Chapter 84

"What else can it be? The two fools wouldn't come up with such an idea of burying one in the mountain?" "You're right. Your grandfather bought this mountain secretly, and you didn't notice it till the recent inventory of your property. The old lady should know nothing about it." I almost fell asleep. Carroll felt my forehead with one hand. "It's not hot. She did well this time!" "Huh? What well?" I asked in a daze. Carroll tapped my head. "You don't have a fever!" "Do I often have a fever?" Playing with my hair, Carroll said with a faint smile, "Use your brain!" "You're right!" Instantly, I felt proud of myself. I poked Carroll's Adam Apple with my fair finger and said, "Look, I am strong now. I didn't waste your food." Carroll grabbed my finger. "What did you say to the old lady?" I thought for a moment. "I didn't grow up in the Smith family." "What else?" Carroll asked. "Laura brought me up." "Not this one," Carroll denied. "What is it then?" I was stunned. Then, Carroll kissed me.  He said, "You said that you would have a bunch of children." "Woo!" Carroll kissed my lips and then stuck his tongue down my throat.  There came a smell of plum because I had secretly changed Carroll's toothpaste. I felt dizzy, and my body gradually became numb.  All of a sudden, I felt something on my back. I pushed the passionate Carroll away and asked, "Did you change your phone case?" "What?" His thumb slid past the corner of his mouth. "It hurt my back!" I sat up with dissatisfaction. "Kelly, do you know that your behavior is no different from playing with fire?" Sullen, Carroll shot a glare at Jason, who was holding back his laughter, through the rearview mirror. "So is there a lighter behind my back?" Blinking, I asked curiously. "We're home!" The car stopped at the parking lot of Bamboo Pavilion, and I got off the car, embarrassed. Carroll pushed me into the bathroom. "You're dirty. Take a bath." "Can't I eat first?" My stomach rumbled, and I looked dejected after the shock.  I felt a bit down.  "Take a shower first! There are bacteria!" Speaking, Carroll had filled the bathtub with warm water. Then, he beckoned to me. "Take your clothes off, or I will help you." "I can do it myself." I knew that Carroll was as good as his word, so I pushed him out of the bathroom in a flurry. The warm water ran down my body and took the coldness from the mountain away. I felt much better. During the bath, I found a lot of wounds on my body. On my legs, there were more than a dozen scratches.  They must be left by the tree branches.  When the water rolled over the wounds, I felt pain.  However... I didn't bring pajamas into the bathroom.  Wrapped in a bath towel, I poked my head out of the bathroom and saw Carroll sitting leisurely in the armchair. "Hey, Mr. Carroll, could you please bring me pajamas?" Carroll got up, took the crocodile pajamas he hated, and came over. "Ready for you." When I touched my pajamas, Carroll pulled me out of the bathroom. I covered my chest subconsciously. "What are you doing?" "The football team!" Carroll looked at me playfully as he did a panic-stricken prey. "Pervert!" I glared at Carroll, snatched the pajamas, and went back into the bathroom. With the pajamas on, I patted my scarlet cheeks in front of the mirror. What was wrong with me? Why did I mention a football team? I was not an old sow. How could I give birth to so many children! How embarrassing! When I walked out of the bathroom again, the bedroom was empty. Carroll must have gone to the study. I went to the dining room after a long sigh.  Rose prepared a lot of delicious dishes, and the lobster thermidor made me drool. I thanked Rose sincerely. I soon leaned on the chair with satisfaction after eating my fill. Rose handed me an envelope, not sealed. I opened it and found a postcard inside. The photo on the postcard was a mountain of Phoenix Village with the milky way in the sky, full of stars. How beautiful! I hadn't seen such a beautiful night for a long time. Costsley at night was brightly lit, but there were no stars. I rubbed the postcard and then carefully turned it over.  There was a line, "Spring is over, so enjoy the summer and your youth." Yes, spring was over.  Were you home? I put down the postcard, looked out of the window, and was lost in thought.  After a long while, I put the postcard into my broken suitcase. Right then, Carroll came out of the study. As I was still up, Carroll lectured me. "Do you think that you are old enough to stay up?" "I'm full, so some exercise will help!" Speaking, I pretended to run. Before I ran away, Carroll pulled me onto the bed. "Doctors said that you had malnutrition and severe anemia. Sleep now." "Now! Now!" I hid beneath the quilt and complained in a low voice, "I'm almost 20 years old, but there are so many rules. So unfair!" "I want freedom. I spend my night reading novels..." Suddenly, Carroll leaned over and pinned me on the bed. With his eyes fixed on me, he said defiantly, "Are you suggesting that you can fulfill your duty as a wife?" Scared, I covered the part of my face beneath my eyes with the quilt. "No. No. Legally, we aren't husband and wife yet." Carroll pulled my quilt away and lifted my chin. "I can make our marriage legal at any moment." "Yes, yes, yes. You are Mr. Carroll, the boss of the Brown Group. You can do whatever you want. Women like Euna are anxious to take my place, so I should know my place, shouldn't I?" I pulled the quilt desperately while finding some good excuses in my opinion. "Isn't you my pet?" "Yes. Yes." I quickly nodded. "You're my cat. Don't think of leaving me for other men." Carroll let go of me and got off the bed. "Other men?" I asked with confusion. "Jacques, that military officer..."