Chapter 4 Negotiating the Terms


    Chapter 4 Negotiating the Terms


    "Okay. I understand that you have conditions for our marriage." Curtis said this after exhaling a sigh


    of relief.


    Adeline froze for a moment, not expecting this big shot, who was known in Sawell for being cruel


    and intimidating, to be so kind.


    After taking a deep breath, Adeline exined, "I want a small house. It doesn''t have to berge,


    and even a modest apartment would work, but the property deed must include my name. I don''t


    want to live in your family''s house after the wedding because I only want to live in a small


    apartment. I want that apartment to be mine if we end up getting a divorce."


    She reasoned that she would have fewer worries about her future if she had a small apartment of


    her own.


    After hearing her mention divorce, Curtis felt as ufortable as he had been stung by a thorn.


    "What about the second condition?" he asked.


    "I don''t want to live in my family''s house anymore after we got married."


    She needed her own ce because she didn''t want to be too close to her family, but she didn''t tell


    him what she was thinking.


    Curtis eventually said softly, "Don''t worry. I may be disabled, but I still have enough money to buy


    you a house.


    He quickly nced at Steffen, saying, "Transfer the house at Bay Hall to Mrs. Riley now."


    "Got it," Steffen replied. He then began making phone calls to handle the matter.


    Adeline''s eyes widened briefly in surprise.


    She was familiar with Bay Hall because it was close to the school where she worked.


    The house was in the most prime location in the city. A small apartment would cost tens of millions


    of dors, and even buying a ce was extremely difficult. She couldn''t believe he would really give


    her that apartment for free.


    The car arrived at the Marriage Bureau while she was still dazed and confused.


    A man rushed up, out of breath, and handed Steffen a file as soon as Adeline stepped out of the


    car.


    "I got this done as fast as I could, Mr. Degen."


    Steffen browsed through the file before politely handing it to Adeline, saying, "Mrs. Riley, this is the


    property Curtis gave you. I''ve already gotten your ID card from your parents for you, and I''ll take


    care of the rest of the paperworkter."


    Adeline was too shocked to say anything and epted the property ownership certificate in a daze.


    Her heart had been restless for a few days, like a wandering soul, and it was only now that she felt


    completely rxed.


    She had never expected Logan''s uncle would make her feel safe, which was a rare feeling for her.


    Adeline felt conflicted and bittersweet, so she promised him, "I''ll be good to you from now on."


    "Okay." Curtis beamed a bright grin.


    Adeline wheeled Curtis to the Marriage Bureau in his wheelchair. Steffen led the way, and they were


    able to get a marriage license quickly.


    Adeline was too dizzy to notice that Curtis, usually a reserved man, cracked a rare smile of genuine


    happiness as they snapped pictures.


    She didn''t have time to look at the marriage certificate before Curtis took it away.


    "I''ll give Steffen the marriage certificate so he can handle the legalities of transferring house


    ownership. Let''s go back to your ce so you can get your stuff."


    Curtis appeared calm as he exined, but in fact, he thought, "I''m not giving you your marriage


    certificate because you won''t be able to divorce me in the future that way! There''s no way I''m


    divorcing you!"


    Adeline agreed with a nod and said, "Okay."


    Adeline agreed with a nod and said, "All right."


    Soon after, the car arrived at her house.


    Adeline didn''t ask Curtis to apany her to her door when she arrived. Instead, she only told him


    she''d be back soon.


    When Adeline entered the living room, her parents, Phillip Burton, and Edith Burton, were waiting


    for her on the couch.


    "Dad, Mom, I''m here to pack my things." Adeline turned around and headed for the stairs after she


    finished.


    "Stop!" Phillip shouted excitedly as he stood up.


    Adeline stopped. Edith rushed to her side and pped her across the face before realizing what


    was happening.


    The loud p resonated throughout the living room.


    Edith snarled, "Adeline, you''re such a bitch! How could you possibly have slept with Logan''s uncle?


    Shame on you! How could ire marry Logan after what happened?"


    When Adeline learned that her parents were most concerned with whether or not her sister ire


    Burton could marry Logan, she sneered.


