“Lauren Sterling. Heiress of the Sterling family. Former renowned jeweler and fiancée of Julian Drake.”

Alexander’s calm voice sliced through the silence.

Lauren froze. Her eyes widened slightly, the edges trembling with disbelief and slowly, she turned to him. His expression was calm and almost unreadable. She had known from the beginning that he wasn’t an ordinary man, but for him to uncover her past this quickly screamed of power that reached farther than she had imagined.

Her fingers twitched against her skirt, and a faint, bitter smile touched her lips. “You really don’t waste time, do you?”

But Alexander didn’t smile back. His eyes were cold and sharp, fixed on her as though he could see through the layers she tried so hard to hide.

“Do you understand what you’re doing?” he asked quietly.

She knew what she was doing but whether she understood it or not didn't matter to her. She needed it, period. She had made her choice, and turning back was no longer an option.

Lifting her gaze and gathering as much confidence as she needed, she cleared her throat. “I know what I’m doing,” she said softly. “And I won’t regret it.”

Approval flashed in his eyes but it vanished as quickly as it came. He gave a single nod, signaling the registrar to proceed.

When her name was called, Lauren stepped forward, her heels echoing faintly against the tiled floor. The pen felt heavy in her hand as she signed her name. The moment she finished, the clerk handed the papers to Alexander, who signed his name with effortless precision, as if this were nothing more than another business deal.

Lauren glanced sideways at him and wondered how he managed to be so calm and detached even under such circumstances. She wondered if marriage meant anything to him at all. For her, this wasn’t love. This was survival, revenge, and a chance at carving a new name for herself.

“By the power vested in me by the state, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The judge's voice rang out, drawing her back from her land of thoughts.

In spite of herself, the term “Husband and wife” gave her such a thrilling effect. She could finally get the most important piece of belonging she had and she had bagged a wealthy man as an icing on the cake.

Julian would be so devastated when he finds out what he lost. Good radiance to bad rubbish!

Minutes later, they stepped out of the registry office. Lauren blinked as the bright sunlight almost blinded her vision and she reminded herself for the tenth time in twenty four hours to not forget her glasses next time she is leaving the house. The city buzzed around them, cars honking as they drove in and out of the premises and yet, for a fleeting second she felt detached from it all. It was as if she was watching a scene from someone else’s life. Her fingers tightened around the document in her hand taking her train of thoughts back to the reckless moment that has resulted in this.

Lauren looked down, finally staring at the certificate in her hands and the words written across. It felt surreal.

The certificate read; Marriage Certificate for Lauren Sterling & Alexander Ashford.

She froze, her heart almost stopping as her eyes lingered on the name beside hers. She looked up at him, disbelief flashing across her face. How didn't she know?

“Alexander… Ashford?” she whispered. Her voice trembled slightly.

She had heard the name countless times before. Everyone in the city had. He was the CEO of the Ashford Empire and his wealth and influence were used to tell stories and instill fearful respect. A man like him didn’t just exist but he controlled others' existence too. And now, somehow, she was tied to him by a signature on a page.

Her lips parted in quiet amazement. “So it’s you... Alexander Ashford.”

“Flesh and blood.” He nodded.

A soft, humorless laugh escaped her mouth. “You hide it well.”

Alexander turned to meet her gaze, his eyes cool and calculated. “Is that a problem?”

Lauren shook her head slowly. “No. It changes nothing.” She said, forcing her tone to stay even, but deep down, the realization had set her thoughts spiraling. She had married not just a stranger but a man powerful enough to destroy her if he wished.

Taking the certificate from her hand, Alexander placed it neatly into a folder and his eyes met hers again. This time, there was fire in them.

“I need you to understand something, Lauren,” he said quietly. “Now that we’re married, there’s no turning back. I don’t believe in fake marriages and as far as I’m concerned, this is real.”

His words sank deep causing Lauren to panic for a bit. She only wanted her safe but the finality of his words made her question the possibilities. Whatever this was and whatever it would become, as long as Celine and Julian felt the heat, she was all for it. Her pulse steadied and a slow resolve formed beneath her fear.

