Cosmo's brow furrowed at the last thing he heard from Eloise. The first two conditions were understandable. Since they were now married, it was only natural to act like a happy couple in front of others. Besides, as his legal wife, if the Lopez family disrespected Eloise, it would be like insulting Cosmo himself. It made sense for him to stand up for her.

But the third condition-was Eloise already thinking about divorce? They had just gotten their marriage certificate, and she was already talking about ending it?

Just like she'd said before, she only married Cosmo because she had no choice. She never wanted to do it in the first place. For Cosmo, marrying a woman he didn't even like was frustrating. So of course, he also wanted a divorce. But what confused him was why Eloise was the first to bring it up.

She beat him to it. It was like she couldn't wait to get away from him. To Cosmo, that was a direct hit to his pride.

He held back his irritation. "So if you want a divorce, should I just give it to you?"

Eloise noticed the tone in his voice, so she calmly replied, "Of course. If you want to get divorced, I won't stop you. I'll accept it."

Cosmo smirked. "So if I asked for a divorce right now, you'd say yes?"

Eloise didn't seem offended at all. Instead, she gave a small smile. "I don't think that would be a good idea. If we split right after getting married, people will just laugh at us."

Cosmo gave a cold chuckle. "And what's the difference between this and a forced marriage from the old days? Isn't this just as laughable?"

Eloise's tone sharpened. "If I divorced you right after the wedding, people would think I was the one who couldn't stand you. But if I stay-without taking your money, without using you, without insulting you-doesn't that prove I'm not looking down on you?"

Cosmo went silent. 

Given his current condition-as a man with a disability-people would naturally assume a woman only married him for money. But if she walked away without asking for anything in return, what would they think then? Maybe something even worse. Maybe they'd say that it wasn't just his legs that were broken.

The silence between them grew heavy, the tension in the room thick. Fortunately, someone knocked, breaking the atmosphere.

Jiro, Cosmo's assistant, walked in with a few important documents that needed to be signed. He looked surprised to see Eloise. In Cosmo's current state, only a few trusted caregivers were allowed near him.

Jiro glanced at Eloise. She looked even prettier in person than in her photos-small face, timeless beauty. Eloise gave him a polite smile. Jiro paused for a second, then returned the gesture with a respectful nod.

Cosmo quietly watched their interaction, his gaze unreadable. He couldn't help but wonder-so this is how Eloise works. She said she didn't need help, yet she was being friendly with the people around him.

Did she have some kind of plan?

Jiro handed over the documents and carefully helped Cosmo back into bed. Once everything was signed, Cosmo told him, "Find Atty. Teves. Have him draft a contract. And the terms are-"

From his tone, it was clear that he wanted to test if Eloise truly meant what she said.

But Eloise quickly cut in. "I'll explain the contents of the contract."

She calmly went over the details. As Jiro listened, he was quietly stunned. There wasn't a single part of the agreement that benefited Eloise. It was like a binding contract that gave her no advantage at all.

And yet she agreed without hesitation. Her voice didn't even waver.

After she finished, she turned to Cosmo. "Cosmo, is there anything you want to add?"

Among the rich, it was normal to have a prenuptial agreement to avoid complications in the event of a separation. But this? Eloise herself was requesting that if they split up, she'd leave with nothing. Not a single cent from the Dominguez family.

Cosmo stared at her with a blank expression. "I have nothing to add. Have Atty. Teves drafted the contract and send it to me right away."

Jiro was shocked but quickly composed himself. "Understood, Sir."

Once it was just the two of them again, Eloise spoke up. "I saw your mother before I came in. She said that since we're married, we should sleep in the same room so I can take care of you."

The idea of being "taken care of" instantly soured Cosmo's mood. "If you want to play the role of a wife, you don't need to take care of me."

Eloise paused. "Then I won't stay in the master bedroom. I'll sleep in the guest room. But if Mrs. Dominguez asks, how should I explain that?"

Cosmo said, "You're smart, aren't you? Can't you come up with a reason?"

Even though his tone clearly showed irritation, Eloise noticed something important.

