She really did not want to stay with the Ashford family any longer. She did not like everyone here. Rhea Vale could not handle living with the domineering Old Master Ashford, the bored Bella Evans, and the unfathomable Travis Ashford.
Riven Ashford was her husband. Logically speaking, he should be the person closest to her in the Ashford family, but he was the person the Ashford family hated the most. Rhea thought about it and realized that even renting a small apartment would be more comfortable than staying in this mansion.
Riven could see Rhea's intense desire to escape. His Adam's apple bobbed. "As long as you don't anger me into being hospitalized, the others can do as they please." With that, the man left without a backward glance.
At that moment, Riven could never have imagined that he would, one day, be so angry that he would be hospitalized by the woman he had married. He was still thinking about how likely it was that Rhea could make his family so angry that they would be hospitalized.
Letting her go out and live comfortably was letting her off too easily. 'Marrying into the Ashford family was not an easy thing, so how could she not "enjoy" life with the Ashford family?' Riven thought to himself.
In the restaurant, Old Master Ashford listened to the servants' explanations with a dark expression. Because the servants of the Ashford family had received professional training, he learned everything that happened without missing a single word.
"Are you sure that they really said that?" Old Master Ashford asked the servants present.
One of the servants nodded. "Master, these are the exact words of the first and second young madam."
"Take away the cutlery. You can all leave now!" Old Master Ashford ordered with a frown. The crowd dispersed, leaving only the butler by his side. "I just thought that she was very obedient and a little likable. I did not think that she would immediately do something that disgusted me."
The butler knew who he was talking about. Other than Rhea, who had just moved in, no one else fit the bill. The butler stayed neutral and said fairly, "Master, this matter seems unusual to me. Although the first young madam has a prejudice against the second young madam, she would not normally publicly humiliate the second young madam. She would not say such degrading words without provocation. I think that someone must have said something behind her back. The second young madam's mistake was to directly insult the first young madam. In essence, it should not be like this. However, if we think from another perspective, the second young madam is a filial child. Otherwise, she would not even be here. The first young madam had insulted her family. She is young and impetuous, so it is only natural for her to have such a reaction."
Old Master Ashford and Bella Evans had been in-laws for more than 20 years, and he had long regarded Bella as his daughter. Therefore, when he heard the servant's words, Old Master Ashford first blamed Rhea, who had just moved in. After all, parents would not think that their children were at fault.
Fortunately, the butler of the Ashford family was a shrewd person and had always been fair and just. He always analyzed and reminded Old Master Ashford to see different perspectives so he could be alert.
"You're right. Go and investigate. Find out what Bella has been doing recently, who she has met, and what she has said. If I find out that someone is deliberately trying to sow discord, I definitely won't let them off easily." Old Master Ashford agreed with the butler's words. He instructed the butler to investigate.
...
The butler said, "Yes, I'll go and investigate right away."
It was late at night, and no one in the Ashford family had eaten that night. Rhea's stomach was growling, but she did not dare to go down to look for food. She might as well starve until tomorrow. She made up the sofa, grabbed a blanket, and used a backrest as a pillow.
Rhea's clothes were still in her suitcase. She had never used the Ashford family's cloakroom before. After changing into her pajamas, Rhea folded the clothes that she was going to wear the next day and placed them on the coffee table. She was ready to lie down and sleep.
The bedroom door opened, and Rhea instantly sat up. She was extremely vigilant. "Riven Ashford, why are you back?" The person who pushed open the door was the other owner of the room — Riven Ashford.
Ever since they got married, Riven had never stayed in the new room. Usually, he came to this room to change his clothes. Presumably, he came back tonight to get his clothes. Thinking of this, Rhea calmed down. She lay back down on the sofa and prepared to rest.
Riven said, "You've been sleeping on the sofa for the past few days?"
Rhea replied, "Yeah, why?"
Riven looked at her in surprise. He had never thought that Rhea deserved to be mistreated. Instead of sleeping on the sofa, she had fashioned the sofa into a comfortable bed.
Riven said, "Why don't you sleep on the bed?"
Rhea said, "On our wedding night, we got into a fight. If I sleep on the bed again and make you sleep on the sofa, you might throw me out."
Riven said, "I never realized that you are afraid of me."