“I understand.” She said calmly.

“I’ll give you a day to pack your things,” he continued. “My assistant will pick you up tomorrow.”

She nodded slowly. “Alright. But I have one condition.”

One of his brows lifted slightly. Alex wasn't used to people demanding, he always set the conditions.

“Which is?” He said, deciding to humor her.

“I don’t want our marriage public for now.” Lauren said and her tone sharpened instantly. Alex noticed the coldness in heeyes.s and for a moment, he wondered the cause of it. “I have things to settle first. Some debts need to be repaid so until then… this stays between us.”

Beneath her calm exterior, there was more. Hatred and determination burned and it intrigued him. He didn’t ask what she meant by all the jargon she had said and simply just watched her.

“Three months,” he said finally. “I’ll give you that long to handle your affairs. After that, if you haven’t finished whatever you need to do, I’ll make our marriage public myself. I don’t hide what belongs to me.”

Lauren’s lips pressed into a thin line as she weighed his words. “Three months is enough.” She finally replied.

Satisfied, he gave a brief nod. “Good. I’ll be away for a few days. Take care of what you must before I return and if you need to reach me, go through my assistant.”

Lauren didn't mind and thought that was do-able so she finally settled, willing herself to enjoy the ride.

The silence that followed was comfortable and for some reason it felt almost wrong to her. She had just married a total stranger, how was she so calm and relaxed?

Her phone buzzed in her hand and the vibration startled her, pulling her back to reality. She looked down at the screen with a broad smile, sure that that was her lawyer but her blood instantly ran cold as her eyes landed on the name on her screen. Julian.

For a moment, she considered ignoring it but didn't see the point. She would eventually have to talk to him, anyway. She also wanted her new husband to know she didn't have skeletons in her cupboard.

“I have nothing to hide,” she murmured, and hit the green button.

“Lauren! Where the hell are you? I’ve been calling you!” Julian barked, his voice so loud she had to move the phone from her ears or it would have bled.

She stared into the distance, her tone flat. “Do you remember what day it is, Julian?”

He paused for a moment and then stiffened a chuckle. “I’m… I'm sorry babe, I got caught up in work. The national jewelry competition is coming up and Celine needs me to help her prepare. I’ll make it up to you, okay?”

“Can you hear yourself speak? You missed your fucking wedding, Julian.” Lauren fired back, losing her calm.

“And I said I will make it up, woman. You can always reschedule a wedding but a competition has a time frame. If you think of it, it is not that deep.”

Lauren’s hand tightened around the phone. She couldn't believe her ears. She couldn't believe that a man who had showered her with so much love could turn into a cold and nonchalant human under her watch.

“Right,” she simply said, too tired for his bullshit. “Take your time.”

She ended the call before he could respond and for a long moment, she could say nothing. Thankfully, Alex did not push.

He straightened his sleeves and cleared his throat “You’re leaving now?”

Lauren nodded. “Yes.”

She turned to go but before she could walk away, his voice called her back.

“Lauren.”

She stopped and turned, confusion flickering in her eyes.

Alexander’s gaze held hers, steady as ever and then, for the first time, something softened in his tone. His lips curved slightly, not into a full smile, but something close.

“Hello, Mrs. Ashford,” he said quietly. “Please take care of me.”

“Then, go with me to get married now!”

“Huh?!” Julian was shocked. He was only trying to make her feel guilty when he heard her words.

He stood there like he had lost his mind, the words of Lauren kept on repeating in his head and suddenly, he panicked.

He didn't want to get married to her. He was just trying to coax her and then keep delaying things until they got everything they needed from her, but who knew Lauren would be so desperate to get married?

Get married? To Lauren? Hell no!

He would never get married to a fool like Lauren. She couldn't dress seductively for him, she was too uptight and all she knew was to listen to orders. He had never liked that kind of woman.

