Chapter 1: Ten Years of Humiliation
"Graham? Why is it you, the mute, who's coming to pick me up?"
At the entrance of Lincheng University, Isabella frowned and looked at the man in front of her with disdain, then carefully glanced around.
"Hurry up! If my classmates see us, where will I face them?" she said as she started walking towards the distance.
Graham pressed his lips together and followed Isabella.
Today, he was supposed to pick Isabella up from school on behalf of his wife, Selina. Usually, it was Selina who did this, but Selina said she had some business to attend to at the company and sent a text asking him to come instead.
As Graham followed Isabella towards the car, three girls walked up side by side. Upon seeing Graham and Isabella, they surrounded them.
"Oho, isn't that the popular Isabella?" one of the girls said.
Isabella's steps stumbled, and her expression changed instantly. She glanced at Graham behind her, feeling annoyed.
She had been afraid that someone would see her mute brother-in-law, and sure enough, they had. Moreover, it was the very girls who didn't get along with her.
"Is it you guys? What's the matter?" Isabella asked with a forced smile.
"Nothing, just wanting to say hi," one of the girls with long hair said with a sneer.
The girl with long hair slowly turned her gaze towards Graham and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, Isabella, isn't this the pathetic mute brother-in-law who's been living with you for a year? How can you bring such a person to our school?"
Isabella's face turned red with embarrassment and anger, and her eyes grew dark. "What does it matter to you? A good dog doesn't block the way—get lost!"
She pushed the girls away and pulled Graham towards the car, then slammed the door shut with a loud noise!
"Hurry up and drive! Do you want to watch me make a fool of myself?" Isabella snapped angrily.
Graham paused for a moment, then silently started the car.
Isabella closed her eyes, listening to the faint laughter coming from outside the car, her chest heaving rapidly.
"Hurry up!" she yelled. "You're driving so slowly!"
"I really don't know what my sister was thinking! Not only did she marry into our family, but she also doesn't have a job. She's lived off my sister's money for a year, and to top it off, she's mute!"
"If I were you, I'd have killed myself long ago!"
Isabella shouted in frustration, but Graham remained unmoved.
She then laughed bitterly to herself, "Why should I get upset with a mute? I must be going mad."
She turned her head away from the window, her chest still rising and falling with anger.
Graham's eyes flickered.
Mute?
He had been called that for ten years.
When his parents disappeared, a mysterious old man found him. The old man possessed various supernatural abilities that no ordinary person had.
The old man told him that if he wanted to find his parents, he would have to endure humiliation.
Driven by grief, Graham agreed, and the old man taught him everything he knew. After that, the old man vanished without a trace.
The price for this knowledge? He could no longer speak for ten years. Otherwise, his body couldn't handle the power within him, and he would explode.
It sounded like a fantasy, but it had indeed happened to Graham, which was why everyone called him mute.
People thought Graham had lost his voice from crying, not knowing the truth behind it.
Ten years of humiliation...
But today… was the last day of those ten years.
Thinking of this, Graham took a deep breath, feeling the surge of energy within him.
From today on, he would finally shed the label of being mute.
Excitement flickered in his eyes.
The car sped into the Cavendish family's estate. As soon as it stopped, Isabella rushed out, waving her hand in front of her nose as if Graham's presence was as unpleasant as being near a cesspool.
Graham locked the car door and headed straight for the second floor of the Cavendish family's villa with the key in hand.
He didn't care where Isabella went; the energy within him was growing stronger by the moment!
After enduring for ten years, he couldn't let it all go in vain now!
He stormed into his room and quickly glanced at the calendar on the desk. He picked up a pen and crossed out the last number on the calendar!
Ten years of humiliation were over!
He sat cross-legged on the bed, took off his clothes, and took a deep breath, gathering all the energy within him to make the breakthrough.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the villa, Graham's mother-in-law, Helen, came in, chatting and laughing with a young man.
"You could've told me you were coming earlier so I could have prepared," Helen said as she led the man into the living room. "Sit down, I'll make you some tea."
The man was Lionel, the son of Helen's best friend. He was handsome and tall, with a smile that gave him a dashing air.
"Auntie, no need to bother. I just returned from abroad and wanted to say hello and see Selina," Lionel said as he took the teapot to pour himself a cup of tea.
"If it weren't for my need to study abroad, maybe I would've ended up with your Selina!" Lionel joked.
Helen's smile faded, and she smiled awkwardly.
Lionel had grown up under her watchful eye; he was once considered a child prodigy in the neighborhood. She had hoped to marry Selina to him.
But Selina insisted on marrying the mute…
If it were her, she would've preferred death!
Isabella shouted in anger, but Graham remained unresponsive.
She laughed bitterly, "Why should I get upset with a mute? I must be going crazy."
She turned her head away from the window, her chest still trembling with rage.
Graham's eyes flickered.
Mute?
That label had been with him for ten years.
When his parents disappeared, a mysterious old man found him. The old man's powers were beyond what ordinary people could understand.
The old man told him that to find his parents, he had to bear humiliation.
Graham, overcome by grief, agreed, and the old man taught him everything he knew. Then the old man disappeared.
The price for this knowledge? He couldn't speak for ten years.
Otherwise, his body couldn't handle the power within him, and he would die from an internal explosion.
It sounded like a fairy tale, but it had happened to Graham, which was why everyone called him mute.
People thought he had lost his voice from crying, not knowing the true reason.
Ten years of humiliation, and everyone mocked him...