"So, you think I'm smart?" she replied.

Cosmo grew even more annoyed. Of all things, that's what she chose to focus on.

Moments later, Eloise stepped out of the room, picked up her suitcase from the hallway, and went to the guest bedroom.

It wasn't a big room, but it had everything she needed. She opened the window to let some fresh air in and cleaned up a little.

It looked like this would be her new home in the Dominguez household from now on.

Not long after, one of the household staff came to invite them to dinner.

Normally, Cosmo ate alone in his small house, but today was different.

It was Eloise's first day with the family. Even though there hadn't been a real wedding, it was tradition for her to join them for dinner-to formally introduce her to the family and allow her to get to know them.

Since Cosmo didn't want to go with her, she went alone.

When she entered the main hall, no one was surprised to see her by herself. But the looks they gave her were a mix of pity and judgment.

The family was large. Cosmo's father had three brothers and two sisters.

Cosmo was the eldest child and the oldest grandchild, which was why their grandfather had adored him since he was little.

On top of that, he'd shown impressive business skills even at a young age, so it was no surprise he was chosen to be the heir of the family.

Wilfred Dominguez, the family patriarch, was in his seventies. He wore a formal black suit and had a strict aura, though there was also a hint of warmth in him. He waved at Eloise to come closer and examined her carefully.

She had been personally chosen by Cosmo's mother-a woman known for being very particular and having high standards.

So it was surprising that she had picked someone like Eloise, who had been adopted by the Lopez family.

Still, Eloise had lived with the Lopezes for over twenty years, and she carried herself with grace, politeness, and quiet charm.

She let Wilfred study her without flinching and greeted him politely, "Good evening, Grandpa."

Since she was now married to Cosmo, it was only proper for her to start calling him "Grandpa", to avoid giving anyone an excuse to question her place.

Wilfred looked a bit surprised at first, but then smiled and nodded. "That's right. You should call me Grandpa from now on."

He had prepared a gift to welcome Eloise into the family. He immediately asked the housekeeper to bring it to her.

In their tradition, receiving a gift from an elder was a sign of welcome and respect. Refusing it would not only be seen as prideful, but also deeply disrespectful.

Eloise accepted the gift and said, "Thank you, Grandpa."

Wilfred appreciated how straightforward she was-no pretense, no false humility. He smiled in approval and asked,

"How was your first meeting with your husband earlier?"

It sounded like a casual question, but there was a hidden trap. If Eloise hinted that she didn't like Cosmo, she'd likely face a tough time in this household.

Before she could respond, a voice cut in:

"It's just an arranged marriage anyway. I'm sure my brother isn't happy about it. He probably yelled at her earlier. Look-he didn't even come to dinner."

Eloise recognized the voice-it was Caroline Dominguez. She knew her well. Caroline was Elaine's best friend and had once teamed up with her to bully Eloise.

Caroline had assumed that Elaine would be the one marrying Cosmo, so she was shocked when she found out it was Eloise instead.

Back when the Lopez family still treated Eloise as their real daughter, she was known for being smart and admired by many. People even called her "The First Princess of Tagaytay." Even though Caroline came from the wealthy Dominguez family, she was often compared to Eloise, which only fueled her hatred.

When it was later revealed that Eloise wasn't truly a Lopez, Caroline didn't stop mocking her. In her eyes, Eloise had lost all value without the Lopez name. She figured Eloise would end up marrying an average businessman at best, not someone from a rich family.

What she didn't expect was for Eloise to marry her very own cousin-Cosmo, whom she deeply admired.

Caroline was furious. Her glare at Eloise was filled with contempt. Without any filter, she mocked her, "What are you after, marrying my cousin? Everyone knows the truth. You're a fake daughter-how can someone like you be worthy of him?"

Her tone was arrogant and rude. Some of the people around them simply watched the scene unfold-some entertained, others taking the opportunity to humiliate Eloise.

But Eloise didn't flinch. She answered calmly, "I'm not sure what you mean, Miss Caroline. Care to explain?"

Caroline replied right away, her voice dripping with mockery, "With my cousin's situation right now, isn't it obvious? You're just after his money."

