Chapter 4

I went back to sleep and didn't wake up until evening, roused by the smell of food.

"So you finally decided to get up."

I opened my eyes wide, unable to believe the scene before me.

Alex was busy in the kitchen, wearing an apron, occasionally turning his head to give me a slightly reproachful look.

On the dining table were two dishes and a soup, still steaming — the source of the aroma that had woken me up.

"Here, drink some water first."

Alex came over with a glass of warm water, handed it to me, and thoughtfully smoothed my messy hair.

Uh... I couldn't quite process what was happening.

"Are you still thinking about Jason? Their family's marriage alliance with the Wang family has been an open secret in our circles for a long time."

So it wasn't a secret.

"Huh, looks like I was the last to know. His friends never told me, always calling me 'sister-in-law'."

Alex frowned, his expression turning serious:

"I thought you knew all along and stayed with him because you loved him. I didn't realize..."

I laughed self-mockingly and skillfully lit a cigarette.

Alex's frown deepened: "I came too late."

"What?"

It was an abrupt statement, and I didn't catch it clearly.

"Jason doesn't deserve you. Would you consider me? I've liked you since college, senior."

"I can cook, do housework, and I'm pretty good in bed too, aren't I?"

Alex was more than a head taller than me. Now he was closing in on me, his hands on either side of me, his dark eyes staring down at me.

For a moment, I felt like prey in a hunter's sights.

Nervous, but exciting.

Love is exhausting. Maybe being loved wouldn't be so bad.

"You mean... marriage?" My voice was shaking uncontrollably when I spoke.

"I'm up for it," Alex replied quickly.

The next morning, we came out of the civil affairs bureau holding red marriage certificates. Alex even bought me a bouquet of roses from a small stand outside the bureau.

Two days ago, I went from being the main girlfriend to the other woman, and today I'm marrying a man I thought was just a one-night stand.

It feels like I'm in a dream.

"Alex, don't you feel it's unfair?" I asked him hesitantly, looking at the red booklet in my hand.

"It's too late to say anything now." Alex tapped my head with the red booklet. "You'll have to make it up to me in the future."

Later, I found out what he meant by 'making it up'.

We took a month off, supposedly for a honeymoon on an island, but in reality, we spent most of our time in the hotel.

Every time, Alex would look at me pitifully. What could I do? I had to indulge him.