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Galaxy in the Book

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Galaxy in the Book

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Galaxy in the Book

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In a dimly lit room, the heavy breathing of a man and a woman filled the air, echoing back and forth. They were lying on a sofa, surrounded by scattered clothing.

In the same room, a woman with delicate features and stunning beauty lay still on the bed. Her complexion was pale, and an oxygen tube was attached to her nose. Although she appeared to be deeply asleep, the monitor beside her displayed a rapidly increasing heart rate.

This scene unfolded in the most prestigious private hospital room in Lumina City. The woman on the bed, Hailey York, was the sole heiress of a prominent and wealthy family in the city.

The couple on the sofa were her fiancé, Justin Whitworth, and her best friend, Anne Roberts.

Two weeks earlier, Hailey had been involved in a car accident that left her in a vegetative state. Justin had made a lifelong commitment to care for her. However, he was secretly having an affair with her best friend right in the hospital room, under the guise of looking after her!

So engrossed were the two on the sofa that they failed to notice the alarming readings on the heart monitor. After their rendezvous, the monitor's readings returned to normal.

After getting dressed, Anne lazily lit sat down by the hospital bed, wearing a smirk. "Hailey, what good does it do to be beautiful and wealthy? Your fiancé still desires me desperately. You're so conservative that you won't even allow him to touch you. Do you honestly believe that it makes you more valuable to him? What a joke."

Anne wore an expression of smug satisfaction. "I know you hate that smell. Well, I'm puffing right next to you now. What are you going to do about it?"

Justin embraced Anne from behind, his hands wandering over her body.

As his hands roamed, he didn't keep quiet either. "She's practically comatose now. Why even bother talking to her? Why not talk about your life with me instead, or perhaps something more... arousing."

"Oh, enough already, you insatiable man. Can't you ever be satisfied?" Anne cooed, wrapping her arm around Justin's neck as they entwined beside Hailey.

Justin kissed Anne's neck from behind and murmured indistinctly, "With you, how could I ever be satisfied…"

Anne, completely absorbed in the moment yet taking precautions, gently pushed the man standing behind her. "Please, be cautious. The nurse will be doing her rounds soon. If we are caught and our relationship is revealed, our entire plan will be utterly ruined."

Justin had always portrayed himself as a devoted lover. When Hailey fell into a coma, he insisted on proceeding with their wedding and vowed to care for her for the rest of his life.

Touched by his commitment, Hailey's parents decided to transfer all the assets they had gifted her to Justin after the wedding. These assets included a seaside villa, a limited-edition luxury car, a bank account with three hundred million, and thirty percent of the shares in the York Corporation.

The wedding was just three days away.

At such a crucial moment, Anne wouldn't tolerate any complications.

Justin solemnly proclaimed, "Just wait, our days of sneaking around will soon be over. After the wedding, we won't need to put on a show for anyone. Once the money and shares are in our hands, we'll get rid of this useless person and live our carefree, happy lives..."

"Honey, you're so good to me. I love you!" Anne said, holding onto Justin affectionately. The two were inseparable, lost in their own world.

They were so consumed by their excitement that they failed to notice the woman on the bed, her fists clenched tightly, her fingernails digging into her flesh!

Chapter 2

Late at night, since the York family was unlikely to visit, Justin and Anne no longer needed to pretend. They returned to their respective homes.

In the hospital room, Hailey opened her eyes. Her dark, black eyes shone like stars in the night, showing no signs of her previous vegetative state. She disconnected the tubes and monitors attached to her, jumped out of bed, changed out of her hospital gown into a black dress, put on sunglasses, and left the hospital. She took a taxi to Dreamwalk Bar.

Dreamwalk Bar, the largest bar in Lumina City, was where her cousin, Luna Blue, had arranged to meet her. Luna had initially become suspicious of Justin and Anne's relationship after seeing a video of Hailey's birthday party. She believed that Justin had ulterior motives towards Hailey.

At the time, Hailey, deeply in love, had refused to believe her cousin's accusations. So, they made a bet: they would see whether Justin would remain as devoted as he had promised if Hailey became comatose.

Human nature, it seemed, rarely withstood such tests. One test was enough to reveal a person's true character!

