The car slowed as they entered an exclusive residential area.
Tall black gates opened automatically, and Wilder drove inside without saying a word.
Beyond the gates, a large modern house stood quietly among well-trimmed trees.
The exterior alone was enough to remind Nyxia of the kind of family Wilder came from.
The Reed family was one of the most influential business families in the city.
Cold, powerful, and rarely involved in anything that didn’t benefit them.
Wilder, as the only son, had inherited not only the family’s wealth but also their sharp and ruthless way of dealing with people.
That was exactly why Nyxia had always kept her distance from him.
Their hostility didn’t start from a single incident.
It had grown slowly over the years clashing interests, sharp words exchanged at business events, and a mutual dislike that neither of them ever bothered to hide.
To Nyxia, Wilder had always been the kind of man she preferred to avoid.
Arrogant.
Calculating.
Dangerous in a quiet way.
And now, of all people, she was about to enter his house as his “wife.”
Wilder parked the car and got out first.
He walked around to open her door, then waited.
Nyxia hesitated for a moment before stepping out, still holding the paper bag with the cheesecake.
The evening air felt cooler here, carrying the faint scent of damp soil and leaves.
“Come in,” Wilder said simply.
He unlocked the front door and held it open for her.
Nyxia stepped inside.
The interior matched what she had expected from someone like him, spacious, clean, and dominated by dark tones.
Everything was neat, expensive, and carefully arranged, yet it felt empty.
There was no warmth.
No sign that anyone else had ever lived here with him.
Nyxia’s eyes moved across the living room walls, the shelves, and the console table near the entrance.
There were no photos.
Not a single framed picture.
No wedding portrait.
Nothing that suggested a married couple lived in this house.
A small, almost invisible smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Wilder placed her bag on the sofa and turned toward her.
“You can rest first.
I’ll…”
“Wilder,” Nyxia interrupted softly.
He looked at her.
Nyxia tilted her head slightly, keeping her expression innocent and mildly confused.
“If we’re really married… why aren’t there any wedding photos in our house?”
The question hung in the air.
Wilder went still.
For a few seconds, he didn’t answer.
His gaze stayed on her face, unreadable, as if he was carefully choosing his next words.
Nyxia watched him closely, satisfaction quietly blooming in her chest.
She had caught him off guard.
Then Wilder let out a short breath and looked away, as though the topic annoyed him.
“You threw them all away,” he said.
Nyxia blinked.
“What?”
“You got jealous.” His voice was calm, almost casual.
“You accused me of looking at the photos too often.
Then you tore them up and threw everything out.
The album.
The frames.
Even the ring.”
Nyxia stared at him.
She hadn’t expected that answer.
Wilder continued, still not looking at her.
“You said you never wanted to see them again.
You even threw the ring into the river.
I couldn’t stop you.”
The living room fell quiet.
Nyxia’s mind went blank for a moment.
The excuse was too smooth.
Too detailed.
For a split second, a dangerous thought slipped into her head,
What if I really was his wife before?
She immediately crushed the idea.
No.
Impossible.
They were enemies.
They had never been married.
This was just another one of his lies.
A well-crafted one, but still a lie.
Wilder finally turned back to her.
A faint, almost teasing smile appeared on his lips.
“Since you brought it up… should we take new photos tomorrow?” He stepped closer.
“And buy a new ring while we’re at it?”
Nyxia instinctively took a small step back.
Wilder didn’t stop.
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower.
“Or is this your way of asking me for a new wedding ring, wife?”
Nyxia’s ears felt warm.
She quickly looked away, annoyed at her own reaction.
“I didn’t ask for anything.”
“Really?” Wilder chuckled softly.
“You sounded disappointed that there were no photos.”
“I was just asking.”
“Mm.” He straightened up, clearly entertained.
“Then tomorrow we’ll fix it.
New photos.
New ring.
Everything.” New chapters come out on g.com first.
Nyxia clenched her fingers at her side.
She hated how easily he flipped the situation.
She had wanted to corner him, yet somehow she was the one left unsettled.
Wilder picked up her bag again and started walking toward the stairs.
“I’ll show you the room.”
Nyxia followed him, still trying to steady her thoughts.
When they reached the second floor, Wilder opened a door at the end of the hallway and stepped aside.
It was a large bedroom.
Simple, dark-toned, and clearly used by a man.
The bed was wide.
There was only one.
Nyxia stopped at the doorway.
“I’m not sleeping here.”
Wilder raised an eyebrow.
“Why not?”
“I want my own room.”
“There is no other room prepared.”
“Then prepare one.”
Wilder leaned against the doorframe, watching her with mild amusement.
“We’re married.
Married couples sleep together.”
“I don’t remember marrying you.”
“That’s fine.” He pushed himself off the frame and walked closer.
“I’ll help you remember.”
Nyxia glared at him.
“Wilder.”
“You’re still recovering,” he said more seriously this time.
“The doctor said someone should stay nearby.
I’m not letting you sleep alone.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know.” His voice softened just a little, but his decision didn’t change.
“But I won’t take the risk.”
Nyxia opened her mouth to argue again, yet no words came out.
The way he looked at her steady, unyielding made it clear he wasn’t going to back down.
After a long silence, she finally stepped into the room.
Wilder placed her bag near the bed, then walked toward the wardrobe to take out a clean towel and a change of clothes for himself.
“You can rest first,” he said.
“I’ll sleep on the side.
I won’t do anything.”
Nyxia didn’t answer.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding the paper bag with the cheesecake.
Her eyes drifted around the room once more no photos, no shared memories, nothing that proved they had ever been husband and wife.
And yet, somehow, Wilder was able to speak about their “past” as if it had really happened.
Nyxia lowered her gaze.
Just what kind of game are you playing, Wilder Reed?