Outside City Hall

Ella and Tiesto stepped out of City Hall, each holding a marriage certificate. Tiesto reached up, removed his earpiece, and discreetly detached the hidden camera.

Ella gave a small, polite bow.

"Mr. Sterling... I know you hadn't planned to get married today. Thank you for agreeing anyway."

"Hm?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't plan it either," she continued, her tone calm but firm. "But I don't want to go back to my adoptive parents' house. My birth parents don't have much, and I don't want to be a burden to them. Marriage felt... like the most practical solution."

She found him decent enough. And with their families already bound by an old engagement, it had seemed like the cleanest way forward.

Tiesto frowned slightly. "So marriage is just a transaction to you?"

"I know it's sudden," Ella said honestly. "If this arrangement causes trouble, we can end it. Six months from now-no strings attached."

"Forget it," Tiesto replied smoothly. Money had never mattered to him. Appeasing his grandmother today mattered far more.

"I'll rent my own place soon," Ella added.

"No need," he said, pulling out a key and a folded note Javi had delivered earlier. "This is my place. Move in."

The note listed an address, unit number, and Tiesto's phone number. The apartment described was modest, functional, and neat-much like the man himself.

Ella slipped the key and note into her bag, quietly absorbing the reality that she was now married. Tiesto turned and left without looking back.

She didn't stop him.

...

Back at the Hart Family Neighbourhood.

A young man waved as Ella approached.

"Daniel," she called out.

Daniel-her third brother, quiet and steady-smiled shyly. "Mom and Dad asked me to wait for you."

"Alright," Ella said. "Let's go home."

They entered through the back gate of a modest residential cluster-single-story units shared by several families.

The moment Ella stepped inside, the warm aroma of home-cooked food greeted her. Lucas was chopping chicken at the counter with practiced movements, while Lora rinsed vegetables nearby.

Lora wiped her hands and hurried over. "You're back. Come in-dinner's almost ready."

Henry, the eldest, glasses neatly perched on his nose, handed her a bowl of cherries. Caleb, ever cheerful, shoved a handful of chocolates into her arms.

"These are great! Eat more!"

In moments, Ella's hands were full. The warmth caught her off guard.

The two-bedroom unit was small but thoughtfully arranged. A compact living room, a narrow kitchen, two bedrooms-one shared by the brothers with bunk beds, the other for their parents. The small courtyard outside was used for laundry and washing vegetables.

Simple. Tight. But honest.

Ella felt something ease in her chest. By marrying Tiesto, she could leave without becoming a burden. Her parents lived modestly, but they were steady people-good people.

Lora returned carrying two plates of chestnut cakes.

"Do you remember these? You and Piper used to love them. I made them myself-try one."

Ella smiled and took a bite. "It tastes just like before."

Lora hesitated, then asked softly, "Should I bring one to Piper too?"

Henry shrugged. "I don't think it's necessary."

Caleb tilted his head. "I don't mind either way."

Ella didn't want to disappoint her mother. "I'll take one to her."

"I'll come with you," Daniel said.

They walked back to the villa together.

The door swung open, revealing Piper, impatience written plainly on her face.

"What is it now?" she snapped. "Next time, call first. Showing up like this is inconvenient."

Daniel had always been shy, his voice soft and uncertain. "Mom asked us to bring you something to eat..."

Piper recalled what Nora had mentioned earlier-the housekeeper had prepared an elaborate dinner tonight.What could they possibly have brought?

"Oh, you really didn't have to," she said lightly, her tone carefully measured to sound polite. "You should take it back and enjoy it yourselves."

Daniel hesitated. "Mom made it especially for you."

"...Fine. One piece," Piper said, finally reaching out. "That's enough. You can go now."

She picked it up delicately with her manicured fingers, careful not to ruin her freshly polished nails.

Before Ella could say anything-and before Nora might notice something off-Piper closed the door.

The moment it shut, Ella and Daniel saw her toss the chestnut cake straight into the trash.

Daniel's face flushed red.

"Forget it," Ella said quietly, tugging him aside. She'd expected nothing else from Piper.

She broke the remaining cake in half, handing one piece to Daniel and slipping the rest into her bag. Then she patted it lightly, cheeks puffing into a mischievous smile.

"Perfect," she said. "Breakfast for tomorrow."

Daniel watched her, his expression softening. Something like quiet admiration settled in his eyes.

