After Kane left Lani's house, he drove back to his mansion in the city center. Familiar with the route, he parked his car in the garage, entered his house, and collapsed onto the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.

Everything had happened so quickly today that Kane couldn't believe he had a wife in the blink of an eye. In his daze, the sound of his phone ringing slowly filled the room.

"Mom, what's up?"

Kane glanced at the flashing name on the screen and sighed before answering. A gentle female voice quickly reached his ear, filled with excitement.

"How did the date go, Kane? The dating app worked out well, didn't it? Did you like the actress?"

Maris had been urging Kane to get married for years, and now that he seemed happy going on a date, she was overjoyed. She had even prepared dates with beautiful actresses and models of the right age for Kane, ready to set them up in case he wasn't satisfied with today's girl.

"Mom, I and she got married."

Kane poured himself a glass of water, swirled it around like a glass of wine, and took a sip casually. On the other end, Maris seemed to be slow to react, lost in her own pace.

"It's okay, my dear son. I have a list of beautiful and gentle girls for you to choose from. I guarantee you'll find someone you like."

Kane placed the glass on the table, counted to three seconds, and now Maris had managed to process Kane's response.

"What, what are you saying? Did you marry the girl you met today?"

Maris's voice was particularly high-pitched, making Kane instinctively cover his ears and move the phone away, but he could still hear her excited tone.

"So I have a daughter-in-law now, haha. When can you bring her over for me to meet? I am looking forward to meeting her."

"Right, what does she like to eat so I can have someone help with the cooking? Also, what gifts does she like? Jewelry, clothes, cars, or houses? I'll give her a jewelry store, a luxury clothing shop, a Rolls Royce, and a downtown mansion. Is that enough?"

Kane had already anticipated this situation and wasn't surprised. He replied slowly after Maris had finished speaking.

"We can't meet right now. She's a famous actress and is currently filming, so she's very busy. Whenever she has some free time, I'll bring her to meet you."

Kane responded with a casual tone, not wanting his mother and Lani to meet, as it would reveal his fake, poor identity. Maris, however, didn't think much about it and happily agreed, wanting to send gifts to her new daughter-in-law.

"Do you have a picture of her? Even though we can't meet yet, I still want to know if my beautiful daughter-in-law looks like what?"

Kane comfortably sent Maris a selfie of him and Lani taken earlier. Maris couldn't stop praising how obedient and beautiful Lani looked, truly living up to her status as a famous actress.

After a while, Maris remembered something and asked, "Have you informed your father about this?"

At the mention of his father, Kane's gaze momentarily turned cold and filled with disdain. He raised his head to look at the white ceiling and replied casually, "Why should I inform him? He's happily living with my stepmother and their beloved son, not interested in my life at all."

Maris didn't comment on this matter and simply told Kane that if he had the time, he should bring Lani to meet her, and then hung up.

Kane's mood remained relatively good. After resting enough, he went to the shopping center to buy some ordinary and affordable clothes, shoes, and household items before driving back home. When he was in front of Lani, he needed to appear poor, and he didn't want to reveal his true identity too soon.

After completing his tasks, Kane stayed at his own home for a few more days before finally moving to Lani's house when she was about to return to the city. Over the past few days, he and Lani have been in regular contact. Most of the time, Lani would inform Kane about her schedule and instruct him on anything he didn't understand or know how to use.

Although Kane was familiar with high-tech gadgets at home, to play the role of a convincingly poor person, he pretended not to know how to use a vacuum robot, prompting Lani to video call him to teach him.

Finally, the day arrived when Lani returned. Compared to their last meeting, when she was unscathed, her left hand is now bandaged. Kane was taken aback by the sight, and Lani chuckled awkwardly upon seeing his surprised expression.

"Oh, I wasn't careful while filming and injured my hand. It's not dangerous."

Behind her, Aurora helped Lani bring her luggage inside and then gave Kane some instructions on taking care of Lani. Kane silently absorbed the information, and when Aurora left, the two of them sat in the living room, exchanging awkward smiles.

Kane was inherently reserved and not talkative, so Lani had to initiate the conversation.

"Have you gotten used to being here these past few days? Any problems?"

Kane shook his head. Honestly, Lani's apartment was well-equipped and cozy, and it was closer to his company than his mansion. Lani let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this, thinking that Kane was comfortable.

Sitting face-to-face in the living room wasn't ideal for conversation, so Lani stood up slowly, pretending to be at ease.

"Well, you can continue resting. I'll go take a shower. After being outside all day, I'm covered in dust."