Hailey lost the bet and went to meet her cousin to admit her defeat.

Luna embraced her cousin Hailey, offering comfort. She waved her hand dramatically and reassured Hailey, "Don't let someone like Justin upset you. He's not worth it. Today, I'll find you the hottest guy to make up for it."

Leading Hailey into the VIP room, Luna instructed her to wait while she handpicked a handsome man to join them for drinks. Left alone, Hailey sat on the sofa, feeling restless.

She didn't want to stay. Despite Justin's betrayal, she didn't want to resort to such methods for revenge. There were plenty of ways to punish a scoundrel, and fooling around shouldn't be an option!

Deciding to leave, Hailey stood up and reached for the door. Just as she was about to leave, there was a loud bang as the door burst open. A stunningly handsome man walked in, truly exceptional in appearance. With sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, he had strong features. His eyes sparkled like stars in the sky, especially when they locked onto Hailey... He quickly closed the distance between them!

Hailey was in shock, thinking it was a shame for such a good-looking man to be a gigolo. But suddenly, he embraced her and kissed her!

Her mind went blank.

That was her first kiss!

"Let go of me..."

"Don't play hard to get with me!"

Hailey wanted to ask him what he meant. She wasn't playing hard to get. He had forcefully kissed her, and now he was acting like it was justified?

But the man didn't give her a chance to speak. His kiss was forceful and prolonged. It was so intense that it caught her off guard. Everything that should and shouldn't have happened, happened.

Much later, the man, satisfied, got off Hailey and began getting dressed calmly. She hastily dressed too, trying to cover the marks on her body, her mind still in shock.

What just happened?

Did she really just lose her first time in a haze?

Luna had mentioned finding an attractive guy for them to have a few drinks with, but she didn't mention this!

Hailey concluded that the man she had just been with was a bar call boy, commonly known as a gigolo.

The realization that she had lost her innocence to a gigolo made her want to cry.

In a matter of moments, the man was fully dressed and took out his wallet. Hailey finally understood what was happening — he was expecting payment!

Determined not to be looked down upon, Hailey swiftly took a handful of money from her pocket and placed it into the man's wallet. "Is this enough?" she asked.

The man was taken aback, surprised by Hailey's actions.

Hailey began to doubt if the amount was sufficient. Her gaze unintentionally fell upon the engagement ring gifted by Justin. Technically, Justin had given it to her, but in reality, she had paid for it herself.

Since she no longer wanted to marry him, she no longer had any need for the ring.

Hailey removed the ring and handed it over. "This ring cost over a hundred thousand when I purchased it. It should be enough."

The man was momentarily stunned, then accepted the ring as Hailey hastily made her way towards the exit.

Unbeknownst to her, four bodyguards had appeared at the entrance, but she was too preoccupied to notice them.

In the hallway, Luna was anxiously engaged in a heated discussion with the bar owner.

Spotting Hailey approaching, Luna quickly approached her. "Hailey, are you okay?"

"Let's go, we're never coming back here," Hailey declared, pulling her cousin along as they swiftly left.

Chapter 3

In the VIP room of the bar, a man gazed at the ring in his hand, his lips curving into a charming smile. This sight nearly caused the bar owner, George White, to drop his jaw in surprise.

Was Trevis laughing?

Seeing this man smile was a rare occurrence!

Trevis, a business prodigy, was the heir to the influential and mysterious Johnson family. The Johnsons were pillars of the business world, boasting assets and enterprises that spanned globally across various industries, many of which were leading companies.

Trevis was renowned and his reputation preceded him, but he was incredibly private. He never attended public events, and there were no online photos of him to be found.

His mysterious nature fueled numerous rumors, one of which suggested that he might be gay. Because almost thirty, he still didn't have a girlfriend.

And George, who just walked into the VIP room, had a devastatingly handsome face and was rumored to be Travis's lover.

Trevis didn't care about the rumors, but George was deeply concerned. These rumors were preventing him from attracting girls. In an effort to tackle this issue, George arranged to meet Trevis and had planned to introduce him to a stunningly beautiful and independent girl, hoping that this would put an end to the rumors.

