Chapter 4

The first thing Dawson did after regaining his eyesight was, surprisingly, not rushing home to tell his family. Instead, according to local customs on the third day after marriage, they went directly to attend the homecoming banquet. On the way back, Dawson drove straight to the city's most upscale shopping mall. Not only did he buy a lot of new clothes, but he also hired a professional stylist for Lorraine. After the makeover, Lorraine stood in front of the full-length mirror, barely recognizing herself. "Mr. Mercer, are you satisfied?" The stylist asked with full confidence. Dawson sat with his legs crossed, leaning back on the sofa, a cigarette held between his fingers. Holding the cigarette between his lips, he gave his usual command, "Turn around." Lorraine slowly turned, lowering her head slightly in shyness. She had spent the first eighteen years of her life living deep in the mountains with her grandfather, rarely interacting with outsiders. Even after she was brought to the Gregory family four years ago, she lived a secluded life. The Gregory family had never valued her. Sienna would rather throw her old clothes into the trash than give them to Lorraine. And now, in an instant, the once-ignored girl had undergone a stunning transformation. Dawson, being a man of influence, had seen countless beautiful women. Yet even though this was expected, he couldn't help but be amazed. Although he had distanced himself from women over the years, he had met many. Still, this moment caught him off guard. The reason people thought Lorraine was not as beautiful as Sienna was that Sienna heavily relied on makeup and minor cosmetic procedures to enhance her features. Lorraine, however, had always appeared plain and bare-faced. But with just a little styling, her natural beauty was breathtaking. "Not bad. That's enough. Swipe the card." Dawson nodded in satisfaction at Lorraine's new look, then took out a black premium credit card from his wallet. Lorraine's long hair had been styled simply, with small intricate braids on both sides. Her dress, a deep red cocktail dress, fell just below her knees. The color exuded an elegant celebratory feel—perfect for the banquet. Lorraine, who had never worn jewelry before, now had a white pearl necklace adorning her neck and ears. On her ring finger, she still wore the wedding band from the day before. She didn't know much about jewelry, only that the bigger the diamond, the more expensive it was. Despite the wedding being simple, the Mercer family never compromised on quality. Under the light, her diamond ring sparkled brilliantly. When she lifted her gaze, her eyes locked with Dawson's. Startled, she quickly turned away, saying nothing. "I'm curious—did Caleb really never touch you in those four years?" Dawson's deep gaze fell on Lorraine, and it was unclear whether he was suspicious or just genuinely curious. Lorraine felt a wave of irritation, especially after she had just helped restore his eyesight. She turned to face him, gritting her teeth. "If he had, do you think you'd even have had a chance?" Dawson found her angry reaction amusing and let out a low chuckle. Now that he had regained his sight, his mood was excellent, so he decided to let her little outburst slide. At noon, at the Gregory's villa. When the Gregory family saw Dawson's restored eyesight, they were too shocked to speak. "Your... your eyes are healed?" Caleb was the first to break the silence, his voice filled with disbelief. Dawson scanned the room, taking in every priceless expression on Gregory family's faces. Then, deliberately, he took Lorraine's hand and placed it in his palm. "I must say, it's all thanks to Lorraine. She truly is my lucky star." "The moment she married me, my eyesight returned." Sienna's face turned dark. Although the Gregory family and the Mercer family were bound by an arranged marriage, she had always harbored expectations for Dawson. But Sienna had always expectation on Dawson after all he was the most eligible bachelor in Amber City—both in status and appearance. She had dreamed of being the first lady of a top family. But when Dawson had his accident, she had immediately abandoned him, certain that he would remain blind. On the same day as Dawson and Lorraine's wedding, Sienna had grandly married someone else. But now, only three days later, Dawson's sight was miraculously restored? How could Sienna handle this crushing blow? "Dawson, how did your eyes recover?" Sienna asked sweetly, deliberately using his first name to sound intimate. Dawson lowered his head and gently kissed Lorraine's hand, displaying his affection in front of the Gregory family—though, of course, it was just for show. Without hiding it, he showed his love for Lorraine in front of the Gregory family, but of course, it was just for show. Lorraine wasn't fooled, but she still blushed at his unexpected gesture. "I just slept, and this morning, I could see again," Dawson replied lazily. "That's... impossible," Caleb muttered, glancing between Dawson and Lorraine, his gaze lingering on her face for a long time before reluctantly looking away. When Lorraine had first arrived four years ago, Caleb had dismissed her as a nobody. He had never once looked at her