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As evening fell, Blair Davidson had prepared a feast, eagerly awaiting her husband's return for dinner. The hours crept by, and at one in the morning, her husband still hadn't come home. The wall clock ticked steadily, marking time in the quiet house. The once-warm dishes had grown cold, mirroring Blair's dejected heart. With a quiet sigh, Blair collected the untouched food and moved it to the kitchen. She began reheating everything, hoping to preserve some warmth of home. Just then, she heard the front door open and quickly turned around. A tall, striking figure in a business suit walked in. He seemed unsteady on his feet, having clearly been out drinking, but somehow this only enhanced his natural charm. This was Blair's husband, Rhys Davidson! Blair rushed to welcome him home. She had prepared a special drink for him, but as she offered it, his unsteady movements caused it to spill across the floor. Before she could step back, Rhys moved closer, tilted her face up, and kissed her suddenly. Then Rhys swept her up and carried her toward their room. His intentions were clear - he was seeking physical comfort. Rhys placed Blair on their bed with urgency. As she tried to sit up, Rhys's body pressed against hers, pinning her to the mattress. His strength overwhelmed her; resistance was futile. She couldn't voice any objections even if she wanted to. Being mute, silence was her only option. Blair surrendered to the moment. Rhys trailed passionate kisses down her neck and chest. Noticing her quietness and stillness, he touched her cheek gently, whispering, "Why so quiet?" Tears welled in Blair's eyes at his question. Her condition meant she couldn't express pleasure vocally like other women. She wondered about his question - did he ask despite knowing her condition? Was he trying to hurt her? Or was there something deeper behind his words? Blair responded by kissing him and running her fingers along his body... Rhys's arousal grew intensely; his manhood straining against his clothes. Unable to wait, he undressed them both and joined their bodies as one. Blair's beautiful features tensed with discomfort. Despite their previous intimacy, she always felt completely filled. His size was overwhelming! Being his wife had its challenges... Yet soon, the initial discomfort gave way to waves of pleasure. Chapter 2 Their intimate moment was intense - despite her mixed feelings, Blair couldn't deny the physical connection. With Rhys's athletic build, their encounter lasted a full hour. They reached their peak together... Dawn had broken when Blair next opened her eyes. Rhys was in the bathroom, leaving her alone with her thoughts. As the passion faded, emptiness crept in. Her heart ached; Rhys's actions spoke of desire, not love. She wondered about her place in his life. Was she truly his wife? Or merely a convenience? A buzz from the bedside table interrupted her thoughts. Rhys's phone! Someone had messaged him. Blair caught a glimpse. It was from a woman - Raven Brooks. The message read: "[You said you'd be with me tonight. Why'd you go back to that worthless mute?]" The words cut deep into Blair's heart. So that explained his late return - he'd been with another woman... The bathroom door creaked open as Rhys emerged, freshly showered. Blair quickly looked away from the phone, pretending she hadn't seen anything, and continued dressing. Rhys approached the bed, grabbed his phone, and studied Blair's face. "Did you check my messages?" he asked casually. Blair shook her head quickly. She recalled his wedding day words: "Don't fall for me. I'll provide for you, but that's all." He'd made it clear - love wasn't part of the deal. Even if she had seen the message, what right did she have to react? Her feelings meant nothing to Rhys - whether she felt jealousy, sadness, or pain. Those denied care have no right to anger. Her love, her emotions - to Rhys, they were probably just inconveniences... Blair signed: "I'll make breakfast." Fighting her body's soreness, she rose slowly and headed to the kitchen. Rhys watched her fragile form retreat, then deleted Raven's message. Soon, breakfast was ready. They ate in silence. "You're coming to the Davidson Estate with me," Rhys suddenly announced. Blair nodded with her usual smile. Rhys observed her. Blair's constant agreeability and perpetual smile seemed to erase her identity. A person without spirit held little interest... After breakfast, they drove to the Davidson Estate. Blair had entered Rhys's life through his grandfather, Fletcher Davidson, who had a soft spot for her. Three years ago, a critically ill Fletcher had ordered Rhys to marry Blair. But Rhys's heart belonged to another then. That woman was Raven, who'd just