1 sat in the cat, holding our freshly printed marriage certificates Fenuld not believe that yesterday, I was stil nursing a broken heart, and today, I was marriedi.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror and asked, “Mr. Powell, home or somewhere else?”
I felt dizzy and wanted to go home to process everything. However, Nathaniel spoke op beside me in his calm voice, “Let’s go to Eden Residence.”
“What for?” I turned to look at Nathaniel.
“To buy our home,” he replied simply.
“Oh,” I said.
Then, reality hit me–I was married.
The scenery flying past the window reminded me of my confused 25 years rushing by as I headed toward a new life. Suddenly, Nathaniel broke the silence and asked, “Are you done taking pictures?”
I was confused and blurted out, “Of what?”
He reminded me, “The marriage certificates. Aren’t you going to post about it on social media? Send the photos to me once you’re done.”
“Oh, okay,” I replied.
I took a photo of the certificates together and posted it online. Nathaniel immediately tucked the certificates away like they were prized possessions. However, I could not shake off the feeling that something was off.
Tara was the first to comment. “That was quick and unexpected!”
Shawn’s comment followed. “Rowena, playing hard to get won’t work with me. I gave you a chance yesterday, but you didn’t take it. Don’t regret this.“*
I thought Shawn was an idiot, and I immediately blocked him.
After I gave the okay, Nathaniel finalized the purchase of a standalone villa in Eden Residence for over nine million dollars. His assistant handled all the paperwork.
On the way back, I saw Nathaniel post on his social media, too. His post was as minimalistic and composed as he was. It was a photo of the house with two words: “Our home.”
The driver took us directly to Nathaniel’s current penthouse apartment. He lived alone, rarely returning to the Turner estate, preferring to stay close to his office.
He handed me a glass of water, his movements calm and natural. “The new house needs renovations. For now, we’ll stay here. Feel free to explore the apartment, and you can decorate the master bedroom however you like.”
I stood up, took the water, and awkwardly thanked him. “Thank you, Mr. Powell.”
Inwardly, I was silently praying for the universe to save me–I barely knew this guy.
Nathaniel stared at me for a moment before saying, “If I’m not mistaken, we got married three hours ago.
froze as he continued, “So either call me ‘honey‘ or use my first name.”
*73 BONUS
or the rest of the evening, one thought kept looping in my head: I wondered what was going to happen tonight. Apparently, my nerves were so obvious even Nathaniel, who had been working, noticed.
He ended his call and looked at me, his eyes calm but curious. “Nervous?”
I nodded slightly. “A–A little.”
In my mind, I pictured what a man like Nathaniel–cool and collected–might say to comfort me. I figured he would reassure me, like in romance novels where the male protagonist would say, “Don’t worry. I won’t touch you until you’re ready.”
However, reality was far from that. Nathaniel took off his gold–rimmed glasses and walked over to me.
Pulling me into his arms, he murmured, his voice low and smooth, “Then, let’s ease the tension. You can start by having a test run.”
After that, he turned off the lights, his hands firm on my waist as he guided me to straddle his lap. His warm breath brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.