Truly, he had liked Lauren at first when he was still pursuing her. She had been young, fresh and innocent then and she had this high-class aura that made one want to worship her. She was cold but gentle, intelligent but not arrogant, and her aura brought out her beauty to the top, but, after she became obsessed with him, listening to his words like a puppet, she had lost her shine in his eyes and his woman, Celine, was much better.

Celine was soft, gentle and would throw a tantrum once in a while which made him feel like a real man, and when she was in bed…

Just thinking about Celine made him even more disgusted with Lauren and the thought of getting married to her made him want to puke, but he knew he couldn't show it, so he hid his true emotions and showed a helpless look on his face, but what he didn't know was that Lauren could see the disdain in his eyes and aside from anger and some pain and regret, she felt nothing more.

“Why?” Lauren raised an eyebrow, “You can't do it? I thought you were ready to marry me?” She asked in a strained voice that shocked Julian back to his senses.

He looked at her, then immediately kept his thoughts and rushed towards her.

“Who said so?! Why wouldn't I want to marry you, Lauren? Don't you know how much I love you? We have been together for years and you should know how loyal I am to you. I didn't even touch you just so our wedding night would be special. Hold on! Lauren,” He suddenly furrowed his brow as if he was hurt, “…You don't trust me?” he asked with a choked voice.

Lauren stood speechless. If she didn't have to put up with the acting, she would have been clapping her hands for his performance. She wondered how a man could spit out nonsense and make it make sense.

As she recalled his words, she couldn't help but finally snap.

“You love me?” She asked, then laughed aloud. She looked at Julian with eyes filled with so much anger, “We have been together for years and not once did you propose to me! You keep promising me, making lousy excuses and now you tell me you love me?!” She yelled, then shook her head while looking at him incredulously.

“You know what, Julian?!” She asked sharply and Julian suddenly had a bad feeling.

He moved towards her with a frown but Lauren moved back.

“Enough Lauren! Don't cause a scene!” He finally snapped. He felt so pissed off at this moment.

He had had enough of her tantrums and was too tired to deal with this nonsense. If she thought he would relent and agree to marry her now, then she must be joking!

He sneered at his thought, and the eyes he looked at her became colder and the aura surrounding him turned sharper as he stared at her.

Lauren who noticed the dark look in his eyes and his aura felt disdainful.

He knew he couldn't sway her and now he wanted to suppress her and make her listen like she had always done, but jokes on him this time!

She looked at him pointedly, “Julian, let's give each other a break and think about what we truly want!” She spat out, and without waiting for a response from him, she turned around and dragged her bag with her.

“Lauren! If you walk out of that door, then don't bother coming back!”

Lauren paused, her hand on her bag tightened and her eyes that stared ahead grew colder and ruthless.

If not because she still had to keep acting like things were still alright, she would have torn his face and made him know that Lauren wasn't to be offended.

But…

She took a deep breath to calm her raging blood, “Calm down, Lauren. Let them continue to jump around for now, and they wouldn't know what hit them when you get started.”

After the prep talk, she didn't bother with Julian again and walked out with her head raised high.

Meanwhile, Julian stood in the middle of the large sitting area in shock. He couldn't believe that the woman who had always listened to him like a robot dared to disobey him.

He had thought he had successfully threatened her when she stopped, but—

How did it become this way? Just because of the marriage?

Julian frowned then immediately brought out his phone and called a familiar number.

“Julian~”

A sticky-sweet voice sounded from the other end of the phone but this time, Julian couldn't feel it as he was worried about something.

“Celine, Lauren left. Go find out from her what the hell is happening!”

The other person on the phone was stunned, then her loud shrill voice sounded, “What?! How could that wretch leave?! That's impossible!”

Julian frowned. That was also what he had thought too, but since it had happened, he knew he needed to do something. Lauren still had something they wanted and they weren't done using her yet.

Besides, the design competition was around the corner.

***

Meanwhile, Lauren didn't know those two were planning for her but even if she knew, she would only sneer and still continue with whatever she was doing.

