“Mr.
Damian,” she said calmly, “husbands don’t address their wives by their family names.” For a moment, silence settled between them as their gazes locked.
Though Sylvia was certain the pupils behind those glasses weren’t really seeing her, she couldn’t help wishing she could take those glasses off his face.
If anything, she would have preferred to see his eyes clearly and be certain of whatever expression he was wearing.
But then she remembered something.
Given Damian’s identity as the ‘Devil’ and his abilities before his accident…he had certainly been one of those young heirs whose expressions were difficult to read.
Though she hasn’t really spent much time in the business world but men like him had always worn that cold expression.
They had probably learned from an early age that revealing too much emotion was a weakness.
But now that he was in this state…her eyes narrowed slightly ‘Does that mean he might have become even deadlier and unreadable than before?’ The thought flickered briefly through her mind before she dismissed it.
‘Whatever he was in the past doesn’t matter anymore.
He still has to learn how to address me properly.’ Damian’s lips slowly curled into a cold, mocking smile.
His fingers rested loosely against the armrest of his wheelchair as he tilted his head slightly in her direction.
“Why do I get the feeling you are already in a hurry to ditch your family name just to climb higher?” Sylvia’s eyes narrowed.
The accusation was so unexpected that, for a brief moment, she wondered if she had heard him correctly.
‘Ditch my family name?
If anything, I want to ditch you even before this time.’ Yet her lips curved into a humorless smile.
“So that’s what you think of me?” Damian’s expression remained indifferent.
“Or what else, Miss Quinn?
It’s been less than twelve hours…” He deliberately allowed his voice to trail off, but the implication was as clear as day.
Apparently, to Damian, her insistence that he address her properly by her first name meant she was already eager to abandon the Quinn family name and replace it with the Evercrest name.
Sylvia stared at him for several seconds, her irritation increasing with every passing moment.
‘What was I even thinking…that he would say no?’ She shook her inwardly.
She had merely pointed out that he should address her properly, yet somehow, he had managed to twist her words into another insult.
‘Was he really this insufferable?’ Then she slowly exhaled.
“Mr.
Damian,” she finally said, her voice noticeably colder, “if I were interested in climbing higher by throwing away my family name….” She paused briefly as she leaned forward.
“I would have found a much easier way to do it than marrying you…Do you get it?” She huffed and straightened up.
Mark’s eyes widened slightly.
He immediately sucked in a cold breath, silently mourning for her.
‘Madam, why did you have to say that?’ Damian’s expression changed for the briefest moment before returning to its usual coldness.
“And what is the easiest way?” “I don’t think you really want to know what the easiest way is…” Sylvia replied with a smirk.
Her eyes flickered toward his hand, which had tightened subtly around the armrest.
That tiny movement did not escape her notice and her lips curled into a satisfied smile.
‘You want to piss me off?
Then let me see how well you handle being angered to death.’ Without waiting for his response, Sylvia turned around and continued down the hallway, leaving the two men behind her.
Mark watched her retreating figure until she had put several metres between them before slowly turning his attention to Damian.
‘What exactly are you trying to do?’ He mused silently then he shook his head and cleared his throat.
“Sir… dinner?” Damian’s eyes remained fixed on Sylvia’s blurry retreating back.
After a moment, he finally spoke.
“Let’s go.” Mark blinked.
‘Is that it?’ There was no anger.
No reprimand.
Not even the slightest indication that Sylvia’s words had affected him.
Yet that somehow made Mark even more uneasy.
He quickly moved behind the wheelchair and pushed Damian forward, though his heart refused to settle.
Something was definitely wrong with his boss.
The Damian he knew, had always avoided unnecessary interaction with everyone around him.
Even his own family had been kept at arm’s length, and no one dared cross the boundaries he had established.
After the accident, he had become even more difficult to deal with.
The distance between him and the rest of the family had increased noticeably, and even those who had once been close to him now approached him with caution.
The only exception seemed to be the Old Man and Kieran.
Fortunately Kieran wasn’t at home and even then, Valen had always been careful around Damian.
Though he hadn’t attacked anyone violently, the doctor had already warned his temper might be volatile.
So, this marriage had been the only matter in which the Old Man had deliberately interfered because he believed Damian needed a wife who could assist him with his daily life and be his companion.
And Damian had strongly opposed the arrangement.
Mark remembered that very clearly.
Yet now, after seeing the way Damian had deliberately provoked his new wife, Mark couldn’t help wondering what had changed.
He shook his head subtly.
‘Is he having a change of heart?
Or is he simply testing her?’ After another moment of thought, Mark settled on the latter because the other option was seemingly impossible.
‘It should be the latter.
After all, he has always been cautious.’ His gaze drifted toward Sylvia, who was walking several steps ahead of them.
Mark sighed softly.
‘She isn’t simple either.
Their marriage might be far more troublesome than anyone anticipated.’ After thinking about it for a while, Mark finally shrugged inwardly.
‘Well, I’ll just sit back and watch as a good assistant.’ ‘No interference and maybe I will have to observe more and see if I will have to huge her thighs for a safe landing.’