Marrying the secret divine healer turned Billionaire

Chapter four

“Come,” Evelyn motioned to him, she knew with the right persuasion, he would accept the gifts.

They walked back to the sitting room.

Damien stood in the middle of his modest living room, frowning at the gifts sitting on his coffee table. Somehow, they had increased and now, the whole place looked like Santa vomited all over it. He also noted that Claire had left.

The gifts alone looked expensive enough to feed him for a month. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as Evelyn’s assistant stood awkwardly near the door.

“This is too much,” Damien said finally, “Take it back.”

The assistant looked bewildered, her brow furrowing as if she hadn’t anticipated this reaction. “Mr. Sinclair, Miss Sterling wanted to express her gratitude for your assistance last week. She—”

“I helped because it was convenient, not because I expected anything in return,” Damien interrupted. “I don’t want any gifts, especially not something that looks like it costs as much as my entire apartment.”

Evelyn was floored, “Are you sure? I can—”

“I’m sure,” Damien said, gesturing toward the door. “Take it back, please.”

Evelyn sighed, clearly torn, but eventually picked up the box and left with her assistant. As soon as the door clicked shut, Damien exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. He didn’t think much of the incident after that or even gave Claire a second thought again.

What he didn’t know was that Evelyn’s assistant had recorded his refusal on video and sent it directly to Evelyn’s grandfather like he requested.

The next morning, Damien was jolted awake by the shrill ring of his phone. He squinted at the screen and frowned when he saw an unfamiliar number. Answering cautiously, he said, “Hello?”

“Is this Damien Cross?” The voice on the other end was deep and commanding, with the kind of authority that made Damien sit up straight.

“Yes, speaking. Who’s this?”

“This is Richard Sterling. Evelyn’s grandfather.”

Damien froze. He’d heard of the man, of course. Everyone had. The man was a legend in the business world, known for his ruthless nature in business but was still dedicated to his family. It was why Damien admired the man even when they hadn't met.

“I, uh, good morning, Mr. Sterling,” Damien managed, surprised that his voice came out as steady, “How can I help you?”

“I saw the video of you refusing Evelyn’s gift,” Richard said bluntly. “It’s rare to find someone like you these days, young man. Tell me, why did you help her, if not for personal gain?”

Damien frowned. “It was the right thing to do, sir. She needed help, and I was in a position to provide it. I didn’t think it required a reward.”

Richard was silent for a moment, and Damien could almost hear the older man weighing his words. Finally, he said, “Bring your identification to the city hall at ten this morning. Don’t be late.”

“Wait, what? Why?”

“You’ll see when you get there.”

The line went dead before Damien could ask any more questions.

At ten sharp, Damien arrived at the city hall with his identification. He had no idea what it was for but nobody refused Richard Sterling. He stopped in his tracks when he saw that Evelyn was there, dressed in a simple but elegant white dress just like the one she had on during the blind date.

“Evelyn?” Damien asked, his confusion evident.

“Good morning, Damien,” she said smoothly, gesturing toward the chairs near the registrar’s desk. “Please, sit.”

He approached her cautiously, his eyes narrowing. “What’s going on?”

“My grandfather,” she began, “admires you greatly. And I…happen to need a marriage partner. It seems we’re about to get married.”

Damien blinked, then blinked again, certain he’d misheard her. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me.” She crossed her legs elegantly, her gaze meeting his with utter calm. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. You’ll help me fulfill a promise to my grandfather, and I’ll ensure you’re well-compensated for your trouble.”

“This is insane,” he muttered, running a hand down his face.

“Perhaps,” Evelyn agreed, her lips curving into a faint smile. “But it’s happening. Unless you’d prefer to back out?”

Damien stared at her, his instincts screaming at him to walk away. Yet, there was something about Evelyn, her poise, her self-assuredness that intrigued him. Against his better judgment, he said, “Let’s do it.”

Evelyn’s eyebrows rose slightly, but she said nothing.

As they approached the registrar, Evelyn leaned closer and murmured, “You still have time to back out, you know.”

Damien glanced at her. “You’ve said that three times already, and my answer hasn’t changed. Let’s get this over with.”

The ceremony itself was brief, and before Damien fully processed what was happening, he was legally married to the wealthiest women in the city.

Once the paperwork was signed, Evelyn turned to him and said bluntly, “This marriage isn’t real, Damien. It’s just a formality to keep my grandfather happy. Don’t take it too seriously.”

“You already said that,” he replied, his tone clipped.

“You’re free to see other women if you want,” Evelyn added. “I won’t get in your way.”

Damien’s jaw tightened. “Good to know.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out a sleek, black key. “This is for the house. You’ll need somewhere to stay if you don’t want to keep living in that shoebox of yours.”

“I don’t need your charity,” he said immediately, his pride flaring.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “It’s not charity. It’s practicality. You’re my husband now, at least on paper. People will expect us to live together.”

Reluctantly, Damien took the key, though he couldn’t hide the sour look on his face.

As they stepped outside the city hall, Evelyn began to walk away, but Damien called after her. “Wait.”

She paused, turning to face him. “What is it?”

“There are three things we need to discuss,” Damien said, his tone serious.

Evelyn folded her arms, intrigued. “Go on.”

“First,” he began, “we need to exchange contact information. My mother’s going to want updates about you, and I don’t intend to lie to her.”

Evelyn nodded, pulling out her phone. They exchanged numbers quickly.

“Second,” Damien continued, “I’ll give you three thousand dollars a month for our shared living expenses.”

Her lips twitched in amusement. “Three thousand? That’s pocket change to me.”

“Take it or leave it,” Damien said firmly.

“Fine,” she said with a shrug. “Anything else?”

Damien hesitated, his expression turning more serious. “Lastly…I need to know your plans regarding our…sexual life.”