Nathan's black sedan cut through the darkness of the city before passing through the towering iron gates of the Valmont family's main estate.

Silence lingered inside the car.

Elina rested her head against the window, watching the blurred glow of the city lights.

Her silk wedding gown felt stiff, wrapping around a body that had grown colder by the minute.

The car came to a stop in front of the Valmont mansion.

"Get out," Nathan said shortly as the engine was turned off.

Elina gave a small nod.

She stepped out of the car and followed Nathan toward the front entrance.

Her footsteps came to an abrupt halt when Nathan turned to face her.

He extended his hand.

"Hold my hand."

Elina obeyed.

She slipped her hand into Nathan's, feeling the gentle yet reassuring grip of his large fingers.

They entered the mansion together.

The moment they stepped through the front door, a shrill voice shattered the silence.

"Have the two of you completely lost your minds?"

Velicia stood in the center of the grand living room.

The middle-aged woman's face was flushed with fury, and her eyes glared at Elina as though she wanted to tear her apart.

"What exactly were you thinking at the wedding?" Velicia demanded as she strode toward them. She pointed a finger directly at Elina's face.

"You shameless woman! Jeremy only left for an emergency, and you took advantage of the situation to seduce his brother!"

Elina closed her eyes briefly and took a slow, deep breath to steady herself.

"Jeremy didn't leave because of an emergency, Aunt Velicia. He ran away."

"He went to help his sick friend at the hospital!" Velicia shouted hysterically, refusing to listen. "Jeremy called me! He said he was coming back to the ballroom as soon as he finished! He still intended to go through with the wedding!"

A hollow laugh escaped Elina's lips.

It sounded cold, unfamiliar even to herself.

"Come back?" Elina repeated flatly, meeting Velicia's gaze without fear. "He knew the doors would open in two minutes. He knew three hundred guests and the media were waiting inside. Yet he still chose to run to Rachel Laurent."

"Rachel was in critical condition!" Velicia snapped. "Why are you being so petty and jealous?"

She continued blaming Elina for marrying Nathan instead.

"Jealous?"

Elina raised an eyebrow.

Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her gown.

"I'm not jealous. I simply realized that neither my dignity nor the Roswell family's honor meant anything to your son. I refused to wait for him."

"Watch your mouth!" Velicia screamed. "Jeremy was your fiancé! If you had even a little patience, none of this scandal would have happened!"

"Enough, Mother."

Nathan's voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable authority.

He stepped forward, positioning himself beside Elina and blocking Velicia's line of sight.

"Elina made the right decision," Nathan said coldly. "She is not a backup option to be abandoned at the altar."

"Nathan!"

Velicia stared at him in disbelief.

"You're his brother! How could you stab your own brother in the back? You planned this to ruin Jeremy's position in the company, didn't you?"

The accusation reflected the long-standing rivalry between Nathan and Jeremy over the future leadership of Valmont Group.

Nathan remained perfectly composed.

One hand rested casually in the pocket of his tailored trousers.

"Jeremy ruined himself. He abandoned his responsibility, and I simply took what he threw away."

"You—"

"What's all this commotion?"

A deep, commanding voice echoed from the grand staircase.

Trevor Valmont descended the stairs.

The stern lines on his aged face hardened, radiating an intimidating presence that immediately silenced Velicia.

His gaze briefly swept over Elina before settling on Nathan.

"Trevor! Look at what your son has done!" Velicia complained, her voice trembling with rage. "He married his own brother's bride! This is a massive scandal! The media will destroy us!"

Trevor ignored his wife.

He stopped three steps in front of Nathan.

"Do you understand the consequences of what you've done tonight, Nathan?"

"I understand them perfectly, Father," Nathan answered without blinking.

"Valmont Group's stock could become unstable tomorrow morning," Trevor said in a low voice filled with the weight of business concerns. "You replaced the groom in front of all our most important associates. Did you think this through?"

Nathan let out a quiet, sarcastic chuckle.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me instead?"