Here, Lauren was surprised to see the assistant of Alex and she quickened her steps to meet him.

Her eyes flashed with surprise as she looked at the car he was resting on.

“Madam!” The assistant greeted her and immediately walked towards her to pick up the box in her hand.

Lauren stood there in surprise, she narrowed her eyes, “You—”

Suddenly, the car window sliding down interrupted her words and when she saw the handsome face that appeared in her presence, shock was an understatement of what she felt.

Her eyebrow raised, and she looked at him perplexedly, “You… I thought you said you’d be leaving for a business deal?” She asked.

Alex who she was talking to looked at her from her head to her toes, then he silently heaved a sigh of relief.

After ascertaining that she was alright, he relaxed on the seat, then threw her a one-sided look, “Aren’t you coming in? Or did you want to go back in?”

Lauren was stunned, then she flashed him an embarrassed smile.

“Coming! Coming!” She responded, then immediately hopped into the car and sat next to him.

As the car drove away, Lauren couldn't help but turn to look at the house that was gradually becoming smaller.

Her fist secretly clenched, and her eyes became dull.

And as if Alexander noticed her mood, he stretched out his hand to pat hers.

“You’re only allowed to be gloomy now. But the moment the car stops, you have to forget that place because where we are heading to right now is your home, Mrs Ashford.”

The car slowed down as it approached a mountain area, and when Lauren saw where they were, she became shocked.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, but she continued to remain calm while observing the situation. When the car entered the large security gate which was kept safe by some military men, and she saw the real mountain area, her heart finally couldn't stay calm anymore.

Though she didn't react exaggeratedly, that still didn't stop her from showing her disbelief.

She really wanted to ask the man who sat quietly next to her but when she looked at the laptop he was working on, she swallowed back the question she had, but who knew when she turned back to continue looking out of the window, the man whom she thought hadn't been paying attention to her would close his laptop and throw her a glance.

“If you have a question, you should go ahead and ask. You don't need to be reserved when it comes to me.”

Lauren was startled by the calm voice that sounded in the car, and when his words registered in her brain, her face flushed red in embarrassment.

“How did he know I had some questions?” She mumbled to herself, but since the man had given her permission, she had no reason to be pretentious.

She turned around and met the calm face of Alexander.

“Well, I'm surprised and a bit curious. Is this the “City mountain villa?” She asked curiously.

Alexander, who had thought there was something serious which she wanted to ask, was a bit taken aback by her question, but then, he didn't find it strange.

He looked at her and seriously began to explain. This was going to be her home and he needed to make her understand things clearly.

“Yes.” He responded to her question and when he saw Lauren’s shock, he chuckled, then leaned back in his seat comfortably and continued, “This place has long been acquired by my company, and since it has secrecy and is very easy to defend against outsiders, I decided to live here.” He said, then looked into Lauren’s eyes seriously, “I have other houses but this is my main house and also a place I chose for it to be our home. So, you can be at peace because you’re the mistress of City Mountain Villa now.”

Lauren was stunned. Who doesn't know this mountain?! This was one of the most secretive and most powerful areas in the country. Only the most powerful and wealthiest can live here. So one could understand her shock, right?

“Oh…” Lauren responded, then immediately returned her attention to the window to continue looking at the view, but the truth was that she was trying to hide her face which had become red from shyness.

No one had ever talked to her this way before and even when she and Julian had rented that house as the beginning of his career, he had never told her, “This is your home.”

But now, as she heard the big boss who is now her husband say reassuring words again and again as if he wanted her to understand her status and the situation, her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

His mature and calm voice drilled into her heart and made her defensive heart crack a bit.

Alexander looked at Lauren who was looking at the view and his eyes flashed with a smile. He thought she was cute, especially when she tried to hide her feelings, but unknown to her, her pink ears had exposed what she truly felt.

He smiled and decided not to work anymore since they were almost home. He took a look at Lauren again, then sighed, “It seems there is still a long way to go for her to get comfortable and realise our situation.” He thought, but wasn’t really bothered because he knew he would handle it.