When Trevis caught sight of his friend passing by, his smile disappeared. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

George, as relaxed as ever, plopped down next to Trevis, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. A cold look from Trevis was enough to make George hastily withdraw his arm. Grinning sheepishly, George said, "I've got good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"Tell me the bad news," Trevis replied.

"The bad news is that the woman I found for you was involved in a car accident on her way here. She won't be able to make it."

Trevis remained silent for a moment, then in a deep voice, he asked, "And the woman from earlier?"

"That was Hailey, the only daughter of the York family. She's getting married in three days."

Trevis frowned slightly. "And that's supposed to be the good news?"

"Yeah," George leaned in closer and whispered.

"Back off!" Trevis pushed him away, emitting a cold aura all around him.

He was a straight man who had been mistakenly rumored to be gay. If it weren't for the necessity of dispelling these unfounded rumors, he wouldn't have heedlessly followed George's suggestion to meet a woman.

Unfortunately, the woman whom George had arranged failed to appear. However, in a strange turn of events, another woman mistook him for a gigolo. The head of the Johnson family being mistaken for a gigolo—how could he even begin to explain that?

—

Three days later, at the Imperial Seven Stars Hotel, Hailey and Justin's wedding proceeded as planned. Justin, the groom, looked handsome in a tailored suit, while Hailey, wearing her wedding gown and elegant makeup, exuded stunning beauty, even with her eyes closed.

Seated in a wheelchair, Hailey was accompanied by Luna, who stood beside Justin and pushed her. Anne, serving as the maid of honor, stood on Justin's other side in her bridesmaid dress.

The ceremony commenced with a large screen displaying a video montage illustrating the couple's journey from their first meeting to falling in love. Initially, everything seemed normal, until the video suddenly switched to the inappropriate footage of Justin and Anne.

The audience was taken aback by the shocking images, and the dialogues intermixed with heavy breathing were even more scandalous:

Anne: "...I want to do it in your future home. It would be thrilling!"

Justin: "I'll fulfill your desires, baby. Once we have complete control over Hailey, you can do anything you want. You can spend her money, live in her house, sleep with her man..."

The guests in attendance were in an uproar.

Hailey's parents were filled with anger as they witnessed their beloved daughter being mistreated so disgracefully. They were determined not to let these two scoundrels get away with it. Hailey's mother stepped forward and, with a trembling voice, confronted Justin and Anne, and slapped them across their faces, "Do you have no conscience? Hailey trusted you both so much, and you do this in her hospital room?"

Seeing her son being slapped, Justin's mother immediately rushed to his defense. "Why are you hitting my son? Your daughter is a vegetable and unable to fulfill a man's needs. Why can't my son seek companionship elsewhere? Marrying your daughter was an act of charity, ensuring that she would have a place to be buried and a grave to get in. Men frequently engage in casual relationships with women. What is so shocking about that? Your daughter is in a vegetative state, but my son is alive and well. You can't expect him to remain a widower, tied to a lifeless wife..."

Justin's mother, with a face marked by coarse features and aggressive eyes, shocked everyone at the wedding with her brazen unreasonable behavior.

"You... you scoundrel..." Hailey's mother, always a lady, struggled to find the words as her anger shook her.

Hailey's father, his face pale and his body trembling, declared with uncertainty, "The wedding is cancelled. It's null and void."

"The wedding may be cancelled, but you still owe the full amount of the promised money as compensation for my son's emotional distress!" Justin's mother shamelessly demanded.

With a smug expression, she added, "No one would ever marry her except for my son."

Just then, Hailey, who had been sitting quietly in her wheelchair, suddenly opened her eyes.

Chapter 4

She stood up and declared in a clear voice, "The wedding between Justin and me is off. Whoever is willing to marry me today, I'll marry him."

"I'll marry you."

A man stepped out from the crowd, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, tall and handsome.

Hailey was stunned.

She recognized him as the man she met at the bar a few nights ago. She never expected him to attend the wedding, let alone volunteer to marry her at this moment!

In all honesty, she had only said that out of spite and didn't mean it.

But the atmosphere was so intense now that there was no turning back.

Her parents were relieved that their daughter was fine. They were overjoyed and immediately announced that the wedding would continue!

Justin's mother and Anne were kicked out.

