I woke up in the bedroom this time.

The temperature in the room was just right, but I still felt like I was burning all over.

Cindy was standing by the bed. She handed me hot water and fever medicine. "Take these."

I turned my face away and ignored her.

She forcibly turned my face back. "Still throwing a tantrum? Stop acting like a petulant child! You did something wrong, so you should be punished. If Duncan hadn't pleaded for you, you'd still be in the warm room!"

I looked straight into her eyes and asked, "Would you be happy if I died in there?"

My hoarse voice stunned Cindy, and she finally noticed how terrible I looked.

A brief flash of guilt and heartache crossed her eyes, as if she wasn't the cause of all this.

"You haven't written the apology letter yet, so don't threaten me with death."

She forcefully pried open my mouth and poured the medicine and water in together.

The pill got stuck in my throat, and I coughed violently, tearing open the surgical wound that hadn't healed yet.

Blood seeped out, and Cindy panicked a little for once.

"Are you okay?"

She bent down to pat my back.

At that moment, Duncan and Stanley walked into the room.

Seeing the state I was in, Stanley asked, "What's going on? Why is he bleeding?"

With Duncan present, Cindy's hand didn't land on my back after all.

"It's nothing. The wound just didn't heal properly."

Stanley immediately said, "In that case, I have good news. I bought a mountain villa for Jeremy, the one that he's always liked. The environment there is perfect for recuperating."

As he spoke, he looked at me meaningfully.

I knew this was his test for me, to see if I would really agree to Cindy bearing Duncan's child.

I wiped the water from the corner of my mouth. "Okay, I'll move there."

Stanley beamed with satisfaction. "Jeremy is so understanding. Cindy, you and Duncan should prepare for the surrogacy."

Cindy looked flustered. "Dad, what surrogacy? What are you talking about?!"

"It's Jeremy's idea. Your sister passed away young, so Duncan is all alone. You don't want him to be lonely for the rest of his life, right?"

Cindy's eyes widened in shock. She then glared at me angrily.

"You actually want me to bear Duncan's child? If this gets out, what will people think of Duncan? Do you have no morals?!"

Obviously, Duncan's reputation was very important to her. She did not want people to talk bad about Duncan behind his back.

Her reasoning was full of righteousness and morality, yet they were doing all sorts of morally corrupt things behind my back.

Even now, she still carried the fishy scent of after sex with Duncan.

I felt disgusted. I deliberately asked her, "Don't tell me you're unwilling to sleep with him?"

Cindy's words caught in her throat.

Of course she was willing.

She just couldn't bear to see Duncan suffer even the slightest criticism.

When she didn't answer for a long time, Duncan smiled bitterly.

"Cindy, I don't know how I offended Jeremy for him to humiliate me like this. People already look down on me because I married into the Johnson family and took on the Johnson family name. If I..."

Before he had even finished speaking, tears fell from his eyes.

Cindy hurriedly wiped them away for him while comforting him softly.

Stanley, frustrated, said, "The Johnson family line is about to end! Why are you hesitating?! Cindy, you said Jeremy can't have children, so have one with Duncan instead. Just tell people that it's Jeremy's child. No one would know."

I see. In order to appease my parents-in-law, Cindy even made up lies about me.

But it didn't matter anymore.

This marriage was already rotten to the core. I felt no desire to defend myself.

However, a hint of awkwardness flashed on Cindy's face. She then glared at me.

"You're so despicable, Jeremy! Is this how you're trying to force me to sleep with you? Your methods are as pathetic as ever."

I couldn't understand how requesting a normal marriage relationship was a despicable act.

Looking at her hand that was hooked on Duncan's arm, I propped myself up with difficulty.

"If you don't want to, pretend I never said anything."

Cindy pursed her lips and fell into a brief struggle.

After a moment, she grinned coldly.

"Okay, if that's what you want, I'll grant your wish. You better not regret it!"