Chapter 2
She could drive her car faster than any other vehicle on the
road.
Clarinda hung up, taken aback by her own
straightforwardness.
But, she had to get it off her chest.
The sheer frustration had become unbearable.
Just like what Corbin had said at the club that night, he never
touched her.
No one would believe that she was still a virgin after being
married for three years.
At first, she thought Corbin had erectile dysfunction.
But later, she stumbled upon Corbin more than once in his
study, masturbating to a photo album.
He moaned and groaned.
It was a real slap in the face for her.
Once, Corbin caught her peeking. He pulled Clarinda closer,
Chapter 2
rubbed against her neck, and murmured, “Clara, I’m sorry. I
don’t want to hurt you, so I could only jerk off to your phone…”
Ironically, Clarinda believed him.
She even blushed.
That night, after returning to Veyton, she took the fever
medicine, and with her last bit of consciousness, she made her
way to the study to pry open the locked drawer.
She found the photo album.
Every page was filled with Adrienne, smiling radiantly.
Corbin cherished them like treasures.
Clarinda felt as if she had become a joke.
She remembered that she used to follow Corbin everywhere
when she was young.
In fact, she was not intentionally stalking him.
It was because he spent all his time with Ambrose.
The more she saw him, the more she fell for him.
Corbin was good–tempered, patient, and gentle. He brought her
Chapter 2
gifts on every visit.
Among all of Ambrose’s friends, he was the sweetest one.
Yet this sweet man chose to jerk off to Adrienne’s pictures
rather than make love to his wife.
Clarinda didn’t expect Cecily to be so fast.
She had barely finished washing up when the doorbell rang.
Cecily stormed in with such fury. It seemed that if the
courthouse weren’t closed, she would already be dragging her
and Corbin there.
With the agreement in her hands, Clarinda felt a sense of relief.
Then a commotion came from upstairs.
Before she could react, Sarah barreled down the stairs, her face
ashen. “Mrs. Alden.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Leon damaged the family photo in your bedroom.”
Clarinda assumed he had only broken the frame, but then Sarah
held out several torn pieces of the photo.
Clarinda blanched.
Chapter 2
When she was five, her parents died in an accident. This was
the only family photo she still had.
It was the only keepsake.
Clarinda took the torn pieces and dashed upstairs.
Adrienne happened to walk out of Clarinda’s room while
holding her son.
Clarinda stared at Adrienne coldly. “Adrienne, what were you
doing in my room?”
“Uncle Corbin said this would be Leon’s home from now on.”
Refusing to back down, Leonel shouted, “Uncle Corbin also said
that he would look after me and my mom like a father.”
Clarinda noticed that Adrienne didn’t plan to correct her son,
and a sudden smile appeared on her face.
She peered at Leonel and asked, “Christmas will come in just a
few days. Do you know what Santa is planning for you?”
Leonel raised his chin. “He plans to give me a lot of candies.”
“Wrong!”
Clarinda shook her head, a smirk tugging at her lips. “He will
Chapter 2
chop off your hands that ripped my photo, roast them in the
oven, and feed them to his reindeer”
“Waa!”
He burst into tears, shaking like a leaf.
He hurriedly hugged Adrienne.
Adrienne frowned and looked at Clarinda unhappily. “He’s just
a child. Why do you scare him like that?”
“You can’t even teach your kid right. What else can you do
besides pillow talks?”
Clarinda went back to her room and slammed the door shut.
In the dead of night, a black Maybach slowly glided into the
yard.
Standing in front of the floor–to–ceiling window, Clarinda
watched Leonel and Adrienne launch themselves at the man
who had just gotten out of the car.
They looked like a perfect little family.
After a while, Corbin opened the bedroom door.
He strode in, wearing a crumpled white shirt, his tone
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displeased. “Did you scare Leon?”
“Yes”
Clarinda pointed at the pile of photo fragments on the
nightstand and said, “He ripped my family photo into pieces.”
Corbin was stunned.
He realized he didn’t know the whole story.
He extended an arm to rub her head, but Clarinda moved away.
Seeing her still fuming, he softened his tone.
“It’s my fault. I’ll apologize for Leon. Is there anything you want?
I can make it up to you.”
Clarinda chuckled. “Anything?”
Corbin’s apology was sincere. “Of course.”
“I want two things.”
At his words, she handed over the agreement she had long
prepared.
Corbin glanced at it and saw that it was a house purchase
agreement. He promptly signed his name.
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On the second agreement, he turned directly to the end of the
page and signed without hesitation.
He had always been generous with money.
Feeling a wave of relief, Corbin grabbed at Clarinda’s waist and
pulled her into his arms. “Clara, I’m impressed at how well your
brother has taught you.”
Just as Clarinda felt the urge to push him away, a knock
sounded at the half–open door.
Noticing someone at the door, Corbin subconsciously shoved
Clarinda to the side.
Clarinda froze for a moment, then realization hit.
To prove his loyalty to the woman he really loved, he avoided
having sex with her for three years.
Now that they lived under the same roof, it made sense that he
would behave better.
Adrienne said helplessly, “Corby, Leon is throwing a tantrum.
He wants to sleep with you.”
“I’ll be there.”
Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