properly. She had never even eaten meals with them. The Gregory siblings had spent their time partying and indulging in luxury. He didn't get up during the day and spent the night at the bar. Caleb often went on business trips because he worked with his father to manage the business. And the engagement that was promised before was never mentioned again. Because the people who originally arranged the engagement had already passed away, and this kind of folk tradition was not legally recognized. If it weren't for this moment, she would be sitting beside Dawson. Caleb couldn't believe it—was this really Lorraine? It was as if he was seeing her for the first time. Saying she had a new face might be an exaggeration, but she had never been this beautiful before. If he had known she would turn out this beautiful, how could he have been willing to let her go? He wouldn't have let her stay right under his nose for four years and still remain completely unharmed. For a moment, both siblings were filled with indescribable regret. And this was precisely what Dawson wanted to see. This was exactly the effect he had aimed for by coming today. "Let's eat first. We can talk while we eat." After the initial shock, John quickly tried to ease the atmosphere. During the meal, he kept serving dishes to Dawson and engaged in casual conversation. "Raine, serve your mother a pack of soup." Eleanor, who had always been calculating, found an excuse to send Lorraine away. She got up and carried the soup into the kitchen. Then, giving her daughter a meaningful look, Sienna immediately stepped forward and began showing concern for Dawson. "Dawson, do you still need to go to the hospital for a follow-up check-up?" "Even though you've recovered, you still need to be careful." "Speaking of which, on the day Dawson had his accident, Sienna cried so much she nearly fainted. Ah, fate truly plays tricks on us," Eleanor said, trying to smooth things over for her daughter. Dawson smirked. "Oh? And yet she still managed to get married to someone else so quickly?" "Dawson, I know I shouldn't bring this up, but I was also tricked by Peter Reed. That night at the singles party, he drugged my drink. I had no choice," Sienna said, her eyes brimming with tears. "And besides, the Gregory family owed a debt of gratitude to Lorraine's grandfather. My parents are honorable people—they always wanted to give the best to Lorraine. This was our way of repaying the favor." "How noble of your Gregory family," Dawson said with a smile. "A promise from the older generation is worth a thousand gold—we can't just forget it," John quickly explained, with a hint of guilt in his voice. "But from what I heard, wasn't the promise originally an engagement between Lorraine and Caleb? So, because Caleb didn't want her, you decided to pass her off to me instead? It seems like the Gregory family is using an outsider like me to repay a favor. What a brilliant strategy." Dawson's casual remark instantly made all four members of the Gregory family look extremely uncomfortable. He wasn't even trying to spare their dignity. Sienna immediately tried to slander Lorraine. "No, Dawson, it was Lorraine who made the request to our family. She was jealous when she found out about my engagement to you and always wanted to take the position of the 'first lady.' Plus, I was framed by Peter. In order not to embarrass the Mercer family, we made this decision. Dawson, if you don't want this, you can divorce her anytime and kick her out. After all, she..." "After all, she has no one to rely on, right?" Dawson said coldly, his eyes dark as he glanced at Sienna's face. At that moment, Lorraine returned, carrying a pack of soup. She placed it in front of Eleanor and said, "Eleanor, here is your soup." "Good, thank you, my good girl." Eleanor immediately became affectionate toward Lorraine. Caleb glanced at Lorraine, his mind calculating something. "Mr. Mercer, if you're not satisfied, you can return her. After all, we've taken care of her for four years. A few more years won't make a difference." "What are you saying? You expect me, Dawson, to send my wife back for you to 'take care of'? Wouldn't that be a joke to everyone? Besides, you were never really her family to begin with." "If the Gregory family hadn't taken her in back then, she would have ended up on the streets. How else would she have the luxurious life she enjoys now?" Caleb argued. "Right, your family took care of her for four years—but you never even bought her a phone, nor did you let her go to school." The Gregory family was stunned. They weren't sure if Lorraine had told Dawson these things herself. "Even if she had worked as a maid in your house for four years, you would have at least paid her, right?" Dawson said with a seemingly harmless smile, but his true thoughts were unreadable. "Lorraine, just tell the truth. It's okay," Caleb said, her gaze carrying a warning. "Raine, just be honest, it's fine." Eleanor stared at Lorraine with a warning in her eyes. "Yes, Raine, you must tell Mr. Mercer the truth. You can't lie." John was also feeling uneasy, afraid of offending the man in front of him. At that moment, everyone's eyes were on Lorraine. She turned her head and looked at Dawson beside her.