Back home, Lora glanced at the empty plate and let out a small sigh of relief.

Ella said nothing, letting Daniel lead the way back inside. Somewhere along the walk, the two of them had formed an unspoken alliance.

Caleb nudged her. "Ella... can I get your number? I'll add you to the family group chat."

She handed him her phone. Caleb eagerly added her first, then returned it.

Before she could even look at the screen, Lucas came in carrying a large pot of roasted chicken fragrant with herbs and vegetables.

"Alright!" he announced. "Set the table-dinner's ready!"

Ella helped her brothers arrange the dishes. Soon the table was full-chicken, fish, shrimp, crab-everything they could afford, and more.

She noticed their hands then. Rough. Calloused. Worn by years of labor.

Her chest tightened.

Before the feeling could overwhelm her, food was piled onto her plate. Henry cracked the crab for her. Caleb peeled shrimp. Daniel carefully removed the fish bones.

They worked with quiet focus, as if trying to make up for twenty lost years in a single meal.

Ella's eyes shimmered.

"Eat more," they urged, voices warm and earnest.

After dinner, Henry cleared the table, Caleb swept the floor, and Daniel washed the dishes.

Ella stood to help, but Lora caught her hand. "Sit. Eat some fruit."

Lucas brought over a plate.

When Lora felt the thin calluses on Ella's fingers, her eyes stung. "You worked a lot at your adoptive mother's place, didn't you?"

"It wasn't that bad," Ella replied gently. "Housework isn't tiring."

Lora thought of Piper's smooth hands, her polished appearance, the way Nora favored her without shame.

Tears welled up. "From now on," she said firmly, "no one in this house lets Ella work too hard."

"Of course," the three brothers answered together.

"I'll make the bed," Lora added. "This room will be yours."

Ella immediately understood-they planned to sleep in the living room instead.

She shook her head. "Mom... did you forget? I got married today."

Lora's face filled with concern.

"Tiesto is a good man," Ella said softly. "And I'm at the right age. It was time. You don't need to worry."

"And the wedding-"

"I'll talk it through with Tiesto," Ella interrupted gently. "We're adults. Please trust us."

When Henry learned that Ella usually relied on buses and the subway, he spoke up immediately."I'll give you my electric bike."

Caleb shook his head. "Yours is too heavy for her. She should take mine."

Daniel hesitated, then added, "Mine's brand new. I've only ridden it once. Ella can use mine."

In the end, they all agreed on Daniel's.

Ella couldn't refuse. She thanked them and rode off. Once she was out of sight, she stopped by the curb, checked the address Tiesto had given her, and opened the navigation app.

Just as she was about to continue, her phone rang.

It was Henry.

"Ella, you left your bank card inside the nutrition supplements you bought today," he said. "Do you need it urgently? I can mail it to you tomorrow."

"No," Ella replied softly. "That money was for Mom and Dad. Please give it to them."

Earlier, she had bought health supplements as gifts. Thinking about how her parents had traveled across the country looking for her and Piper-never settling in one place-she had quietly slipped her savings inside.

Four thousand dollars. Everything she had managed to save over the years.

She knew they wouldn't accept it outright.

As expected, they'd found it.

"Ella," Henry said quickly, "you just graduated. And you're married now-you'll need money."

"Henry," she interrupted gently, climbing back onto the bike. "Please. Let it go. I'm riding now."

Worried about her safety, he didn't argue.

Ella arrived at the address Tiesto had given her-a modern apartment complex in the city. It was far humbler than the Hart family villa, but the moment she stepped inside the gates, she felt oddly at ease.

She found the right floor, then stopped.

The door had a digital lock.

The key Tiesto had given her didn't work.

With no other option, she called him.

At Sterling Corp, Tiesto was buried in paperwork. Seeing an unfamiliar number, he almost ignored it-until he remembered yesterday.

"Mr. Sterling," Ella said politely. "Sorry to bother you. The key you gave me doesn't open the door. It's a digital lock."

"...Wait," he muttered, then turned to Javi. "Why does that apartment have a digital lock?"

Javi stiffened. "I'll check right now."

A moment later, he found the access code and passed it over. Tiesto read it aloud.

"Thank you," Ella said. Then, after a brief pause, she asked carefully, "When will you be home?"

The word home made Tiesto pause.

"I usually stay at the company residence," he replied. "I won't be back unless necessary."

