Married a Secret Billionaire

Chapter 36

Marcus choked and pulled Cordelia into his arms. Her waist easily fitted in his hand, so he tilted her chin up with another hand.

As he looked into her eyes, they were clear like pools of spring. Her cherry lips parted slightly like a soundless temptation.

Marcus felt a ball of flame churning within him.

Cordelia avoided his heated gaze as she blushed and panted. She could feel his unusually warm chest, powerful heartbeats, and the oozing manliness… She felt like melting. Before his kiss came, she pushed him away lightly.

“Don’t.” She smiled embarrassedly. “I still have to cook.”

Marcus stopped, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.

“Tonight…” Cordelia’s voice was soft and weak. It was a challenge for her to utter that one word as she blushed bright red.

“Don’t sleep on the couch tonight. It’s uncomfortable. Sleep in the room.”

Marcus paused in a daze. This was probably the bravest thing she could say. He held back a chuckle and ran his thumb over her red ear, replying hoarsely, “Okay.”

Marcus entered the bathroom right after dinner. He usually took only ten minutes to take a shower, but he had spent nearly an hour this time.

Cordelia had already cut up some fruits and watched television but still did not see the man coming up. There was only the occasional sound of water running.

Her face heated up, and she went to change into her pajamas. As she sat by the bed anxiously, she had no idea where to place her hands.

What was he going to do to her later? He was tall and muscular, so he must be stronger than the average…

Cordelia giggled but hung her head in shame when she felt that her thoughts were too embarrassing.

It was then the running water in the bathroom stopped. She jolted and clutched the edge of her pajamas.

Marcus’ footsteps could be heard coming closer.

Cordelia’s heart thumped with intertwined feet as she was both nervous and anticipating.

She had only read what wedding nights were like in novels in the past. She used to look forward to these pleasant scenes when she was younger and to fantasize about marrying the person she loved and having an unforgettable night.

Although this was no longer her wedding night, it would be her first time with Marcus.

Cordelia could not help herself as a blissful smile stretched the corners of her lips. She hoped that everything would be like what the novels said and she could reminisce about it for life.

In spite of it, an urgent knock rang at the door.

Cordelia was surprised, even more so when she opened the door. Carter stood outside with a busted face and looked horrible, crying the moment he saw her.

“What happened?” Cordelia pulled him into the house. “Did you get into a fight?”

“Cordelia…” Carter looked at her with reddened eyes and kept sobbing, unable to speak a full sentence.

Cordelia was anxious, forgetting all about Marcus. It was until the latter coughed that she snapped back to reality and slowly turned around to see a confused frowning face. Her heart skipped a beat.

She was currently Yelena, and the latter had no younger brother…

“T-this is my younger cousin.” She forced a smile and discreetly gave Carter a look.

Carter jolted and immediately understood what his sister meant after a glance at Marcus. This man in front of them was the man his sister married in place of Yelena, so the man still did not know his identity. He must not ruin it for his sister.

“Carter.” Cordelia said softly, “Greet your cousin-in-law!” Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Carter greeted Marcus obediently and hid behind Cordelia right away. He looked at the man timidly, getting an inexplicable commanding presence from the latter. Did his sister not feel pressured while living with someone like this every day?

Marcus nodded and retrieved the first aid kit without a word. He made Carter sit on the couch and patched him up.

Carter was quite seriously injured. His forehead was bruised and swollen, and there was a large patch of skin scraped off his leg. His wound was sticking to his pants, and any movement caused him great agony.

Even when Marcus was being gentle, Carter was still pale and sweating from the pain.

“What happened? Who beat you up?” Cordelia cried, “Who did you offend?”

Carter kept his lips pursed without a word. It only distressed Cordelia even more, and she kept asking, but Carter said nothing, no matter how she interrogated him.

Marcus patted her shoulder with a look that asked her to relax before he helped Carter to the balcony. Cordelia watched the two of them close the door, and before long, Carter seemed to be talking to Marcus while wiping his tears.

When Marcus stepped out, Cordelia hurried to him and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“He’s being bullied at school.” Marcus’ expression was cold, with a hint of rage between his brows.

Cordelia felt her heart clench in pain, and the impulse to cry rushed up again.

“It’s a few seniors who think your cousin’s an easy target and encircle him before and after school to ask for money from him. If he doesn’t have any, he’ll get beaten up.” Marcus bit his lips. “They didn’t get any money from him just now, so they slammed his head against the wall, yanking his hair. That’s why the wound on his forehead is quite bad.”

Cordelia sucked in a cold breath. She wanted to check her brother out on the balcony but was stopped by Marcus.

“Don’t go yet,” he whispered in her ear. “Boys this age are prideful. He won’t want you to see him like this. Wait for him to calm down first.”

“Mm.” Cordelia nodded but was suddenly puzzled. Her own brother refused to tell her that he was bullied but was willing to tell his brother-in-law, whom he had only met?

Marcus seemed to read her mind and smiled. “There are things that only men would tell men.”

Cordelia shook her head. “He’s only 16. What kind of a man is that!?”

“Don’t underestimate him.” Marcus chuckled. “When I was 16, I had already—”

He swallowed his words back halfway through his sentence.

Cordelia looked up at him. “Already what?”