4 minutes later, the car finally stopped in front of a large security gate and two men in military uniform threw a glance at the driver’s seat, then nodded before pressing some code on the panel which was on the gate, and the gate also flashed with a red light, before finally moving.

Lauren looked at all this in amazement. She couldn’t help but wonder why the security was so tight but as she remembered the identity of the man she married, she swallowed hard, “Truly worthy of his status.”

The car finally drove in and even Lauren who was the heiress of a wealthy family had to gasp in shock.

The villa in front of her wasn’t anything big or exaggerated, but the wealth, unique design and aura it exudes was enough to make one breathless.

She came down from the car and walked towards Alexander who stood waiting for her, but suddenly she paused which gained his attention.

“What are you waiting for? Let’s go in?” Alex said.

“Hmm..?” Lauren made a sound, then furrowed her brows, “My bags…”

“Leave it for them to bring it in. Let’s go in!” He said in a voice that demands obedience and Lauren who heard him immediately followed behind.

Suddenly, Lauren froze and her eyes looked down to see her hand held in Alex’s. She was surprised and felt a bit uncomfortable at first, she even tried to remove her hand from his hold but the man held it tight so that she was unable to.

As they walked, she looked at him awkwardly. She didn’t know why he had to hold her hand.

“Get used to my touch, Mrs Ashford.”

His calm voice sounded and startled Lauren who was lost in her thoughts, but then, she found reasoning in his words. They were married now and it was only right that he held her hand, though she couldn’t get used to it fast.

“Welcome back, Master! Welcome home, Young mistress!”

The loud greetings shocked Lauren out of her stupor.

She looked at the people who stood in a straight line with their heads bowed in respect and she felt speechless.

Was this really necessary?

As if he could hear her thoughts, Alexander said, “It’s necessary.” Then he looked at the workers who remained in their respectful position. His eyes became sharper and the hand which he held Lauren with tightened, “Listen! This is my wife, Lauren Sterling, and as the mistress of the home, she must be given a respect higher than mine! She would be your mistress and would be the one managing the home from today. Am I clear?!” His cold voice filled with authority announced.

The workers were stunned. No one had expected Alexander to announce Lauren in this manner and from the order and all, the workers immediately began to think straight. They couldn’t think of Lauren as just a vase wife. She was their madam!

“Yes, Master!” they all echoed which was to the satisfaction of Alexander, then he turned to look at Lauren and explained in a more gentle tone.

“This is Butler Luke,” He said then pointed at the man who immediately walked forward, “He is in charge of the other maids and things in the household. He would report to you if there is anything.” He introduced.

“Hello, Madam.” the butler greeted Lauren who was still in a weird state and just nodded with a smile.

Finally, Alexander took her hand and walked inside the house.

Lauren couldn’t deny her amazement and instant love the moment she walked inside the place she would call home from now on.

The house was different from the outside. It was in a quiet, simple but stylish design and she fell in love with it at first sight, but what Lauren didn’t like was the lack of homely feeling the home has.

She had always been one who craved home, and this place was just too cold.

“If there is anything you find dissatisfying, you can tell the butler or do it yourself. You can also rearrange if you like.” Alexander said as he looked at the pretty woman in front of him.

He had investigated her and knew her love for comfort and home, and he had wanted to ask the butler to rearrange their house, but he thought better and felt it would be nice if she did all this herself. At least, that would make her get used to things fast.

Lauren turned around to look at Alex and her heart felt so relaxed.

“I—“ She began, but became speechless again, then she felt a pat on her head which startled her. She immediately looked at the man with wide eyes.

Alexander smiled from his eyes and the smile instantly dazzled Lauren.

He looked so handsome when he smiled.

Alex cleared his throat then returned to his usual expressionless face, he walked to the couch to sit, then he threw her a look, “Go do your thing. The butler would take you to our room.”

Lauren nodded, but suddenly stopped. She immediately turned to Alexander in confusion.

“Ou-Our room?!”