    Her parents'' scheme was for her to lose her virginity so that her sister ire could marry Logan


    instead of her.


    Adeline was devastated at the moment, even though she already knew what her family was


    nning.


    The more she thought about it, the more enraged she became, and she couldn''t help but defend


    herself by shouting, "I didn''t sleep with Logan''s uncle by choice! I''m the victim."


    Edith shouted even louder, "What? What gives you the impression that you''re a victim? It takes two


    to tango! You moved to Logan''s house before you two got married! How do you expect others to


    respect you when you don''t even respect yourself?


    "But don''t you have any idea why I moved into his house?" Adeline looked at her mom tearfully, and


    her tone only grew harsher.


    She examined her mother''s face intently for any sign of remorse but was disappointed to see none.


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    She finally reached her breaking point after years of being humiliated by her parents.


    Edith''s rage grew as she saw her previously timid daughter change into a tough cookie. "Don''t you


    dare to look at me like that? Do you still believe you''re right? We still have to figure out how to make


    up for the fact that you hit Mr. Baker on the head."


    Edith raised her hand and tried to hit Adeline again.


    Adeline grabbed Edith''s wrist and said, "Mom, Curtis Riley is waiting for me outside right now! Are


    you sure you want to hit me? He''s sure to see it!"


    Edith had heard of how scary Curtis Riley was before, so she withdrew her hand reluctantly.


    Adeline climbed to the second floor and began packing her belongings without looking back.


    She didn''t own much stuff, let alone anything valuable. She only kept the certificates and


    documents she needed for her teaching career, leaving behind everything her sisters had given her


    because they didn''t like them.


    "My daughter is getting married, like many of my friends'' daughters, but she didn''t bring me


    anything!" Phillip shouted as she walked down the stairs.


    Curtis was wheeled in by Steffen in his wheelchair just as Phillip finished speaking, and his gaze


    turned cold when he noticed Adeline''s cheek was red and swollen.


    Adeline went entirely still.


    Steffen took a few quick steps forward and stepped in front of Curtis after noticing his fierce gaze.


    "Mr. Riley was worried that you couldn''t carry your luggage by yourself, so he wanted toe in


    and help," he exined right away.


    Adeline''s eyes were bloodshot, and her cheeks were swollen with pain. She was so embarrassed


    that she didn''t dare to look at Curtis, so she failed to notice the fierce expression on his face.


    She said as she dashed over to Curtis and grabbed his wheelchair with both hands, "I''ve got it.


    Come on, let''s get going.


    She was then about to push Curtis'' wheelchair away.


    "There''s no hurry." Curtis made a gesture to stop her. His slender fingers pushed his sses


    against his nose, reminding him he should pretend to be a gentleman.


    Adeline''s parents were creeped out by his "friendly" smile.


    Curtis managed to control his impulse to kill them. With a pat on Adeline''s back, he said, "Your dad


    does have a point. I should indeed bring some gifts for your parents. I''m sorry, I should have


    thought of that."


    "Curtis!" said Adeline anxiously, as she didn''t want Curtis to be exploited by her cruel family.


    Curtis reassured her by patting the back of her hand and saying, "I know what I should do."


    Curtis looked at Phillip and asked, "Dad, how much do you think I should pay you?"


    Phillip had just made a casual remark, as he didn''t really want to ask Curtis for money because he''d


    heard the man was notorious in Sawell for his cruel ways.


    Curtis had be disabled and thus ineligible to inherit the Riley Group, but he still had some


    power that he had umted previously.


    Phillip didn''t want to irritate Curtis, so he said awkwardly, "It''s up to you. You can pay me the same


    as most people pay their fathers-inw."


    After some consideration, Curtis nodded and said, "I already promised Adeline a house in Bay Hall


    this morning. I''m trying to think of something more."


    Vi Burton, who was yawning at the time, entered the room. She stared at him in surprise when


    she heard that.


    "A house in Bay Hall? That''s the most luxurious apartment in the city!"


    "Mommy, I want to live there!" Vi eximed as she grabbed Edith''s arm.