Chapter 7

"That's your explanation?" Edward glared at her, his voice seething with anger.

Thank goodness Edward's vision was impaired—he couldn't see just how compromising her current position looked.

Molly quickly scrambled away, her mind in complete chaos.

Stumbling to her feet, waves of discomfort hit her again. She shuffled over and leaned against the nearby nightstand, terrified of repeating the same mistake.

Just finding a simple place to steady herself left Molly breathless and exhausted.

"My legs just gave out," Molly said sheepishly, watching Edward wipe his lips, her voice soft and lacking conviction.

So those dramatic plot twisted in TV shows were actually real.

"You certainly know how to pick your spots," Edward retorted, "Do you think I'm stupid enough to believe you? Molly, if you want to get close to me, you don't need to resort to these tactics."

"I swear on ten years of good fortune—it was just a coincidence," Molly said, feeling her body grow weaker with every word, even her vocal cords trembling.

"Besides, even if I had ulterior motives toward you, this wouldn't be the right time for it."

Edward remained skeptical, but hearing the genuine pain in her voice stirred an unexpected pang of sympathy.

"This can't happen again."

"Understood."

Edward was about to leave when he heard Molly call out from behind him, "Edward."

"What now?" he asked irritably.

"Could you help me to the bathroom?"

He stood motionless.

Molly gave him a pleading look. She had no strength left and could only turn to Edward for help.

"Please help me," she said. She didn't want to trouble Edward on purpose, but she really couldn't hold it any longer.

"Or you could call a housekeeper to help me."

Seeing Edward remain unmoved, she bit her lip, tears misting her eyes. "Please."

Edward finally approached, grabbing her arm and pulling her close. She found herself practically pressed against his chest as they walked side by side.

His long fingers brushed against her delicate skin, and he could feel her body tense up the moment he held her, causing Edward's throat to tighten as well."Thank you," Molly whispered against his chest, her breathing unsteady, her cheeks flushed.

They were so close that even with his blurred vision, Edward could see Molly's shy expression.

Her lips were slightly pursed, and when relaxed, they looked like ripe cherries waiting to be picked, glistening invitingly.

It inevitably brought his thoughts back to that inexplicable kiss from earlier.

Even their current closeness felt undeniably intimate.

What an infuriating woman.

Edward slammed the bathroom door shut in frustration, his fingertips still tingling with the lingering warmth from Molly's body.

His long fingers rubbed together briefly before the heat faded away.

After taking care of her physical needs, Molly felt considerably better.

Edward hadn't left—he stood nearby, his handsome yet pale face sculpted like a work of art, pleasing to behold.

Such beauty would truly be a shame to lose.

It really should be passed on to the next generation.

Just as she was about to speak, Edward approached and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her toward the bed.

His movements were fluid and effortless.

Sometimes Molly wondered if Edward's eyes were really as damaged as he claimed.

He functioned completely normally, no different from anyone else.

Molly waved her hand in front of Edward's face, studying him curiously.

"Edward, if your vision is poor, why aren't you clumsy at all when you do things?"

"Only fools let physical limitations affect them. And I'm not completely blind—my vision is just impaired."

She fell silent. Edward's influence in Emerald City was unmatched. Even after such a major setback, he hadn't given up on himself.

Perhaps men like him were too perfect, so God decided to play this cruel joke.

As they talked, there was a knock at the door.

Edward's assistant, Mike, entered, carrying a stack of documents.

"Mr. Howard, I've brought what you requested. Everything is exactly as you specified."

Edward took the papers Mike handed him, glanced through them briefly, then placed the documents in Molly's hands.

"If you want our marriage to proceed peacefully, sign this."

Molly flipped through the contract and cheerfully signed her name at the bottom, smiling as she handed it back.

"All signed."

Seeing her comply so readily, Edward's opinion of her improved slightly.

"The doctor will come tonight to give you an IV. You can rest now." His tone became unusually gentle.

Seeing Molly bury her head completely under the covers, Edward tactfully left the room.

In the vast room, she was left alone, and the emptiness didn't feel pleasant.

That evening, the doctor arrived as promised to administer her IV.

Feeling bored, Molly called Juniper.

After hearing about the agreement Molly had signed with Edward, Juniper couldn't help but be curious about its contents.

"What did the agreement say?"

"Just four rules: I can't use the Howard family name to throw my weight around, I can't voluntarily mention my relationship with him to others, I can't have intimate contact with him."

"Wait." Juniper laughed. "You're his wife—how are you supposed to have kids without intimate contact?"

"I guess he was traumatized."

Juniper's interest was piqued. "You didn't try to force yourself on him, did you?"

"It was just an accident."

Molly didn't care what agreement she'd signed, as long as the final result was what she wanted.

"Didn't you say there were four rules? What's the last one?"

She snorted softly. "I can't fall in love with him. If anyone violates any rule, they have to perform pole dancing in downtown Emerald City for two hours."

That punishment was indeed quite childish.

Juniper sighed. "He's guarding against you like you're a thief. Molly, what are you really after?"

"I'm after his good looks, his early death, and unlimited money to spend."

"But you could find someone else. It's not like you can't get married otherwise." Juniper was genuinely feeling indignant on Molly's behalf.

"Where in Emerald City is there a better, more suitable man than him?"

After marriage, she wouldn't have to take care of her husband, and even after having children, she wouldn't have to raise them herself. How wonderful and carefree.

The more nonchalant Molly seemed, the more worried Juniper became.

Who could be so casual about marriage? Even if the other person was wonderful, he didn't love her at all. How could that lead to happiness?

But as a friend, she had no right to interfere in Molly's marriage.

After the call ended, the IV bag was nearly empty.

The feeling of exhaustion had disappeared, and she felt much more refreshed overall.

The doctor came up right on schedule to remove the finished IV, reminding her not to catch a cold before leaving.

Molly took a comfortable shower and was happily scrolling through videos when an unknown number suddenly appeared on her screen.

She hesitated about whether to answer, but finally pressed the accept button.

A cold voice came through the phone.

"Are you feeling better?"

A rare moment of concern from Edward.

Molly was surprised, her voice soft and sweet, "Much better. Thanks to your careful attention; without you, I definitely wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

"Get your strength back quickly. Tomorrow we're having dinner at Howard Manor."

So that was why he suddenly showed concern—she'd been presumptuous.

"Remember, you should know what to say and what not to say."

"Understood. It's getting late—good night."

Hanging up, Molly let out a long breath.

Looking at that string of numbers, she quietly saved it under Edward's name.