Chapter 32: Elena and Elias finally got married.
The next day...
Elena and Elias registered their marriage.
Standing outside the city hall, Elena lowered her gaze to the marriage certificate in her hands.
’I actually married someone I barely know.’
For a moment, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from it.
Elias watched her quietly from the side, amusement dancing on his face. "You are staring at it as if it’s some priceless treasure," he said teasingly.
Elena instantly lowered her hand, heat creeping up her cheeks in embarrassment. "I-I was only checking if everything was written correctly."
She quickly slipped the certificate into her bag.
"Hmm..." He leaned slightly closer to her and whispered in her ear, "You mean you are checking if you truly became Elias Rowan’s wife?"
His warm breath brushed against her skin, sending goosebumps across the back of her neck. Her face turned even hotter.
"No, I was not." She stepped aside.
Elias didn’t let her move far away. He stretched out his arm and wrapped it around her waist, drawing her in closer.
Elena’s breathing hitched. Her head snapped toward him. The moment she met his dark eyes, her mind went blank. She forgot everything else.
"Are you regretting marrying me, Mrs. Rowan?" he asked, his tone deep, though amusement flickered in his eyes.
She blinked. "No," she whispered instinctively. "I..."
"You are now my one and only wife," he said, cutting her off. "And I should be the only man in your mind, heart, and in your dreams. If you still think about your ex-husband, I’ll be upset."
Elena, speechless, kept staring at him. For the first time, she sensed the possessiveness beneath his teasing attitude.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the strap of her bag.
Now that she had already married him, it was only natural for him to expect her to belong to him completely. But emotionally, she couldn’t keep up.
Everything had happened too fast.
Just days ago, she had gone through heartbreak. The man she had loved for years, trusted blindly, and dreamed of spending her life beside him had betrayed her and killed their child.
That agony was still fresh in her heart.
And now, she was suddenly someone else’s wife. She was conflicted, anxious, and uncertain.
Though she was grateful to Elias for saving her again and again, part of her still felt fearful.
She was afraid of putting her full trust in another person, afraid of depending on someone again, afraid that one day, this warmth would also disappear.
She had already broken once. She didn’t know if she could survive another heartbreak.
At the same time, a hint of guilt rose in her chest. After marrying Elias, she knew she should wholeheartedly accept him as her husband. But her wounded heart was still struggling to catch up with reality.
He chuckled softly. "If you keep staring at me like that, I’ll think you are trying to seduce me," he whispered teasingly.
Her face turned red at once. "What? No... I’m not."
𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
She instantly broke free and stepped aside. She looked left and right but didn’t dare to meet his eyes again.
"D-Didn’t you say you had to go to the office? Won’t you be late?"
"I will," Elias replied casually. "But before that, I’ll drop you home."
He put a hand lightly on the small of her back and led her to the car parked nearby. Soon, the car drove away.
Several minutes later, the car rolled to a stop in front of a luxurious residential complex.
He stepped out of the car first and walked around to open the door for her.
Elena got out slowly and looked around.
The area was vast, with several towering blocks.
The entire residential area looked modern and luxurious, surrounded by neatly trimmed gardens and walking paths lined with trees.
Expensive cars moved in and out of the complex. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.
Elena recognized the place instantly.
This residential complex had become extremely popular in recent years. She had even seen advertisements about it before.
Back then, she had wanted to purchase an apartment here as an investment and had casually mentioned it to Noah. But Noah had dismissed the idea without giving a second thought.
He had told her she didn’t need to buy another property because everything he owned already belonged to her. Even the villa they lived in had eventually been transferred under her name.
But by then, Elena had already lost all hope in him. So she had left the ownership documents behind inside the gift box.
Now, standing in front of the building, she couldn’t help but feel heavy in her heart.
"Let’s go inside." Elias’s voice pulled her back to the present.
Elena nodded and followed him in.
They entered the elevator and soon arrived at the top floor.
Elias punched the code. With a soft click, the door opened.
The moment she walked in, she realized it was a duplex apartment.
The spacious hall immediately caught her attention. The tall, wide windows allowed warm sunlight to flood the room, making the entire place bright and airy. At the far end was a large balcony overlooking the city below.
She stood in the middle of the hall, taking everything in slowly.
To the left was an open kitchen with sleek marble counters and modern appliances. A simple four-seater dining table stood nearby.
On the right was a staircase leading to the next floor. In the center of the hall, large gray sofas surrounded a glass coffee table, while a modern fireplace stood across from them.
The apartment was undoubtedly luxurious, but strangely plain.
The furniture was expensive, but there were no decorative items. The walls were empty, with no paintings, no ornaments, no framed family photos.
The entire house felt quiet, cold even.
Elena couldn’t help wondering whether Elias disliked displaying personal things or whether there was another reason behind it.
Before she could ask anything, he extended a black card toward her.
"Use this. There is no spending limit."
Elena looked at the card, but didn’t take it. She shook her hands. "I don’t need this. I’ll work and earn money myself."
He smiled. Of course, he knew she was independent and that she didn’t have to rely on him for money. That was one of the reasons he admired her.
"I know you can earn money yourself," he said gently. "But I still want you to spend mine and buy whatever you want. Take it."
Elena watched him, her mouth slightly agape. She didn’t want it, but she couldn’t stop herself from comparing him to Noah.
She had stayed beside Noah for years, but he had never given her a credit card. Although he always claimed everything he had belonged to her, Elena had never taken money from him for her own expenses.
After all, Noah had taken care of her and her aunt for years. She had already owed him too much. She had not wanted to burden him further.
So she had never asked him for money, and Noah had never bothered asking whether she needed anything either.
And seeing Elias offering her the card so naturally as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, a strange warmth spread across her chest quietly. Still, she hesitated.
"You’ve already helped me so much," she said. "You are sending my aunt abroad and paying for her treatment. I really don’t need this."