Chapter 3

People were coming and going at the restaurant entrance, but everyone stopped to watch us curiously.

Lucas pressed his face firmly against my leg. The warm sensation made me feel utterly disgusted.

"Honey! If you want to be mad at me, fine! But why are you telling others we don't know each other?"

Mrs. Hayes quickly joined in. She collapsed on the ground, helpless and devastated, slapping her own thighs:

"Oh heaven! What did I do to deserve this! Madison, have I wronged you somehow? Why would you do this?"

Choking up, she called out to the crowd, "Everyone, come look!"

"What daughter-in-law could be as selfish as mine?"

"Just because my son criticized her for spending recklessly, she not only denies knowing him but got his boss to fire him!"

As soon as she finished, the crowd didn't give me a chance to explain and immediately turned on me.

"That's disgusting! Making her husband lose his job over an argument? If that were my wife, I'd have beaten her to death!"

"This woman's face looks mean. She seems like a gold-digger!"

"Look at how she's dressed all fancy, and look at her husband wearing what looks like thrift store clothes. This woman doesn't know how good she has it!"

Filled with rage, I hurriedly explained to the crowd, "I don't even know this man!"

"Please help me call the police!"

I was sweating profusely in my panic. Some people in the crowd began to voice doubts.

"This woman doesn't seem to be faking it. Maybe we should call the police!"

"I think so too. Let the police handle this kind of thing!"

"Madison! Stop making a scene!"

Lucas looked at me with painful devotion, then pulled two marriage certificates from his pocket.

"She is my wife!"

"We have official marriage certificates!"

I stared at those two marriage certificates in shock, completely dumbfounded.

Worried the crowd wouldn't believe him, he even opened them up. "Look, these are us in the photos."

"This is fake! I don't even know him!"

"Madison! Even now, you still won't forgive my son?"

Mrs. Hayes's voice cracked with urgency. "Does Lucas have to die in front of you before you admit he's your husband?"

I was going insane. All I could do was silently pray that someone had successfully called the police earlier and that they'd arrive soon.

Lucas gripped my leg with one hand and my wrist with the other, pressing his entire body against me. In a voice only we could hear, he said, "Let me tell you, you can't escape today!"

"What you women care about most is reputation, right?"

"I'll ruin your reputation. Let's see if you'll submit to me then!"

I turned my head and met his venomous gaze.

In an instant, his eyes filled with tears. Before I could react, he frantically grabbed my hand and slapped himself with it.

"Honey! Hit me! Beat me to death!"

"As long as you'll forgive me, I'll do anything!"

Mrs. Hayes crawled over to my feet. "Madison! If you're still angry, hit me instead!"

"I'm old and useless, but I'm not confused!"

"My only wish is to see you and Lucas together!"

My voice trying to defend myself was quickly drowned out by the crowd's condemnation.

"This woman is truly despicable!"

"Right? Why doesn't this guy just leave her?"

"You don't understand. This is true love!"

More and more people gathered. All I could do was shout at the top of my lungs, "They're trying to kidnap me! Please help me call the police!"

"I really don't know him!"

From the crowd came a loud voice, "I can testify!"

"The woman in front of us..."

Looking at that familiar face, I felt incredibly excited, but the next second, I heard him say with a smile:

"Is definitely this man's wife! They're married!"