the bedroom, Benjamin held Lily and slowly closed his eyes.
After tonight, he would no longer have the right to hold her.
The next day, Lily woke up in Benjamin's arms. She immediately pulled away from his embrace. Not allowing herself to be greedy for more.
She silently packed up all her belongings, picked up her luggage, and didn't look back at Benjamin sitting on the sofa. She said goodbye and made herself leave.
Did she hate him?
Actually, no.
Her heart was just completely broken.
She would give herself time to forget this man who was carved into her flesh and blood.
...
A few days later, Aetheria.
Today was the day Lily would fly over to see her. Orla had gone to pick her up.
She was in pretty good spirits today, staying home with Fox. Orla arrived at the airport but didn't find her.
She went to the information desk to inquire and learned that the flight Lily was on had crashed.
Lily had already boarded and was on that flight.
This news would definitely upset Mia.
She was about to call Uri to ask how to handle this.
Mia's call came in.
She couldn't hide it and could only tell Mia the situation.
Mia, who had been playing with Fox, froze completely when she heard about the plane crash.
The phone dropped from her hand.
In her panic, she tried to stand up.
She got up too quickly, felt dizzy, and as the world spun around her, she collapsed to the floor.
...
Imperial City. Saskia was sitting on the sofa watching TV when she heard the door open. She looked up.
It was Benjamin. His eyes were bloodshot, clearly having not slept all night. Seeing him like this, Saskia became even angrier.
"Benjamin, this is karma."
Saskia sneered.
She rewound with the remote, making the TV replay the news about the crash of the flight to Aetheria.
In plane crashes, very few people survive. When she saw Lily's name on the list, she felt nothing but satisfaction.
Three days ago, the wedding night she had schemed so hard to make happen.
The humiliation Benjamin gave her was still vivid in her mind.
He had left her and run to find Lily.
Look, this was karma.
Karma for seducing someone else's fiancé.
Saskia's eyes were full of gloating. "Didn't you want to be with that slut? Let's see how you can be with that slut now!"
In the midst of her smugness, Saskia suddenly felt an oppressive force approaching her.
Meeting his dark, menacing eyes, no matter how much she tried to stay strong, she still shrank back in fear. "What do you want to do?"
Benjamin ignored her.
One hand pressed against the sofa, his eyes looking at her viciously.
Suddenly he raised his hand, grabbed her jaw, and tightened his grip.
The force was so strong it seemed like he wanted to crush her jaw. "Saskia, if I hear you insult her from your mouth again, just try it!"
Saskia didn't want to give in. She didn't believe he really dared. But seeing Benjamin's hand move toward her neck.
Saskia finally panicked, her eyes reddening as she begged him for mercy. "Benjamin, I won't say it anymore. I'll never say it again."
"Calm down. Don't forget, I'm carrying your child in my belly."
Her eyes filled with tears, full of terror.
Hearing about the child, Benjamin's gaze fell on her lower abdomen.
For that instant, he really wished he could strangle Saskia, a life for a life, so he could go be with Lily.
But that was his child after all. His hand dropped weakly, and he turned and strode away.