"Oh." Ella smiled without meaning to.

Relief bubbled up inside her.

So this was what people online called the joy of a husband who never comes home.

Tiesto hung up.

Javi cleared his throat. "Sorry, sir. That apartment was collateral from another subsidiary. The lock code was changed earlier this month."

"It's fine," Tiesto said, already turning back to his work. A lock code wasn't worth his attention.

Meanwhile, Ella entered the apartment.

Two bedrooms, one living room. Clean. Minimal. Almost untouched.

He clearly didn't stay here often.

She placed her luggage in the spare bedroom, unpacked quickly, and stored the food her mother had packed into the fridge.

Sitting on the sofa, she opened her phone and saw the family group chat lighting up.

Did you arrive safely?Let us know when you're inside!Text when you're settled!

She typed back:"I've arrived safely. Don't worry, Mom, Dad. Brothers."

The chat exploded with emojis and encouragement, as if she'd just achieved something monumental.

Then she noticed several money transfers.

Her parents, Henry, and Daniel had each sent $7,500. Caleb had sent $4,500.

Thirty thousand dollars in total.

Ella stared at the screen, stunned.

Without hesitation, she sent every transfer back.

Moments later, messages flooded in.

"Ella, this is your father's money. You must keep it," Lucas said.

"Yes," Lora added. "Buy whatever you need."

"You're rejecting it because you don't see us as your brothers?" the three boys protested together.

Ella finally gave in.

Thinking of their small apartment-and how much this must have cost them-her chest tightened with warmth and quiet pain.

The Next Morning

Ella rode to work.

She had just graduated and was now an intern at a local media outlet. Officially a reporter. In reality, she chased leads, tips, and anything she could find.

Senior reporters had contacts. Interns had persistence.

She usually relied on public transport or shared bikes, but today, the electric bike made everything easier.

She didn't land any major stories, but she stopped by a local community center.

The director smiled when he saw her. "Ella! Back again? And with gifts?"

"I didn't buy them," she said, unloading a box. "My mom made them."

There was too much food to keep at home, so she'd brought half along.

"Your mom?" the director asked, surprised.

"My real mom," Ella said, beaming.

"Oh-your biological family found you? Congratulations!"

Ella had grown up here with Piper. Even after leaving, she still visited once or twice a month.

"I brought stuffed chicken and small fish," she said. "Especially for you."

The director laughed and accepted them.

"Where's Ellen?" Ella asked.

"She's helping the kids inside."

"I'll find her."

Ellen was helping children with homework. Now married with a toddler, she worked part-time so she could keep her daughter close.

"Sis!" Ella called.

Ellen pulled the kids aside. "How are your parents? Do they treat you well?"

"They're amazing," Ella said. "They even packed food for me."

Ellen's smile softened. "So you've left the villa for good? Congratulations..."

Ella nodded. "Yeah. I even got married."

After a brief explanation, Ellen's expression shifted to concern."But you barely know him."

"At least my grandfather's generation knew him," Ella said lightly. "That's better than my adoptive mom trying to marry me off to some rich stranger."

After leaving the center, Ella called Tiesto. He had just finished a meeting and answered.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Mr. Sterling, I need your help with something," Ella said. "The security guard told me this morning that I need to register my bike, but I need proof that I live there, so-"

"Alright." Tiesto frowned slightly."Javi, take care of it immediately."

A second later, Ella's phone buzzed-Tiesto Sterling had added her as a contact. Moments after that, he sent over the property documents.

She hadn't expected the apartment to actually belong to him.

In the city, real estate prices were brutal. Even modest apartments could drain a family's lifetime savings. This one was ninety-nine square meters-just over a thousand square feet. Even in an average neighborhood, its value was staggering.

Ella stared at the documents, stunned.

[So this apartment is yours?] she typed. [It must have cost a fortune.]

No reply.

After a moment, she added: [You probably have a big mortgage every month, right? I can contribute to the rent if you want.]

Still nothing.

Feeling awkward, she sent one more message. "I don't earn much yet. I'll only be using one room, so I can cover part of the market rate."

Finally, a response came.

[No need.]

Even so, Ella felt uneasy. She'd planned to rent anyway, so she made a mental note to look up local prices later.

With the property documents and marriage certificate, registering her electric bike and charging station went smoothly this time.

Back at the apartment, she flipped the light switch.

