My husband told me to stop suffocating him. He said I should go find other men to occupy my time. Being the obedient wife I am, I went out and found three. Later, those three men demanded I make a choice and commit to them. So, being obedient once again, I asked my husband, Elias, for a divorce. But suddenly, Elias claimed he was madly in love with me. He fought the divorce tooth and nail. He actually cried while washing my underwear, pleading with me. "You can bring them here. The five of us can live together as one family. But divorce? Absolutely not!" So, I listened to Elias and didn't get a divorce. And I brought all three of them home to live with us. I’m just an obedient woman. What did I do wrong? 1 In the seventh year of loving Elias Thorne, I finally married him. Just as I was filled with joy, ready to be the perfect wife, Elias cheated. He made the trending tabloids kissing a hot young A-lister. Looking at the photos felt like being struck by lightning. I went to him, crying, demanding answers. But he just looked at me with pure annoyance. "Alana, don't you have anything better to do with your life? Is hovering over me every single day supposed to be fun? Tell you what—why don't you go find some guys to play around with, and stop bothering me, okay?" I stared at Elias, utterly dumbfounded. The words coming out of his mouth were horrifying. How could I just go out and randomly find men to "play around" with? But I had always been obedient. So, I sought out Elias’s best friend, Bennett St. James. 2 Bennett St. James. The man the entire elite business circle feared and respected. Rumor had it he was cold, completely detached from worldly desires, and never let women get close to him. My hands were shaking as I typed the text. I wrote it and deleted it, over and over. Finally, I just sent: "Mr. St. James, do you have time to meet? Elias told me to... find someone to play with." After sending it, I threw my phone across the room, my cheeks burning with shame. Elias’s best friend shouldn't count as just a "random guy," right? I just didn't know if he would agree... Surprisingly, my phone buzzed almost immediately. Just one word: "Yes." The location was a very secluded, high-end tea house. When I arrived, Bennett was already there. He sat by the window. The afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, casting light over his handsome, aristocratic face, making him look even more aloof and unattainable. His long, slender fingers held a teacup. The steam rose gently, blurring his striking features. The air was filled with a calming scent of sandalwood mixed with the aroma of tea. I was so nervous I was practically shaking. I sat opposite him, my throat dry. Every word I had prepared vanished from my mind. He looked up at me, his eyes calm as a still pool, utterly unruffled. "He told you to come to me?" Bennett asked after pouring me a cup of tea. His voice was beautiful, too. Like cool, crisp water over stones. I twisted my fingers together, lowering my head. My nose stung, and I nodded vigorously. "Yes." Silence stretched across the room. Just as I felt I couldn't sit there any longer and wanted to bolt, he set his teacup down gently and looked at me. "When you say 'play around'... what kind of playing did you have in mind?" 3 Bennett St. James. The man who looked so cold and detached in public actually tried to ride me to death in private. "I really can't do anymore, please..." I was slumped on top of him, completely exhausted, my face buried in his firm chest, my body trembling. Bennett’s thumb gently wiped away the involuntary tears from the corner of my eye. He coaxed me softly, "Okay. We’ll stop after we finish this box." Hearing Bennett’s tender voice, I lifted my head, my vision blurry with tears, and glanced at the nightstand. On the nightstand was a box labeled "Trojan, 12-pack, Magnum Size." I looked down at the trash can. There were already five used ones inside. That meant there were still... "Ugh, you jerk!" I cried even harder. 4 Bennett frequently worked me over until my back ached and my legs felt like jelly. