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?!" 

"Ou-Our room?!" Lauren stammered while pointing at herself in doubt.

"Yes," Alexander responded calmly, but then as he looked at the dazed Lauren who stood still in that same position, his brain flashed and he realised why she had been stunned.

He frowned deeply and then looked at her, "What? Seems Mrs Ashford has forgotten the words I said today when we got the certificate?" 

"Huh?"  Lauren asked, her brain still stunned from the announcement that they would sleep together.

She looked up and met the deep and cold eyes of Alex which told her the seriousness of things. 

"If My madam has forgotten, then I don't mind helping her remember," Alex said, then stood up and walked towards her with an aura that was so powerful that they made Lauren's heart beat louder in nervousness.

Finally, he stopped in front of her and looked at her deeply, then he said, "I, Alexander Ashford, don't believe in a scam marriage. The moment you agreed to this marriage and signed that certificate, I already saw you as someone I'll spend the rest of my life with. As my wife, you're the closest person to me and I would never agree to sleep in a separate room because I don't believe in this!" He said, then pursed his lips in a tense way. 

He knew she was still new to this and he might be moving too fast, but he also knew that if he didn't state his terms, she might never come out of her cocoon and their marriage might continue to be stiff.

Even if he had wanted to get married for a reason, he had never taken it casually. 

He was a serious person and would never do things he didn't want to do. This marriage was their choice and he believes they should both make it work and not just one person pushing and the other running away. 

But still, as he looked at Lauren, he sighed, then decided to take things slow. This was enough for today.

"You're allowed to slowly get used to the change in your life, but you should know how to fix it. This is marriage and not a play drama." He said calmly and seriously but this also woke Lauren up.

Her eyes also became firm and she looked at him seriously, "I understand! I have never thought of taking this marriage as child's play and I'll try my best to adjust." She said in the same tone he used and this time, Alexander was satisfied. 

He knew Lauren was a smart and straightforward woman and if not because of the situation she found herself in, she would have become a big person in her industry. 

His eyes became colder and ruthless when he thought of the people who betrayed her. He had investigated her and knew some things about what happened to her, and though if she asked, he would gladly take care of those small fries, but he knew she was someone who didn't love to depend on people, so he would leave it to her and only come up when she was in danger or needed him. 

"I'll go up and freshen up." Lauren snapped him out of his daze, then walked away.

Alex watched her leave with the butler with narrowed eyes.

To be honest, he was supposed to be abroad to take care of his business. Well, that had been his plan, but he didn't know what went wrong with him, he had suddenly cancelled his flight and followed his assistant to pick her up.

Maybe he thought of the call she took, or was it the self-mockery she had shown? He didn't know, but he had suddenly had that urge and he followed it. 

Now, he had to rearrange things and book a flight again but that was left to his assistant to take care of. 

After a while, Alexander walked upstairs and went straight to their room. 

Immediately he opened the door, he found out the room was empty, but then he heard the sound coming from the washroom and smiled gently. 

Though he wouldn't get used to it fast, it also felt nice to have someone else with him. Someone he could call his own. 

Lauren finished washing up and put on the pajamas she had brought into the washroom. She took a towel and began to dry her hair, but then she saw herself in the mirror.

She paused and stared at her reflection. Long wet hair, flushed face, long eyelashes, pink plump lips, but her eyes...

They were devoid of emotions. Cold, indifferent and-mysterious Pain hidden deep. 

Her lips curl in a shallow smile, "Seems no matter how I look calm and relaxed, the pain and anger wouldn't leave, it was just hidden in a place." She muttered. 

She knew it. She was someone who had experienced pain and betrayal, and if she didn't solve it all, she would never experience the peaceful life she wanted. 

Her heart had been tormented, and to soothe it, she needed the people who had put her in this position to pay. 

The ones who had caused the death of her mother, the ones who she had called her own beloved people but had long betrayed her and many more... 

Lauren's eyes became ruthless. "I'll make you all pay!" 

***

After washing her face and wrapping the towel around her long hair, Lauren walked out of the washroom with a calm and gentle demeanour, but the moment she stepped out, she met the gaze of the man sitting on the bed in the room.

She was speechless, then nervousness covered her every being.

"Oh my goodness... What should I do? Today is our wedding night, would he demand it? But.. What should I do if he does?" 

Lauren's mind flashed with so many questions but she still couldn't find an answer to her questions. 

She inhaled, then let out a polite smile and walked awkwardly to her bag which the maids had brought in. She opened it and began to take out some clothes. She had seen the closet and wanted to put her things in it. 

"Do this tomorrow. You must be tired, right?" Alexander's voice sounded which startled her. She turned around to look at him, and that was when she realised he was shirtless and seemed to be on his way to take a shower. 

Lauren was stunned. She looked at the back of the shirtless man and gulped nervously. Her face had long turned red and his well-muscled chest flashed in her mind. 

Though she hadn't seen it well, his back and torso were just too-

"Ahh!! What the hell are you thinking about, Lauren?!" She scolded herself, then as if to cover her embarrassment, she closed the bag and rushed to the side of the bed to lie down, but not before removing the towel on her head.

Lauren was lying stiffly on one side of the bed with all her senses focused on the sound in the room. Then-

"Click!" 

Her body and mind froze. 

"He...He is here!"