His expression was pure and innocent, full of childlike simplicity.

He didn’t look at all like the volatile, unpredictable madman he usually appeared to be.

A strange feeling flickered through me, and I immediately laughed at myself for thinking it.

My emotions were tangled.

I drew in a deep breath and said softly, “You said you’re willing to marry me. Do you really understand what marriage means?

“It’s not as simple as eating together or playing games.”

I held his dark eyes in mine.

He nodded rapidly with a bright, foolish grin, then pulled me up and spun me in place.

Joy radiated from him so strongly that it reached me.

Smiling, I took his hand, and together we went to register our marriage.

During the photoshoot, he smiled so hard his eyes nearly disappeared.

The photographer reminded him several times not to look so excited.

He reacted warily to the stranger, glaring and lifting his fist as if to strike.

My heart tightened.

I grabbed the hem of his jacket.

Unexpectedly, he pressed his lips together and lowered his hand at once.

His eyes fixed on me—aggrieved yet hopeful—like a child restraining himself while waiting for praise.

Before long, we received our freshly printed marriage certificates.

He stared at the one in my hand, pressing his own against his chest, looking back and forth, unwilling to tear his gaze away.

I guided him into the car and tucked his certificate into his pocket.

“I still have something to do. Go home first and wait for me, alright? I won’t be long.”

His hand tightened over his pocket.

Tension and reluctance filled his expression, but he still murmured a soft “Okay.”

I went to Charlie’s company and headed straight for the top-floor office, then I kicked open the door.

Two entangled figures scrambled apart.

The wide desk was a complete mess, and clothes lay scattered across the floor.

Smudged lipstick stained Charlie’s face, while Crystal’s skin was marked with red patches.

Yet Charlie had told me he was not interested in her.

After five years of dating, I had suffered deeply when I sensed he was cheating.

I even wondered if I was too reserved, too inexperienced to satisfy him.

So I gathered my courage, prepared red wine, roses, and custom lingerie.

But he wrinkled his nose in disgust, as if I were something filthy.

“Have some shame, Kendall. If you want to act like a whore, go work at the nightclubs. Don’t disgust me here!”

He slammed the door and left.

After that, he only grew bolder with Crystal while I drank the entire bottle of wine alone, as I threw both the lingerie and the wine into the trash.

Now, this man who claimed he hated my advances was tangled up with Crystal in his office.

Crystal jumped off the desk, shrugged on her coat, and flashed a proud, mocking smile.

“Shouldn’t you still be at the church with that lunatic? Hehe… you really can’t stay away from Mr. Boyd, can you?”**

Charlie paused, grabbed his clothes, and put them on.

He patted her lightly.

“Enough. Go pour me a glass of water.”

Then he glanced at me.

“I told you not to come to my company without an appointment,” he began impatiently.

“What if someone sees you? How would that look?

“You never had a sense of propriety. I’m used to it, so I won’t even bother arguing.

“Go back on your own. The company is busy. We’ll have the wedding next week.”

When I saw the scene before me, I staggered and grabbed the doorframe to keep myself from collapsing.

As I remembered the years of coldness he had shown me, something like a surge of electricity ripped through my body, then a sharp pain followed by a hollow numbness.

The love I once felt for this man drained away completely.

I showed the marriage certificate to him.

“Don’t worry. I won’t come again.

“From now on, nothing about your life has anything to do with me.

“There’s no need for a wedding either.

“And if there is one, it would be between my husband and me.”

Charlie froze, disbelief twisting his expression.

“Are you insane, Kendall? You actually registered a marriage with that lunatic?

“Ridiculous! When you divorce him and marry me, wouldn’t that make me the fool who married a used woman?”

Even now, that was all he cared about.

As if, after everything, the worst disaster he faced was the possibility that the great heir of the Boyds might have to marry a second‑hand bride.

He still believed I would eventually marry him.

Crystal had finally managed to put on her clothes and covered her mouth with a soft laugh.

“You really humiliated yourself and Mr. Boyd by acting without thinking just because you were angry?

“If the news spreads, what would people say about him?”

I laughed coldly.

Who was the one who forced me to marry Conrad?

Who was the one who abandoned me at the wedding and came here to fool around, pretending he had a meeting?

And now, everything has somehow become my fault.

Charlie went to pour a glass of water for Charlie.

When she approached, she brushed against something and let out a delicate cry as she fell onto the carpet.

Hot liquid splashed everywhere and seeped into the hem of Charlie’s trousers.

He immediately crouched down to help her.

When he reached for tissues and found the box empty, he barked at me, “Hand me your scarf!”

I froze.

That light sky‑blue velvet scarf was the one he had given me when he confessed to me.