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and secretly went to see a doctor. The doctor took my pulse, his frown deepening by the second. Finally, he sighed. "Young lady, you need to practice abstinence. Get some real rest for a while, or you're going to shorten your lifespan." Me: !!! What!! Doing it too much leads to an early grave?! I was terrified. I didn't dare go see Bennett again. But since I didn't go to him, he came to me. He actually showed up at the house I shared with Elias! When the doorbell rang, I was curled up on the sofa watching a reality show. Assuming Elias had gone out and forgotten his keys, I opened the door without checking. The moment I saw Bennett standing outside, I nearly slammed the door right back in his face. "What... what are you doing here?" My voice trembled. I instinctively tried to close the door. Bennett reached out and blocked the door frame. His strength wasn't overwhelming, but I couldn't move the door an inch against him. His gaze landed on my panicked face. He asked, "Why haven't you come by to 'play' lately?" Play? You play so hard, who would dare to play with you?! "I... I’ve been a bit busy lately." My eyes darted around, making up random excuses. "Busy?" Bennett raised an eyebrow slightly. He took a step forward, pressing into my space. The crisp scent of sandalwood combined with an oppressive aura washed over me. "Too busy to even answer your phone?" He forced me backward into the foyer, my heart pounding in my chest. The doctor’s warning about "shortening your lifespan" echoed wildly in my mind. "Mr. St. James, I really don't think... this is appropriate," I said, drumming up the courage to try and reason with him. "What happened that day was impulsive on my part. We should really..." "We should really what?" he interrupted. His gaze was calm, but held an undeniable weight. "Elias told you to play, remember? You've forgotten?" Mentioning Elias made me deflate instantly, like a popped balloon. That’s right. Elias made me do this. How could I not listen to him? But... I really was afraid of dying! Just as I was at a complete loss for words, Elias’s confused voice came from behind me. "Bennett? What are you doing here?" 5 Elias hadn't gone out?! My soul nearly left my body. I spun around so fast I nearly tripped, my cheeks burning with guilt. I felt exactly like I’d just been caught in bed with another man. Bennett, however, remained completely composed. He turned to look at Elias coming down the stairs, his voice calm and flat. "Just passing through. Thought I’d swing by and check on you. I was just chatting with Alana at the door." As Bennett spoke, his gaze drifted meaninglessly over to me. My spine went rigid instantly. Elias didn't seem to sense anything was wrong. As he walked downstairs, he said casually, "What's there to chat with her about? She just sits at home doing nothing all day." Before, hearing those words would have made me sad for a long time. But now, my heart was filled only with panic, terrified that Bennett would say something outrageous. Bennett didn't reply. He just looked at me, the corner of his lip seemingly curving into an extremely faint smirk that vanished instantly. Elias finished changing into his shoes and walked over. He naturally wrapped his arm around my waist and said to Bennett, "My brother is back in town. Since you're here, why don't we all grab dinner tonight? I’ll call Ryder Croft and some of the others." My body went stiff. The spot where Elias touched me felt like it was on fire. He rarely made affectionate gestures toward me in front of others, yet today... Bennett’s gaze lingered on Elias’s hand around my waist for a fraction of a second before he looked away. He replied flatly, "Sure." 6 Dinner was at an incredibly exclusive, private club. Besides me, Elias, and Bennett, there was also their good friend, the wealthy playboy Ryder Croft, and Elias’s younger brother, Liam Thorne. During the meal, I constantly felt like three separate sets of eyes from different directions were locked onto me. But every time I lifted my head, the four men across from me were chatting amongst themselves. No one was looking at me. Was I being too sensitive? I peeked at them again. No one was looking. I must be overthinking. I lowered my head and went back to my soup. When I finished my soup and was about to ladle another bowl, a bowl of hot soup was placed right in front of me. It was Elias. He was ladling the soup for me while chatting with the others. I was genuinely touched. I said sweetly, "Thanks, honey." My voice was soft. Only Elias, sitting next to me, should have heard. But the other three men at the table stopped talking instantly. All of them stared straight at me. The look in their eyes... it was as if they were the ones I’d just called "honey." And their gazes were terrifying. Like wolves looking at prey. I recoiled slightly and went back to lowering my head and sipping my soup. Elias seemed very pleased that I called him "honey." He got even more attentive, peeling shrimp for me and putting food in my bowl. Seeing the other three looking at me from time to time, Elias even teased them, "Jealous that I have a wife? You guys need to step up