Eloise smiled and replied, "Yes, the Dominguez family is wealthy. But not everyone is driven by money. And what situation are you referring to? Are you saying that because of his disability, no one could possibly love or marry him unless it's for money?"

Her response left some people speechless. Cosmo's injury was a sensitive topic within the family, especially for Wilfred and Cosmo's mother, Tanya. Tanya gave Caroline a sharp look.

Caroline gasped, clearly caught off guard by Eloise's pointed reply. "That's not what I meant!" she quickly said, flustered and struggling to explain herself.

Eloise gave her a small smile, watching as Caroline's face turned red from embarrassment. She didn't even realize she had contradicted herself. By accusing Eloise of marrying Cosmo for money, she had basically implied that Cosmo wasn't lovable or worthy of real love-only someone with an ulterior motive would be with him.

Instead of defending Cosmo, she ended up insulting him.

Tanya finally stepped in, her voice firm. "Caroline, whatever your opinion is, Eloise is now Cosmo's wife. She's your cousin-in-law. You should learn to show respect and call her 'Ate Eloise' from now on."

Tanya had arranged the marriage herself. After Cosmo got injured, she tried to find a woman willing to marry him, but nearly everyone said no. Though she was picky in her search, she no longer had many options.

She had always wanted Cosmo to get married-someone who could take care of him closely. For her, having a wife was better than just hiring a caretaker.

More than that, considering Cosmo's current condition, she hoped he could have a child soon. If Wilfred had a great-grandchild, he might not ignore Cosmo so easily.

Initially, Elaine agreed to the marriage. But a month before the wedding, the Lopez family approached Tanya and said Eloise would take her place.

Tanya didn't like the sudden change. She didn't trust the Lopezes. Besides, Eloise was just an adopted daughter. But the Lopez family explained that they had raised Eloise for eighteen years with love and care.

In the world of the wealthy, Eloise was known for her intelligence, beauty, and grace. Even though her background didn't match Cosmo's, she was still a better fit than Elaine.

After thinking it through, Tanya realized they had a point. Aside from not being a real Lopez by blood, Eloise had received top education and upbringing before her real identity was discovered. So, Tanya agreed to let Eloise marry Cosmo. And since she made that decision herself, she stood by it-especially in front of the rest of the Dominguez family.

"Your aunt is right. Eloise is Cosmo's wife now. Don't be disrespectful," Mr. Wilfred said, speaking up at just the right moment.

Caroline wasn't happy, but before she could respond, her mother pulled her aside and gave her a stern look that clearly said, "Don't talk back." If she kept going, it would reflect poorly on her parents' upbringing.

Then, Mr. Wilfred turned to Eloise. "Eloise, from now on, you and Cosmo are together. If he ever does anything wrong to you, come to me. I'll take care of it."

Eloise knew the old man was only saying kind words for show, so she calmly replied, "Yes, Grandpa."

Caroline didn't expect to be defeated by her own words, and the others chose to stay quiet too. Instead, they acted nicely toward Eloise-whether they meant it or not-and gave her a gift.

Dinner went smoothly, and when it was over, Eloise went to see Tanya.

Tanya asked her, "Have you met Cosmo already? How was it? Did he give you a hard time?"

Eloise shook her head. "Not really."

Tanya hesitated for a moment and let out a soft sigh. "Cosmo used to be kind, but after everything that happened to him, it's natural for him to feel down. His patience is shorter now too. Try to understand him."

"I understand," Eloise replied.

Tanya liked how calm and respectful Eloise was. "You're a smart girl. I believe you'll be able to build a good relationship with your husband. Don't worry about what other people say. Just let them be."

Eloise nodded. After a bit more small talk, Tanya told her to head back to the small building where Cosmo lived.

Since Eloise remembered the way, she didn't ask anyone to walk her back. She figured it was best to get used to the place since this would be her new home now.

When she got to her room, she noticed her things were gone. She didn't overthink it and headed straight to the master bedroom. She knocked before entering.

"Were my things moved here already?"

