She lay unconscious in the bathroom all night, with no one checking on her, leaving her to sleep on the cold floor until morning. It was Reid who had caused her to hit her head, and he had watched her faint with his own eyes. What kind of man could be so heartless as to abandon her there without a word of concern?

After Giselle woke up, her eyes searched the room. She crawled up and left the bathroom for the bedroom, but Reid was nowhere to be found. There were no traces of anyone having been on the bed. Giselle's gaze landed on the alarm clock; it was nearly eleven o'clock.

She had been unconscious for a very long time. Opening the wardrobe in the room, she chose a simple set of loungewear, changed, and headed downstairs. The house was designed with European architecture, featuring a spiral staircase and a quartz clock hanging on the wall.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Giselle saw her mother-in-law staring intently at that quartz clock, her expression incredibly cold.

Apprehensively, she stepped forward to greet her. "Mother."

"My, do you still know how to get out of bed. Look at what time it is." Mrs. Theophilus paused to pick up her coffee cup, lightly sipping as she let out a cold laugh. "You aren't exactly a pampered young miss of the Yashashree family anymore. Entering this house certainly seems to have made you quite comfortable and idle."

Her words were harsh. It was a far cry from before the wedding, when Mrs. Theophilus hadn't treated her this way and had even taken her to pick out jewelry. Giselle knew she shouldn't have woken up so late on her first day of marriage, but she had her reasons.

Seeing that Mrs. Theophilus was still resentful, she prepared to explain, but the older woman gave her no such chance.

Mrs. Theophilus spared her a cold glance. "This is my fault for choosing you to enter this family. Before you arrived, I didn't explain the rules of the Theophilus household. I saw that you were filial and obedient, which is why I chose you as a daughter-in-law."

"Reid is your husband, and your duty is to take meticulous care of him. From now on, you must adjust your schedule. You are to wake up half an hour earlier than Reid."

Mrs. Theophilus went through the household regulations one by one for Giselle. Beyond caring for Reid, she had to serve tea to her parents-in-law every morning. Giselle had known a little about general household expectations, but the rules here were excessively strict. They forbade her from leaving the house and even prohibited her from speaking to any man other than her husband.

By the time the lecture concluded, it was already time for lunch, and the wound on her forehead remained untreated.

At the dining table sat the second master of the Theophilus family and Flynn. Reid was not present. Seeing her look of confusion, Mrs. Theophilus explained that Reid usually ate in his room. Giselle poked at the rice in her bowl, keeping her head bowed low.

"I hope you remember clearly that you are Reid's wife, not a servant. I have you looking after him, but if that is all you do, how are you any different from the hired help?" After making her point, Mrs. Theophilus returned to her meal.

Giselle understood the underlying meaning. Reid typically stayed in the inner study of their wedding suite. After finishing her lunch, Mrs. Theophilus urged her upstairs to attend to him.

Giselle opened the door to find a study where Reid sat in his wheelchair with a book resting on his lap. The curtains were drawn shut, making the room as dark as night. Giselle set down a fruit platter. "Would you like some fruit?"

The memory of the previous night was still fresh, so she remained cautious and kept her distance while facing him.

Reid looked up at her. "Bring it here."

Compelled to comply, Giselle hesitantly picked up the platter and walked toward him. Reid was slow to take it, his gaze lingering on her forehead. In the gloom, that stare was impossible to ignore. She reached up to touch the injured spot and spoke softly. "Yesterday you used too much force, so..."

There was no resentment in her voice; she was simply explaining why she was bruised.

"So what?" He spoke without a trace of warmth.

When she saw him looking at her injury, she had briefly thought he might possess a shred of concern for others. Hearing his tone now, she realized she had been overthinking.

"It's nothing." The atmosphere grew awkward. Giselle set the fruit down and tried to change the subject. "The weather is lovely today. Shall I wheel you outside to get some sun?"

As her hand reached for his wheelchair, he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her forward, his hand clamping around her neck. The sensation of pain and the lack of oxygen turned Giselle's face pale. She reached out to pry his hand away, but both of her hands were not as strong as his single grip.

Reid hissed through gritted teeth, "Who gave you the audacity?"

She couldn't understand why he was so angry. She was only trying to play the part of a good wife by caring for him.

It was only when she could no longer breathe that the hand squeezing her throat finally let go. Giselle felt as though she had died and come back to life. Her entire body went limp, and she slumped to the floor. The suffocating pain left the corners of her eyes stinging with bitterness.

"Get out now." Reid sat in his wheelchair, speaking through suppressed rage.