Trevor narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"If I hadn't stepped in to replace Jeremy," Nathan continued calmly, "tomorrow's headlines wouldn't just be about the stock market. Every newspaper would be reporting how your favorite son—the heir you've always been so proud of—ran away from his own wedding for another woman."

Velicia's face instantly turned pale.

Trevor clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening.

"Aren't you afraid of becoming the laughingstock of every business associate in this city?" Nathan continued, meeting his father's eyes. "Were you prepared to be humiliated because your favorite son turned a multi-million-dollar wedding into a joke? I merely cleaned up the mess he created."

The room fell into complete silence.

No one dared interrupt Nathan.

Trevor exhaled heavily and closed his eyes for a brief moment, struggling to suppress the anger building inside him.

When he opened them again, his gaze shifted to Elina.

"Are you certain about this, Elina?" he asked coldly. "Your marriage is legally valid."

Elina met the older man's eyes before squaring her shoulders.

"I'm absolutely certain. Jeremy chose to leave, and I chose never to accept him again."

Velicia clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.

"You'll regret this, Elina! Once Jeremy returns from the hospital, he won't let this go!"

"Let him come back," Nathan interrupted immediately.

He cast Velicia a dismissive glance.

"And when he does, make sure you teach him how to be a real man."

Nathan gently placed a hand around Elina's shoulder.

"Let's go, Elina."

Without waiting for anyone else's response, Nathan led Elina upstairs, leaving behind a room filled with suffocating tension.

# Chapter 4: Don't Think About Him Anymore

The door to Nathan's master bedroom closed firmly behind them, shutting out the tension they had just left outside.

The spacious room was dominated by dark gray tones and minimalist décor, giving it a cold, understated atmosphere. There were no romantic decorations befitting newlyweds, only the faint scent of sandalwood and a masculine fragrance lingering in the air.

Elina walked inside, her voluminous wedding gown trailing across the thick carpet.

She neither trembled nor appeared frightened.

Her steps were calm, though exhaustion weighed heavily behind her eyes.

Turning around, she looked at Nathan, who was casually unbuttoning his black suit jacket.

"Thank you, Nathan," Elina said calmly, without hesitation. "For what you did in the ballroom and in front of your parents."

Nathan hung his jacket over the back of the sofa near the window.

He did not turn around immediately. Instead, he straightened the front of his shirt before finally facing her.

His expression was steady, distant, and unreadable.

"Don't thank me," Nathan replied in a cold, emotionless voice. "I didn't do it out of sympathy."

Elina raised an eyebrow.

"I know."

Nathan studied the woman standing before him.

There was no hysterical surprise or dramatic reaction.

Only calm, rational acceptance.

"You know?"

"You needed a reason to pressure Jeremy and Aunt Velicia," Elina answered calmly, folding her arms across her chest. "Marrying the woman Jeremy abandoned in front of everyone was the most effective way to provoke him. I know exactly what your relationship with him is like."

Nathan let out a quiet chuckle, the faint smile on his lips carrying a trace of bitterness.

He walked toward her and stopped just two steps away.

His tall frame cast a commanding shadow beneath the room's soft lighting.

"You're remarkably perceptive for a woman whose fiancé just ran away from their wedding," Nathan murmured, his eyes locking onto hers. "But from this moment on, erase Jeremy's name from your mind. You are my wife now—Nathan Valmont's wife."

Elina met his piercing gaze without blinking.

The intimidating aura surrounding him sent a slight chill through her body.

"I understand. To me, Jeremy is nothing more than a wound from the past that no longer deserves to be remembered."

"A wound?"

Nathan narrowed his eyes.

His jaw tightened.

"You'd better get rid of that wound as soon as possible, Elina. I have no intention of keeping a woman in my house who is still haunted by another man."

Elina was about to respond, but Nathan stepped even closer, closing the distance between them.

"Remember one thing," Nathan said in a low voice carrying an unmistakable warning. "Tonight, I protected you and your father's company. But if you act recklessly and bring Jeremy into this marriage, I can destroy Roswell Corp. far more thoroughly than a canceled wedding ever could."

His words were cold, precise, and carefully calculated.