The witness, who had performed many weddings and seen all kinds of things, had never encountered a groom being replaced on the spot.

Excited, the witness immediately announced the start of the wedding.

Everything was ready and simplified. They exchanged vows, put on the rings, and then kissed. The ceremony ended, and the reception began!

The wedding feast was lively, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

After the guests left, Hailey's parents insisted on taking her home. They couldn't bear to see their daughter leave one toxic relationship only to jump into a marriage with a man they knew nothing about.

They appreciated Trevis saving the day and preserving their family's honor, and they were willing to offer him money as a reward. However, they couldn't accept their daughter marrying a stranger.

Trevis turned to Hailey's father and asked, "Are you suggesting that we should annul the marriage?"

His deep eyes were unreadable, but the cold glint in them and the powerful aura he exuded made even Hailey's father, a man used to dealing with influential people, hesitate.

He couldn't bring himself to voice any objections.

Trevis furrowed his brows slightly and said to Hailey, "If you regret this, we can pretend it never happened."

Hailey replied firmly, "I don't regret it. Since we've already had the wedding, our marriage is valid."

Trevis's thin lips curled into a slight smile. "Alright, let's go home."

"Okay," Hailey agreed.

A Bugatti Veyron was parked in front of the hotel. Trevis walked over and opened the car door while Hailey stood still, her eyes wide with surprise.

She had attended supercar launch events before. Being rich is not enough to own a brandy car like this.

"Is this your car?"

He hesitated slightly before replying, "I borrowed it."

Hailey visibly relaxed. "Thank goodness, it's not stolen..."

Trevis was speechless.

She continued, "Don't borrow such expensive cars again. Too much vanity isn't good. I have a car you can use."

Trevis had never been pampered like this before. He felt weird but decided to go along with it and agreed, "Alright."

Hailey's father had prepared a seaside villa for their wedding home, but Trevis wasn't comfortable living in a house owned by a woman. He insisted that Hailey come home with him.

"Okay," she agreed.

Hailey had braced herself for a small, even shabby new home, but Trevis took her to his place in the city center, which was beyond her expectations.

The house was huge, spotless, and could be described in three words: high-end, grand, and classy.

In this prime location, the house was worth at least a million.

Hailey was puzzled. "You work at a bar and can afford a house like this?"

Chapter 5

Trevis explained, “The house belongs to a friend. He’s overseas, and I’m just taking care of the house for him.”

“Oh.”

Hailey put her doubts to rest, but a new awkwardness arose. Tonight was their wedding night, and sleeping arrangements were a problem.

Even though they had been intimate before, they didn’t know each other well, and Hailey found it hard to accept sharing a bed with a man who was almost a complete stranger.

Fortunately, Trevis had no intention of them sleeping in the same room.

He showed Hailey to a clean and tidy guest room. “You can stay here. I’ll be in the room next door.”

Hailey walked into the room and looked around. It had everything she needed. The bedroom had an en-suite bathroom with all the toiletries she needed.

She removed her elaborate wedding dress and stepped into the shower, relishing the hot water washing away her fatigue.

But when she came out wrapped in a towel, she ran into a problem.

She opened the closet, and it was completely empty.

Of course.

She had brought nothing, not even a nightgown.

How was she supposed to sleep tonight?

Hailey stood in front of the closet, feeling troubled, when Trevis suddenly walked in.

“What are you doing here?” Hailey squealed.

She crossed her arms over her body, trying to cover herself, but her nervous movements caused the towel to fall.

“Ahhh!”

She screamed louder, squatted down, and wrapped her arms around herself, muttering, “You can’t see me, you can’t see me…”

Trevis was silent.

His eyes never left her body.

“I can see you.”

His calm response made Hailey cringe with embarrassment.

“Don’t look!” Hailey glared at Trevis, her eyes wide, trying to appear fierce even though she looked like a frightened rabbit.

She threatened, “If you keep looking, I’ll poke your eyes out.”

Trevis tossed her a set of pyjamas without saying a word and left the room.

“Bang!”

The door slammed shut, and Hailey snapped back to reality.

The pyjamas were clean and had a faint floral smell, but they were too big. The shirt looked like a robe on her, so she didn’t need the pants.

