Evelyn stared at the handsome man, her breath catching in her throat. His dark eyes were cold, sharp, and totally fixed on her face.
"What condition?" Evelyn asked immediately. Her voice was firm, showing no fear at all. She did not have time to waste on long games.
Julian took a slow sip of his drink and leaned back on his stool. The dim light made his sharp jawline look even more striking.
"I do not need your five hundred thousand dollars," Julian said, his deep voice smooth and calm. "Money means nothing to me. But I need a marriage of convenience to stop my family from bothering me about settling down. You give me a peaceful marriage cover, and I will help you protect your father's estate."
Evelyn looked at him carefully. He was dressed in a tailored suit that clearly cost thousands of dollars. She assumed he was just an expensive corporate consultant who made good money but wanted to dodge nagging parents. That suited her just fine. A professional arrangement was far better than paying half a million cash.
"Deal," Evelyn said without a second thought. "No real romance, no interfering in each other's personal life. We get married tonight, and we keep it strictly professional."
Julian gave a slight nod. "Agreed."
They stood up and left the lounge together. Outside, a sleek black luxury sedan pulled up to the curb. A well dressed driver stepped out and held the rear door open with deep respect.
Evelyn was impressed, but she did not overthink it. High end corporate consultants often lived lavishly. She slid into the back seat, and Julian sat right beside her. His large body filled the space, making the cool car feel suddenly warm and intimate.
The car moved quickly through the quiet city streets, heading toward the city civil registry office that stayed open twenty four hours for urgent marriage filings.
Inside the quiet office, an older man with thick glasses sat behind a wide wooden desk. He rubbed his tired eyes and looked at the couple standing before him. Evelyn looked sharp and determined, while Julian stood tall like a royal king, his face completely calm.
"You two want an immediate legal marriage filing?" the registrar asked, looking at his desk clock. It was already eleven forty five at night.
"Yes," Evelyn replied, stepping forward. "We have all our legal documents, identity cards, and birth certificates ready right here."
She placed her papers on the desk. Julian pulled out his official silver pen and tossed his dark leather passport onto the table next to her documents.
The older man checked the papers quickly, stamping them with heavy black ink. He pulled out a fresh, official marriage certificate and pushed it across the wooden table along with a heavy pen.
"Sign on the left line, young lady," the clerk instructed. "And the groom signs on the right line."
Evelyn picked up the pen without any hesitation. She thought of her father's smiling face, and then she thought of Liam and Chloe kissing behind her back. Anger surged through her veins, turning into pure strength.
She pressed the pen hard against the paper and signed her full name cleanly: Evelyn Sterling.
She passed the pen to Julian.
Julian took the pen in his large hand. He looked down at her signature for a short second, a smooth, unreadable smirk appearing on his lips. He leaned over the table and signed his name in bold, elegant cursive script.
The clerk picked up his heavy seal, pressed it into red wax, and slammed it down onto the paper.
"Congratulations," the clerk said, handing the thick, stamped marriage license over to Evelyn. "As of eleven fifty five tonight, you are officially husband and wife under the law."
Evelyn held the paper in her hands. She felt a huge wave of relief wash over her body. Her father's inheritance was officially saved. Her evil stepmother and cheating stepsister had lost their chance to steal everything she owned.
She looked up at Julian. "Thank you," she whispered sincerely.
Julian looked down at her with a calm, steady gaze. "You do not need to thank me, wife. We are in this together now."
Before Evelyn could reply to his deep, heavy words, her purse suddenly began to vibrate wildly against her hip.
She unzipped her bag and pulled out her phone. The bright screen lit up the dim room. A barrage of ten missed calls and five urgent text messages filled her screen, all from the same contact name: Liam.
A fresh text message popped up on top of her screen in bold letters.
As the registrar hands over the marriage license, Evelyn’s phone vibrates with a frantic text from Liam: "Where are you? The engagement party is starting!"