Following my family's arrangement, I married a stern, dull man. On our wedding night, I suggested sleeping in separate rooms. Christian unbuttoned his shirt right in front of me, his eyes dark and deep: "But I have needs." 1 Christian and I were in a marriage of convenience, prioritizing interests over feelings. He was my brother Carter's friend, groomed as an heir since childhood—stern, dull, handsome, noble, polite, yet aloof. When I heard him agree to this marriage at the dinner table, I was completely stunned. But then I thought, since I had to marry someone for an alliance anyway, and the partner was Christian, I might as well not be picky. We had just finished our wedding in Beverly Hills. He was a bit drunk, got into the stretch limo, closed his eyes, and didn't speak. Exhausted from the long day, I suddenly woke up to the realization of what might happen tonight. The ten-minute drive was agonizing, and my breathing grew tense. He shouldn't be able to do much if he's drunk, right? I called out to Christian, but there was no response. He must be heavily intoxicated. My hanging heart suddenly dropped. The car stopped, and the man spoke, his voice slightly hoarse: "We're here." "You're awake?" He nodded, picked up my designer clutch, and opened the door to get out. "I can carry it myself." The thick stack of checks gifted by the guests tonight was all in there. He refused outright, his voice light: "No need, it's a bit heavy." In the elevator, it was just Christian and me, standing one behind the other. Neither of us spoke, and the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Watching the numbers slowly rise, I broke the silence first: "Are you drunk? Do you want me to get you a glass of ice water to sober up?" "No, I'm not drunk. We still have proper business to attend to tonight." Understanding the meaning behind his words, my cheeks flushed slightly as I repeatedly mentally prepared myself. The elevator stopped. We entered the penthouse, changed into slippers, and pushed the bedroom door open. I froze. A custom "Just Married" banner hung on the wall, the champagne balloons were blinding, and the floor was covered in white and red rose petals. Christian stood behind me at some point, his voice cold: "You're tired today, get some rest early." "Do you want to shower first?" "I have some things to take care of, you go first." Christian went to the study to work. So this was the "proper business" he mentioned. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, found a relatively conservative pajama set in the closet, and came out after a shower with my hair tied in a bun. My skin had a natural blush from the steam. I applied my skincare routine and dawdled for an hour and a half. Christian had finished his work at some point. He was looking down, unbuttoning his shirt. His Rolex watch and tie were placed on the table. "......Should we sleep in separate rooms?" Christian frowned, remained silent for a moment, and slowly asked, "Why." "We...... aren't close." "We took our vows at the church and it's legal now. You need to slowly adapt to your identity as Mrs. Pierce." "Besides, I have needs." As soon as he said that, the roots of my ears instantly became burning hot. I looked at him in surprise. I didn't expect him to be so blunt. His eyes darkened, and he softened his tone: "But if you're not willing, I respect your choice. Let nature take its course." Anyway, what needs to be done will be done sooner or later. I bit my lip: "Okay then, let's not sleep in separate rooms." The pattering sound of water came from the bathroom, and a subtle, strange feeling spread in my heart. My heartbeat quickened. I patted my chest, calming myself down. Stay calm, stay calm. It's not like I haven't seen this in movies before. About ten minutes later, the water stopped. Christian wore loungewear, his hair slightly wet. The edge of the bed sank slightly, and I could smell the faint scent of cedarwood on him. I tried to make my voice sound natural: "Do you want to blow-dry your hair?" "No need. My body runs hot, it'll dry quickly." "Olivia—" "Hmm?" I looked up to meet those dark eyes. I didn't know if it was my illusion, but there was a strong aggressiveness in those pitch-black pupils. "I'm turning off the light." The room instantly plunged into darkness. There was only a small nightlight, casting a warm glow over a small area. I shrank back, creating some distance between us. Before I could react, I was already confined in Christian's embrace. Having just showered, the man's body was a bit cool, yet carried a strong sense of intrusion. Even through a thin layer of fabric, I could feel the heat of his skin. I was completely uncomfortable and didn't dare to move recklessly. My mind was a mess. We looked at each other, both well aware of what was going to happen next. His voice was husky: "Go to sleep." Unexpectedly, after lying there for a long time, the man next to me didn't make a move until the sound of even breathing came from beside my ear. He fell asleep? The arm around my waist was firm and strong, our bodies pressed tightly together without a gap. It was hard to fall asleep in this position. Christian was usually cold and aloof towards people. It was rare to see him so passionate tonight. He must have been truly drunk. 