Kathrine POV:

Five minutes felt like an eternity. My mind raced, frantically calculating the risks and rewards. On one side, there was the certainty of humiliation from Earl. On the other, a leap into the complete unknown.

I looked at the man in front of me. He stood perfectly still, like a silent mountain of quiet confidence. His presence radiated a strange, undeserved sense of reliability.

I thought of my family—my father Derek, who saw me only as a bargaining chip, and my stepmother Hannah White and stepsister Molly, who were always scheming against me. I was alone. I had no safe place to land.

At the fourth minute, I made my choice.

I would rather choose my own chaos than have it forced upon me.

I took a deep breath, and just as Damian was about to check his watch again, I spoke. "I agree. But I have conditions."

His eyebrows arched, a flicker of surprise mixed with something that looked like approval. "Name them."

"First, this is a partnership. We are equals. You cannot interfere with my personal life or my career. Second, the duration and termination of this marriage must be a mutual decision. Third, I want a written agreement." The words came out clear and crisp, the market director in me taking over.

He listened, his expression unreadable, then nodded without hesitation. "Agreed. Ian." He looked at the younger man in the suit.

Ian stepped forward, holding a tablet. As if by magic, a contract template was already displayed on the screen. It was clean, professional, and covered all my concerns and even more. There was even a clause about financial independence.

I scanned the terms, stunned. This man, Damian, seemed to have anticipated everything.

"Sign if there are no issues," he said.

I took the stylus and signed my name on the screen: Kathrine Fields. The moment my signature was complete, I felt a clear line drawn across my life. Before. And after.

He took the tablet and signed his name: Damian Sharpe. I stared at the bold, decisive signature. I knew nothing about this man, who was now, legally, about to become my husband.

Ian took the tablet back and disappeared to handle the electronic filing.

Damian turned to me, extending his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you, Miss Fields."

I placed my hand in his. His palm was broad and warm, calloused and strong.

"It's Mrs. Sharpe now," I corrected, my voice steadier than I felt.

A glint of amusement lit his ice-blue eyes. "Indeed, Mrs. Sharpe."

We walked back to the clerk waiting for us. This time, I had a man by my side who was a hundred times stronger, a hundred times more handsome, and a hundred times better than Earl Reynolds.

We completed the paperwork, with Ian as our witness. When the marriage certificate confirming our union was placed in my hands, the world felt utterly unreal.

I, Kathrine Fields, had gotten married on the same day I was abandoned by my ex-fiancé.

When we stepped out of City Hall, the sunlight stung my eyes. A sleek, obscenely expensive-looking black Bentley was waiting at the curb. Once again, I realized that this man, my husband, was no ordinary man. Ian opened the rear door. Damian placed a hand on the roof, a small, gentlemanly gesture to keep me from hitting my head as I got in.

The interior was quiet and cool, a haven from the cacophony of the city. I watched the streets of New York blur past, feeling like I was boarding an express train to an unknown destination.

"About our marriage," Damian broke the silence. "I would prefer we keep it a secret for now. I won't be introducing you to my family just yet."

I turned to him, confused. "Why? I thought you needed to stop them from setting up those blind dates."

"Letting them know I'm married is one thing," he explained. "Letting them know who I married is another. I don't want you dragged into my mess right away."

It sounded like he was being considerate, but I knew it was more about protecting his own world. I nodded. "That's fine with me."

"Good." He seemed pleased with my practicality.

The car cruised smoothly through the traffic. Silence fell between us again. I didn't know where he was taking me. I didn't know where I was going either. We were husband and wife, and yet we were strangers.