His voice sounded as if it came from hell, sending a chill down her spine. She was still gasping for long breaths, trying to stand up quickly, but her body lacked the strength to support her and flee. A man with such an unpredictable temperament was like a bomb that could explode at any moment. In his fits of rage, he could kill her anytime. Once she managed to steady herself and stand, she immediately hurried out of the study.

Flynn seemed to have been standing outside the door for a long time. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, fixed on her. "My mother truly chose the wrong person. You should prepare yourself to be kicked out of here. The Theophilus Group has already sent a sum of money to the Yashashree Group. Since you married into the Theophilus family, your job is to be a servant. The money you receive is more than what they get."

His voice was incredibly cold, reflecting his deep dissatisfaction with her.

Giselle glared at him. Having just escaped a brush with death, her heart overflowed with a mix of grief and anger. "How can you speak so harshly. I sincerely wanted to marry into the Theophilus family and be a good daughter-in-law. Your family committed marriage fraud from the very beginning. I haven't complained at all, so why are you all so strict with me?" She had never once grumbled. Even if she had to marry a disabled man, she did not look down on him.

"Harsh. If you wanted that much money, you should have expected to pay this kind of price. If it weren't for the greed of your Yashashree family, wanting to marry you off to a wealthy house and extract money from the Theophilus family, how could we have let you in? Putting makeup on this ugly face... don't you know it makes people feel disgusted." Flynn curled his lips into a mocking smile and walked away immediately after speaking.

Giselle bit her teeth hard, her blurred vision following him as he left. Was there any parent who didn't want their daughter to marry into a good family with a good husband? They were just ordinary people; was it necessary to speak so poorly of her parents? Ever since Mrs. Theophilus took an interest in her, her mother had been so happy, saying she hadn't let her father down. The proposal to marry into the Theophilus family was made by them, and the money was offered by them voluntarily. In the end, what did she do wrong? On what basis could he call the Yashashree family excessive? On what basis?

After returning to the room, Giselle glanced around. She hadn't brought much with her, so leaving would be easy and without any trouble. However, before departing, she had to call her mother to let her know.

Once the call connected, the sound of a woman's light laughter came from the other end. "Giselle, are you listening to your mother-in-law at the Theophilus house. The Theophilus family is a prestigious clan, so don't just do whatever you like. Do you know how many people admire you for marrying into that house? Not to mention the second master of the Theophilus family, who is handsome, elegant, and the future heir. Marrying into that family means you have endless blessings to enjoy."

Giselle hesitated for a long while before speaking. "Mom."

The other end was still filled with joy, seemingly not hearing her tone. "Today, the Theophilus family transferred the money to the Yashashree family. Your Uncle Yashashree has always treated us well. I am truly happy that you could marry into the Theophilus family and help him."

It was true; Uncle Yashashree had been very good to them. She wanted to reassure her mother and repay Uncle Yashashree for his years of care.

"Giselle, what did you want to say just now?" Mother Yashashree suddenly asked.

Giselle forced herself to sound cheerful. "It's nothing, I just missed you. Moving to a new place so suddenly, I'm just a bit unaccustomed to it."

"It will get better in a few days. If you are truly uncomfortable, you can discuss it with Flynn and stay at your mother's house for a day or two."

She hurriedly declined. "There is no need, Mother. Flynn has been very busy lately."

After finishing the call with her mother, Giselle composed herself and went to find a first aid kit to treat the wound on her forehead. As she stepped out of her room, Mrs. Theophilus suddenly appeared before her with a cold expression. "Did I ask you to care for Reid just so you could sleep in your room?"

"Mother, I wasn't sleeping," she explained softly.

"Tell me truthfully, did you make Reid angry?"

Giselle nodded. "Yes."

"You should understand your status. Even if you were Caradoc Yashashree's biological daughter, you still wouldn't be a match for Reid. Do you despise his legs? Do you think the Theophilus family tricked you into this marriage, forcing you to live like a widow?"

Facing the aggressive questioning from Mrs. Theophilus, Giselle stood tall and said, "I do not. I don't despise Reid at all. I sincerely wanted to marry into the Theophilus family, and I want to care for Reid. Thank you, Mother, for choosing me to marry into this house and for considering my family's dignity by letting everyone think it was the younger brother who wanted to marry me. Thank you for extending a helping hand to the Yashashree family."

Knowing how to show gratitude and being intelligent and kind were the traits Mrs. Theophilus liked about her. Hearing Giselle's words, the anger on Mrs. Theophilus's face softened significantly.

"Go, pour a glass of water and take it to Reid."