Elina held her breath for a moment, both admiring and remaining wary of the perfectly measured threat before her.

"I understand," she replied immediately. "You don't have to worry about that."

Nathan looked at her for a moment, silently judging the sincerity in her expression.

Then he turned toward the connecting door leading to his private study.

"Change your clothes. There's a set of clean clothes in the wardrobe beside you."

With that, he walked through the adjoining door connecting the bedroom to his study.

The study door closed softly behind him, leaving Elina alone in the unfamiliar room.

She let out a long sigh, finally releasing the composed façade she had maintained all evening.

Walking to the vanity, she slowly removed the pins and fastenings of her wedding gown one by one.

As the silk dress slipped gracefully onto the floor, a faint vibration from the vanity caught her attention.

Her phone lit up.

Her father's name appeared on the screen.

Elina quickly picked it up and answered the call.

"Father."

Her voice trembled slightly.

"Elina?"

Xavier Rosswel's anxious voice came through the phone.

His breathing sounded hurried.

"How are you now? Did Nathan take you to the Valmont family home?"

"I'm fine, Father," Elina replied softly.

She sat on the edge of the bed, gently massaging her aching temple.

"I'm in Nathan's room."

"Please be honest with me," Xavier urged, his voice filled with guilt and regret. "What really happened between you and Nathan? Why would he make such an extreme decision? I... I feel like I failed to protect you tonight, Elina."

"Father, listen to me," Elina said firmly, making sure her voice sounded confident enough to reassure him. "This was the best decision we could make. Jeremy started this, and we can't allow Roswell Corp. to be destroyed because of his actions."

"But Nathan isn't an easy man to deal with, Elina," Xavier whispered worriedly. "He's a cold businessman. I'm afraid he's using you."

Elina looked toward the closed door of Nathan's study.

A faint smile appeared on her lips—not one of happiness, but one of quiet acceptance from a woman who had already chosen her path.

"It's alright, Father," she said softly but with certainty. "What matters most is that the wedding went through, our family's reputation has been preserved, and your company has been protected. I can handle everything else from here."

# Chapter 5: Sharing the Same Bed

The night grew deeper, yet the tension inside the master bedroom showed no sign of fading.

After removing her heavy makeup and changing out of her wedding gown into a loose cream-colored silk nightgown, Elina stood quietly in front of the large mirror.

She knew the reputation of the man who had become her husband.

Among the city's business elite, Nathan Valmont was known as a ruthless, cold, and calculating man who never hesitated to eliminate anyone who stood in his way.

Elina took a deep breath.

She began preparing herself for a life with Nathan and all the risks that came with it.

Although she had been engaged to Jeremy, she had rarely interacted with Nathan over the years.

That was why she was still surprised that Nathan had chosen to marry the woman Jeremy had abandoned.

Lost in her thoughts, Elina heard the connecting door between the bedroom and the study open.

She turned and saw Nathan walking out, dressed in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly up to his elbows.

He did not even glance in her direction.

He walked calmly to one side of the king-size bed, removed his expensive wristwatch, and placed it on the nightstand with a soft click.

"You can sleep on the left side," Nathan said flatly without turning around. "I don't have the habit of sharing blankets, so use the spare one in the wardrobe if you get cold."

Elina studied his broad back for a moment.

"You don't mind if we sleep in the same bed?" she asked for confirmation.

Nathan slowly turned to look at her, his expression completely unreadable.

"We're legally married. This bed is large enough for two people without disturbing each other." He paused briefly before adding, "Unless you're expecting something else?"

Elina was caught off guard by his last remark, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Of course not," she replied promptly, keeping her voice steady.

"Good."

Nathan lay down immediately, turning his back toward her side of the bed before switching off the main lights using the touch panel on the wall.

The room was instantly swallowed by darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow filtering through the windows.

Elina climbed onto the bed slowly.

The silence between them was not comforting.

It was the silent agreement of two people who were simply taking advantage of the same situation.

The man lying beside her behaved as though Elina were nothing more than an inanimate object that happened to occupy the same room—someone who required neither his attention nor his concern.

