The flight landed, and Colton turned on his phone, ignoring the flood of notifications as he called Kylie first.
The call connected quickly, and a timid voice answered, "Hello?"
Colton's mood instantly lifted. "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, I have."
Through the phone, Colton could imagine Kylie nodding eagerly.
Jeff Hewitt, his assistant, opened the car door, and Colton got in, feeling quite satisfied with her response.
"Um, well..." Kylie's voice hesitated.
"What's wrong?" Colton was completely focused on listening to Kylie's voice, oblivious to Jeff's startled reaction to his gentle tone.
Jeff was wary of Colton's sudden tenderness. He always felt that Colton's gentleness carried a fatal allure.
Before answering the call, Kylie had been staring at Colton's number for a long time.
He had entered his number into her phone without her knowing, even labeling it "honey."
At this moment, she racked her brains, trying to think of a way to ask Colton why he continued to work as a male prostitute to entertain customers even after getting married, without hurting Colton's pride.
After much hesitation, she couldn't help but ask directly. "A male prostitute has to travel for work? Is it the kind of thing where exclusive clients place orders?"
Kylie regretted her words immediately, feeling like she was showing off knowledge she had merely Googled.
Colton paused for a few seconds. "I don't have exclusive clients. My business trip is for other business needs."
He considered whether he should clear up this misunderstanding, but chose to change the subject when he noticed Jeff's ears perk up. "I'll deal with it as soon as possible. I won't keep you waiting long."
Had it not been for this pre-scheduled business, Colton wouldn't have wanted to fly so far on the day he got his marriage license.
Kylie felt a weight in her heart.
Did he have other business needs? No wonder he could afford a luxury car like a Maybach.
He was working so hard! She actually met a true workaholic in this industry.
She couldn't quite put her emotions into words. Kylie only felt the air growing heavy.
She wanted to muster up the courage to ask him, "You're married, why are you still working as a male prostitute?"
But she feared he might flippantly reply, "If I don't, will you support me?" She couldn't afford that now.
If her parents found out she was supporting a male prostitute, she'd be in deep trouble.
Forget it.
Kylie intended to wait for the right time to ask if Colton would agree to a divorce.
They were an ill-fitting pair, like keeping a lion in a studio apartment.
With this thought, Kylie finally let out a sigh of relief.
Her wording became more cautious, "I'll let you get back to your work now, take care."
She hung up swiftly, not waiting for Colton's response.
Colton was stunned for a moment, looking at the phone that had been abruptly hung up, and a faint sense of loss slipped through his heart.
During the pause at the red light, Jeff forced a smile, trying to break the tense atmosphere that had been lingering in the car for a while. "Well, is she someone new? Her voice is quite pleasant."
Despite being Colton's assistant, Jeff was also one of the few childhood friends he had grown up with, often unable to resist the urge to indulge in gossip.
He knew that Colton was incredibly attractive to women, but Colton wasn't particularly interested in them. Jeff was just mentioning it casually to lighten the mood. He was even prepared for Colton to ignore him.
Unexpectedly, a voice mixed with barely restrained laughter came from the back seat. "She is my wife."
Jeff slammed on the brakes, then felt regretful for his inability to remain calm and instead instinctively slamming on the brakes.
He never expected that Colton, a workaholic who refused to get married, would fall in love!
Jeff quickly noticed something unusual.
Colton, who always aimed for maximum profit, was surprisingly amiable during this business negotiation.
It was clear to anyone that Colton wanted to finalize the deal as soon as possible. He even flatly refused when the other party suggested revising some details.
"Let's sign the contract. Any necessary improvements can be noted in the supplementary agreement," he said.
The other party was overjoyed, happily signed the document, and then respectfully saw them out of the meeting room.
"Mr. Shaw..." Jeff was about to fulfill his work duties by suggesting that they urge the other party to refine the supplementary agreement.
Colton glanced at the time and said, "Book the earliest flight back to Losland."
Jeff was taken aback, and his mind went blank for a moment.
Their originally planned one-week business trip had been shortened to three days.
