Chapter 3

“Caleb, you and Jenna are such a good match.”

The girl Mrs. Blackwood introduced to me.

“Yes, a handsome man and a beautiful woman.”

Ethan also chimed in.

They echoed each other.

His words were like steel needles piercing my heart and stomping it underfoot, and broken, unbearable pain swept over me.

Yet their gazes were all full of expectation.

My whole body stiffened, and my fingers could not help trembling.

“Let’s eat. You young people should spend more time together and go for a walk.”

Lily held Ethan’s hand and acted coquettishly.

The workload had increased recently.

The sounds around me became like surround sound.

Mrs. Blackwood put food into my bowl. “People have to get married and have children when they reach a certain age.

Getting married, having children, and continuing the bloodline seemed to be the ultimate goal of all humans.

When you reached a certain age, you had to complete the corresponding task, or you were a defective person.

...

When I was at the conversion center.

I had also stubbornly talked back.

“Do people really have to get married? There can be true love between people of the same sex too.”

Dr. Warren sneered.

“As a man, you should stand tall and upright. Liking the same sex is filthy by nature. Your blood and brain are hiding dirty things, so let me help you wash them clean.”

He made a treatment plan for me.

He locked me in a small room with only half a window for ventilation, and every day, they kept throwing feces and urine inside.

The walls of the once-white room were covered in stains, and flies flew everywhere.

I was locked up for a full week.

I collapsed on the floor, my clothes covered in stains, feces, and urine.

I was afraid of that kind of life.

I had never been trampled under someone’s feet and had my dignity crushed.

Only if I behaved well could I avoid being tortured.

I gave in.

“Mrs. Blackwood, you’re right.”

I could clearly see Mrs. Blackwood relax.

Yes, they all liked hearing me answer like this.

When we first met.

Jenna Lewis chattered and asked me many questions.

She also poured me several glasses of wine.

I lay dizzily on the sofa to rest, and my mind was still a little detached, but I could hear them chatting.

I listened to them laugh and gossip.

“Lily, that’s so nice. When are you holding the wedding? I’m so jealous you get to marry Mr. Blackwood, but I heard there’s a friend by his side who’s madly in love with him. Now you don’t only have to guard against women, but also men...”

The faint drunkenness vanished instantly.

I pressed my lips together and carefully eavesdropped.

Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but their conversation was open and bold.

“I also heard that Mr. Blackwood once fed him medicine, and he even wrote it in his diary! Now I really have to ask the person involved. What does it feel like when a man does that to you? Do your fingers go all tingly?”

Her voice was full of malicious amusement.

When I turned my head, I could see Lily propping up her arm and looking at me provocatively.

“It’s getting late. Go home.”

Ethan’s face was dark as he ordered Lily to see the guest out.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me upstairs.

We entered the study.