But today… was the last day of those ten years.
With that thought, Graham took a deep breath, feeling the energy within him.
From today on, he would shed the label of being mute.
Excitement shone in his eyes!
The car sped into the Cavendish family's estate. As soon as it stopped, Isabella ran out, waving her hand as if Graham's presence was as unbearable as a garbage dump.
Graham locked the car door and headed upstairs to the villa.
He had no time to care about where Isabella went; the energy within him was growing more intense!
After enduring for ten years, he couldn't let it all go now!
He rushed into his room and looked at the calendar on the desk. He curled his lips and crossed out the last number with his pen.
Ten years of humiliation were over!
He sat cross-legged on the bed, took off his clothes, and gathered all the energy within him to make the breakthrough.
At that moment, Helen, Graham's mother-in-law, and Lionel entered, talking and laughing.
"You could've told me you were coming so I could've prepared," Helen said as she led Lionel into the living room. "Sit down, I'll make you some tea."
Lionel was handsome and tall, with a polite demeanor that made him look like a true gentleman.
"If it weren't for my need to study abroad, maybe I would've married your Selina!" Lionel said with a smile.
Helen's smile faded, and she smiled awkwardly.
Lionel had been like a child to her; he was once a prodigy in the neighborhood, and she had hoped to marry him to Selina.
But Selina insisted on marrying the mute!
Thinking of her worthless son-in-law, he didn't even deserve to clean Lionel's shoes!
"I brought a gift for Selina," Lionel said as he sat on the sofa. "By the way, where is she?"
"She's still at the company," Helen replied.
Lionel's face showed disappointment, and he asked, "What about that guy Selina's been dating? I heard he doesn't have a job and just stays at home. I'd like to meet the man who captured Selina's heart."
"Well, the mayor came to visit me these past two days, and I can help him find a job," Helen said kindly, though she looked down on the man she had never met.
Such a man, relying on his wife for everything and being mute… not even as good as a dog!
Helen grew even angrier and called up to the second floor, "There's a guest at home, and you don't even come out to greet them?"
However, Graham was in a critical moment and couldn't hear her.
Isabella, living on the first floor, heard the noise and came out, her face showing disgust.
"Mom, I was packing and didn't hear anyone coming," Isabella explained.
Lionel wanted to speak, but Isabella ignored him and headed upstairs.
"I'll go call Graham."
Isabella disliked Graham even more than Lionel. Between a mute and a nagging man, she chose the former any day.
"Tell him to come down quickly! When did he become so arrogant? He doesn't even greet guests at home!"
Helen was furious and shouted up the stairs, "This guest is here, and you don't even know to come out!"
But Graham was too focused to hear her.
Isabella heard the noise and saw Lionel. She walked out, her face showing disgust.
"Mom, I was just organizing things and didn't hear you," she explained.
Lionel tried to speak, but Isabella ignored him and went upstairs.
"I'll call Graham," she said.
She disliked Graham, but even more so Lionel. Between a mute and a nagging man, she chose the former.
"Tell him to come down! When did he become so proud? He doesn't even greet guests!"
Helen was infuriated. She shouted again, "This arranged marriage can't be canceled so easily. Selina insisted on marrying Graham, and there's nothing we can do about it."
Lionel's eyes were full of disdain and mockery.
To Helen, it sounded like she was to blame for the arranged marriage.
Helen's expression turned dark, and all her goodwill towards Graham vanished.
Lionel was pleased; he had been determined to marry Selina, but she had chosen the mute instead of him.
He had thought he was so much better than that mute!
Thinking of it, he sneered and watched the stairs in silence.
Isabella, unaware of Lionel's purpose, frowned at the closed door upstairs and complained, "Why does he even close the door at home?"
She pushed the door open and saw Graham sitting on the bed naked.
She was stunned!
"Ah! You rascal!" She immediately closed the door and stormed downstairs, her face turning red with anger.
"Graham, are you crazy? You're naked at home and don't even lock the door! Mom called you down; there's a guest!" she said, her face flushed with anger.
For some reason, despite her anger, her mind was filled with thoughts of Graham's muscular body.
She gritted her teeth and shook her head.
"Has he come down yet?"
Hearing no response from upstairs, Helen looked up at the stairs.
"Almost there," Isabella replied, but her voice was annoyed as she sat down on the sofa in the living room.
Although Isabella's sudden appearance disturbed Graham, he successfully overcame the barrier within himself.
Then, he noticed a foul smell. Looking down, he saw that the "impurities" within him were gone.
"It seems it's all cleared," he said in a hoarse voice, sounding strange after ten years without speaking.
It was normal for his voice to be odd; he knew it would return to normal soon.
"Is Graham always like this at home?" Lionel asked with mockery in his eyes.
Helen's face turned pale. What nonsense about being "strong"? She wasn't a fool and could hear the mockery in his words.
A son-in-law who didn't speak and was even more obnoxious than a fly…
Helen was furious and shouted up the stairs, "There's a guest at home, and you don't even come out!"
But Graham was too focused to hear her.
Isabella, however, heard the noise and saw Lionel. She disliked him even more.
Between a mute and a nagging man, she still chose the former…
"Tell him to come down quickly! When did he become so arrogant? He doesn't even greet guests!"
Helen was furious, but Graham had already overcome the barrier within himself.
Lionel's eyes were full of disdain and mockery.
"Such a person, and yet he thinks he's good enough to marry Selina?"