Giselle nodded and replied, "Yes, Mother."

From this moment on, she made up her mind to stay with the Theophilus family. She could not make things difficult for her mother and felt a duty to repay the Yashashree family. If she wanted to take good care of Reid, she first had to understand his temperament, grasp his thoughts, and avoid offending him. Giselle carried the freshly poured glass of warm water into the study.

"Mother asked me to bring you some water." Her voice was very soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing his reading.

She remembered clearly the two times Reid had lost his temper: once regarding the crutch and once regarding the light. Reid had overheard her conversation with Mrs. Theophilus earlier. Regardless of whether she was playing tricks to please his mother, she had indeed said she did not despise him.

Taking the glass of water from her, Reid narrowed his eyes at her. "What is your name?"

Reid didn't even know his own wife's name. Giselle was slightly startled. She had thought she was the only one who didn't know she was supposed to marry Reid.

"Giselle Yashashree. Giselle means pure and full of life, while Yashashree stands for prosperity and luck." These words were a repetition of how her mother had explained the meaning of her name.

Her voice was very gentle, and it sounded pleasant to Reid's ears. He listened carefully to her explanation and looked at her, realizing she truly suited the name. Reid took a sip of the water, frowned, and said, "The water is too hot."

She had poured the water herself and checked it. It was just the right temperature. She knit her brows and reached out to touch the rim of the glass, finding it wasn't hot at all. "The water isn't hot."

For years, no one had dared to act so casually in front of him. Reid looked at her coldly, frowning. "Pour another glass."

Seeing him like this, Giselle felt some hesitation. He was too quick to anger, and she shouldn't go against his wishes, yet she still said softly, "The temperature of this water is just right. It's very good for your health."

Reid clearly saw the fear on her face. If she was so afraid of him, why did she still want to defy him?

Giselle held her breath, bracing herself for his anger, but after a long moment, he said nothing and simply finished the glass of water in his hand.

After he finished, Giselle hurried to take the glass from him. "I feel the study is a bit cold. What do you think?" she asked cautiously, wanting to adjust the room temperature.

Reid said nothing but picked up the air conditioner remote to increase the temperature. He said, "From now on, when you are in the same room as me, wear more clothes."

Giselle understood that he wasn't showing concern for her; he simply didn't like a warm environment.

"What would you like to eat for dinner?" Giselle asked.

"Whatever."

"Can I eat dinner with you?"

"Mhm."

The conversation wasn't particularly long, but it wasn't bad either. At the very least, she hadn't said anything to offend him. She silently reflected on her recent words, though she couldn't remember everything clearly. To ensure the Theophilus family didn't reject her, she only needed to focus on Reid. If Reid was dissatisfied, it wouldn't matter who else she tried to please.

With about two hours left before dinner, she wanted to ask the servants about Reid's daily routine and rest schedule. Reid was busy reading, and she didn't dare start a conversation in front of him, so she intended to speak less and do more.

In the kitchen, the staff had begun preparing food. Giselle looked over the ingredients and selected some. Back when she was a student, she had trained as a nurse, so she knew a bit about medicinal cuisine and food therapy. Since the soup required more time, she started on it while the other dishes were being finished.

She learned from the servants that Reid preferred light flavors. She, on the other hand, loved spicy food to the point where a meal didn't feel satisfying or delicious without it. Since she had suggested eating with Reid, the dishes were prepared according to his palate. She had no choice but to prepare a side of chili sauce to dip her food in later.

While the servants were cooking, Giselle called over her sister Skye. Within the Theophilus household, most people gave her no reaction when she asked about Reid. Only the older sister, Skye, was willing to answer her questions. From her, Giselle learned a few things about Reid. They weren't major secrets, but they were enough to help her avoid provoking him.

Seeing Giselle preparing the food, sister Skye showed a smile. "I didn't expect the young mistress to know how to cook. Not many girls know their way around a kitchen these days, especially those born into good families who usually keep their hands away from chores to preserve their manicures."

Giselle smiled at her sister Skye's comment. When it was time to bring the food to the table, Giselle went to inform Mrs. Theophilus that she would be dining with Reid today. Mrs. Theophilus's expression softened considerably. Although she had handpicked a young wife for her son, she was glad she hadn't chosen the wrong person.

In the study, the book remained on Reid's lap. Giselle saw the open pages but couldn't see the page numbers or even the title. Living with him meant she had to adapt to this kind of dim lighting.

Upon entering, Giselle placed the food on the table. "Time to eat."

