Bella Green was startled and quickly moved away.
"Don’t mess around."
Mason Bennett chuckled but said nothing.
It left Bella unable to tell whether he was serious or joking.
The two planned to get their marriage license the next day, but Bella couldn’t sleep after a busy day.
Mason watched the girl open her eyes, tossing and turning, and smiled slightly.
"Can’t sleep?"
Being called out, Bella’s face flushed red. She couldn’t possibly say she couldn’t sleep due to nerves.
"Uh, maybe I’m just not used to the bed..."
Mason laughed, and the next moment, he turned over and pressed down on her.
"Can’t sleep? Some exercise will make you tired."
Bella was startled by Mason’s action; she wasn’t naive and knew what kind of "exercise" Mason referred to.
Previously, Bella would have been embarrassed but compliant.
But now...
Bella thought about what had happened between them at the old house in Hyattville City.
And Mason suddenly being on top of her really frightened her.
That time was something she agreed to, but the process was not pleasant.
Mason, drunk, was like a beast, showing no tenderness.
In her inexperience, he took her without mercy.
The whole process was devoid of joy, only pain.
Bella didn’t reject Mason, but she was somewhat afraid because it really hurt.
Seeing the fear and unease in the girl’s eyes, Mason, who just wanted to tease her, felt a jolt in his heart, as if his blood suddenly stopped flowing.
He had little memory of that incident; his only memory was the blood-red sheets.
But precisely because he didn’t remember, he was sure that it wasn’t pleasant, perhaps even cruel.
Mason felt as if he was doused with a bucket of cold water, completely chilled, as he hurriedly got off the girl.
"Bella..."
The man’s helpless look made Bella both amused and heartbroken.
She sat up, leaned into his arms, and sighed.
"You don’t have to blame yourself; I’m not mad at you. It’s just that I’m not used to it yet."
The last time did leave her with unpleasant memories, but it wouldn’t make her push him away.
She just needed to get used to it.
Mason’s face didn’t soften; his thin lips were tightly pressed, and he held the girl in his arms even tighter.
"Then, should we go to the civil affairs bureau now?"
Remembering last time when they went to the bureau in the middle of the night but couldn’t register, Bella burst into laughter, dissipating the tense atmosphere.
"Doing something silly once is enough. Let’s sleep."
Bella said with a smile and pulled Mason down to continue sleeping.
Perhaps after this little commotion, her nerves eased considerably.
Not long after lying down, Bella indeed fell asleep.
With the girl’s breathing becoming steady, Mason slowly pulled out his arm from under her head.
He got up, walked to the balcony, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, took one out, and lit it...
Though Bella spoke lightly of it, Mason found it difficult to let go in his heart.
Hyattville City - when it was involved, none of the memories were good.
There was a trace of viciousness and loathing in Mason’s eyes.
The cigarette in his fingers deformed under his tight grip.
Until the cigarette butt fell to the ground...
...
Kyoto.
"Second Master, news from Brocade City says that Mason Bennett proposed to Miss."
In the dim living room, a man sat in a wheelchair, head lowered, his eyes unfathomable, playing with a string of beads in his hand.
"The Bennett Family, huh..."