Hailey took her veil, twisted it into a belt, and tied it around her waist, turning the oversized shirt into a makeshift nightgown. This way, she could walk around without worrying about accidentally exposing herself.

Still a bit shaken, Hailey felt thirsty. There was no water dispenser in the room, so she stepped out to find some water.

Trevis was sitting in the living room, drinking tea. He glanced at her and then looked again.

He usually wore dark colors like black and navy blue, and even his pyjamas were the same. Trevis had never expected those dark colors to look so different on Hailey.

The dark blue pyjamas made her skin appear even fairer, and the white veil belt accentuated her perfect figure, highlighting her curves and long legs…

Trevis felt a fire burning within him.

“Are you drinking tea alone?” Hailey licked her lips, her pink tongue showing.

Trevis’s mind was filled with vivid images from their sensuous night at the bar.

“Yeah.” He averted his gaze and poured her a cup, gesturing for her to join him.

“Thank you.”

Hailey sat across from him and drank the tea in one gulp. The tea was fragrant and sweet, very refreshing.

But one small cup wasn’t enough.

She looked at the glass pitcher next to the tea table. Though she felt it might be impolite, she asked, “Can I have a big glass of water?”

Trevis: ...

He grabbed a large cup and filled it with water, handing it to her. Hailey stood and leaned forward to take the cup, which inadvertently exposed her curve.

Realizing that, she quickly covered herself with her hands. Trevis thought she had the cup and let go, causing the water to spill all over him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to! Let me help you clean up…”

Hailey grabbed some tissues from the coffee table and started dabbing at the water, not paying attention to where she was wiping… When she finally noticed, her face turned bright red, and she stopped.

Chapter 6

“I’m going to bed,” she said, standing up and turning to run away.

But Trevis grabbed her arm. “Aren’t you going to drink your water?”

She was desperately thirsty, but shook her head. “No, I’m not thirsty anymore.”

Trevis didn’t let her get away. With a firm grip, he pulled her back and sat her on his lap. He poured another glass of water and help her drink.

Hailey took small sips until she finished the entire glass. Only then did Trevis let her go.

Hailey returned to her room, locked the door, and lay on the bed, but she couldn’t calm down.

Her heart was pounding hard.

She had never felt this way before. Was this the so-called spark of love?

Hailey shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought.

No, she told herself firmly.

Even though she was married to this man, it was only a temporary arrangement. She couldn’t actually be with a gigolo who worked in a nightclub.

Men like him knew how to please women, just like Justin…

She had been fooled once and couldn’t let it happen again.

---

In the next room, Trevis took a cold shower to calm himself down. Just as he stepped out, his phone rang. It was a video call from George.

After a brief hesitation, he accepted the call.

George’s face was full of curiosity and excitement. “Trevis, you got married? Just like that? Tell me what you were thinking at that time!”

“Nothing,” Trevis replied, his reply as short as ever.

George didn’t believe him. “You know the reporters took the photo of you showing up at the York family wedding today. If this gets on the news, imagine the consequences…”

Trevis frowned. He didn’t need to imagine, he knew it would cause big trouble.

The Johnson family had people who didn’t want him to marry and feared him having his own heir. Until those hidden dangers were eliminated, he couldn’t let them know about his marriage.

The fact that George had the time to video call meant he had already settled the reporters. He called merely to show off his skills while asking for his payment for his 'service’.

This was their usual way of interacting—clear-cut and transparent, no matter how close they were. Help was offered with a price tag, fair and square—a principle that had remained unchanged since childhood.

Sure enough, before Trevis could say anything, George proudly said, "I handled the reporters immediately. Made them sign confidentiality agreements. There were six reporters, each got 30,000. So, you owe me 1.8 million."

Trevis responded, "Do you think I can’t do math?"

George grumbled, "The extra is my service fee. If you check my rates, you’ll see I was actually giving you a special offer.”

Before he could finish, Trevis’s phone buzzed with a notification: 2 million deposited.

George beamed, “The great Trevis Johnson! Generous as usual! Hey, did you two not sleep together?"

"None of your business."

"I know it’s not my business, but I’m just concerned. The York family may be rich, but they’re no match for you. They’re suspicious of your motives for marrying their daughter. The Yorks are investigating you. If you don’t want your identity exposed, you need to act now. Want me to provide some fake info?"

