Chapter 3: Marriage

Audrey's POV

Milos lifted his chin. "The doctor's here."

I turned toward the plain-looking physician who gave me a respectful nod, but the moment he appeared, both Lyanna and Daniel's faces twisted with terror, their bodies shrinking back instinctively.

"Doctor, I believe these two patients are quite ill—they might need electroshock therapy, don't you think?" I said with a sweet smile.

Lyanna's scream tore through the air before I'd even finished speaking.

"Audrey! I'm your sister! If you dare hurt me, Mom and Dad won't let you—"

My expression iced over. I stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face, cutting off her accusation mid-sentence.

How dare she mention those despicable people to me! If it weren't for my cold-blooded father and that hypocritical stepmother, I never would have ended up imprisoned and tortured in my past life!

Lyanna's body trembled violently, blood seeping from the scratches my nails had left across her cheek.

"Lyanna, you're nothing but a bastard child. How dare you call yourself my sister?" I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "I'd planned to give you both just a little lesson, but I've changed my mind. I'm going to torture you first, then destroy your reputation completely."

I turned to the doctor and gave my instructions clearly: use the electroshock device on them, increase the voltage level by level, and as long as they don't die or become vegetables, do whatever it takes.

The doctor was professional.

I watched as Daniel lost every shred of his refined composure, the electrical current forcing his body to betray him until he'd soiled himself, looking as though he'd aged a decade in minutes.

Lyanna's precious hair—the feature she treasured most—was singed and blackened, the acrid smell of burnt protein filling the air. Ironically, the electrical burns had cauterized their wounds, sealing the flesh with a nauseating sizzle that at least prevented them from bleeding to death.

"Okay, that's enough," I told the doctor to stop, then turned to William. "Can you tattoo? I want the word 'fornicators' carved into both their faces. Take photos and upload them to Facebook."

William stared at me in shock, frozen in place.

Milos's deep eyes shifted toward him, radiating the oppressive authority of someone born to command. "Didn't you hear Aud's instructions?"

William immediately shook his head and scrambled for the tattoo gun. He efficiently etched the word "fornicator" across both their foreheads in matching couple's style, snapped photos, and uploaded them online.

When he finished, I withdrew my gaze in disgust, only to meet Milos's probing stare. A flutter of guilt stirred in my chest.

"Honey," I said softly, blinking with deliberate weakness, "I'm feeling a bit dizzy. Could you hold me?"

I swayed slightly for effect.

Milos's broad hand slid possessively around my waist, the heat of his palm seeping through my clothes as he pulled me against him. He lowered his head, those mesmerizing eyes fixed intently on my face.

"Audrey," he said, his voice rich and smooth as aged wine, "what exactly do you want?"

My heartbeat quickened. I looped my arms around his neck and leaned in closer. "I'm your fiancée. I just want us to be close, like this."

To demonstrate, I pressed my lips to his, lingering for a few seconds before slowly pulling away.

Milos's breathing grew heavier. His hand cupped the back of my head as he moved to deepen the kiss, but I placed a finger between our lips, stopping him.

"Don't rush, hubby. First, let's release Daniel and Lyanna. And I don't want to sleep with you in a place like this."

I needed Milos to let them go so he could avoid the trap they'd set for him in my previous life.

Back then, Daniel's father Frank—a middle manager at the BBC—had joined forces with my father Robert to hire a group of homeless people.

They'd fabricated testimonies accusing Milos's hospitals of abusing their authority and harming innocent civilians.

In that timeline, Milos had been so consumed with trying to prevent my escape that by the time he'd dealt with the accusations, protesters had already surrounded his dozen hospitals. The damage had been catastrophic, forcing him to shut them all down.

This time, I would make sure Daniel and Lyanna left early. Then I could gather evidence in the shadows and prepare for those wolves.

But my words landed differently in Milos's ears.

He grabbed my wrist and reversed our positions, pinning me against the door. The veins in his forehead bulged, his jaw clenched tight.

"Audrey! You still can't forget him, can you?"

I gave him a helpless smile. "Hubby, you—"

He cut me off. "I'll let him go, but only if you marry me. Right now."

He stared at me, and I could feel the tension radiating from every muscle in his body.

Was he afraid I wouldn't marry him?

From the moment God gave me a second chance and I'd opened my eyes to see his face, I'd already decided—this lifetime, I would stay by his side.

I pressed a kiss to his left cheek. "Of course I'll marry you."

The tension drained from Milos's shoulders, replaced by what looked like relief... and something else. Sadness?

Why would he be sad?

Before I could ask, he turned his head away and gave William a cold instruction to throw Daniel and Lyanna out.

"Let's go. We're getting our marriage certificate."

He led me to the Rolls-Royce, and throughout the drive, he remained silent. Unless I initiated conversation—to which he'd respond with a few clipped words before ending the exchange—he simply stared out the window.

I assumed he must be dealing with work troubles, so I stopped disturbing his thoughts.

The car finally stopped in front of an elegant white classical building. Pink tulips and lisianthus bloomed in the garden, lending the place an air of romance and nobility.

Milos stepped out and opened my door, carefully shielding my head as I emerged.

He stood backlit by the sun, his profile sharp and handsome in the shadows as he fired off a string of questions.

"Are you sure you want to marry me? You won't regret it? You won't sneak off behind my back to find that bastard Daniel?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Milos, please trust in my integrity. I would never betray my marriage. I'll say it one more time: I'm willing to marry you."

Perhaps it was that last sentence that pleased him, because I distinctly saw his expression shift from brooding to genuinely happy.

The corners of his mouth lifted—maybe two pixels' worth. "Let's go inside. The priest has been waiting for quite a while."

Our wedding ceremony was simple. The paperwork would be handled by his people; Milos and I only needed to exchange vows of loyalty before witnesses and the priest for the marriage to take effect immediately.

Because everything had happened so suddenly, neither of our friends could attend on such short notice. Our witnesses were several of his trusted subordinates and Linda, the maid who'd been taking care of me.

Through the long litany of vows—in sickness and in health, till death do us part—we exchanged rings.

This time, Milos didn't suppress his emotions. His smile was bright and open, his eyes brimming with such devotion and love that it seemed ready to overflow.

He truly loved me.

Under everyone's gaze, I took the initiative and kissed him, my tongue sliding past his lips. The wet heat made my body tremble. He started passive but soon took control, deepening the kiss with hungry intensity.

When we finally broke apart, both of us breathing hard, I said to him, "Hubby, let's get the marriage certificate first, but as for the wedding ceremony... can we postpone it for now?"

Milos's smile vanished. He stared at me with obvious frustration, and after a long pause, reluctantly agreed. "If that's what you want, fine."

I wanted to explain my reasons for postponing the ceremony, but just then my phone rang. Seeing it was Sophia calling, I released Milos.

"Hubby, I have an important call. Can you wait for me in the car?"

Milos caught my hand. When I looked at him questioningly, he lowered his lashes, concealing whatever emotion lurked in his eyes.

His lips parted, his voice dark with warning: "Wifey, my little liar—you'd better not have another man in your heart. Otherwise..."

"I'll kill him and make sure you belong only to me. Forever."