2 Christian was very busy with work and went on a business trip abroad on the third day after our wedding. He sent me a simple text message. [On a business trip to France.] I typed in the chat box: [When are you coming back?] Feeling like I was asking too much, I deleted the message. During the week Christian was away, we neither video-called nor texted. I almost forgot I was married. I took a shower at night, and when I reached for my clothes afterward, I grabbed empty air. I forgot to bring my pajamas and only brought my underwear. I was the only one home now, so I stepped right out of the bathroom. I stood in front of the closet for a full eight minutes, picking out a style I had never tried before. Since Christian wasn't home, I could wear whatever I wanted. No one would see me anyway. Faintly excited, I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror after changing. At first, I was a bit uncomfortable and shy, but I let go later on, eager to try on the next set. Just as I opened the closet, the bedroom door lock clicked open. Caught off guard, I quickly dove under the covers, leaving only my head exposed. I met Christian's gaze in a panic, frowned, and complained, "Why did you come in without knocking?" My face was burning red. He must have seen everything just now. I really wanted to dig a hole and hide. Christian's face was impassive, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice betrayed no emotion: "Sorry, I'll pay attention next time." "Then get out quickly, I need to change." The door closed, and I quickly changed back into my original pajamas. My face felt burning hot, and I splashed some cold water on it. My lower abdomen suddenly cramped with a dull pain. My period was here. I was a restless sleeper and easily stained the sheets. There were no period panties at home, and I was too lazy to go out and buy them late at night. I was hesitating whether to sleep in the guest room tonight, so even if the sheets got dirty, it wouldn't be embarrassing. Christian came in. His hair was still damp with steam, and he had changed into loungewear. He obviously just finished showering, his gaze dark and deep. "Something wrong?" I pursed my lips: "I'll sleep in the guest room tonight." "Why?" "The central AC in this room doesn't seem to be cooling well. I run hot." "I'll go sleep next door too." "Christian, why are you following me." His voice was cold: "I run hot too." I looked up at him: "It'll be even hotter with two people sleeping together." Christian met my gaze and said seriously: "Then let's turn the AC temperature down a bit." "......" "Forget it, I'll just sleep here." I slept fitfully that night, anxious and afraid. When I woke up the next day and saw the clean sheets, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness I didn't stain them. After washing up and going downstairs, Christian was sitting upright at the dining table, breakfast already laid out. He looked up, his voice light: "Morning." "It's already nine o'clock, aren't you going to work today?" "Grandmother asked us to go back to the estate today." "Then I'll change clothes later." "Drink this soup before it gets cold. Martha made it this morning." I took a look. It was a bowl of nutritious hot soup made with organic ingredients and high protein...... "Why did Martha make this?" "To supplement your nutrition, it's good for your body." "Does your stomach hurt?" "I'm fine, I don't have those reactions." Changing the subject, I blinked and stared straight at him: "Christian, you care about me so much. Do you have a secret crush on me?" I could never figure out why Christian agreed to marry into my family. He had a perfectly good marriage prospect right beside him—his childhood friend, the socialite Blair. They were a match made in heaven, and everyone agreed they would end up together. His dark eyes looked at me, and he refused bluntly: "No." Then he added: "I've always been openly in love." "Oh." Turns out I was overthinking. "I brought back a batch of haute couture dresses from France. They're on the third floor, go try them on." My eyes instantly lit up, and the disappointment from a moment ago was swept away. A marriage of convenience, no feelings, treating each other with respect, not bothering each other. This was pretty good too. 3 When we arrived at the Pierce family estate, it was just in time for lunch. At the dining table, the conversation turned to the Smith family having a new grandson. "When do you two plan to have one?" I was drinking soup and almost choked on those words. I put down my spoon, feeling a bit awkward, and secretly pinched Christian's thigh. "Olivia is still young. It's not appropriate to consider having a baby right now. Besides, we just got married. Having kids is a bit too fast." "That's true, but you should start taking good care of your bodies now. You're almost thirty, getting older. Take care of your health, don't stay up late working all the time and ruin your body." "Mom, you don't need to worry about these things. I'll take care of it myself." "There's still some premium slow-cooked bone marrow broth at home. I'll have them bring it out for you two later to nourish your bodies. Just stay at the estate tonight, the rooms are already prepared." The family kept a sheepdog. After dinner, I took the dog out for a walk. "I can walk the dog by myself, you don't need to follow me." I wasn't very close to Christian, and sometimes being alone with him felt a bit awkward. "If he goes crazy outside later, you won't be able to hold him." "Buster looks pretty well-behaved." "Let's go." Christian put his hands in his pockets. Taking advantage of his long legs, he walked at an unhurried, slow pace. I deliberately quickened my steps to widen the distance between us, walking one in front of the other. Buster was full of energy. After walking for nearly half an hour, I was almost dead tired. "You hold him, I need to rest." Christian smiled: "Tired already? You were walking too fast