Chapter 2

The morning sun slanted through the tall, narrow windows of the Municipal Building, illuminating the dust motes dancing over the wooden counter where Chloe Hayes stood. She didn't look back at the entrance. The decision had been made this morning, sparked by the sharp, stinging words of her brother-in-law that had drifted through the hallway of her sister's home. She needed out. She needed a space that didn't come with the heavy price of being a burden. Marriage to a stranger was a gamble, but it was one she had calculated with the same precision she used to balance the ledgers of her bookshop. Noah Hayes stood beside her, his presence a cooling shadow. He didn't speak as they approached the officer in charge of the paperwork. He moved with a practiced, formal efficiency, his hands steady as he produced his identification. The officer looked between them, then back at the forms. "Everything seems to be in order." Chloe picked up the pen. The ink felt heavy as she signed her name, marking the transition from a guest in her sister's house to the wife of a man she barely knew. Noah followed suit, his signature a sharp, decisive scrawl. "Here is your license," the officer said, sliding the document across the counter. "Thank you," Noah said. He took the paper and turned to Chloe, his gaze distant. "For the sake of convenience and to avoid unnecessary complications with my work and family, we will keep the fact of this marriage under wraps for now. Do you have an issue with that?" "None at all," Chloe replied. It suited her fine; she wasn't looking for a spectacle, only a resolution. Noah reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, pressing them into her palm. "These are for the house in Briarwood. It's a ten-minute bus ride from there to Riverbend High School, so your commute to the bookshop shouldn't be a problem." Chloe closed her fingers around the metal. The cold edges bit into her skin, a tangible reminder of her new reality. "I'll be transferring funds for household expenses on the tenth of each month," Noah continued, his voice as informative as if he were delivering a quarterly report. "I'm aware you don't have a car. If you're looking to buy one, I can provide the down payment for you." Chloe looked at the keys, then up at him. The offer was generous, perhaps too generous for a man who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. "Thank you, but I don't need a car. I have my e-bike. It's easier for getting around the school entrance anyway." Noah's brow flickered, a momentary break in his cool facade. "An e-bike?" "It's practical," Chloe said. "And about the expenses—I'd prefer if we split the bills. I have my own income from the shop and my trinkets. It's only fair." Noah's expression shifted, a subtle tightening around his eyes that looked almost like sadness, though it was gone before Chloe could be sure. "No. I provide for the household. That isn't up for debate." Chloe opened her mouth to argue, then saw the firm line of his jaw. She nodded once. If he was insistent on the mortgage and utilities, she would simply use her own money to stock the pantry, buy the linens, and handle the daily necessities that made a house a home. It was a compromise she could live with to ensure a harmonious environment. "I have to get back to the office," Noah said, checking his watch. "I have a meeting I can't miss. I can call you a cab, or I can drop you off if you can wait ten minutes for me to pull the car around." "A cab is fine," Chloe said. "We should exchange numbers first, though. In case of emergencies." Noah took his phone out, tapped the screen, and waited for her to dictate her digits. Once the contact was saved, he reached into his wallet and pulled out two hundred dollars in crisp bills. He held them out to her. "For the cab fare," he said. "Noah, it's not that far. It won't cost—" "Take it," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for refusal. Chloe took the money, tucking it into her purse. "Thank you. I'll see you at the house later, then." He nodded once and walked toward the exit, his stride long and purposeful. Chloe remained in the lobby for a moment, the weight of the keys and the cash settling into her bag. Outside, Dorothy Hayes stood by the curb, her eyes narrowed as she watched her grandson emerge from the building alone. She hurried toward him as he approached his vehicle. "Where is Chloe?" Dorothy demanded, her voice sharp with skepticism. "Why did you leave her inside? You just got married, Noah!" "I have a meeting, Grandma," Noah said, his voice firm as he opened the driver's side door. "I've given her the keys and money for a cab. I can't stay." "A cab? On her wedding day?" Dorothy huffed, crossing her arms. "You have the manners of a brick." Noah didn't flinch. "I need to evaluate her character. This marriage happened quickly, and I need to know who she is when I'm not around to provide a performance. If she doesn't pass my test—if she isn't who you say she is—we will part ways in six months. I've already decided." Dorothy's jaw dropped. "A test? She saved my life, you ungrateful boy!" "That doesn't mean she's suited to be my wife," Noah replied. He signaled to a man standing nearby—a bodyguard who had been hovering at a discreet distance. "Stay with her until her cab arrives, then bring Grandma home." "I don't want to go home with him!" Dorothy protested, gesturing wildly. "I want to stay with my granddaughter-in-law!" Noah didn't stay to argue. He slid into the driver's seat of a sleek, black Monarch. The engine purred with the quiet power of a vehicle that cost more than most people earned in a decade. As he pulled away from the curb, leaving his grandmother fuming on the sidewalk, the true scale of his world was hidden behind the tinted glass. To the world, he was a successful corporate man; in reality, he sat atop a net worth of one hundred billion dollars. Dorothy watched the Monarch disappear into traffic, her face flushed with frustration. "That boy," she muttered to herself. "He thinks he's so clever. Karma is going to bite him right in the backside, just wait and see." She huffed, then pulled her phone from her knitted pouch. She dialed Chloe's number immediately. "Chloe, dear?" Dorothy's voice transformed instantly from sharp to warm and comforting. "I am so sorry about that grandson of mine. He's a workaholic, truly. Please don't be upset that he rushed off. He has no sense of occasion." Inside the lobby, Chloe leaned against a pillar, the phone pressed to her ear. "It's okay, Dorothy. He told me he had a meeting. I understand." "You're too good for him," Dorothy sighed. "And please, call me 'Gran' from now on. You're family, Chloe. If he gives you any trouble, you tell me. I'll clip his wings myself." Chloe smiled, a genuine flicker of warmth reaching her eyes. "Thank you, Gran. I appreciate that." "Get yourself home safely, dear. We'll talk soon." Chloe hung up and walked toward the glass doors. She had a house in Briarwood to find and a shop to manage. The life she had known was over, replaced by a set of keys and a silent husband with a hidden world. As she stepped out onto the sidewalk to hail a taxi, her mind was already shifting toward the logistics of the coming days. There was much to do before the weekend arrived. ════════════════════════════════════════