Chapter 138

Maisie paused, her eyes looking down.

“Why did you suddenly decide to tell me now?”

Stephen never wanted to talk about her mother, and Maisie always thought that he had forgotten about
her. She would feel sad whenever she saw Willow and Leila.

Stephen saw the dismay in her eyes, and his heart was heavy. “I didn’t talk about it because I didn’t want
to get into it.”

“I always wanted to know, did you really hate my mother that much?”

She had given him a daughter but wasn’t better than Leila?

Stephen gnashed his teeth. “You don’t know what happened between your mother and me, and you think
that I hate her?”

Maisie looked away without saying a word.

“Zee, you probably didn’t know that when your mother married me, she came to me. We didn’t get
married for love at first.”

Not for love?

Maisie was stumped with surprise.

Stephen looked sad. “I was young and ambitious, wanting to build a career in Bassburgh after leaving
Coralia. But I kept getting stonewalled until I met your mother.



“Your mother suddenly said something that shocked me. She said we should get married, and she would
help me build my empire in Bassburgh. All I needed to do was give her a place to settle down.”

Stephen had been under the impression that Marina was joking at that time since they had just met for a
few days. He could tell that the girl sitting in front of him was an elegant and bright

woman-any man would be tempted.

He did need to settle down and build a name for himself in Bassburgh, so he agreed, but under the
condition that they would not interfere with each others’ life after the wedding, just like a contract. She
had said that if he found a woman that he fell in love with, he would be able to ask for a divorce at any
time. 1



They then registered for marriage and didn’t even have a wedding ceremony. It was a simple process
that made them husband and wife only at face value.

Marina was indeed impressive and capable. She built Vaenna Jewelry up within two years, with every
single item designed by her.

And just like that, they spent two years together, day and night. Marina’s outstanding capability matched
her charm. He couldn’t deny that he had developed feelings for her and even wished that

they would become more than just a face-value couple.

Stephen took a deep breath, his heart a little bitter. “Your mother might have never fallen for me. I never
knew why she picked me, and I knew that there was someone else in her heart.”

Maisie’s face gradually turned pale.



It seemed to be the truth, and that was hard for her to swallow.

“She was always cold to me. Even when I tried to cross that line, she wouldn’t agree. I really did think of
being with her. I would do anything just as long as she would accept my love.

“But she kept rejecting me, and I ran out of ideas. I got together with Leila just to make her jealous. I told
your mother, and I hoped that she would give me a firm answer.

“She still stood her ground.” Stephen’s eyes were empty. “Later on, I cut ties with Leila and stayed with
your mother until two years after that when she agreed to have you. It was the happiest time of my life.”

He had been happy because Marina had finally accepted him and would spend her life with him, even
giving him Zee. She had been less frigid, but he knew that he hadn’t fully captured her heart.


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