CHAPTER 4

Valentina sat in silence, Raymond's words lingering in the air like an echo she couldn't escape.

then her trembling hands moved to the edge of her scarf, hesitant but deliberate.

With a soft pull, she loosened it, letting the fabric fall to reveal her face—a face marked with scars and burns, the skin uneven and discolored. Only her glowing blue eyes remained untouched, shining with a purity that seemed almost otherworldly.

At that moment She turned to Raymond, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Will you stop at the next stop now?"

However Raymond didn't flinch at the sight of her. His gaze was steady, unwavering, as he lifted his hand. Slowly, he reached out and placed it gently on her cheek, his touch careful and soft.

"You're beautiful," he said, his tone firm, as though it was the most undeniable truth in the world.

Hearing what Raymond just said.

Valentina's breath hitched, her glowing eyes widening in disbelief. She felt flabbergasted, but the pain etched into her features didn't change.

"Who… who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Raymond's lips curled into a small, genuine smile.

"I'm your husband, Valentina," he said simply, as though the title carried all the answers she needed.

At that moment tears began to gather in Valentina's eyes, blurring the edges of her vision. For so long, she had believed she was beyond love, beyond saving, but here was this man looking at her scars like they were nothing, as if she was whole.

"It's okay to cry," Raymond said softly, his smile deepening.

"The best days are yet to come. Cry everything out now because I won't let you cry anymore."

Immediately the tears spilled over, tracing the lines of her face, but Valentina said nothing. She couldn't find the words, her emotions too tangled to unravel.

Then her voice finally broke through the silence, shaky but resolute.

"I'm burnt all over my body," she confessed, her tone tinged with a mix of fear and resignation.

Hearing hear words Raymond nodded, his expression unchanging. "I know," he said gently. "And I also know you wouldn't be able to do hard physical work or have sex. I read everything about you before I came."

Valentina's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice cautious.

At that moment Raymond's eyes softened, his hand moving to cover hers.

"It means I'll change that," he said, his tone steady, though the meaning behind his words remained unclear.

Valentina stared at him, unsure of what to say or how to feel.

She thought he must mean he would protect her, but something about the way he spoke carried a weight she couldn't quite grasp.

Raymond's hand remained over hers as he continued, his voice low and filled with conviction. "Everything you told your sister about me is real. I truly love you, Valentina. Not for anything else—but for you."

Upon hearing what Raymond just said.

Valentina's glowing blue eyes searched Raymond's, trying to make sense of the man before her. "I don't like people with beards," she said softly, her voice steady but tinged with hesitation. Her gaze dropped to the thick, unruly beard reaching his chest.

"And yours… it's too long." She glanced at his hair, which flowed down to his back.

"I don't like long hair either. Would you cut them for me?"

Immediately Raymond's lips twitched into a small smile.

"I'll let you cut them for me," he said, his voice warm and calm, as if he'd been waiting for her to ask.

Valentina blinked, caught off guard by his easy acceptance.

She took a deep breath, reaching into her pocket to pull out the folded check again.

Her hands trembled slightly as she showed it to him.

"This could help us," she said quietly. "We could rent a house, buy some food. It's not much, but it's something."

Her tone shifted, firm but earnest. "And you got one thing wrong about me, Raymond. I'm not physically weak. I can work. I can really work."

Raymond studied her for a moment, his expression softening.

"There won't be any need for that," he said simply, his words laced with quiet confidence.

However before she could ask what he meant, the taxi slowed to a stop. Valentina glanced out the window, her brows furrowing in confusion. They weren't at some shabby street corner or rundown neighborhood like she'd expected. Instead, they were in front of a sprawling mansion.

She stepped out of the car as Raymond opened the door for her, his hand extended to help her out. His parents had already exited the vehicle and stood calmly at the front, watching her reaction.

Valentina turned in place, taking in the sight of the massive house before her.

The sheer size of it made her heart race, and the perfectly manicured lawns and towering gates felt like something out of a dream.

At that moment she glanced at Raymond, her voice trembling slightly.

"What are we doing here? Do you… work here?"

Raymond's smile grew, his red-rimmed eyes gleaming with quiet pride.

"This is my place," he said simply.

Immediately her jaw dropped as she stared at him, struggling to process his words.

However before she could respond, the mansion doors swung open, and a stream of maids and guards emerged, each moving with practiced precision.

They carried baskets of flower petals, tossing them gracefully onto the ground.

The soft scent of roses filled the air as a red carpet was rolled out in an instant, stretching from the car to the grand entrance of the mansion.