just now." Panting slightly, I took out my phone. "Look, I've already walked over ten thousand steps. I really don't want to walk anymore." "Then let's sit here for a while." There were no benches around, but there was a large rock nearby. I was getting ready to sit on it and rest a bit. "Wait a minute." He took off his suit jacket and placed it on the rock. "Sit on this." The top button of his white shirt was undone, faintly revealing the outline of his shoulder muscles—lean and powerful, exuding a strong sense of pressure. My heartbeat accelerated a bit. Christian's physique was surprisingly good, very attractive. "Sit here for a while, I'll go buy some water." "Okay." "Olivia—" Hearing someone call me, I looked up and froze for a moment. It was Noah, my crush from high school. He used to be my neighbor. I was going to confess to him after the high school prom, but I accidentally heard the news that he was going to study in Europe. That feeling died before it even started, and I sulked at home for two months over the summer. "Noah, when did you get back to the country?" "I just came back recently." "Are you living around here now?" "No, I came to visit a friend." "Have some water." Christian came back from buying water and handed me a bottle of room-temperature water. "Is this your boyfriend?" Christian's expression remained undisturbed. He reached out his hand politely and said, "Hello, I am Olivia's husband, Christian Pierce." Noah froze slightly, looking surprised: "You're married?" "Just recently. I hadn't had the time to tell you yet." After chatting briefly with Noah, we ended the conversation. On the way back, Christian was a bit strange, quieter than ever before. Once through the door, I couldn't hold it in and asked, "Christian, are you a little unhappy?" He looked at me for a moment and pondered: "He's the guy you had a crush on in high school." I was a bit bewildered: "Who?" "Noah." My eyes widened in surprise: "How did you know?" Only my brother and I knew about this. At that time, my parents thought I was depressed because I didn't get into an Ivy League school. He silently loosened his tie, his tone low: "I guessed." "Then you're quite the psychic. But I stopped liking him a long time ago. We haven't been in touch for years." "Why?" "......International calling rates were too expensive." He curled his lips and laughed out loud. I had sweat a little outside, and my body felt sticky and uncomfortable. I went to the room to take a shower first. After coming out, I searched around and finally found Christian in the study. I didn't bother him and went downstairs to watch TV for a while. Grandmother was busy with something in the kitchen. After a while, she brought out a large bowl of thick soup. "Olivia, you and Christian drink this slow-cooked bone marrow and seafood bisque. I had someone simmer it all afternoon, it tastes delicious." "Thank you, Grandmother." "I'm going to sleep first. Make sure you watch Christian finish this bowl. He has dark circles under his eyes, he needs the nourishment." I licked my lips. The walk earlier had just burned some calories, and I was a bit hungry now. I served myself a bowl. The hot soup slid down my throat into my stomach with a sweet aftertaste, making me feel much better. I carried the remaining soup to find Christian. He was taking a shower. The pattering sound of water came from the bathroom. Christian showered quickly and came out in a few minutes. I looked down, scrolling through my phone, not looking at him, and said lazily, "Drink the soup. Grandmother had someone make it." "Did you drink any?" I nodded and looked at him: "I just had some." "Do you want more?" I licked my lips: "A little, but that's saved for you." "I'm not hungry." "I don't like eating the meat in it." "You drink the soup, leave the meat for me." I hesitated for a second, picked up the spoon, and smiled: "Then I won't be polite." After finishing the rich soup, I brushed my teeth and lay in bed, feeling uncomfortable all over. "Could you...... move over a bit? It's a little hot being this close." Even though the AC was on in the room, my body still felt burning hot. I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, making restless noises. Christian sat up and turned on the light. "Are you not feeling well?" I frowned and groaned: "It's so hot." I wished I could take all my clothes off. "Aren't you hot?" "It's probably because I drank too much of that high-protein soup." "Can you pour me a glass of ice water?" The pajamas I was wearing were simply too hot. I found a silk camisole in the closet. After changing into it, I felt much cooler. Christian pushed the door open and came in. He stood frozen in place for a moment before bringing the water over. His voice was husky: "Drink more water to lower your internal concentration." "Why is it warm?" "You're still on your period, you can't drink ice water." "I'm going to take a shower. Call me anytime if you feel unwell." I blinked and said bluntly: "Didn't you just take a shower?" He pursed his lips and pretended to say casually: "I'm a bit hot too." I felt much better after drinking the water, not as restless and hot. Christian took a really long shower. The sound of the water splashed on and on, seemingly never stopping. Worried something might have happened inside, I approached the door and softly called Christian's name. Silence. Then, faint, subtle panting sounds came from inside. I called out again. