# 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.

Nathan's black sedan came to a stop in front of the main lobby of Roswell Corp.

Several security guards were already stationed near the entrance, their attention drawn to the luxurious vehicle.

Inside the car...

Elina adjusted the strap of her handbag before turning to Nathan.

"Thank you for driving me to work, Nathan."

"Wait a moment," Nathan said flatly.

One hand remained on the steering wheel while his sharp eyes stayed fixed on the building's glass entrance.

Elina paused and turned back.

"What is it?"

Nathan looked at her with a calculating gaze.

"The reporters are probably already looking into our sudden marriage. Changing the groom at the wedding is bound to attract attention. There's a good chance they're already surrounding your family's company to get the story."

Elina remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"I understand. Don't worry. I won't give them any information."

"It's not just about giving them information," Nathan replied firmly. "You need to be careful with your attitude and the way you speak so they won't suspect our marriage. Do you understand?"

He continued, "If you're cornered and have no choice but to answer, simply emphasize that the change of groom was agreed upon by both families."

Elina stared at him without blinking, carefully considering every word he had spoken.

"So, you want me to act as though our marriage was planned from the very beginning?"

"It's the only way to keep Roswell Corp.'s stock price and Valmont Group's stock stable," Nathan answered coldly.

He leaned slightly closer, narrowing the distance between them.

"One wrong word from you could trigger damaging rumors. Remember the limits of your business experience."

Elina disliked the way Nathan spoke to her, but for now, she had no choice but to cooperate.

"You don't have to keep lecturing me, Nathan," she replied calmly, meeting his sharp gaze. "I know how to deal with the business media. I won't ruin the plan we've put together."

Nathan studied her expression for a moment, searching for even the slightest hesitation but finding none.

He gave a small nod.

"Good. My assistant will continue monitoring the media in case anything unexpected happens."

Elina tightened her grip on her handbag before nodding.

"Drive safely."

Without waiting for his response, she opened the car door and stepped out.

Keeping her shoulders straight, she walked gracefully through the glass doors of Roswell Corp. without looking back.

The executive office on the fifth floor felt as familiar as ever, but the atmosphere that morning was far heavier than usual.

Xavier Rosswel stood by the large window, holding a cup of coffee that had long since gone cold.

The moment he heard the office door open, he immediately turned around.

His aging face filled with surprise when he saw his daughter standing there on the very first day after her wedding.

"Elina?"

He quickly set his coffee cup on the desk and walked toward her.

"What are you doing at the office today?"

Elina smiled faintly, trying to ease the concern written across her father's face.

"I still have responsibilities here, Father. I have no reason to stay at home."

Xavier gently held both of her shoulders, carefully examining her face.

"How are you? How did Jeremy's parents treat you last night? Velicia... that woman couldn't have stayed quiet, could she? Did she make things difficult for you?"

"She was angry, Father," Elina answered honestly, her voice remaining remarkably calm. "But Nathan handled everything very well. You don't need to worry."

Xavier let out a long sigh, deep regret clearly etched across his face.

"I truly feel guilty, Elina. I've allowed you to enter a family as complicated as the Valmonts. Nathan isn't an ordinary man. He's a cold businessman, and no one can predict what he'll do."

Elina smiled bitterly.

"He's definitely cold, Father."

She paused, guiding her father to the sofa before continuing.

"But he's rational. At the very least, he's not childish or impulsive like Jeremy."

Xavier sighed again and nodded slowly, though uncertainty still lingered in his eyes.

"I'm just afraid you'll become a pawn in the cold war between Nathan and his brother."

"I know the risks, Father," Elina replied firmly. "And I'm prepared to face them. Right now, our priority is making sure our company remains stable."

Xavier fell silent for a moment before leaning back against the sofa.

"About the company... several business reporters have been waiting in the parking area since early this morning."

Elina narrowed her eyes.

"Have they contacted your secretary?"

"Yes," Xavier answered with a heavy sigh. "They've been asking for an official statement about why the groom standing beside you last night suddenly changed from Jeremy to Nathan. Several financial magazines have even started speculating that there's a division within Valmont Group's leadership."

Elina slowly clenched her hands on her lap.

"What did you tell them?"

"I haven't made any statement," Xavier replied immediately. "I instructed all of our secretaries and public relations staff not to say a single word until I spoke with you and Nathan."

Elina recalled Nathan's firm instructions in the car.

"Don't leave any room for speculation, Father," she said decisively, looking him straight in the eyes. "Direct every media inquiry to Valmont Group's public relations department. Nathan has already prepared the narrative that yesterday's wedding was a mutual decision made by both families to strengthen our business alliance."

Xavier looked at her in disbelief.

"Are you sure you want to use that story?"

"It's the only way to protect Roswell Corp. from a collapse in its stock price, Father," Elina answered without hesitation. "Let the public believe this was a carefully planned alliance. If we appear uncertain, the media will tear us apart and turn Jeremy's escape on our wedding day into a public spectacle."

Xavier closed his eyes briefly, absorbing the determination in his daughter's voice.

"Very well. I'll instruct our public relations department to direct every press inquiry to Nathan's office."

"Thank you, Father."

Elina smiled with relief.

"And... what about Jeremy?" Xavier asked quietly, his voice filled with restrained anger. "Has he contacted you or tried to see you?"

Elina let out a cynical smile before slowly shaking her head.

"He didn't even return to the Valmont residence last night, Father. He's still busy playing the hero for Rachel at the hospital."

Xavier clenched his fists on his thighs, his jaw tightening.

"An irresponsible man. He never deserved you."

"And I've already let him go, Father."

Elina's voice turned as cold as ice.

"Jeremy belongs to the past. From now on, our only priority is making sure Roswell Corp. remains strong under its new connection with the Valmont family... at least until our company is completely stable."