The registration process was quick. With the official stamp on the marriage certificates, the clerk handed them one each.


    Elodie opened hers to take a look.


    They were sitting side by side. Jarrod''s expression wasn''t as cold as she had imagined; he actually looked quite rxed.


    She looked up and saw Jarrod slipping his certificate into his pocket. He nced at her. "The marital home isn''t renovated yet. We''ll stay at one of my other apartments for now. Is that okay?"


    Elodie immediately shook her head. "That''s fine."


    Jarrod opened the car door. Just as he was about to get in, his phone rang.


    It was an urgent work call. He answered it while looking at Elodie. "You go on


    ahead. Pack your things and move them to my ce. I have something to take care of."


    He didn''t give Elodie a chance to ask any more questions before closing the car door.


    Elodie''s words died in her throat.


    She had no idea they were supposed to be living together.


    She had assumed Jarrod wouldn''t take the act this far. At most, they would be a couple in name only, leading separate lives in private.


    After all, he wasn''t exactly thrilled with her.


    The driver spoke up. "Mrs. Silverstein, I''ll take you to pack your things. Do you have


    a lot? If so, I can arrange for movers so you don''t have to trouble yourself."


    Elodie felt as if everything had been arranged in advance. She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No, that''s alright. I don''t have much, just some clothes and books."


    She had never really had a ce of her own with the Harcourt family, and since moving out after university, she had lived a simple life. She really didn''t own much.


    The driver stepped on the gas.


    Jarrod watched the car drive away. Soon, another car arrived to pick him up.


    He headed straight for the office.


    There was an urgent meeting he needed to finalize.


    In the conference room, voices droned on.


    He leaned back in his chair, the marriage certificate in his pocket feeling unusually present.


    He lowered his eyes and discreetly pulled it out under the table.


    He opened it and looked at the photo of him and Elodie.


    An almost imperceptible smile touched his lips.


    It was the first time he had ever been distracted in a meeting.


    He took out his phone and snapped a picture of the open certificate.


    He instinctively opened his social media feed and drafted a three-word post: [Got married.]


    But just before hitting send, he paused, his thumb tapping thoughtfully against the phone case.


    Not quite right.


    Too much of a show-off.


    Wouldn''t Elodie find it strange?


    After some thought, he decided he still wanted to post it.


    In the end, he changed the privacy setting to "Only Me," posted it, and then quietly pinned it to the top of his feed.


    Only then did he put his phone and the certificate away, his expression unchanged. After the meeting, Keith came to his office with documents for him to sign.


    He looked at Jarrod with some surprise. "Mr. Silverstein, didn''t you head to City Hall


    at eight-thirty? Why are you just getting back?"


    Jarrod didn''t look up. "Give me the documents."


    He offered no exnation.


    He still had a lot of work to do today, but he needed to finish it quickly.


    It was, after all, the first day of his marriage. He wanted to go home early.


    Keith waspletely baffled.


    He knew Mr. Silverstein was getting his marriage license today, but he didn''t know the exact time. Still, M Silverstein had left very early-so early the suspected City Hall hadn''t even opened yet. He figured Mr. Silverstein just wanted to get it over with and not waste any time.


    Elodie went back to her small rented apartment to pack. She had just two suitcases and one box. The driver helped her carry them downstairs. and then drove her to Jarrod''s other residence.


    It was a sprawling single-level apartment, nearly four thousand square feet, and located close to The Silverstein Group''s headquarters.


    She had never been here before. Stepping inside for the first time, she felt a bit awkward and looked at the driver who had just brought her luggage up.


    "Excuse me, the passcode is..."


    The driver looked surprised. "Mr. Silverstein didn''t tell you? It''s 0518."


    Elodie was puzzled for a moment, then thought what a coincidence it was. The


    same date as her U.N2 project was announced.


    She didn''t dwell on it. "Okay, thank you. Drive safe."


    The driver had to return to the main family estate to help with things there, so he headed downstairs.


    He nced up at the building, scratching his head in confusion.


    He couldn''t figure out Mr. Silverstein''s n. He had arrived at City Hall early and waited for over an hour before the doors even opened. Then he took a call and had the driver race to the hospital, only to emerge with his new wife.