messaged him. Childhood sweethearts, Raven and Rhys had grown up together. Despite his feelings for Raven, Rhys couldn't defy his grandfather and married Blair. Blair loved Rhys, though she couldn't voice it. One-sided love in marriage was destined for heartache. Marriage had taught Blair this harsh truth. Rhys's heart remained with Raven... They arrived at the Davidson Estate. The house buzzed with excitement - Rhys's sister, Skylar, had just had a son, and they were celebrating. Blair followed Rhys inside. Margaret, Rhys's mother, was cradling her grandson, beaming. Her smile vanished at Blair's appearance. Her dislike was obvious. Blair greeted her, but Margaret ignored her, focusing on Rhys and Skylar. Blair accepted the slight quietly, maintaining her composure. Skylar glanced at Blair, saying, "The baby's adorable. When will you and Rhys have one?" Margaret scoffed, "One mute in the family is shameful enough. Another would be unbearable!" Rhys glanced at Blair, who lowered her head in pain. Skylar's question wasn't innocent. The previous year, Blair had been pregnant, but Margaret had forced her to terminate, fearing another mute child! Chapter 3 When Rhys learned about it, he remained silent, offering no protection. Under the pressure, Blair had no choice but to end the pregnancy. She often wondered about that child - they would've been turning one by now... Besides Fletcher, the family rejected Blair, especially Skylar, who harbored deep resentment. Blair had entered their lives when she was five. Skylar, jealous of their grandfather's affection for Blair, tormented her for being mute. She'd lock Blair away, burn her hair, and once even pushed her down the stairs - an incident Rhys witnessed. He scolded Skylar then. Already bitter about their grandfather favoring Blair, Skylar now faced her beloved brother's criticism for hurting Blair. Her hatred only grew. Back then, Blair couldn't sign or write to report the abuse, so Skylar's cruelty intensified, with Blair bearing the brunt of every mood swing. As they aged, Skylar's tactics shifted from physical to emotional warfare. She deliberately brought up pregnancy, knowing it would reopen Blair's wounds. Such calculated cruelty! "We're leaving," Rhys announced abruptly. "Why the rush?" Skylar protested. "At least finish eating!" "Work calls," Rhys replied curtly, leading Blair out without a backward glance. Skylar watched them leave, her anger mounting. Rhys should love Raven, not Blair. Why was he defending her? In the car, Rhys lit a cigarette, clearly agitated. Blair waited quietly beside him. When he finished, he turned to her. She maintained her gentle smile, like a servant awaiting instruction. Her lack of reaction and submissive attitude unsettled Rhys. He despised spinelessness. People should show anger when wronged! Yet, he felt a twinge of sympathy. "What are your thoughts on having children?" he asked. Blair's surprise showed briefly before she signed: Your mother's right. If the child is mute like me, it's better not to have one. Life had taught Blair harsh lessons: every hope eventually shattered. The sweeter the dream, the more painful its end! Like when Fletcher bought her a birthday cake as a child. Before she could make her wish, Skylar shoved her face into it. She'd lifted her frosting-covered face to find everyone laughing at her misfortune. She'd smiled through her tears. After so much pain, Blair dared not hope anymore. "We weren't careful last night," Rhys mentioned suddenly. "There might be a chance..." Blair signed: I'm on birth control. Rhys watched her graceful fingers move - long and elegant from years of signing, their dance-like movements oddly captivating. After a moment, he looked away, started the engine, and muttered, "That's good." Blair lowered her gaze. Rhys stopped at Blair's workplace, a coffee shop. There stood Raven. She always managed to find him. Tall and striking, with endless legs and cascading curls, Raven commanded attention. Watching Rhys and Blair exit the car, fury blazed in her eyes. Raven carried herself like the wife, while Blair seemed the outsider - yet Blair held the legal claim to that title! Chapter 4 When Raven spotted Rhys, she knit her eyebrows and asked, "What brings you here?" Her eyes fell on Blair standing next to him, noticing light bruises on her neck. The sight made her blood boil. Holding back her anger, Raven flashed a smile at Rhys. "I just wanted to see you," she said sweetly. Rhys turned to Blair, "Get inside and start your shift." Blair nodded and walked toward the coffee shop. This was her workplace - the only place that had given her a chance after countless rejections. Once Blair was out of hearing range, Raven grabbed Rhys's arm playfully. "Are you still mad at me?" Instead