He had asked about my favorite color and fabric in advance, and—despite being who he was—made it by hand himself, spending a full month on it.

He told me it was the most effort he had ever put into a gift in his life, and that I had to wear it every day.

I agreed—and I did.

And now, just because Crystal had spilled water on him, he demanded it back as if it meant nothing.

The last thread of sentiment inside me broke.

I smiled, removed the scarf, and, from a full meter away, tossed it straight onto the two of them.

“Here. I’m returning it. We’re finished.”

He hurried to wipe the water off Crystal with that scarf and scolded me without even lifting his head.

“It’s just an old scarf, why are you making a fuss? You look so pathetic! You can wash it—or buy another one anywhere on the street!”

So he had even forgotten he made it himself.

I refused to say another word and turned to leave.

My footsteps seemed to provoke him, and he shouted, “Who do you think you are? I’m not putting up with this!

“I’m giving you a way out now—if you don’t take it, even if you beg me later, it’ll be useless!”

I returned to the bridal suite.

The only lights still on in the villa were in the guest rooms.

Conrad pressed his hands to his chest, the corner of our marriage certificate peeking out.

He fixed his gaze on the doorway.

The moment he saw me enter, his eyes lit up.

My gloom lifted, and I walked toward him.

“You’re still awake? It’s so late.”

He grinned.

“I was waiting for you!” he said brightly.

My heart softened, and I brushed his cheek.

“Sometimes I have things to do. Go to bed on your own when it’s time. Don’t force yourself to stay up.”

Conrad obediently went to wash up.

I stepped onto the balcony and saw messages from Charlie.

[You just had to find a lunatic to annoy me with, huh? You’re always causing trouble!

[Listen, reflect on yourself immediately, and apologize properly—maybe I’ll still want you.]

The corner of my mouth twitched.

Before, if his tone hardened even slightly, I would have scrambled to appease him.

Now, it just struck me as ridiculous.

Too lazy to reply, I blocked him.

The next day, after breakfast, I took Conrad to the mall.

Since we were newlyweds, it was time to get everything we needed.

Conrad was excited.

At the checkout, he unexpectedly pulled out his children’s card terminal to pay for his shoes.

I couldn’t help laughing and decided to buy him a new phone.

To my surprise, the first thing he did with his phone was carefully enter my number.

Then, for the name, he typed: “Wife.”

He held the phone in front of his face, letting only his eyes peek over the top at me.

I grasped his hand and said softly, “Perfect.”

In the car park, we ran into Charlie and Crystal.

Charlie’s gaze dripped with mockery as he shot a look at our linked hands.

“Did the wedding ceremony melt your brain cells? Bringing an idiot out with you—if he destroys everything, will the Lights pay for it?”

Crystal’s eyes flicked, and she chimed in, “You have to know when to quit. You really want to go head-to-head with Mr. Boyd?”

“You’re in our way. My husband and I are going to collect our wedding photos.”

Charlie's face darkened instantly.

“This has got to end!” he said sharply.

“You swore you’d love me for life and never betray me—was that all a lie?

“How long do you plan to keep playing house?

“Do you remember you promised to marry me and become Mrs. Boyd?”

I let out a mocking laugh and rolled my eyes.

“Didn’t I make myself clear? We’re done.”

Charlie froze in place.

Hand in hand, Conrad and I walked around him and got into the car.

Five days later, Conrad and I held our wedding ceremony at a mountain resort on the outskirts of the city.

Charlie arrived with Crystal and a crowd of his drinking buddies.

Several people that Crystal led lifted their phones and livestreamed me.

Our wedding was low‑key, with few guests, which allowed that group to occupy half the lawn.

Someone shouted at me, “You gave up Charlie and married an idiot because of a small joke—have you considered how deeply you’ve hurt him?”

Charlie put on a sorrowful expression and sighed.

“Every mistake was mine, but don’t ruin yourself just to punish me. This hurts me more than if you had simply left me.”

I had expected him to cause trouble, but I hadn’t expected this kind of trouble.

After his performance, he became the devoted lover, and I became the heartless woman.

The absurdity of it left me speechless.

A flicker of triumph flashed in Charlie's eyes.

He approached me, speaking in the tone one used to indulge a pet, “You don’t have to make such a scene just to force me to surrender…

“You know I love you and will always yield to you. Here— just apologize, and I’ll let bygones be bygones.”

He lowered his head to look down at me, his face full of smug confidence, waiting for me to beg for his forgiveness.

I took a deep breath, ready to curse at him when a calm, resonant voice spoke from behind me.

“Kendall is my legally wedded wife—we’re officially married.”