**

The next morning...

Sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, reflecting across the marble floor of the bedroom.

Elina was already dressed in professional business attire she had taken from an emergency suitcase delivered by her assistant early that morning.

After finishing her preparations, she left the bedroom and headed downstairs.

When she entered the dining room, Nathan was already seated at the head of the long dining table, reading documents on his tablet while quietly drinking a cup of black coffee.

Elina's footsteps immediately drew Velicia's attention.

The middle-aged woman was already seated at the opposite side of the table.

The tension from the previous night still lingered on her face, accompanied by dark circles beneath her eyes.

"Good morning," Elina greeted politely as she took a seat nearly two meters away from Nathan.

Velicia slammed her porcelain teacup onto its saucer, causing the tea inside to spill over the edge.

"There is nothing good about this morning, Elina," she hissed coldly, glaring at her without attempting to hide her hostility.

Nathan did not lift his eyes from the tablet.

"If you intend to create another scene at the breakfast table, Mother, you should return to your room."

Velicia stared at Nathan in disbelief before turning back to Elina.

"How can I stay calm?" she shouted. "Jeremy didn't come home last night! Do you know that, Nathan? Your brother stayed away because he was devastated by what the two of you did yesterday!"

Just as Elina picked up her spoon, she stopped.

*Jeremy didn't come home all night?*

A faint, ironic smile appeared on her lips.

He had not stayed away because he was heartbroken over the marriage.

He had chosen to spend the entire night at the hospital with Rachel Laurent.

Apparently, yesterday's wedding had not even been important enough for him to come home and offer an explanation.

"He stayed away because of his own decision, Aunt Velicia," Elina replied calmly, her voice completely free of emotion. "Don't place the responsibility for a grown man's choices on someone else."

"Aunt?" Velicia snapped as she rose abruptly from her chair.

"How dare you! You are now—"

"Mother."

Nathan interrupted her.

His voice was low, yet every word carried enough authority to silence her immediately.

He placed his tablet on the table with deliberate calm before looking directly at his stepmother.

"Watch how you speak to my wife."

Velicia froze.

She pointed accusingly at Elina.

"Nathan... You're defending this woman?"

"I'm defending the peace in this house," Nathan replied coldly before taking another sip of his coffee. "Jeremy chose to stay at the hospital with another woman instead of standing at the altar. If he didn't come home all night, then he has already made his choice. Stop acting as though Elina is the one who ruined his life."

Velicia's eyes widened in fury.

She glared at Nathan for placing the blame squarely on Jeremy.

"You're defending Elina just to humiliate Jeremy!" she accused, breathing heavily. "The two of you planned this from the very beginning!"

Nathan rose from his chair and calmly adjusted the buttons of his suit jacket.

His commanding presence immediately filled the dining room.

"You may believe whatever you want," he said coolly. "But starting today, remember your place in this house. And when Jeremy finally returns, make sure he knows how to knock before entering my home."

Nathan turned toward Elina, who was still sitting quietly.

"Come on, Elina. I'll drive you to the office. We can have breakfast on the way."

Velicia's anger only intensified.

Meanwhile, Elina looked at Nathan.

His expression toward her was noticeably different from the one he had shown when they were alone the previous night.

Was this gentler look merely for Velicia's benefit?

Perhaps it was.

After all, their marriage existed for the benefit of them both.

Naturally, they should support one another.

"Alright."

Elina nodded.

She rose from her chair, walked over to Nathan, and slipped her arm through his.

Together, they left the dining room without another word.

Velicia could only watch them leave, barely able to contain her fury as Nathan continued to undermine her authority.

Just then, Trevor entered the dining room.

"Have Nathan and Elina not come down yet?"

His voice was firm and slightly hoarse as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

Velicia let out a frustrated snort before turning to her husband.

"Nathan is becoming more and more disrespectful toward Jeremy and me. Are you really going to stand by and do nothing?"

Trevor remained silent after hearing his wife's complaint.

Not a single response left his lips.

He did not even spare Velicia a glance, despite her obvious frustration.