Chapter 1 Shall We Get Married?

Since her debut, Rebecca Smith had never encountered anything so bizarre. Today, she originally had other scheduled arrangements but was invited at the last minute to perform in the prison. Normally, men in prison who hadn't seen a woman for months or even years would go crazy upon seeing her. However, the result was very unexpected to Rebecca. At that moment, she was on the stage, singing diligently. In front of her, hundreds of prisoners were squatting by their chairs, with their backs to her, covering their ears, as if they dared not watch her performance or listen to her singing. However, among these hundreds of prisoners, there was a young man who stood out. He was wearing a prison uniform, crossing his legs, with a faint smile on his lips, watching her perform. The other prisoners were not wearing anything, but he was wearing heavy handcuffs. Rebecca took advantage of the pause after a song to stop and said to the prisoners, "Everyone can sit down and listen to me sing. If allowed, I can also sign autographs for you." However, no one moved. Rebecca repeated her words, but there was still no movement. "Beautiful lady, don't waste your effort. You're the woman I fancy. Anything that belongs to me is off-limits to others without my consent. Now, keep singing for me," the young man seated at the front remarked with a faint smile. "What?" Rebecca was momentarily stunned by the man's words. Her expression quickly shifted to irritation as she retorted, "You have no shame!" The man narrowed his eyes with a sly grin. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ethan Cole. I like you. So, what do you say? Shall we get married?" "Get married! Get married!" the prisoners chanted in unison, their synchronized voices booming as if they'd rehearsed it beforehand. Rebecca froze, still reeling from Ethan's audacious declaration. The deafening roar of the prisoners left her utterly stunned. Ethan raised his hands, signaling the crowd to quiet down. Then he turned his gaze back to Rebecca, his smile deepening. "My dear, it seems our marriage has overwhelming public support. How about we take some time to consummate our wedding tonight?" "Wedding night! Wedding night!" The prisoners erupted once again, their jeering voices echoing through the hall. "Y-You..." Rebecca stammered, her anger rendering her nearly speechless. Her fury boiled over, but before she could fully articulate her thoughts, her legs buckled. Her body gave way, and as she began to collapse, a figure appeared behind her, catching her just in time. ... In the medical room, Rebecca slowly opened her eyes, her vision adjusting to the sterile surroundings. A wry smile crossed her face as she lay on the bed. For years now, Rebecca had been battling a mysterious illness. She would faint without warning, and every time, it left her bedridden for days. Recently, the episodes had grown more frequent. At this rate, she knew she'd soon have to give up her beloved career in entertainment. "Oh, so your name is Rebecca Smith?" a familiar voice chimed in. Turning her head, Rebecca spotted Ethan seated beside her, flipping through a magazine featuring one of her interviews. She let out a silent scoff. He doesn't even know my name, yet he's proposing marriage? What a shameless rogue! Rebecca shot Ethan a withering glare, deciding he wasn't worth the effort of a response. Just then, a prison guard entered, addressing Ethan with surprising deference. "Ethan, it's time for you to return." Rebecca blinked in astonishment. The respectful tone the guard used for a prisoner was baffling. Ethan glanced at her, his expression tinged with mock disappointment. "My dear, I saved your life. If you don't wish to show gratitude, that's fine, but must you be so cold? It wounds me deeply." Rebecca huffed dismissively, unwilling to dignify his words. Saved my life? What a joke. All he did was catch me when I fainted. That's not lifesaving by any stretch. Show him gratitude? Come on. How shameless! As he exited, the door swung open again, and Rebecca's agent, Sarah Lawrence, rushed in. "Rebecca! I heard you fainted again. Are you alright?" Sarah asked, her voice laced with concern. "I'm fine, Sarah," Rebecca replied automatically. Seeing her agent, she instinctively sat up and climbed out of bed. "Y-You…" Sarah stammered, pointing at her in disbelief. "You're standing? Usually, it takes you days to recover after fainting!" Rebecca paused, realizing Sarah was right. This time felt different—there was no lingering fatigue. "You owe Ethan your thanks," the guard interjected, a note of admiration in his voice. "Thank him?" Rebecca's lips curled in disbelief. "Why would I do that?" "Because he cured your illness," the guard replied matter-of-factly. "He cured me? He knows how to treat illnesses?" Rebecca asked, her skepticism evident. "Of course. There's no illness Ethan can't heal," the guard said earnestly. "My mom's condition was cured by Ethan. He's a divine doctor." Rebecca's surprise deepened at the revelation. That man is a doctor? And a so-called divine doctor? She found it hard to reconcile the young, smug man she'd met with the image of a divine doctor. Most strikingly, both prisoners and guards treated him with an inexplicable reverence.