"Yes."

Trevis ended the call. Everything important had been said, and continuing would just lead to gossip.

George was the best lawyer in Lumina City. He ran a top law firm and owned a bar on the side.

Moments later, George called again, but Trevis declined.

George texted: You must have fallen for her, right?

Trevis didn’t deny or confirm: Mind your own business.

George: Even if it’s none of my business, if your grandfather finds out, he’d be thrilled!

Trevis: Don’t tell my grandfather. He can’t know about this yet.

Old Mr. Johnson was eagerly looking forward to his favorite grandson, Trevis, getting married and having children as soon as possible!

To outsiders, the Johnson family appeared mysterious and low-key, but internally, it wasn't without its share of chaos. Trevis didn’t want Hailey involved in any of that mess.

She had indeed performed exceptionally well at the wedding today, but she might not have the means to survive in the chaos of the Johnson family.

George realized that Trevis wanted to protect Hailey.

George teased, “Oh, look at you, playing the knight. She must mean a lot to you. Was it love at first sight?”

Trevis replied, “Send some clothes and other items for her over tomorrow morning.”

George: “Alright! Wow, Trevis, you are thinking about someone else’s needs. You must be out of your mind! Our Trevis has fallen in love.”

Trevis promptly added George to the blacklist on his phone.

The next morning.

At dawn, George arrived wearing a floral shirt, white suit, and shiny red shoes, looking like a butterfly, and rang Trevis's doorbell.

"Ding dong!"

"Ding dong!"

"Ding dong..."

By the third ring, Trevis, wearing pyjamas and sporting noticeable dark circles under his eyes, opened the door.

“Pulled a all-nighter, huh?” George asked with a suggestive grin, his curiosity burning brightly.

"Get lost," Trevis snapped.

"Come on, spill the details. Don't be so stingy..."

Trevis took the bags from George and slammed the door shut.

That’s right, he was being stingy. Sort it out.

Chapter 7

“Did someone come by?” Hailey asked as she emerged from her room.

She noticed the bags in Trevis's hand. He handed them to her. “Your clothes. Go try them on.”

“You bought me clothes?” Hailey was delighted. She had been worried about what to wear out, and Trevis had solved the problem.

“Thank you, honey,” Hailey said naturally. When Trevis didn’t respond, she felt a bit awkward. Her face turned a cute shade of pink. She quickly took the clothes and hurried back to her room.

The bags contained everything she needed, from underwear to outerwear, all in her size. The thought made Hailey blush even more.

When she came out dressed, Trevis's eyes lit up.

She wore a white, waist-cinching dress that highlighted her perfect figure. It was tasteful, elegant yet lively.

The combination of purity and allure on her was striking, creating an indescribable charm.

Trevis felt a spark of arousal igniting inside him. He took a step forward, but Hailey stepped back and held up her phone. “My parents want us to come over for a meal. Can we go now?”

“Didn’t we agree to go back after three days?” Trevis asked, furrowing his brows slightly.

Hailey replied, “Yes, but my parents said they have something important to discuss with us today. Are you available?”

If he didn’t want to go, she would go by herself.

She understood that her parents were worried about her. Yesterday's wedding had been so dramatic that it felt like something out of a soap opera, and anyone would find it hard to accept.

Last night, Mr. and Mrs. York didn’t sleep at all. They were busy investigating their new son-in-law's background.

The investigation revealed that Trevis was an ordinary worker with no bad habits, no parents, and not even any friends.

He only had a grandfather, and the two of them depended on each other. His grandfather had raised him by collecting scrap.

Trevis’s background was exceptionally clean, almost like a blank sheet of paper. This reassured the Yorks somewhat.

However, the Yorks still want to observed him more. That’s why they called their daughter for a meal.

Trevis understood their intentions perfectly.

The information the Yorks had found was all prepared by George.

Knowing the Yorks wanted to get to know him better and understanding their concern for their daughter, Trevis agreed, “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

“Really? Thank you... uh, thank you!” Hailey wanted to call him “honey” but remembered last night’s awkwardness and changed her words at the last moment.

“Call me ‘honey,’” Trevis said, surprising even himself.

