"Please… don’t…"
Lily Sullivan never imagined that on her wedding night, a stranger would break into her bridal room.
The man’s strong hands clamped around her slim waist, pinning her beneath him.
Lily was terrified, her breath shaking. She didn’t dare make too much noise, afraid someone in the villa would hear.
She had married into the Fitzgerald family only to atone for her sins.
If anyone from the Fitzgeralds discovered a man had entered her wedding room, she’d never clear her name, no matter what she said.
Her eyes were flushed red, her voice trembling. "Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?"
Half of the man’s face was hidden behind a silver mask, blocking any trace of expression.
His thin lips brushed her ear, his hoarse voice carrying a cold mockery. "Someone’s helping your dead husband fulfill his duties. Not happy about it?"
"You bastard… mmm—"
Her words were swallowed completely as the man crushed his mouth against hers.
The next morning, Lily woke up shivering.
She was curled at the head of the bed, not even a flimsy blanket covering her.
It felt like he’d done it on purpose—just to humiliate her.
Enduring the ache tearing through every inch of her body, she forced herself to get up.
She picked up the framed photo she’d knocked over while struggling the night before.
The man in the photo looked like he’d been carved by the gods, impossibly handsome.
He was Nathan Fitzgerald, the eldest son of the Fitzgerald family—and Lily’s newly wedded husband.
Half a month earlier, Lily’s car had accidentally crashed into Nathan’s, killing him on the spot.
The Fitzgeralds hated Lily to their core and forced her to marry Nathan’s memorial tablet as punishment.
Lily Sullivan had no room to negotiate; she could only step into this marriage and play along.
But she never imagined that on her wedding night, a masked stranger would break into her room and steal her innocence right in front of Nathan Fitzgerald’s memorial photo.
Clutching Nathan’s picture, Lily’s tears slipped down uncontrollably.
What happened last night—she absolutely couldn’t let anyone know.
The Fitzgeralds already despised her. If they found out she’d been “unfaithful” to Nathan—even if she’d had no choice—they would tear her apart without hesitation.
Just then, a sharp knock sounded at the door.
“Madam, Mrs. Fitzgerald asks that you freshen up and head to the main house for the tea ceremony.”
Lily instantly raised her hand to wipe away her tears.
She rushed to erase every trace of what that man had left behind and forced herself to look presentable.
Then she followed the servant toward the main house, bracing herself for whatever storm was waiting.
The Fitzgerald family was one of Haicheng’s most powerful clans, and Lily had done her homework before marrying in.
She knew that besides the crown heir Nathan Fitzgerald, there were three other Fitzgerald sons.
The man who barged into her bridal room had cut the power beforehand and wore half a silver mask.
She had no way of seeing his face clearly.
But the mansion had no young male servants, and security was insanely tight—no outsider could slip in.
So Lily suspected that the man last night had to be one of the three Fitzgerald brothers.
And the thought that she’d soon have to stand face‑to‑face with that person made her stomach twist with dread.
Nathan’s residence, Serene Manor, was close to the main house.
When Lily stepped into the main hall, she immediately felt several gazes land on her.
One of them was icy—so cold it made her skin prickle.
The vibe hit her just like last night with that masked stranger.
Lily Sullivan’s heart lurched hard.
She followed that icy gaze and landed on a face she knew way too well.
Her whole body froze, disbelief slipping out in a shaky whisper.
“Nathan Fitzgerald?”