and marry one of your own." Ryder and Liam said nothing. But I noticed they were looking at me even more frequently! Only Bennett let out a somewhat wistful, faint chuckle. "I'd like to marry, but she already has a husband." The second Bennett said that, the whole room went silent. I nearly fell out of my chair in shock. He couldn't possibly be talking about me, could he?! Elias reacted first. His handsome brow furrowed slightly, and he reached out to steady me. "How are you so grown and still can't sit straight in a chair?" Turning back to Bennett, he teased, "Alright, smart guy, so you're chasing a married woman. Who cares if her husband agrees? As long as she agrees, isn't that enough?" Elias slapped Bennett on the shoulder encouragingly. "Take it from me—no matter how sturdy the wall, a good sledgehammer can knock it down!" At Elias’s words, Bennett gave him a very meaningful look and stated with certainty, "You're right, Elias." Ryder and Liam also nodded in thoughtful agreement. Then they raised their glasses, called Elias "brother," and toasted him. Elias happily accepted, even pulling me closer by my shoulder, laughing as he bragged to me about how the three of them finally got some sense and decided to call him "brother." I forced out a smile, not daring to speak. Because I realized that underneath the table, three different legs were rubbing against me! 7 When dinner was almost over, Elias stepped out to take a call. I felt like a massive weight had been lifted. I immediately bent down to look under the table. Underneath, the three men and their six legs were all behaving perfectly. Me: ? Was I being too sensitive again? But the touch had felt so real. It didn't seem like my imagination. While my mind was spiraling with wild thoughts, Bennett suddenly peeled a few pieces of shrimp and put them in my bowl. He said, "Eat the shrimp. I saw you liked it earlier." Bennett’s single sentence drew Ryder and Liam’s attention directly to us. Their eyes darted back and forth between me and Bennett. Just as I started breaking out in a cold sweat, fearing they’d figured something out, Ryder was the first to act. He put a piece of fish in my bowl, smiled, and said, "I saw you go for the sweet and sour fish six times. You must really love it." Me: ? Why did he even know how many times I took the fish? Before I could react, Liam placed a small plate in front of me. On it was all the meat from a single, perfectly butchered crab. "Eat mine," Liam said with an innocent, harmless smile. "If you like it, I’ll peel all your crabs for you from now on." Me: ... What was happening? I seriously felt like I had fallen into a wolf’s den. 8 The three of them seemed to be competing to see who could give me more food. My bowl was never empty for even a single second. Eventually, I really couldn't eat anymore. Since Elias had been gone to the restroom for a long time, I was worried he’d fallen in, so I got up and went out to look for him. After leaving the private room, I felt much more relaxed. I searched for Elias along the hallway. When I saw Elias out on the patio, and saw the lipstick mark on his white shirt, tears immediately poured down my face. "Why are you doing this to me?" I choked out, confronting Elias. "I did everything you told me to do. I was so obedient. And you still have to go fooling around behind my back." I didn't understand what I had done wrong. Was it that I still wasn't obedient enough? Seeing me cry, Elias’s initial instinct was to reach out and wipe my tears. But for some reason, he stopped halfway. The pained expression on his face turned into annoyance. "It’s not what you think. And didn't I tell you to stop smothering me? If you're bored, go out and find a bunch of guys to play with. Use my credit card!" With that, he turned and left. I stubbornly called out after him, "If I listen to you, will you love me?" "Yes!" Elias snapped without looking back. I was left standing there, staring at his retreating back. So, it really was because I wasn't obedient enough that my husband didn't love me. As I walked back, lost in despair, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a pitch-black supply closet. I immediately screamed and burst into tears. "Don't cry. It’s me." In the darkness, Ryder wiped away my tears, sounding deeply pained. When you can't see, your hearing becomes sharper. Listening to Ryder’s voice, I stopped crying instantly. His voice was deep and resonant. It sent a shiver down my spine. Inevitably, I remembered what Elias had just said. He told me to go out and find a bunch of guys to play with. I was very obedient. So, with a bit of a sob in my voice, I asked