Why did he make such a strange request?

Growing up, terms like “honey” and “sweetheart” were absent from his household.

Everyone was always serious, addressing each others in formal way.

The word “honey” was foreign to him... but why did it feel so endearing?

Despite its unfamiliarity, he liked this term.

“Okay, honey. Let’s go now. Oh, you don’t know, my mom makes the BBQ ribs. They’re unbelievably delicious. I haven’t had them in two weeks, and I even dreamed about them last night. You’re going to love them!”

Hailey bounced over to Trevis, grabbing his arm and shaking it with excitement. She was eager to go home.

Trevis gently pulled his arm away and said, “Wait a moment. I need to get some gifts.”

As a new son-in-law visiting his in-laws for the first time, it was customary to bring gifts. Trevis didn’t want to be impolite.

“We can just get some fruit on the way.” Hailey suggested. She knew Trevis worked at a bar and probably didn’t earn much. She didn’t want him to spend too much money but also didn’t want to hurt his pride by saying so directly.

On their way, they passed a fruit store. Trevis asked Hailey to wait in the car while he went inside.

Unexpectedly, trouble came to Hailey.

Someone suddenly opened the driver’s door and got in.

It was Justin.

Chapter 8

"How dare you show your face here? Get out!" Hailey glared at him.

Justin wore a shameless smile as he grabbed Hailey's hand. "Hailey, I love you. It was Anne who seduced me. I only made a mistake that any man might make. I've already broken up with her. Let's start over and build a life together."

She quickly pulled her hand away in disgust.

"Who wants to start over with you? I already have a husband. Stop bothering me."

"You mean the guy who showed up at the wedding yesterday?"

Justin's teeth clenched with jealousy at the thought of Trevis. That man had appeared out of nowhere and gotten him thrown out of the wedding.

Justin didn't think he was wrong for cheating. He only hated that someone else had ruined his plans.

He persisted, "Hailey, I know you love me. You found another man just to make me jealous. Come on, stop acting like a child. You embarrassed me yesterday, but let's call it even and never mention it again, okay?

"Anne has already left Lumina City. She won't be part of our lives anymore. Let's start over..."

He thought he could brush off the incident with a few sweet words like he used to.

Justin had it all planned out in his mind, but Hailey had long seen through his unpleasant facade.

She sneered, "Start over? In your dreams! I'd rather marry a pig or a dog than marry you, Justin. Give up on that idea."

Hailey was usually gentle, but once she made up her mind, there was no turning back.

Seeing that reconciliation was hopeless, Justin immediately resorted to insults. "My mom was right, you're just a giglet. What kind of wedding swaps the groom at the last minute? You and that guy were surely engaging in an affair all along, causing me to lose my reputation and money... Hailey, you owe me compensation for the emotional distress you caused. I won't let the humiliation I suffered yesterday go unpunished!"

Hailey didn't waste words. She slapped him hard across the face. "Get out!"

Justin gritted his teeth. "If I can't have you, no one else will."

He suddenly grabbed her, pressing his foul-smelling mouth towards her face. Hailey struggled desperately, pushing and kicking.

But a woman's strength couldn't match a man's, and she was about to be forcibly kissed by Justin.

At that critical moment, a cold gust of wind swept in as the car door swung open. Justin was yanked out by the scruff of his neck and punched squarely in the face. Dazed, he saw stars and felt more rage than pain. "Get lost! This is between me and my wife. It's none of your business."

Trevis's sharp eyes narrowed as he stepped closer. "Who are you calling your wife, uh?"

His powerful presence and icy stare made Justin tremble with fear.

"You... you just wait, this isn't over!" Justin stammered before scrambling away.

Trevis watched him go, a flash of anger crossing his face before his expression returned to normal. He turned back to Hailey. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you!"

"I'm your husband. No need to thank me."

During the scuffle with Justin, Hailey's clothes had gotten wrinkled. Not wanting her parents to worry, she suggested going to the mall to get a new outfit. Trevis agreed and accompanied her, taking her to his favorite store.

Hailey gasped as they walked in.

This store was high-end, exclusive, and membership-based.

Hailey asked, "How do you have a membership to this store?"

Galaxy in the Book

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