Chapter Eight

The constant knocking on the door dragged Ryan out of sleep the next morning.

Groaning, he stumbled towards the door, still in his undershorts.

Yesterday had been exhausting, and he had stayed up late.

But when he opened the door, his eyes widened in surprise—it was Jane. She looked just as startled, clearly not expecting him to be so unprepared on their big day.

“Have you forgotten the significance of today for us?” she asked, frustration edging her voice.

He quickly apologised, promising he would be ready in just a few minutes.

He invited her in and hurried off to get prepared.

When he walked out of his small bedroom, she was taken aback by how good he looked.

Even though he was just wearing a simple white shirt with black stripes and black trousers, he looked handsome enough to make any woman turn her head.

"No wonder he has a reputation for attracting women," she thought inwardly.

Still, even though he was exactly her type, she did not feel any romantic interest in him.

"This is the best outfit I've got," he said with a smile, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"I'm not sure if it is really fitting for a wedding."

"It is nothing fancy," she replied.

"It is just a courthouse marriage with just the two of us. Remember, it is all for show."

He nodded, understanding, especially since she was also dressed just as casually.

The drive to the court to finalise their marriage was silent.

"By the authority vested in me by the law, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

The seriousness of the statement almost made Ryan burst into laughter, given how absurd the situation felt.

"Ryan, you would have to stop working as a skewer seller," she told him as they entered the car after she had ordered the driver to step out.

He arched his brows in confusion because it was not stated in the contract and pointed it out to her.

"I'm a wealthy and affluent woman, Ryan. People are going to start questioning this marriage if you keep that job. Besides, you won’t need it. I will be paying you a salary as outed in the contract, plus a completion f*e when it is all over."

"So, you expect me to just sit around, enjoy this ‘better’ life you’re offering, and rely on your paycheck?" he scoffed.

"I've considered that, which also does not sit well with me."

She then brought out two documents from a briefcase in the car and gave them to him.

"One document transfers ownership of my construction company, of which no one knows I am the owner, to you. The other is a contract stating you will transfer it back to me once our marriage contract is over," she explained.

As he read through the papers, which were just as she described, he could not help but be impressed by her well-thought-out plan, clearly tied to her strategy for their contract marriage.

A smirk played on his face upon the realisation, and he couldn't wait to find out what it was by himself.

He didn’t want to ask her because he was sure she would just lie since she thought she had made him a pawn in her game without him realising it. He also didn't want to ask anyone else for help, knowing that she might suspect something considering how smart she was.

"So, by transferring ownership to me, does that mean you want people to know I am the owner now? You want them to think that I am the unknown owner?"

She chuckled. "I'm glad you've figured it out by yourself."

"Don't you think this is too big for a skewer trader to handle? I mean, the only business I've ever run is small-scale. I don't think—"

"You don't need to pretend to me, Ryan. I know of your academic achievements. Even though your background seemed shady when I looked into it, I am not worried about that. Just think of yourself as the figurehead chairman of the company. I will be making all the decisions."

He smirked, realising she had done her homework on him before approaching him.

“So, what is the real reason you chose me for this contract marriage? Don’t I deserve to know now that I’ve signed the papers?” he asked.

She glanced away and said, "You don't need to know. That is an invasion of privacy, which, if you remember, is one of the violations of the contract. It is the same reason I didn't ask about your background."

"Okay," he smirked, and then apologised, assuring her that it would not happen again.

Before she ordered the driver into the car, she told Ryder that he should pack a few of his things that he would be moving into her house as stated in the contract that night.

"I will come get you myself. Don't pack too much; just the essentials. We will go shopping soon to get you stuff that fits your new status," she added.

As the driver took them to Ryan's destination—his house—Ryan and Jane were lost in their own thoughts.

She felt a twinge of guilt for using him as a pawn in her scheme, taking advantage of his social status to claim what was rightfully hers—at least part of it.

Still, she saw it as a necessity, even though she knew no amount of compensation could fully make up for it.

Meanwhile, Ryan was not thrilled about going back to his new life. He knew he would lose the freedom and perks he had gotten used to. The pressure and bittersweet reality of his old life were the very reasons he walked away from it years ago. But it was now staring him in the face.

However, he steeled himself for what was coming, knowing there was no way out of it this time—all thanks to her.