Her white dress fluttered past Kane as she walked by, and he also got up to tidy up the house. While he was busy cleaning under the kitchen counter, he heard Lani's soft voice echoing from upstairs.

"Kane, could you help me with something?"

Kane washed his hands and went upstairs to find Lani standing in her room, biting her lip, and looking a bit embarrassed. After seeing Kane, she helplessly pointed to her dress and blinked her eyes.

"I didn't mean to do anything bad, but could you help me unzip my dress? I can't raise my arm."

Lani finished speaking and continued to pursed her lips, her petite face blushing with shyness. She was wearing a white dress adorned with sparkling pearls, and initially, Aurora had helped her zip it up, so she hadn't anticipated this situation.

Kane silently nodded and approached, gently helping Lani unzip her dress, revealing her fair skin. His warm hand brushed against her soft skin, making her tremble slightly. In such proximity, Lani could faintly smell the subtle scent of mint emanating from Kane's body.

Kane remained courteous, tilting his head slightly in another direction, and asked in a matter-of-fact tone if Lani needed any further assistance before leaving the room.

The background music that had been playing earlier came to an end. After Kane had finished tidying up the room, he proceeded to cook dinner. Lani, still feeling a bit embarrassed about the earlier incident, didn't dare to go to the kitchen. Kane called her down only after he had finished cooking.

For dinner, Kane had prepared spaghetti and beefsteak. Knowing that Lani's hand wasn't in the best condition, he cut the steak into bite-sized pieces for her. The two of them sat across from each other, savoring their meal. Lani took a bite, and the explosion of flavors delighted her taste buds, causing her eyes to light up with praise.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to cook so deliciously. I'll get to enjoy restaurant-quality food every day from now on."

Lani's eyes sparkled with a pure, innocent glow as she curved her lips into a smile. Kane tilted his head to look at her and responded in a soft, reserved manner.

"If you like it, that's good. In the future, just tell me what you want to eat, and I'll cook it for you."

Lani nodded enthusiastically, quickly finishing the beefsteak on her plate and moving on to the spaghetti. Each time she enjoyed a delicious bite, her head would gently sway in appreciation, showing her happiness. Kane observed her and couldn't help but find her adorable.

During the next few days, Kane's life at Lani's place seemed just as dull as when he was at his own home. However, when Lani returned, everything became remarkably special.

After they finished eating, Kane cleared the table and placed the dishes in the dishwasher. Then, he and Lani went to the living room to watch a movie. Perhaps getting used to Kane's presence, Lani felt comfortable enough to let him sit beside her. They watched a recent film in which she had starred.

Lani had a habit of rewatching her previous films to observe her acting skills and identify areas for improvement. Kane, who didn't have any particular preferences, quietly watched with her. The evening passed peacefully and serenely for the two of them.

"Do you want some apples and strawberries? Let me get them for you."

Halfway through watching the movie, Kane quietly asked, and Lani nodded slowly. He left for a moment and returned with a plate of fruit, each piece neatly cut into small portions, which he offered to Lani.

Once again, they sat close to each other, engrossed in watching the movie. Lani took a bite of a strawberry and fixed her gaze on the screen without blinking. Whenever she was focused on something, she tended to become so absorbed that she paid no attention to her surroundings, and this time was no exception.

The fruit plate was eventually emptied by Kane alone, and he chuckled helplessly before using a fork to pick up a strawberry and holding it to Lani's lips.

"Have a bit more; the strawberries are really sweet today."

Lani didn't pay much attention, obediently accepting the fruit, her lips slightly puckering as she savored the sweet strawberry. Kane watched her and felt a touch of embarrassment. He absentmindedly scratched his head before rigidly feeding Lani a few more pieces.

When the movie ended, Lani lazily stretched her shoulders and leaned back, her head naturally finding a place on Kane's shoulder. She looked up at him in confusion, their eyes meeting in mid-air. Kane's gaze lingered on Lani's rosy lips, as clear and pure as the waters of autumn. Lani also blinked and held Kane's gaze for a few seconds before regaining her composure and sitting up straight, her voice slightly hoarse.

"There's some strawberry left; have a bit more."

Kane, out of habit, placed the plate of strawberries near Lani's lips, and she casually accepted them. It was only now that both of them realized the intimate nature of this gesture; their faces were momentarily flushed with a bright, intense red.

"Thank you," Lani stammered, not knowing what else to say. She then turned and headed back to her room, leaving Kane standing there in a daze. The close intimacy from earlier didn't make Kane feel uncomfortable; instead, his heart raced faster. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath to regain his composure, suppressing the strange emotions that had arisen.