Cosmo had heard about the dinner earlier and looked at her with a cold expression. "My mom is really something. She had the guest bedroom prepared for you earlier, but shortly after, she had your stuff moved to the master bedroom."

Eloise wasn't surprised. They were married after all, so it made sense for her things to be in the master bedroom.

After thinking it over for a second, she spoke. "Your mom won't be watching our every move. When it's time to sleep, I'll just go back to the guest room so I won't bother you."

To her, it didn't matter where her things were-what mattered was getting some rest.

Cosmo didn't care. "Do what you want."

He considered the whole building his private space, so having someone suddenly move into the master bedroom just because they were married wasn't something he was comfortable with.

But even though Eloise didn't insist on staying, he somehow felt like he was the one being rejected. She had clearly said she wouldn't interfere, yet he felt a strange heaviness in his chest.

As Eloise was about to get her clothes and return to the guest room to take a shower, she noticed Cosmo sitting on the edge of the bed. Remembering what Tanya had told her, she carefully asked, "Has anyone helped you clean up yet?"

Cosmo heard what Eloise said and immediately turned to her, a little surprised.

Cosmo was someone who cared a lot about cleanliness. Even with wounds on his legs, he couldn't go a day without taking a bath. Back then, a male nurse was assigned to help clean him up. But now that he had a wife-Eloise herself-Tania wanted her to be the one to do it, hoping it would help them grow closer.

Eloise, however, had no intention of developing feelings for Cosmo. She knew their marriage didn't have a solid foundation. It wasn't something she dreamed of, and she had no plans of forcing a relationship that wasn't built on love. All she wanted was to change her fate.

Cosmo could barely believe what he just heard. "What did you say?"

When he looked at her, Eloise's ears turned slightly red from embarrassment.

"Your mom told me to take care of you... She knows how particular you are when it comes to cleanliness, so she said I should be the one to wipe you down every night..."

Without hesitation, Cosmo refused. "No."

There was no second thought. For him, the idea was too embarrassing and too uncomfortable. Just the thought of Eloise touching him in that way made him uneasy.

Hearing his firm refusal, Eloise let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Well, you have a nurse anyway. He can keep doing it!"

The look of relief on her face didn't escape Cosmo's eyes. It was as if she had been dreading the thought of having to do the job herself. For some reason, he felt a small sting inside-one he couldn't explain.

After grabbing her clothes, Eloise went to the guest bedroom to take a shower. Since it was still early when she finished, she thought of checking in on Cosmo in the master bedroom.

He was still sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard, reading under the soft light. His expression was no longer as cold as it was earlier-there was a hint of gentleness now.

Cosmo seemed a bit surprised to see her come back. "Do you need something?"

Earlier that day, she was the first to confront him. After that, she faced the entire Dominguez family head-on. Then, she asked if he wanted her to help him clean up. And now, she returned to the room?

Cosmo couldn't quite figure her out. But one thing was clear-Eloise wasn't someone easy to read. She was calm, careful, and she clearly had her own reasons.

"It's not bedtime yet. I just wanted to sit with you for a while. Once it's late, I'll go back to the guest room," Eloise said plainly.

Cosmo looked at her, doubtful. "If you want to stay, just say it directly. No need to beat around the bush."

She shook her head. "I don't really want to stay. It's not like you'll let me sleep in the bed. If I stay here, I'll have to sleep on the floor or the couch, and I won't be comfortable. That might disturb your sleep too."

Cosmo stared at her, unsure if he should laugh or get annoyed.

She looked delicate, but she spoke directly. No sugar-coating. No dodging.

Cosmo frowned. "If you're not going to sleep, then I will. And if you're still here, you might just end up disturbing me."

Eloise only smiled. "Aren't you used to sleeping at eleven? It's not even eleven yet! And besides, you'll be the one sleeping, not me. I'll pretend I'm not even here. I won't talk to you."

Cosmo didn't respond.

Eloise sat on the side and started replying to messages from her best friend, Sasha.

[Sasha]: So... first day with the Dominguez family. Did you embarrass yourself?

[Sasha]: How's Cosmo? Is he really paralyzed?