Nothing happened.

The unit was pitch-dark.

A neighbor across the hall poked her head out. "Everything okay? Did your power go out?"

Ella frowned. It dawned on her that the utilities hadn't been activated yet. She messaged Tiesto for the account details and access codes. His replies were brief-impatient, even-but she didn't take it personally. She had no intention of bothering him more than necessary.

Her phone rang almost immediately.

"Make a list of everything that needs to be handled-utilities, parking, anything else," Tiesto said calmly. "Send it all at once. Don't report things piece by piece."

Even while busy, he was polite. Still, the authority in his tone made her smile wryly. If she'd done this at work, she would've been reprimanded long ago.

"Oh-okay. Sorry," she said, pulling out a notebook and carefully writing everything down.

Tiesto didn't wait. "Javi, handle it."

Javi moved fast-activating utilities, confirming parking access, and linking all fees to Tiesto's accounts.

He had witnessed Tiesto registering the marriage himself, but over the past two days it was clear the CEO wasn't entirely pleased with the arrangement. Javi didn't ask questions. He never did.

"Create a new messaging account," Tiesto added. "If she needs anything, she contacts you. You're just a friend. I'm an ordinary employee."

Tiesto's main accounts were too public-corporate posts, media appearances, constant visibility. Personal matters didn't belong there. Javi sighed. Keeping things low-key was one thing; this bordered on excessive.

Before Ella finished her list, the apartment lights flicked on.

Everything had been handled-utilities activated, parking approved, fees auto-paid. Tiesto even sent her the Wi-Fi name and password.

"For apartment-related matters, contact Javi," his message read, followed by a virtual business card.

"Got it," Ella replied, adding him.

"And don't mention our marriage to outsiders."

"Understood."

She doubted she'd need to contact Tiesto much anyway.

The next day, the building upgraded its smart meters, rendering the old access codes useless. Ella didn't have the new ones.

Tiesto didn't live there, and Javi usually handled these things-but now it fell to her. She messaged Javi directly.

"I need the updated access codes. What should I do?"

Javi was in the car with Tiesto, who was on a call with an overseas investor. He didn't interrupt. This was well within his authority.

Ella was nearby. It would be quicker to deliver them in person.

She waited by the apartment gate.

Minutes later, Javi approached. "Ms. Hart, I brought the updated access codes."

"Oh-thank you for coming all this way," Ella said, taking the envelope.

"Just doing my job," Javi replied. "Let me know if anything else comes up."

Ella glanced across the street-and froze.

"Wait... isn't that car familiar?"

Javi followed her gaze.

Tiesto's black sedan was parked nearby-far too conspicuous. If anyone recognized it, things could get messy.

"Maybe you're mistaken," Javi said smoothly, shifting to block her view.

Ella squinted again. Behind the sedan, a white SUV pulled up. A young woman inside laughed as she spoke to the driver.

Ellen. And her husband.

"Oh." Ella relaxed.

"Coffee?" Javi suggested quickly.

"No, I'll pay," Ella said. "You already went out of your way."

The distraction worked.

By the time Ella stepped out with her iced latte, the white SUV was gone. She waved goodbye to Javi, feeling oddly self-sufficient.

Tiesto's call ended moments later.

Almost unconsciously, he glanced out the window.

Across the street, Ella was laughing softly as she said goodbye to Javi. They held identical cups of iced coffee.

Something in his chest stilled.

He'd known she was beautiful from the start-but her smile now, effortless and bright, caught him completely off guard. The curve of her brows, the light in her eyes-it was disarming.

His gaze lingered.

Javi returned to the car.

The door shut.

Tiesto's eyes shifted to him-cold, sharp.

"You two seem... close," Tiesto said.

A chill ran down Javi's spine. That edge in his voice-subtle, unmistakable.

"Mr. Sterling," Javi said carefully, "the smart meter needed updating. I handled it. She thanked me with coffee."

The air only grew colder.

Tiesto said nothing.

But the tension remained.

Back at the office, Javi was unusually cautious. He'd assumed Tiesto was indifferent-that small gestures meant nothing.

He'd been wrong.

Tiesto's possessiveness had surfaced quietly, unexpectedly, over something as trivial as a cup of coffee.

Lesson learned.

No matter how insignificant it seemed, Javi would never again allow Ella to get close to Tiesto in ways that might matter.

Experience gained: +1.