Reid could see clearly that the dishes on the table were all things he liked. He maneuvered his wheelchair toward the table. Giselle took out a damp towel. "Wash your hands before eating."

During her nursing training, she had completed an internship, so she had some experience. Her care for Reid was perfect. Reid narrowed his eyes slightly, took the towel, and, after wiping his hands, began to eat.

The food was delicious, but the flavor was different from what sister Skye usually prepared. There was a hint of fennel in the dish. After chewing and swallowing a small piece, he stopped.

"Is it not to your liking?" Seeing him stop, Giselle grew anxious. Was he angry again? In the weak light, she couldn't read the emotions on his face.

After a long silence, Reid finally spoke. "Did you make this?"

"Mhm."

"It's not bad," Reid uttered those few words indifferently.

For Giselle, it felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Seeing Reid pick up his chopsticks again, she felt relieved and picked up her own bowl. She took a piece of food, dipped it into the small dish of chili sauce she had prepared, and began to eat.

The chili sauce had a mild, spicy flavor that made the meal savory for Giselle. She was so engrossed in her food that she didn't even notice Reid was watching her.

In small moments like these, it was evident that he treated her slightly better than the common servants. Not fearing him and not being overly submissive, she knew instinctively how to handle him best. This dynamic made their coexistence at least somewhat less dull.

Once the meal was finished, Giselle gathered the dishes to take them away. When she reached the ground floor, Mrs. Theophilus stepped forward to meet her. Looking at the tray in her hands, she saw that the two plates and the bowl of soup were empty. Even the rice bowl was spotless, without a single grain left.

Mrs. Theophilus's expression softened. "Next time, you should prepare a few more dishes so Reid can eat a bit more."

However, since Reid had only said her cooking wasn't too bad, Giselle hadn't actually planned on cooking again. But hearing Mrs. Theophilus's instruction, she could only agree. "Yes, I will."

Giselle carried the tray to the kitchen, where sister Skye looked on in surprise. "Did the young master eat that much today?"

In truth, it wasn't particularly much or little; it was mainly that Giselle herself had eaten quite a bit. She smiled sheepishly and said, "I ate more than Reid did."

"Even so, it isn't a small amount. In the past, the young master always ate alone and barely finished half a bowl of rice. We servants rarely see him, and when we do, we can't see his face clearly. We don't even know how thin he has become," sister Skye lamented for a moment.

Giselle also couldn't tell if Reid was thin or not.

Having just finished the meal, she wanted to help him with some light exercise. However, seeing Reid in his wheelchair, she realized why no one dared to approach him or encourage him to be active. Giselle didn't dare to tell him to exercise, but she thought she could at least help by massaging his pressure points, especially his legs. Without regular walking, muscles could easily atrophy.

After the servants helped wash the dirty plates, she went back up to the study. Reid was at the bookshelf, returning a book to its place.

"I would like to give you a massage, if that's alright." Giselle approached him and knelt, asking softly.

His gaze immediately turned sharp and cold, and his voice was even chillier. "Where exactly do you want to be massaged?"

Giselle could hear the underlying coldness in his tone. By asking that, he surely knew she wanted to massage his legs. Her heart skipped a beat, but to prevent him from becoming suspicious, she only offered a faint smile.

"I just wanted to massage your shoulders. You haven't left the study all day and have been reading the entire time. Your shoulders must be stiff."

"No need." He emphasized each word coldly.

Reid finished putting away the book; it was time for him to return to the bedroom. Giselle worried about what would happen if he asked her to help him bathe again tonight. Setting aside the physical boundaries between men and women, his weight alone was more than she could support.

Suddenly, she spoke up to change the subject. "May I ask where you sleep at night?"

She remembered that in their wedding suite this morning, the blankets on the bed had been untouched.

"I sleep in the wheelchair." His voice remained as cold as ever.

Sleeping in a wheelchair meant sleeping sitting up all night. He would rather sleep in a chair than let anyone help him. She was curious how the servants used to take care of him.

Reid moved his wheelchair toward the bedroom. Giselle stepped behind to push it without a word. She really wanted to go downstairs and ask sister Skye, who usually assisted Reid with his bath.

Before entering the room, Giselle found an excuse. "Are you thirsty. I'll go pour you a glass of water."

"I am not."

He spoke as if words were made of gold, leaving her without the courage to even open her mouth to talk. After entering the room, Reid looked toward her. "Tomorrow, look for a servant named Jimmy. He was the one taking care of me before."

Understanding him better would make it easier to care for him. He didn't want Giselle acting like a headless fly, and he certainly didn't want another uncomfortable incident like the last one to occur.