Danera's brow furrowed at Billy's excessive demands. Living under the same roof with Zayn felt like a dream. Sleeping together and conceiving a child, let alone Zayn's son, Danera wouldn't dare to fantasize about it. Billy's demands were excessive and greedy.
"Dad, aren't your demands too much? I can't replace Doriane forever. After all, Zayn... wouldn't want to have a child with someone he doesn't like. We even sleep in separate rooms." Danera's voice changed softly at the end of the sentence.
"Besides, Doriane has already betrayed Zayn, and we're maintaining this marriage solely to preserve Zayn's dignity. It probably won't be long before Zayn divorces me."
"I know all that. That's why I expect you to do something to get pregnant and keep the marriage with Zayn. Do something so you can sleep with Zayn. Put him under anesthesia or give him soof pill!" Billy's voice loudly scolded Danera on the other end of the line.
Danera winced at her father's last words. Billy was crazy to ask her to drug Zayn. If caught, Zayn would not only hate Danera but would also destroy the Gillard family.
"Dad, that's not possible. The consequences could be dire if Zayn finds out." Danera lowered her voice while staring at the wall in front of her as if she was afraid Zayn could hear her. Zayn's room was next door to hers, after all.
"Are you stupid?! Do it quietly without being noticed as you drugged Zayn with the medicine. Zayn won't know if you don't tell him! Why are you so useless!"
"Look, Danera, we rely heavily on the Wilde family's influence. You can have wealth and social status in high society circles if you become Mrs. Wilde. The Gillard family will be respected, and our family company will thrive from being in-laws to the Gillard family."
"While you're still living with Zayn, you must find a way to sleep with him and get pregnant as soon as possible. Otherwise, Dad will make you suffer!"
"Dad, it's hard ...."
Billy cut her off and said threateningly, "Danera, would you rather marry Mr. Smith? Even if you don't marry Mr. Smith, there is still a 'suitable' husband candidate for you. This is your payment to the Gillard family for raising you for twenty-five years and giving you a higher education. Do you understand?"
Danera didn't answer and laughed mockingly to herself. Of course, a 'proper' husband for her would be someone profitable for Billy and the company. Danera would probably get a worse candidate than Mr. Smith, an old businessman of her father's age with three children.
This is her father, her father, but Billy treats her like an item that can be sold at any time.
Sometimes, Danera wished she was an adopted child picked up off the streets so she wouldn't feel so hurt by her parents' treatment.
Danera took a deep breath and replied in a bitter voice. "I understand, Dad."
"Don't forget you have to bring Zayn home tomorrow. After all, you are married, and Zayn should come and say hello to us. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow." Then Billy ended the call without waiting for his daughter's response.
Danera took a breath and looked up at the ceiling. Her lips curled into a wry smile.
How was she going to ask Zayn to visit the Gillards when he hated them after Doriane betrayed him?
Danera was restless and awake because she was in a strange place. Not just any place, but where Zayn lived, and their rooms were next to each other. Danera had never dreamed in the future that she would marry and live with Zayn, the man she had secretly loved for almost ten years.
Danera rubs the scar under her left breast and reminisces about the time ten years ago when she saved Zayn from the thugs.
Long before Doriane was close to Zayn, Danera first got to know the man when she was 16 years old. The memories are still fresh in her mind. She was late getting home from extracurricular activities, and the Gillard family didn't send a car to pick her up.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and she was walking past H University, where Zayn was studying. Every afternoon, Danera deliberately passed behind the campus even though the distance between her school and Zayn's campus was quite far if she walked.
Every Saturday and Sunday, Zayn played basketball with his friends on the field behind the campus because the field was not often used and was relatively quiet.
When she saw Zayn's handsome face, Danera fell in love at first sight. She accidentally passed behind the campus and saw him playing basketball with his friends. Since then, she has always passed by the back of Zayn's campus to peek at him playing basketball.
But the court was empty. Zayn and his friends weren't playing on the court.
Danera went home disappointed and hurriedly left to catch the bus. As she passed through a deserted alley, she heard the sound of a fight. Danera didn't want to intervene because she was scared, but she heard someone calling Zayn's name.
She peeked out and saw Zayn being surrounded by twenty burly men and beaten to a pulp. Without thinking twice, Danera immediately called the police and shouted to attract the attention of the thugs.