Colton was glued to his phone, either sending messages or repeatedly opening the chat window to check for new messages, frowning when there were none.
His phone conversations were even stranger, his tone gentle and almost awkwardly soft.
Jeff dared not dwell on it. The thought made him shiver. He dared not ask even more, for doing so would invite Colton's wrath.
Over the past few days, he'd been shut down numerous times.
"Who is it? Why are you still calling even though the other party isn't answering?" Jeff asked.
"My wife," Colton replied.
"If you want to make a call, just do it. Why are you just staring at that number?" Jeff suggested.
"It's too late now. My wife should be asleep," Colton said.
Jeff rolled his eyes at him.
That was outrageous! How could Colton get married? He was almost always with him. How did he suddenly have a wife out of nowhere?
Meanwhile, Mina's anger gave her the courage. Not daring to question her brother, she exaggerated and revealed his broken promise to the family group chat.
Colton soon received probing inquiries from his parents.
"Are you dissatisfied? Do you dislike her? Or is there some misunderstanding?" They asked, exchanging puzzled glances.
They had seen Kylie's photos. She was a pretty girl with a lovely appearance. Could it be that Colton didn't like that type and preferred a more mature woman?
Colton's voice was calm as he replied, "I got married before I left for the trip."
His parents nodded. "You're married now, so it's not really appropriate for you to go on a blind date with this girl."
But in a split second, their eyes widened. "Married? To whom? A man or a woman?"
Colton paused, "I married a woman, but she's timid. I'll wait a while to develop a relationship before bringing her home."
The parents relaxed, nodding eagerly.
That was wonderful! They might be going to have grandchildren.
Once the call ended, they figured out the problem. "It sounds like the woman isn't interested in him yet."
Mina was shocked to hear Colton had gotten married.
A wild and hopeful thought flashed through her mind, although she struggled to reconcile the serious Colton with anything as intimate as romance.
Still, with a mix of excitement and anticipation, she rushed to Kylie. "You didn't marry my brother, did you?"
Mina asked, eyes wide with curiosity, ready to hug Kylie tightly and spin her around if she nodded.
Kylie shook her, "Not your brother."
Colton was handsome, with stunning eyes and a perfect nose, a face that would be a top choice in any nightclub.
She examined Mina, confirming once again that Mina bore no resemblance to Colton.
He couldn't possibly be Mina's twin brother. "Definitely not."
"Oh no!" Mina deflated, the last flicker of hope extinguished, replaced by a flame of resentment and anger towards her brother.
"My brother also suddenly got married. I thought it was you," she confessed.
Hearing this, Kylie understood why Mina's brother had stood her up.
It turned out he already had a girlfriend, but he didn't want to reject Mina easily, and he was afraid his girlfriend would get angry, so he had to stand her up.
Kylie managed a smile, trying to reassure Mina, "It's a good thing, right? You wanted your brother to get married so he'd focus on his wife and leave you alone. Although he didn't end up with me, you got the same result."
Despite the reasoning, Mina couldn't muster a smile. Her brother was at fault, so she forced herself to perk up and investigate Kylie's situation.
"Tell me about your husband," Mina inquired.
Soon, her barrage of curious questions made Kylie blush, and Mina concluded. "Kylie, this is a setup. No male prostitute is so innocent as to expect you to get a marriage license and take responsibility after just one night of sex?
Besides, how can he afford a Maybach? Could it be rented to show off? Why would he need to travel for business if he's so innocent? How come he has other businesses?" There must be something wrong with him." Mina kept shaking her head frantically.
Kylie couldn't smile either. She couldn't answer any of Mina's questions.
Especially since they'd already gotten married, and Colton was back to his old job, leaving her feeling all over the place.
Mina misunderstood her discomfort, thinking she was blinded by love. "Is he handsome?"
Kylie nodded.
"Is he good in bed?" Mina touched her chin, thinking that must be the reason.
Kylie hesitated, evasively saying, "I don't remember."
Mina left furious.
"Kylie, you must get a divorce. This male prostitute is part of some organized scheme. Damn it, how did he even figure out you were a virgin? Well, forget it..." She paused, swallowing a string of words that were about to spill out. "If you don't remember, maybe it never happened. Are you just going to take his word for it and own up?"