Valentina stood frozen, her mind racing. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. This had to be a dream. Her glowing blue eyes darted to Raymond and his family, trying to make sense of it all.

This couldn't be real. It had to be a prank. But as she watched the maids and guards bow respectfully, their movements genuine and precise, then she knew it wasn't.

And yet, none of it made sense. Raymond and his family were supposed to be homeless or poor.

Raymond's father, Benjamin Malcolm, stood tall, his presence suddenly commanding as he spoke. "My son is a prince," he said, his tone calm yet firm.

"Did you really think we were homeless? We staged that to get you out of the Callum house. And, luckily, it worked."

At that moment Valentina's glowing blue eyes widened, disbelief flashing across her face.

"That can't be true," she said, her voice shaky.

Raymond's mother, Cecilia Malcolm, stepped forward, her expression softening as she gently took Valentina's hands.

"It's true," she said with a warm smile.

"We're rich."

However before Valentina could respond, Cecilia led her inside, her grip firm but reassuring. The moment they stepped into the mansion, Valentina froze, her eyes scanning the room.

The space was breathtaking. Golden accents adorned the walls, the furniture gleamed with intricate craftsmanship, and chandeliers sparkled like stars above. The air carried a faint scent of luxury, of something old and timeless.

Valentina blinked, overwhelmed by the richness of the room.

"The gold… it's beautiful," she murmured, her voice laced with awe.

"It looks so much richer in quality than anything I've ever seen before."

At that moment Cecilia opened her mouth to speak, ready to reveal that the gold was real, but Benjamin caught her eye and shook his head slightly.

His silent message was clear: Valentina can't take it all in at once. they need to ease her into this.

Cecilia hesitated, then smiled and said nothing, her grip on Valentina's hand tightening slightly in silent reassurance.

Then Valentina turned to them, still trying to process everything. "This… this has to belong to someone else," she said, her voice trembling. "Where did you get so much money? This place is bigger than the Callum residence!"

At that moment, Raymond entered the room, having finished unpacking Valentina's belongings. His parents stepped beside him, forming a united front.

"This house belongs to us," Raymond said, his tone casual but filled with certainty.

"I own a company—a family company. It's what provides for us."

Valentina's jaw dropped slightly as she stared at him.

"A company? What's the name?"

Raymond smiled faintly and told her. The name meant nothing to her—it wasn't something she'd ever heard before.

"I'll explain everything to you later," Raymond said, his voice softening. "For now, let's get you settled in first."

Cecilia smiled warmly, placing a hand on Valentina's shoulder. "Come with me," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "I want to show you our family history room."

At that moment Valentina's glowing blue eyes scanned the family tree mounted on the wall. Each branch detailed names, connections, and titles, all pointing to one undeniable truth—this house truly belonged to Raymond and his family. Her chest tightened, a mix of awe and disbelief washing over her.

"This… this is real," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Cecilia stood beside her, with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to worry, Valentina," she said softly. "You won't suffer a thing with us. We'll take care of you."

But Valentina couldn't shake the confusion clouding her mind. then she turned to Cecilia, her brow furrowed.

"Why?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why would you let Raymond marry someone like me, given my condition? I don't understand any of this."

Cecilia sighed, her expression warm but serious. She took a deep breath before answering. "Because Raymond truly loves you," she said, her words steady and deliberate. "And we support him in everything he does. That means we also like you, Valentina. You're part of our family now."

Valentina's heart ached at the sincerity in Cecilia's voice, but the sadness inside her only grew. She lowered her head, tears gathering in her eyes. When she had stepped into the car earlier, she had already felt unworthy of Raymond. But now, surrounded by the undeniable proof of his family's wealth and influence, the feeling intensified.

"I don't deserve him," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Seeing all of this, I know I don't deserve him at all. Why would a man like Raymond even marry me? He looks so… well off."

Cecilia immediately stepped closer, her tone soothing as she began to comfort Valentina.

"Don't think like that," she said gently, stroking Valentina's arm. "You're a special person, Valentina. You're more than enough. Don't let what others say or think get to you. We'll help you—we'll fix everything."

But the tears kept falling, and Valentina couldn't stop them. She felt overwhelmed, lost in a whirlwind of emotions. Her gaze wandered, desperate for something to anchor her, when her eyes landed on a table near the family tree. Something gleamed under the soft lighting.

At that moment she wiped her tears and stepped closer, her curiosity piqued. As she approached, she realized it was like a stone, embedded in the ornate table near the wall.

Its surface shimmered faintly, a deep, rich hue that seemed almost unreal.

Then Valentina pointed at it, her voice breaking through the silence. "Isn't this… gold?"