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" "Why are you showering for so long?" His voice was a bit low: "Coming out right away." A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened. Christian had changed into a set of pajamas, buttoned all the way to the top, tightly covered. I furrowed my brows: "Aren't you hot? Buttoning it so tightly." Maybe I had nourished myself too much tonight, and it fried my brain. I stood straight up, moved close to Christian, and unbuttoned his shirt one by one. With his pajamas half-open, I could faintly see the bulging lines of the man's muscles and his increasingly taut abs. I instantly held my breath. My fingertips trembled as they glided across his skin. I bit my lip and asked somewhat nervously, "Can I touch them?" Christian didn't speak for a long time. He looked down at me from above. Because of the shower, his gaze was deeper than before. I felt inexplicably flustered. Just as I was about to pull my hand back, Christian grabbed it. The palm of his hand was boiling hot. The man's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his voice low and hoarse: "You can—" My entire palm rested on the man's muscles. They were hot and hard. I traced upward along his abs, inch by inch. "Enough." Christian's gaze turned scorching, his throat tight: "I'll sleep on the sofa." 4 I tossed and turned too late last night. When I woke up, it was almost eleven o'clock. Christian had gone to work. I said goodbye to the elders and went home. I had been unemployed and resting for half a year. Recently, I sent out my resume on LinkedIn and had an interview scheduled for the afternoon. The whole process went smoothly. I applied for a receptionist position. The work was simple, allowed for slacking off, and killed time. Christian's company was nearby, just a few steps away. He sent a message half an hour ago: Wait for me a bit, we'll go home together. I pressed the button. The moment the elevator doors opened, I saw a familiar face. "Noah, you work on this floor too." Seeing me, Noah smiled: "This is my startup company. Just a few years old." I opened my mouth in surprise: "What a coincidence! I just finished my interview here today. I start next week." There were other people in the elevator, and Noah seemed to have other things to attend to, so we just exchanged a few brief pleasantries. "I haven't had the chance to treat you to dinner since I got back. Let me treat you when you're free." "Sure." When I got to the ground floor of Pierce Group, I sent Christian a message asking if he was done. A few minutes passed without a reply. He was probably still busy. This was my first time at his company, and I wasn't familiar with it. I called his assistant. Five minutes later, his assistant David came down and brought me up to the executive office. I pushed the office door open. The man was on the phone, a cigar clamped in his mouth, his long legs crossed. I was a bit surprised. This was the first time I had seen this side of Christian. He glanced up at me, then continued conversing with the person on the phone. His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. I sat on the sofa, casually picked up a copy of The Wall Street Journal nearby, and flipped through it. It was all business information, absolutely no entertainment, quite dry. The phone call ended. Christian flicked the cigar ash, put it out in the ashtray, and picked up his suit jacket from the chair. I yawned: "So you're done." "Yeah, we can head back." "How was the job hunt?" "I'm very satisfied. Do you know who our boss is?" "Who?" "Noah! I only found out after finishing the interview." Christian's face was devoid of emotion as he spoke slowly: "You've chosen this company?" I introduced it enthusiastically, beaming: "Hehe. Four days on, three days off. 10 AM to 5 PM. Plus afternoon tea and team building. I could work in this position until I retire." "Do you want to come to my company? Same benefits, double the salary." I shook my head, rejecting it instantly: "No, no. You're a big corporation. The workload is more than double. Besides, everyone in the company knows me. I wouldn't have any freedom." He didn't say anything more. On the way back, he continued recommending other companies to me, all of which I turned down. "Noah and I know each other. He'll take care of me at work, so you can rest assured." Christian scoffed internally. "Commute together from now on?" "No need. You start at nine, I start at ten. The times are different. I can sleep in a bit longer." "Pull over at the Target ahead. I need to buy something." Walking into the daily necessities aisle, sanitary pads were on sale. I planned to stock up more this time, as we didn't have many left at home. Christian stood behind me, asking seriously: "It hasn't ended yet?" I froze for a moment, then understood what he meant. My ears felt hot as I explained quietly, "It ended a few days ago. I'm just stocking up." His eyes lit up a little, and his mood visibly improved. After grabbing what I needed, I walked ahead. Christian followed behind, tossing a few more items into the cart. I didn't look back, and he tossed a few more in. As we headed for the cashier, half the cart was filled with those little boxes. My brain stalled for a moment as I looked up at Christian. My voice was quieter than a mosquito: "Why did you buy so many?" "Is it a lot?" "If this isn't a lot, what is? What if someone sees?" "Then let's use the self-checkout." Christian led me out to the self-checkout. There were small shelves nearby filled with those little boxes, and he grabbed a few more. I glared at him, threatening: "Stop grabbing them, that's enough." He pursed his lips, his voice deep: "These are a different type from the ones just now." "......"
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