Chapter 2
The other side continued to speak carefully: “Brother and parents miss you very much. It was brother’s fault that you got lost. Now you are willing to recognize us. No matter what you ask, we will agree to it, okay? “ “Amaris, I am your mother. If you blame your brother for making you lost and suffering for so many years, I will kick him out of the house, okay? Mom just wants you to come back…” “Yes, if your brother dares to bully you after you come back, we will support you. “ Amaris listened to the voices of her biological parents and brother on the other side, and her nose was sour. “Mom, Dad, Brother, you are so kind. “ The moment she agreed, sobs broke out on the other end of the line; Zariah Castellan, her real mother, was crying. But Soren Castellan, her brother, sensed something amiss. His voice sharpened with concern. “Amaris, are they mistreating you over there?” “I think I just heard you crying.” Her father, Lysander Castellan,’s voice followed, cold with fury. “That shameless Dravenson family? How dare they bully my daughter?” Amaris’s eyes welled up. Her voice trembled, barely a whisper. “No, they didn’t hurt me. I just… I want to be with my real parents and my real brother, too.” The Castellans had found her just a week ago, claiming her as their long-lost daughter. But at that time, after everything Alaric Dravenson and Amanda Dravenson had done, and with how gentle Zevian had always been, she couldn’t bring herself to leave. Back then, she had even thought about telling Zevian, maybe letting him help her decide. But now, there was no need for that anymore. Her thoughts drifted back to that day two years ago, when she’d been kidnapped. For three long days and nights, she was trapped in a nightmare, forced and humiliated by the kidnapper. Then came the drugs and when she woke up, one of her kidneys was gone. They dumped her like trash right outside the Dravenson estate. She had learned the truth; it had all been a carefully orchestrated plan, with Zevian as the mastermind. For two years, she had been deceived, both physically and emotionally, and lost a kidney in the process. Everything she owed the Dravenson family had been paid in full. Once the call ended, Soren and their parents shared their final warnings before reluctantly hanging up. Amaris’s gaze shifted to the calendar on the wall, and she walked over, her fingers brushing lightly against the date she had marked so long ago. It was the day she had been eagerly awaiting, the day she planned the wedding ceremony with Zevian. Only ten days away. She took a deep breath and thought about what she overheard from Wen Chenyan earlier: they were planning to kidnap her on the way to the wedding, so she had to leave before the wedding day. Just then, the door creaked open, and Zevian entered, his eyes catching her staring at the calendar. With a playful chuckle, he teased, “Still thinking about it? Do you really want to the wedding that badly?” He approached and wrapped his arms around her waist, his breath warm against her ear. “No rush, baby. We’ve got a lifetime ahead of us.” Amaris stiffened in his hold, the weight of everything crashing down on her. Instead of the horrors of her kidnapping, her mind replayed their tender moments from the past two years. Her fingertips quivered ever so slightly, and a bitter ache spread through her chest. If he didn’t love her, how could Zevian pretend so convincingly? How could he make her believe it was real? Amaris gently pulled away from his arms, her voice flat as she spoke, “Brother, I’m a bit tired. I’ll go to sleep first.” Sensing the sudden chill in her tone, Zevian thought perhaps he had been too rough earlier, that his actions had upset her. He patted her head gently, his smile soft and reassuring, “Alright, go rest. I’ll take a shower. That fire you lit earlier is still smoldering, but I won’t bother you tonight. I’ll handle it myself.” With that, Zevian turned and headed to the bathroom. Amaris lay in bed, restlessness twisting her insides. In the quiet of the night, sleep took her, but it was not peaceful. The nightmare came in waves. She was back in the kidnapper’s grip again, her body aching with a fire she could not escape. But then the dream shifted. Zevian appeared as her savior, his lips on hers, soothing her wounds. But in a blink, the dream twisted again. The kidnapper’s face, now clearly Zevian’s, sent her heart racing with dread. Amaris jolted awake, her body drenched in a cold sweat. Her movement startled Zevian. He frowned and reached for her forehead, his touch cool against her fevered skin. “You’re burning up…” His deep, intense gaze was immediately filled with unmistakable worry and concern. “You’ve got a fever? Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital.” Without hesitation, he jumped out of bed, quickly dressed, then gently helped her get dressed and carried her to the car. At the hospital, he told her to sit and rest while he went to stand in line to register her. After the examination, the doctor said she needed an IV to recover immediately. As the drip was hooked up, Zevian stayed by her side, his hand constantly brushing against her forehead, his gaze anxious as he waited for her fever to break. The entire night, he remained with her, attending to her every need. Only when the fever finally subsided did he exhale a relieved breath. The next morning, Amaris applied for a visa to go abroad. Her biological parents and older brother lived overseas, and they had already agreed that she would join them as soon as her visa was approved. They had arranged a special channel for her, ensuring the visa would be ready in seven days. That would give her more than enough time to leave before the registration date. After finishing everything, Zevian’s phone, lying quietly on the table, lit up several times. Amaris picked it up, her eyes scanning the messages from Aveline. “Brother, I’m home alone and so bored. Mom and Dad are on business trips. Will you come to hang out with me?” “If you don’t come, I’ll go out by myself. If anything happens, I can’t make any promises, you know.” “Let’s meet at Belmont Amusement Park, don’t forget!” Amaris put the phone back down, a sharp sting in her eyes. Zevian had once told her he’d severed ties with Aveline and Alaric, and Amanda for her. But why was Aveline still messaging him so casually, so familiarly, like nothing had changed? The rustle of her movement must have been too loud, for Zevian, still asleep beside her, stirred. He had stayed up all night, watching over her. Now, with dark circles under his eyes, he blinked awake. As soon as his eyes opened, he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Amaris, you’re so sweet.” His voice was thick with the early morning rasp, tinged with an unmistakable desire. “I’m not feeling well, and you’re exhausted from last night too. Sleep a little more.” Amaris gently pushed away his wandering hands, her voice soft. Seeing her mood, Zevian didn’t insist. Instead, he smiled. “Okay. Whatever my dear wife says, I’ll listen.” “By the way, there is a procedure for our wedding that needs your signature.” Amaris took out the divorce agreement, mixed it in the wedding procedure book, and handed it to Zevian. “My wife is great. You planned our wedding very well. You are the cleanest and smartest baby.” Zevian was about to look through the procedure, and Amaris’ heart was in her throat. Suddenly, the phone lit up. Zevian picked up the phone and looked at it. The corners of his lips that were originally smiling froze immediately. He put away the smile on his face, signed hurriedly without even looking at it, and got up to change his clothes, “Amaris, there’s an emergency at the office. I need to check on it. Stay home and rest, alright? Call me if anything happens; I’ll come back right away.” As she watched him leave in a hurry, her mind replayed the messages she had just seen. What office emergency? He was clearly rushing to be with Aveline. As soon as Zevian was gone, she got up, changed quickly, and took a cab to follow him.