The more Mina thought about it, the angrier she became. "Divorce him! If he refuses, I'll find someone to deal with him. He won't be able to stay in Losland."
She patted Kylie on the shoulder again, unwilling to give up. "Don't worry. I'll find a way to get my brother divorced, too. Since you're both remarried, neither of you will complain about the other."
Kylie felt her head buzzing.
Once Mina was gone, she calmed down and thought of a tricky issue.
This apartment was bought by Mina, so it wouldn't be appropriate for her to stay here with Colton.
She realized how off-putting it would be. She sighed deeply, and when Colton returned from his trip, she sat up straight with a sense of resolve and spoke. "I'm planning to sell this apartment. Do you have another place to stay?"
Colton was putting his things and paused in surprise. It had only been three days, and he was being kicked out as soon as he walked in?
Once he understood Kylie's intention to sell the apartment back to Mina, he relaxed. "Don't worry, I can easily arrange for someone to handle it. As for where we'll stay, I'll make the arrangements."
Kylie blinked, thinking he must know a real estate agent. It was always good to have connections, she thought.
Colton then asked, "How much do you plan to sell it for?"
Kylie had already done some research. Mina had bought the apartment in a hurry, and the original owner had raised the price. Now, it might not sell for as high.
She considered and gave a discounted price. Colton stood up and made a phone call.
He returned, took her phone, and added a number. "Just tell him your requirements," he said before heading to the bathroom.
Kylie opened the chat and started talking to the agent named Jeff.
Their conversation flowed smoothly, quickly moving to the pricing stage.
Kylie said, "I want to list it for 1.36 million."
Jeff replied, "That might be high. How about the cost price?"
Kylie answered, "The cost price is 1.9 million. I have receipts."
Jeff put down the phone and stepped out onto the balcony to smoke.
He believed this was a test from Colton, and that number might even be Colton pretending on a whim.
When Colton finished his shower, he towel-dried his hair while watching Kylie, with her curly hair, busy typing messages.
A smile tugged at his lips, and he walked barefoot across the floor to sit beside her.
Kylie looked up quickly, smiling. She was impressed with the agent Colton recommended.
In Losland, there were virtually no real estate agents who could find a buyer in less than half an hour.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "I said I'd list it for 1.36 million, and he sold it for 1.9 million! The buyer didn't even check the house and is willing to pay in full. Incredible!"
Colton's smile widened as he gently continued speaking, following her words. "As long as you're happy. If you're not satisfied with the price, I think he can find a buyer willing to pay more."
"No, no, I'm very satisfied with this price." Kylie quickly stopped him. Meanwhile, she belatedly realized that at some point, Colton had held her hand.
Her gaze fell, and she was captivated.
Colton had a well-defined physique with clearly defined muscles and prominent abs. Most importantly, his abs felt amazing to the touch.
She swallowed discreetly, but Colton noticed her action.
His smile became more meaningful. "Now that the apartment is sorted, shouldn't we do something romantic?"
"Yes." Kylie tended to act before she thought, nodding until Colton scooped her up and headed towards the bed. She suddenly panicked, trying to escape. "Wait, wait, what do you mean by doing something romantic?"
But Colton's steps were steady, without a hint of hesitation. "We're a legally married couple now. A short separation makes the reunion sweeter, especially for the freshest kind of newlywed."
Kylie sank into the soft mattress, watching in horror as Colton's hand reached for the towel. She covered her eyes, her voice changing in alarm. "No! Shouldn't we develop our feelings first? We're not familiar with each other, and haven't met each other's parents or family. We only know each other's names. Do you even know my name?
Sex is based on a deep emotional connection between two people. Are you even listening to me? And you haven't fulfilled your responsibilities, don't touch me..." The air seemed to freeze in an instant.
Kylie dared not open her eyes, sensing a teasing smile in Colton's voice. "Honey, are you blaming me for not arranging for us to meet each other's parents? How about we arrange a meeting between our parents tomorrow?"