Chapter 3 I Just Got Married

Kaylee reached the courthouse thirty minutes before the appointed time.

Dressed in a plain white shirt and denim trousers, with her hair carefully tied back and not a trace of cosmetics on her face, she looked refreshingly unadorned.

She rested against her vehicle, mentally reviewing the contract she was about to sign with the man.

Three years of marriage on paper, followed by a peaceful separation once their arrangement ended.

Nothing complicated. They wouldn't interfere with each other. Neither party would have any obligations toward the other beyond their agreed terms.

Kaylee's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a modest black car. It glided to a halt directly before her.

When the driver's door swung open, her gaze immediately fell upon a pair of exceptionally long legs.

For an instant, she forgot to breathe.

The owner of those legs emerged from the car and approached her, his figure outlined by the sunlight behind him.

He was strikingly tall, with wide shoulders and a lean frame. His eyebrows were well-defined, his nose perfectly sculpted, and his jaw so sharply contoured that it seemed almost unreal.

He had dressed casually in a black sweatshirt and denim pants.

Nevertheless, his remarkable appearance elevated the inexpensive ensemble to something worthy of a luxury boutique.

Kaylee found herself staring. It was hard to believe that this refined, impeccably handsome man, Julian Shaw, was the one her friend had randomly found on a dating app.

"Have you been waiting for long?" Julian asked upon reaching her. His deep voice possessed a peculiar charm that made the simple question sound strangely captivating.

"Not at all. I only arrived a moment ago." Trying hard to compose herself, Kaylee steered the conversation toward business. "Mr. Shaw, you've already reviewed the proposed arrangement. Provided everything is satisfactory—"

"There are indeed some issues," Julian interjected. His towering figure cast Kaylee entirely in shadow.

He spoke without raising his voice, yet an unmistakable air of authority accompanied his words. "For starters, a marriage without intimacy isn't something I'll agree to. Also, throughout those three years, you need to belong exclusively to me. Every part of you, including your heart."

Heat rushed to Kaylee's ears when she heard that. She retreated instinctively, putting some distance between them. "That wasn't what we agreed on..."

Julian's mouth curved in a faint smile, though his gaze remained unfathomably dark. "Ms. Marsh, since you want to use me to get rid of your past, you'll need to give something in return."

Kaylee's pulse stumbled.

The question escaped her before she could think better of it. "How did you know that?"

"Getting the information wasn't particularly difficult." Julian's voice grew lower as he looked at her. "So, Ms. Marsh, are we going to proceed?"

Kaylee remained silent for a moment, weighing his demands before answering, "I can't promise to accept your first condition immediately. I'll need some time."

Julian watched her closely, a trace of amusement in his expression.

"There's no rush," he assured her.

He looked like a patient hunter, coaxing his quarry into a trap.

Kaylee pressed her lips together. The memories of Damien's cruelty and the shame he had forced upon her surfaced in her mind, strengthening her determination. "All right. Deal."

A fleeting glimmer of satisfaction appeared in Julian's eyes before vanishing almost immediately.

Thirty minutes later, Kaylee stood outside the courthouse, staring at the official marriage document clasped between her fingers. It felt strangely warm against her skin.

She was really married now.

She had become the wife of a man she had just met.

As Kaylee and Julian prepared to leave, Kaylee's phone suddenly began ringing.

Damien's name appeared on the screen.

Kaylee paused briefly, then answered the call.

"Kaylee, where are you right now? I'll come over, and we can finally sit down and talk properly."

Damien's voice carried its familiar sense of arrogance, the tone of someone who had always assumed he could dictate others' decisions.

Kaylee lifted her eyes toward Julian, who was beside her, then answered without the slightest hint of agitation, "Don't bother. I just got married."

For several seconds, nothing came from the other end of the line. Then, Damien let out a scornful laugh. "Give me a break, Kaylee. You refused to sleep with me throughout our entire three-year relationship, and now, you expect me to believe some other man is willing to marry you? Seriously, who else would tolerate you the way I did?"

Before Kaylee could respond, a broad hand reached over and took the phone from her grasp.

Julian brought the device close to his ear. His expression remained unreadable as he said coldly, "Get lost."

He then ended the call, showing no interest in hearing whatever Damien might say next.

Kaylee remained rooted to the spot, her attention fixed on the man looking so protective of her. An unfamiliar warmth stirred deep within her chest.

For the first time in a long while, she felt that she might finally be able to lower her guard around someone. Julian possessed a quiet steadiness that made her feel safe.

What Kaylee failed to notice was the change in Julian's expression once she turned away. He watched her retreating figure, the coldness in his eyes giving way to an affection he had concealed for far too long.

It had been seven years.

It had taken him seven years to bring her back into his life.

This time, he would make certain she never slipped away again.