The thugs saw Danera alone and beautiful and were not afraid. They tried to harass and hurt her. Fortunately, they didn't go overboard, and the police arrived. The thugs ran away in a hurry while Danera suffered psychological abuse.
She had a scar under her left breast from the harassment of the thugs who tried to rip off her uniform with a dagger.
Danera did not care about the wound. She rushed over to the battered and semi-conscious Zayn.
"Zayn, Zayn are you okay?" Danera almost cried seeing Zayn battered.
Zayn opened half his eyes to look at Danera before passing out.
Danera cried, trying to resurrect Zayn. The police arrived and immediately called an ambulance to take Zayn to the hospital.
The Gillard went to the hospital and contacted the Wilde family after hearing from Danera. The Gillards knew how influential the Wilde family was, and Zayn was the heir to the Wilde Group company. Doriane slyly persuaded her parents to take credit for Danera saving Zayn for herself.
Alice quickly sent Danera home before the Wilde family arrived. She claimed that it was Doriane who saved Zayn in front of the Wilde family.
The Wilde family was very grateful to Doriane and the Gillards for saving Zayn, who was dying of a beating by the thugs.
When Danera visited the hospital the next day, she saw Doriane being treated well by the Wilde family and talking to a conscious Zayn. Even the arrogant Joyce is friendly with Doriane.
She sees Zayn's handsome smile given to Doriane, and only then does Danera learn that her twin sister had pretended that she had saved Zayn.
The Gillard family forbids Danera from telling the truth and doesn't want her to appear in front of Zayn, so they threaten to expel her from the Gillard family. Danera just kept her mouth shut obediently and forgot about the matter. Then, a few days later, she heard the thugs were imprisoned, and Zayn was studying abroad.
Since then, she never saw Zayn again. Doriane grew closer to Joyce and the Wilde family. Doriane then went abroad with Zayn and returned as his girlfriend and planned their wedding.
Danera could only bury his feelings and let everything go. She never thought that fate would turn on her until she married Zayn instead of Doriane.
Danera slept late into the night and almost woke up late the next day.
After washing her face, she rushed out and went to the dining room.
Danera was transfixed when she saw Zayn sitting at the end of the dining table, staring at an iPad in his hand. He was wearing a black shirt and a dark gray vest that matched his suit. Zayn looked up to catch a glimpse of Danera.
Danera smiled stiffly and smoothed her hair clumsily. She woke up late on the first day after the wedding and looked like a mess in front of Zayn.
"Good morning." Danera tried to say hello with a smile.
Zayn didn't return her greeting and continued to stare at his iPad while his hand elegantly brought an omelet to his lips.
Danera looked unsure if she should sit on the chair and have breakfast with Zayn.
"Good morning, Mrs. Danera." A middle-aged woman came out of the kitchen with a greeting.
"What would you like for breakfast, ma'am?"
Danera looked at the middle-aged woman quizzically and tried to smile when she heard her greeting.
The woman seemed to be a maid at Zayn's apartment. Danera didn't meet her yesterday.
"I'll have what you've cooked for breakfast. And I'd like some warm milk, thank you."
The dining table was full of omelets, meat, bread, and a pot of black coffee, but no warm milk.
"Yes, ma'am." The woman then returned to the kitchen.
After thinking for a while, Danera ventured to sit across from Zayn. She looked at Zayn, who looked neat in his work clothes.
It was only the first day after the wedding, and Zayn had already left for the office. Doesn't he have a day of honeymoon leave?
Danera bit her lower lip at the thought of Billy's request last night to take Zayn to visit the Gillards.
"Uhm, Mr. Zayn ...." She called Zayn in a soft, low voice.
"Hm." Zayn looked up to stare at her flatly.
"Are you going to the office?"
"Yes."
"Uhm, do you have time to visit the Gillards today?"
Zayn's brow furrowed with a look of dislike and a sneer. "Why do I have to visit your family?"
Danera stammered and said carefully. "It's the first day after the wedding. Can we visit my family to pay our respects to my parents?"
Zayn made a loud noise when he placed his fork on the table. Danera gasped when she heard the sound.
"Looks like you misunderstood thinking we were married. I haven't even done anything to you guys yesterday for almost embarrassing me. You should be thankful I didn't do anything to the Gillards."
Zayn gave Danera a sharp look and continued his words. "Remember, you're just Doriane's temporary substitute until this marriage is over. That's your only job, okay?"