Ryder, "Can you... can you play with me?" "Do you... do you have any idea what you're saying?" In the darkness, Ryder’s voice grew even huskier. "Mm-hm." I sniffed. Seeing that Ryder wasn't reacting, I started to backtrack. "If you don't want to play with me, I’ll go find..." Everything I was about to say was swallowed by Ryder’s lips. He was wild, just like his name. I could barely handle it, but it felt amazing. Just as we were about to hit the point of no return, Ryder suddenly stopped. "Hmm?" I was completely dazed, looking at him in confusion. "I don't have a condom." Ryder leaned down, burying his head in the crook of my neck, breathing heavily. I wanted to cry, but no tears came. The arrow was already notched, and now you're telling me we have to stop? My whole body was wound tight and aching. I rubbed against Ryder, my voice trembling like I was about to cry. "But... I feel so uncomfortable..." After three seconds of silence, Ryder sank down to one knee. My breath caught. Suddenly, I felt like a song was playing in my head. ... A විශේෂ Signal... Pushing toward a Flood... No escape... ... 9 Half an hour later, I walked out of the supply closet with Ryder, my ears burning bright red. "Here. Wipe your mouth and hands." I whispered, handing Ryder a tissue, my face scarlet. Just as Ryder was about to take the tissue, a dark, harsh voice suddenly rang out from nearby. "What are you two doing?" I instinctively looked up and saw Liam. He stood at the end of the hallway, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable in the dim light. Those eyes, so similar to Elias’s, were locked tightly onto us—specifically on my obviously swollen lips and flushed cheeks. My heart immediately jumped into my throat. "No... nothing..." I instinctively crumpled the tissue in my hand and hid it behind my back. I said softly, "I just happened to run into Ryder..." Ryder was much calmer than me. He naturally pulled his hand back and slid it into his pocket. He took half a step sideways, unobtrusively shielding me with his shadow. He faced Liam’s scrutinizing gaze, a lazy smile pulling at his lips. "Just chatting. Why, is something wrong, Liam?" Liam took two steps forward. His eyes darted between the two of us before settling on my dodging gaze. "Nothing." He pulled at the corner of his mouth, but the smile held no warmth. "Alana, it’s late. I’m taking you home." "Oh, okay. Let's go." I didn't think twice. I was about to follow Liam, but Ryder beat him to the punch, grabbing my arm. He chuckled lightly, looking at Liam. "Liam, you just got back to the States. You probably don't even have a valid driver's license here yet, do you? How are you going to take her?" I didn't know if it was my imagination, but I felt like the atmosphere between Liam and Ryder instantly became hostile after that sentence. "It's fine. I can call a cab for her." Liam opened his thin lips, his gaze icy as he stared at Ryder. Ryder let out a low scoff. "Little boy, wait until you grow up." With that, Ryder ignored Liam’s reaction and pulled me away. I looked back at Liam once. He stood still, not chasing after us. He just watched me with a gaze so complex I couldn't understand it. I saw indignation, ambition, and even a faint trace of... vulnerability? 10 Ryder drove a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. It was incredibly spacious. I was exhausted and fell asleep in the car. Hazy in my sleep, I think Ryder stopped the car once to buy something. But I was so tired I didn't pay much attention. By the time the car came to a complete stop, I was gradually waking up. I was home. Just as I unbuckled my seatbelt to get out, Ryder grabbed my hand. He held up a small box and asked, "Want to finish what we started earlier?" ... This time, the song played on repeat for four hours. By the time everything finally settled, Ryder straightened my clothes, got out of the car first, and walked around to my side to carry me out. Just then, we heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. It was Elias. He was completely wasted. His assistant was struggling to help him out of the back seat after parking the car. "Urgh... Ryder?" Seeing Ryder, Elias squinted to identify him. His voice was slurred. "Wha're you doin' at my house?" Ryder appeared perfectly natural. "Just dropped Alana off." Elias was so drunk he didn't even notice that five hours had passed since dinner. He slapped Ryder on the shoulder, moved by gratitude. "Tha-thanks, bro. Dropping off my wife. You’re... you’re a good man!" I got out of the car a step late. Hearing that sentence made the scarlet flush rise on my face again. I was too guilty to look anyone in the eye. "It was nothing." Ryder smiled with airy indifference, as if the man who had lost all control in the car minutes ago wasn't him. "Alright, well, go on home then." Elias staggered a couple of steps. He leaned heavily against me, throwing his arm over my shoulder for support. "I’ll treat you to dinner sometime!" With that, Elias stumbled into the house, dragging me with him. I didn't even have a chance to look back at Ryder before the door was closed. 