After the somewhat awkward atmosphere of the evening, both of them quickly retreated to their respective rooms without further communication. Initially, Lani had only thought of marrying Kane to seek revenge for Amory's betrayal and prevent Hebe from getting her way. She hadn't anticipated any deeper emotional involvement with Kane.

However, she had started to think about it tonight. It seemed that having a handsome husband who could cook well and was polite, like Kane, was quite wonderful.

...

The next morning, Lani followed her normal filming schedule and woke up early. With nothing else to do, she wandered into the garden to water the flowers. She had a deep love for flowers, and her small garden was filled with various colorful blooms. There was also a small swing where she liked to sit when she needed some healing.

In the past few days, Kane has taken excellent care of her garden, as all the roses were blooming beautifully, vibrantly, and radiantly under the sunlight. Lani watered the flowers while humming a few tunes. Suddenly, her phone rang, interrupting the peaceful atmosphere.

Seeing the name displayed on the screen, Lani's cheerful morning mood disappeared without a trace. She sighed tiredly and answered the call, quickly hearing an angry voice on the other end.

"Lani, you're really excellent. Did you get married without telling me? Do you still consider me your father?"

After seeing the wedding certificate that Hebe had shown him, Derek was furious and immediately called Lani to reprimand her. However, Lani calmly sat down on the swing, closed her eyes, and let the cool breeze rustle through her hair.

"Uncle Derek, you must be joking. Haven't we already cut off our father-daughter relationship long ago to become strangers? I'm an orphan now, my mother passed away a long time ago, and I don't have a father anymore. I can't even decide for myself when it comes to marriage, can I?"

Lani's cold and indifferent tone further fueled Derek's anger. He slammed his hand forcefully on the table in front of him and yelled.

"Lani, do you truly not care about anyone? Hurry up and bring your husband here; I want to see who you've married."

Lani chuckled mockingly, knowing that her father was not genuinely concerned about her life or her well-being but rather that Hebe had likely coerced him into making this call.

"I don't need to come back, and that's not my home anyway. Furthermore, you and Hebe, listen carefully; I married an ordinary office worker. So, Hebe doesn't need to be jealous or compare anything."

"And if Hebe ever tries to seduce my husband the way she did with Amory, I will never return. I can't let my husband know that I have such a shameless and despicable stepsister like her, right?"

Lani chuckled, her voice as light as a silver bell but carrying a warning. She could see Hebe's motives clearly—Hebe wanted to seduce Kane to make Lani feel abandoned once again, to become sad and lonely. But Lani wouldn't let Hebe have her way.

"Furthermore, I don't want any ties with your family, so I've refrained from bringing up the past. However, if Hebe continues to cause trouble or challenge my boundaries, don't blame me for exposing evidence of her affair with Amory in the past. At that time, I can't guarantee that her fans will still stand by her and protect her."

Lani abruptly hung up. It felt good to give Derek and Hebe a piece of her mind, even if it was through a phone call. She had endured Hebe's bullying for far too long and had been foolish to let it continue.

Lost in thought as she returned to the house, Lani accidentally stepped on a stone in the garden and stumbled, causing her to fall. She cried out in pain, and Kane, who was standing outside, rushed over.

"Lani, are you okay? What happened?"

Kane held a small watering can in his hand, probably intending to water the plants in the early morning. Lani furrowed her brows and rubbed her foot before responding.

"It hurts a bit. I was in the garden watering the flowers when I accidentally stepped on a pebble, causing me to fall."

Kane gently touched Lani's injured foot, which had now turned slightly red. She winced when he lightly pressed on it. Taking a deep breath, Kane helped her stand up and carried her, saying softly,

"You might have sprained it. Let me take you inside to tend to the injury."

At this moment, the distance between them was close enough for Lani to see Kane's long eyelashes and the perfect, straight line of his nose. Lani's hands rested on Kane's shoulders, lightly steadying herself, and the warmth emanating from his touch made her heart beat faster.

The injury on her hand was still not fully healed, and now she had added a new one to her leg, making Lani feel extremely miserable. She was currently unable to walk without experiencing pain, and even slight movements caused her leg to ache.

After Kane had bandaged her foot, he carefully held Lani and placed her on the sofa. He gently stroked her soft, fragrant hair, which still carried a faint scent of flowers.

"You shouldn't walk too much right now. Just sit here and watch TV. If you need anything, just call me, and I'll get it for you."