of pulling away, Rhys simply said, "Let's talk in the car." Before climbing in, Raven pulled out sanitizer from her purse and sprayed the seat where Blair had been sitting. She looked up with a smirk, "Got to clean up after trash sat here!" Rhys just watched her silently, letting her do as she pleased. Through the coffee shop window, Blair watched everything unfold. She saw how Rhys let Raven get away with everything, how much he cared for her. People who are loved think they can do no wrong. Rhys was so into Raven that even her most outrageous behavior seemed okay to him - even when she was dissing his wife right in front of him. After sanitizing the seat, Raven finally got in the car. She fixed her curls and grabbed Rhys's hand. "Come on, why so serious? I promise I won't bring up divorce anymore!" Though Rhys spoiled Raven rotten, he'd always get upset whenever she mentioned divorcing the mute woman. Sure, Rhys claimed he didn't love Blair and only felt obligated to her, but that still drove Raven crazy. Raven was the jealous type - she wanted Rhys all to herself. She couldn't stand the thought of sharing him with anyone, even a mute woman! Plus, her gut told her Rhys was lying. Something inside her said he might actually love Blair but just couldn't show it. That thought made Raven even more furious and deepened her hatred for Blair. Rhys lit up a cigarette, leaned back, took a couple of deep drags, and let the smoke fill the car. "Look, Raven," he said. "I promised you'd never want for anything as long as you're with me. Even without marriage, I'll take care of you forever. I keep my word." He turned to face her. "That's my promise to you, just like the one I made to my grandfather." Before his grandfather died, he'd made Rhys swear to look after Blair for life, whether he loved her or not. And Rhys had promised! In his whole life, Rhys had only made promises to two people: his grandfather and Raven. Promises! Damn promises! Those words always set Raven off! "Yeah, I know you're a man of your word," Raven said through gritted teeth. "But I was in your life first!" After finishing his smoke, Rhys flicked the butt out the window and took Raven's hand, his voice soft. "I'm sorry. What do you want?" Raven tilted her head, thinking. "I'm over my Ferrari. I want a Maserati now!" A slight smile crossed Rhys's face. "Done." "And one more thing," Raven added. "Don't go see that mute Blair for a month." Rhys paused for a moment before nodding. "Okay." Satisfied, Raven beamed. "Let's go, you've got work!" Blair watched Rhys and Raven drive away, her heart breaking. The cloth in her hand was all twisted up from her grip. She smoothed it out on the table, like she was trying to smooth out her own tangled emotions. Just then, someone spoke up, "Your husband's getting cozy with another woman right in front of you. Doesn't that make you mad?" Chapter 5 Blair turned to see who was talking. It was Lauren Hayes, lounging in her chair, giving off a light scent of designer perfume. She owned the coffee shop and had become Blair's friend. Lauren was tall, about 5'10", with short hair, wearing a black tee and casual pants. When she kept quiet, people often mistook her for a guy. During Blair's job interview, Lauren had playfully squeezed her cheeks, catching Blair off guard. It wasn't until Lauren spoke that Blair realized she was actually a woman. Blair put down the cleaning cloth and signed with a smile, "I'm used to it." Lauren watched Blair's fingers move and noticed her red-rimmed eyes, her heart going out to her. As Blair's friend, Lauren knew all too well about the raw deal Blair got in her marriage. Lauren handed Blair a coffee, saying, "Here's your favorite, just brewed. Give it a try." Blair thanked her and took a sip. It was perfect! A smile lit up Blair's face. With her fair skin, when Blair looked at someone, she looked just like a helpless puppy - the kind that made your heart melt. That's why Lauren couldn't resist pinching her cheeks. Blair wasn't into it at first but got used to it over time. It's crazy how things become normal after a while! Lauren had a big heart. She even watched videos to learn sign language just to understand Blair better. Now she could get most of what Blair was signing. Suddenly, Lauren grabbed Blair's arm. "Come upstairs, I need your help with something." Blair quickly set down her coffee and followed Lauren up to a corner room on the second floor, filled with colorful paintings. Besides running the coffee shop, Lauren was also a "painter." Though she gave herself that title - she hadn't sold a single painting yet. Her parents had shot down her dreams of studying art, so she'd opened this coffee shop as a front for her secret painting studio. Once inside, Lauren plopped Blair onto