「An hour later.」
Sienna followed Julian out of the marriage registry, staring at the little red marriage certificate in her hand, lost in thought.
’How did I suddenly get married?’
’How did I suddenly... gain a husband?’
Sienna grabbed Julian’s arm in confusion, her face a picture of bewilderment. "Why did you suddenly agree to get married?"
Julian glanced at her hand on his arm, his voice low, husky, and casual. "A moment ago, when Grandpa Forrester suggested we get our marriage certificate, you gave me a look. Weren’t you telling me to agree?"
Sienna was completely speechless. "When did I tell you to agree to get the certificate? I was telling you to refuse Grandpa’s suggestion!"
Julian seemed to only just realize, an expression of regret on his face. "Oh, so that’s what it was. I must have misunderstood what you meant. You’re not mad at me, are you?"
Sienna: "..."
’Why did that sound so manipulative?’
’I really can’t figure him out. Is this damn Julian targeting me again?’
That evening, before bed, Sienna was miserably ushered into Julian’s bedroom by Grandpa Forrester.
Staring at the single bed in the room, Sienna felt a massive headache coming on.
Fortunately, Julian had an urgent video conference and had gone to the study to work.
Seeing as he was gone, Sienna decided to take a shower first. The main reason was that the cuts on her lower leg from glass shards hadn’t been properly treated yet.
Stepping into the bathroom, Sienna turned on the shower.
The small, unhealed cuts on her leg stung terribly as soon as the water hit them. But there was nothing to be done; her bandages weren’t waterproof, so she just had to endure it.
The hot water pouring down from overhead also washed away the fatigue of the day.
It wasn’t until she finished her shower that Sienna realized she had forgotten to bring a change of clothes in with her.
’Good thing Julian isn’t here. I can go out and get them.’
Sienna grabbed a bath towel, wrapped it loosely around herself, and pulled open the glass door of the bathroom.
The next second, Sienna froze in place as if paralyzed, her hand still on the door, unmoving.
That man standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window...
’When did Julian get back?!’
’The sound of the shower must have been too loud for me to hear him come in.’
The instant Sienna pulled open the glass door, Julian heard the sound and instinctively turned to look.
His eyes immediately fell upon Sienna. She was barefoot, her jet-black, wet hair clinging to her cheeks, making her skin seem even more porcelain-white and flawless.
The towel was wrapped loosely around her body, revealing her delicate, pear-white collarbones, the soft curves of her chest faintly visible...
The towel’s length barely reached her thighs, revealing a pair of long, slender, fair legs that would capture anyone’s gaze.
A truly eye-catching sight.
Seeing this seductive scene, Julian’s usually calm and unruffled expression faltered for a moment. Then, his brow arched almost imperceptibly.
Sienna snapped back to her senses and slammed the bathroom door shut with a BANG, hiding back inside.
’Oh my god, I could just die of embarrassment!’
Sienna wished she could find a hole to crawl into and disappear!
Just then, the man’s clear, husky voice came from the other side of the door. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Sienna: "..."
’Uh... He must have figured it out, right?’
’That I didn’t bring my clothes in.’
Sienna swallowed hard and said haltingly, "Um... could you please hand me my change of clothes? They’re on the stool by the bed. Thanks!"
Julian’s gaze moved in the direction she indicated, and sure enough, he saw them on the stool by the bed.
There was a black silk nightgown, and... a bra, and panties...
Julian’s eyelid twitched slightly. Composed as ever, he picked up the clothes and handed them inside.
After changing, Sienna emerged awkwardly from the bathroom. Julian’s expression was nonchalant, as if he hadn’t given the previous incident a second thought.
This lessened Sienna’s embarrassment considerably.
While showering, Sienna had been mulling over a problem: she and Julian were completely incompatible. They had been at odds since they were children.
Taking a deep breath, Sienna said slowly, "Julian, we... should get a divorce!"
As her words fell, the man’s eyes narrowed slightly. He was silent for a long moment before speaking. "Are you still in love with that high school classmate of yours?"
Sienna: "???"
’What the hell???’
’High school classmate???’
It took Sienna a long while to understand. He was talking about the year she had asked Grandpa to call off their childhood engagement, claiming she’d fallen for a male classmate.
’No way, how does he still remember something from so long ago!’
His dark eyes clouded over, and his voice turned icy. "You want to avoid marrying me that badly?"
Sienna was baffled. ’Do *you* want to be married to me?’
Julian’s dark gaze fixed on her, his expression inscrutable. "If that’s the case, I’ll have someone draw up a divorce agreement. The term will be one year. We’ll divorce after one year."
’One year?’
Sienna was stunned for a moment, then it dawned on her. With a one-year agreement, Grandpa Forrester probably wouldn’t object so strongly when they divorced later.
"Okay!"
’Once this one-year contract marriage is over, I’ll part ways with Julian for good.’
"So tonight..." Sienna looked at the single bed in the room. ’How are we supposed to sleep?’
Julian’s eyes were dark and deep. He gave her a long look, then turned to leave. "I’ll sleep in the guest room."
The door shut with a BANG, leaving Sienna alone in the room.
She thought back to the look Julian gave her as he left. It was just like when they were children—a little intriguing, a little profound, and completely unreadable to her.
’Just as I thought. There’s no way I can coexist peacefully with my nemesis.’
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door.
Sienna went to open it.
The manor’s old butler was standing outside.
The old butler, dressed in a tailcoat, had a kind face. He offered her an ointment he was holding. "Miss Everett, your leg is injured. This ointment is very effective and won’t leave a scar."
Surprised that the butler had noticed her injured leg, Sienna’s heart warmed. "Thank you!"
The old butler smiled benevolently. "Miss Everett, Master Forrester had this prepared for you."
The "Master Forrester" he spoke of was, of course, Julian.
Sienna froze.
The old butler was remarkably straightforward, relaying the message verbatim: "Master Forrester told me, ’Take this ointment to Miss Everett, but don’t tell her it was me who sent you.’"
Sienna: "..."
Having said his piece, the old butler turned and left, his mission accomplished.
Sienna stared blankly at the ointment in her hand, an indescribable feeling in her heart. This was... from Julian.
Her phone buzzed. It was a text message from Shanno:
[Sister, are you okay? Where are you staying tonight? Are you at the Forrester family’s home?]
After reading the message, Sienna sneered inwardly.
’Still playing the part of the good little girl?’
In the past, she had been too desperate for her family’s affection, always giving in to Shannon.
And this was what she had gotten in return.
’From this day forward, I will never give in to Shannon again!’
’I will never again bow and scrape before the Everetts. I’m going to live for myself!’