Wrong Marriage and Sweet Love

Joyce felt conflicted. Though she didn’t know Clint well, she believed he meant what he said. Looking around, she saw over twenty guards, including Tadasuke, the previous attendants, and the maids who had bathed her-at least thirty people. If she escaped, they would have to pay with their lives. She couldn’t bear that responsibility.

She glanced at Clint, who appeared indifferent, wielding life and death power so casually. She thought of Athena. It was clear now that OGW must have been part of his faction, and Athena had used Clint’s connections and resources until the end. Perhaps Clint had his eyes on her since then. Ruthless, domineering, perverse, and obsessive women like Athena were under his control.

Joyce realized she had to reassess the man standing before her.

At that moment, Yukawa Mugen looked up and coldly glanced at Tadasuke. “She doesn’t seem to believe me. I told you to watch her. You let her run out of the East Palace. What punishment do you think you deserve? Maybe you should start by setting an example for her.”

Clint blew on his nails, admiring them in the sunlight.

His words made Tadasuke collapse to the ground, tears streaming down his wrinkled face. He trembled like a leaf in the wind.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Tadasuke said with despair in his eyes. He crawled towards a nearby stone pillar, leaving a trail of tears or sweat behind him.

Just as Tadasuke was about to smash his head against the pillar to atone with his life, Joyce shouted, “Wait!”

Tadasuke stopped and looked at Joyce with hopeful eyes, like seeing a savior. He really didn’t want to die.

Joyce knew Clint was serious, but she hadn’t expected him to demonstrate it so perversely and cruelly. After all, it was a living person; how could he treat life so lightly? She knew Clint was pressuring her.

She lightly tapped the gun butt in her hand against her palm, then ejected the magazine. The gun spun skillfully in her hand before she pointed it downward and tossed it to the ground.

Feigning a relaxed smile, she said, “Just kidding. Why take it so seriously? Your Highness, I was just itching to play with a gun; I hope you don’t mind.”

The head guard, no longer threatened, was about to restrain Joyce when Clint signaled him to stop.

The head guard retreated and knelt beside the other guards.

Though it was cold, the sun was scorching today, and the wind was biting.

Joyce strolled leisurely towards Clint, shrugging and speaking casually, “Oh my, it’s quite boring for you to wander alone. How about showing me around?”

“With pleasure,” Clint said elegantly, extending his hand in a gesture of invitation. “I’ll take you to the back garden.”

“Sure, let’s go,” Joyce replied with a forced smile.

Before leaving, Clint turned to Tadasuke and the guards and said coldly, “Kneel here for a day. Tomorrow, receive your punishment according to the rules.”

“Yes, thank you, Your Highness,” they all replied, bowing deeply with utmost respect.

Joyce was taken aback. Kneel for a whole day? Rohomes liked to spread gravel on the ground; how terrible would their knees be after a whole day? She couldn’t imagine. And after kneeling for a day, what kind of punishment awaited them? She couldn’t fathom it. In this day and age, such traditional practices still existed? Terrifying.

“Follow me,” Clint said as he wrapped his arm around Joyce’s shoulder and led her away. “A bunch of useless people, nothing worth watching.”

He smiled warmly, his face like a spring breeze.

Joyce was stunned and forgot to struggle.

One moment he was cold and murderous; the next moment he was warm and smiling.

Ha! Clint was truly a master of changing faces.

Joyce forced a dry laugh.

After walking some distance, she subtly freed herself from Clint’s grasp and quickened her pace to walk ahead of him.

Today’s attempt to break through had failed directly, and she had no way to contact Reuben. What should she do next? The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. Wilson and Cullen were still infants; not seeing them for a day made her feel anxious.

Now it seemed she didn’t know how long she would be trapped here.

“You’re walking ahead of me; do you know the way?” Clint laughed. “This isn’t Khebury. Now you’re on my turf; I should be the host.”

Joyce stopped walking.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Right, but your hospitality is hard to endure,” she paused. “I have a suggestion. When you were in Khebury, I arranged accommodations for you with the staff. Shouldn’t you reciprocate by arranging for me to stay at Nagare Residence? It’s not appropriate for me to stay at Imperial Villa.”

“Reciprocate?” Clint laughed. “How should a man treat a woman? You treated me well; I should repay you tenfold. Imperial Villa is for my woman; if not you, then who?”

Joyce was speechless.

She recalled a popular saying online: never pick up a man by the roadside; it leads to big trouble. Apparently, not just roadside men but also men from the sea shouldn’t be rescued casually.

“Let’s be honest. Do you think I’m foolish enough to believe you brought me here because you have feelings for me? I’m married with four children. I’m very clear-headed…”

Before Joyce could finish speaking,

Clint suddenly grabbed her chin and pulled her close.

“Look into my eyes. Do I look like I’m joking? Joyce, so what if you’re married? So what if you have four children? I don’t mind. You’re wrong; I’m sincere. You’ll stay here for life as my woman, my princess consort, and eventually my queen. Second only to one person but above all others. You’re indeed naive; I like you clearly and straightforwardly-can’t you see that? Joyce, since I went through great lengths to bring you here, I have everything planned out. Leaving is impossible for you. If you can’t bear to part with your children, bring them all here. The more sons, the better-as long as they bear the name Tanaka, they’re my sons too. They’ll have inheritance rights; I’ll love them just as much. Especially since they’re your children-they’re bound to be extraordinary. Why not?”

Joyce was speechless again.

She had no words left; she had encountered a madman.