a stool. "Don't budge. You're my model for today." Blair sat perfectly still. Lauren loved using Blair as her muse and had done tons of portraits of her. As the morning wore on into lunch hour, a massive downpour started outside. Rain drummed against the windows, creating a cozy vibe inside. The bad weather drove more customers in, making the downstairs crazy busy. Lauren and Blair had to put the painting on hold to help out. Being short-handed, even Lauren, the boss, had to pitch in with deliveries. She asked Blair to come along. Lauren jumped on her motorcycle with Blair riding behind her. Blair wanted to take an umbrella despite the rain, but Lauren wouldn't hear of it. According to Lauren, motorcycles were cool, but umbrellas on motorcycles? Not cool at all. So Blair just clutched the coffee close, shivering on the back of Lauren's bike. The rain was coming down in sheets, with thunder and lightning making the noon sky look like nighttime. When Lauren's motorcycle pulled up outside a particular building, Blair's face fell. Because this was Rhys's company! Chapter 6 Lauren helped Blair get her helmet off; they were both soaked to the bone, but the coffee Blair was holding stayed dry. Lauren joked, "These people are crazy. Big fancy company, but no coffee maker, so they've gotta get delivery." Taking the coffee from Blair, Lauren grinned, "Wait here, I'll be right back." Blair nodded and quietly walked to the entrance to wait. Staring at the wall of rain in front of her, Blair's mind wandered. It was pouring just like this the day Fletcher brought her to Rhys's house. She'd hidden shyly behind Fletcher while nine-year-old Rhys checked her out. Rhys had asked who she was. Fletcher had teased, "Your future wife. Interested?" Nine-year-old Rhys had sneered, "I don't want some monkey for a wife." She really had been scrawny and pale back then, with dry, straw-like hair - probably looking worse than a monkey at the zoo. But then he'd added, "How're you gonna be my wife when you're so skinny? You need to eat more." Even though Rhys was just kidding around, Blair always took his words to heart. Lost in these memories, a voice snapped her back to reality. "With this awful rain, I don't feel like working. I'm outta here!" It was Raven, clicking out of the company gates in her heels, when she spotted Blair standing there, drenched. "Blair?" Raven was on the phone with Rhys, who caught Blair's name on his end. Glancing back at the building, then at Blair, Raven hung up. "Here to see Rhys?" Blair shook her head. Raven raised an eyebrow and strutted over, smirking, "Rhys says you're so innocent, but you're not fooling anyone. Coming here all wet and pathetic for sympathy?" She tugged at Blair's dripping hair mockingly, "Playing the poor little victim!" Raven's face oozed smugness. "Drop the act. Rhys doesn't give a damn about you. You're just like some stray he took in!" Blair pressed her lips tight - maybe from the cold rain, they'd gone ghostly white. Raven didn't need to spell it out; Blair knew it all too well. The way Rhys looked at her was exactly how he looked at their pets at home. He loved their cat too - if he forgot to feed it before work, he'd come all the way back just to do it. Just then, Lauren came back with the coffee. She quickly stepped in front of Blair protectively and sized Raven up, saying, "Back off, you home-wrecker! Leave Blair alone!" Raven's face darkened as she glared at Lauren. "How dare you!" Lauren crossed her arms, giving Raven a mocking once-over, "What's wrong with calling it like it is? Am I lying? You're nothing but a cheap home-wrecker!" "You..." Raven sputtered, her face turning purple. She hated being called that. If it weren't for Blair, she should've been Rhys's wife! Why was she getting trash-talked? Used to getting her way because of Rhys's favor, Raven had never been dissed like this to her face. She raised her hand to slap Lauren. But Lauren wasn't having it. Before Raven could strike, Lauren beat her to it. Raven went down with a shriek. The slap left her face swollen, and she twisted her ankle in those stilettos. She clutched her foot, tears streaming down her face. Lauren looked down at her with disgust. "You really thought you could hit me? Serves you right, you home-wrecker!" Through the pain, Raven shot Lauren a hate-filled glare. Lauren grabbed the shocked Blair. "We're out of here!" Blair kept looking back. She saw Rhys rushing out, scooping Raven up from the ground. Even through the rain, she could see how gentle he was with her. But Rhys never noticed Blair standing there in the rain. Lauren revved up the motorcycle and disappeared into the downpour. The heavy rain blurred Blair's vision until the tall building behind them became just a shadow in the storm.