[Sasha]: I heard he's got a bad temper now. Did he hurt you?

[Sasha]: Hey? Hellooo?

The messages came one after another, and Eloise replied to them one by one.

Cosmo noticed how focused she was on her phone, as if she didn't care that he was right there beside her. The irritation inside him grew stronger. He didn't know why, but he was restless.

Unable to concentrate on his book, he closed it and coldly said, "My mom asked you to come here to take care of me, but from the looks of it, it's the other way around."

The room was quiet, so when he suddenly spoke, Eloise flinched. She looked at him, confused.

Cosmo's eyes were cold and dark. There was a hint of anger burning in them, though Eloise couldn't tell where it was coming from.

She figured maybe it had something to do with his current situation. After all, no one would be happy being in his condition. It was understandable if he was in a bad mood.

Eloise composed herself and tried to smile.

"Do you need help with something, Cosmo? Is there anything you want? Maybe some water?"

She stood and walked toward him-not afraid, but not forcing herself to act brave either. She simply kept her tone calm as she asked.

Cosmo wanted to get angry, but when she asked him a question, he couldn't give an answer. The glass of water was just within reach on the small table beside the bed.

"You're only pretending you want to stay in the room because of the people watching our every move. If that's the case, how did you think sleeping in the guest bedroom would go unnoticed?" His voice was cold as he spoke.

Eloise froze. Given Cosmo's situation, it was only natural that there were people keeping an eye on him. The simple fact that her things had already been moved into the master bedroom was enough proof.

She silently admitted that she was hoping to get away with it, so she calmly asked, "What should I do then? Have an extra bed brought into the master bedroom?"

Cosmo's face remained expressionless. "No one's going to give you an extra bed. You have two choices-the floor or the sofa."

Eloise couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had already said she couldn't sleep properly on the floor or the couch, but Cosmo clearly didn't care. Was he really doing this to make things harder for her?

"Are you upset?" Cosmo asked when he saw her expression.

Her lips tightened slightly. "Not really."

"It's true that marrying me is a waste," he said in the same cold tone. "But you're the one who chose this, so you have no right to complain. If it's hard, deal with it."

Eloise didn't say anything.

People always said Cosmo was a gentleman-well-mannered and respectful-but right now, he seemed cold, lacking any concern for how others felt.

She let out a soft sigh and forced a smile. "There's nothing to complain about. I married the Cosmo Dominguez, the perfect gentleman. What more could I ask for?"

Cosmo looked at her as if unsure whether to believe her, but deep inside, his anger seemed to ease just a little.

"In that case, figure out where you're sleeping," he said.

Eloise blinked.

With a sigh, she went to the guest bedroom, grabbed a pillow and blanket, and set them up on the sofa. Then, she looked at Cosmo, who now seemed to be second-guessing himself.

With a tone that sounded like advice, she said, "You know, Mr. Dominguez, people heal faster when they're happy."

He didn't respond.

Eloise didn't say anything more. She just continued messaging Sasha about their plans to meet the next day.

A minute passed before Cosmo realized something wasn't right.

His whole point earlier was to get Eloise out of the room, but now it felt like he'd been tricked-and somehow, she ended up staying in the master bedroom with him.

Was she up to something? How did he fall into this situation?

He couldn't kick her out again now-it would make him look indecisive.

His face grew tense again, annoyed at himself for letting this happen. Eloise was clearly not the kind of woman he could easily predict.

Eloise, on the other hand, had no idea what Cosmo was thinking. She quietly lay on the sofa, still wide awake. While scrolling through her phone, she saw a new post from Elaine.

While she had just recently married Cosmo, Elaine was already getting ready for her wedding with Zedrix.

Their wedding was scheduled for two weeks from now, and today, they had taken their prenup photos and tried on their wedding rings. Elaine posted several photos, clearly showing how sweet she and Zedrix were together.

Zedrix was a good-looking guy, but because he came from a humble family, many people used to look down on him. Even as a child, he faced bullying and cruel treatment. Because of that, he grew up with a dark, sensitive, and suspicious mindset that most people couldn't understand.