11 It took every ounce of strength I had to haul Elias up to the bedroom and onto the bed. He must have been incredibly drunk. The moment he hit the mattress, he fell fast asleep. He only mumbled incoherently, "Baby... I love you so much..." Hearing his words, I was genuinely touched. It really was true: if I listened to him, he loved me more. I secretly made a vow in my heart. I had to be even more obedient from now on, so he would love me even more! 12 When I woke up the next morning, the space next to me was empty. Elias was already gone. I instinctively reached for my phone to check the time. It was after 10 AM. Then I realized Bennett had sent me a ton of messages yesterday. Bennett: [Where are you?] Bennett: [Did you just leave with Ryder?] Bennett: [Is it because you aren't satisfied with me?] Bennett: [You can tell me if you aren't satisfied. Just don't stop playing with me, okay?] ... Bennett sent dozens of messages. The further down I read, the more they made my face burn and my heart pound. I didn't dare reply to any of them. Exiting the chat with Bennett, I saw that Ryder had also sent me messages. He told me to drink lots of water and stay hydrated. He also sent me ten million dollars via Venmo. After freshening up, I went downstairs, still in my pajamas. As I walked downstairs, still half-asleep, I suddenly froze and stared at the living room. Liam was sitting on the sofa, holding a coffee cup, casually watching TV. He looked so comfortable, as if he belonged there. He even greeted me naturally. "Liam? What are you doing here?" I asked in astonishment. Liam gave me a sunny, innocent smile. "I just got back to the States. I'm scared to live alone, so when Elias found out, he told me to move in here." "M-move in?" I was utterly confused. "Yeah." Before I could react, Liam put down his coffee cup, stood up, and walked toward me. At 19, Liam was wearing a white button-down shirt. He looked fresh and clean. He walked right up to me and looked down at me, his eyes filled with a trace of pitiful pleading. "Is嫂嫂 (Alana) not happy I’m here?" "I..." I didn't know what to say. I didn't think I was imagining it, but I felt like the way he looked at me wasn't quite right. I felt uneasy about him moving in. Just as I was at a complete loss for words, Liam spoke again, his face filled with sorrow. "If Alana finds it inconvenient, I’ll go back to the family estate and live by myself! I’ve been used to being alone ever since my parents divorced and sent me abroad, anyway." After Liam finished speaking, his puppy-dog eyes were red-rimmed. He looked at me, his voice choking slightly. "I'm sorry, Alana. I’m causing you trouble. It’s my fault. I just crave family affection so much." Seeing Liam so utterly heartbroken and fragile, any trace of doubt or awkwardness I had was immediately swamped by a massive wave of guilt and pity. What bad intentions could he possibly have? He was just a pitiful child who wanted to live with his family! Elias told me to take good care of him, so how could I push him away just because I was being sensitive? I immediately reached out and stopped him from dragging his suitcase away. I said urgently, "You are not leaving! You live here! This is your home!" "Thanks, Alana!" Liam smiled instantly. His eyes sparkled, and all traces of sadness vanished without a trace. "You’re the best!" Just as we were talking, Elias rushed through the door. "Why are you back at this hour?" I asked. Elias looked stressed and overwhelmed. He was rushing up the stairs to his office, talking as he went. "There’s a sudden crisis with the major overseas project. I have to fly out immediately to fix it." Five minutes later, Elias ran downstairs with a stack of documents. "Brother." Liam called out to him. Elias only just noticed Liam, but he didn't have time for specifics. He offered a quick greeting and headed for the door. Before leaving, he said to me, "Alana, take good care of Liam while I'm gone. I’ll be back in about a month. When I get back, we need to talk..." Elias was talking as he bolted out the door.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "402457", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel