Chapter 10

Lily glanced at Alexander quietly but found he was looking at her. She did not know when his sight had already fallen on her. She was caught in the act and began to blush.

“Do you have other plans tonight?” Alexander asked. He was close to Lily and made her feel butterflies in her stomach.

The stubbornness in Lily’s bones made her refuse to back down. She met his obsidian eyes and tried her best to maintain a calm expression. “If you recall, tonight is our wedding night. What other arrangements would I have, Mr. Russell?”

Lily pretended to be relaxed and natural, but her hands pressed hard on her knees, revealing the uneasiness in her heart.

Alexander’s brows and lips twitched. “Very good.” He straightened up, and Lily eased, but she was not completely relieved.

The car soon stopped at its destination, and Lily thought her husband would take her back to his private residence. However, they had unexpectedly stopped at a spa club entrance. There were orange-yellow sign boards all around, making one feel at peace.

However, as Lily looked at her husband suspiciously, he seemed to guess what she thought. “It’s too sudden to make many preparations today.”

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Lily said softly. She knew their marriage was just a beneficial one, so there was no need for any extravagant ceremonies. But when she saw the rose-decorated restaurant, she felt sincerely touched.

Only two of them were in the vast restaurant. The staff had neatly arranged the dishes, and the waiter kept his distance, giving the couple enough room for their intimate night. It was apparent that Alexander had reserved the entire restaurant for him and his wife. He had the influence, but how did he do all that so quickly?

“We have plenty of privacy here, so don’t worry about this leaking on the news,” Alexander said calmly while gracefully cutting into his steak.

“T-Thank you, Alex.” Lily was typically good at speaking but did not know what to say in this situation.

Alexander stopped abruptly and raised his eyebrows, staring profoundly into Lily’s eyes. “Thank you for what?”

“Thank you for keeping your promise of working with me and for your arrangements in everything you did today,” Lily responded. Although she was impulsive in marrying Alexander, Lily did not regret it.

Alexander lightly chuckled when he heard Lily’s series of thanks. It was discreet, but one could tell he was delighted. Immediately after, Alexander placed the steak he had cut onto Lily’s plate. He withdrew his fork and said thoughtfully, “There might be more for you to thank me for.”

…

After a warm and romantic candlelit dinner, the couple entered a suite Alexander had prearranged. The suite was quite expansive, and there was a private hot tub. The sounds of its water would make one drift off into reverie.

Naturally, Lily thought if she should ask Alexander if he wanted her to soak in the hot tub with him. Lily’s face was flushed red, and her body was tense as she quickly looked away and walked toward the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

Alexander noticed her nervousness and turned around to remove his blazer. He picked up a bottle of red wine and two glasses and brought them over to her. Are you interested in a glass of wine?"

“N-No…” Lily wanted to refuse but instantly changed her mind. “Y-Yes.” Supposedly, alcohol would give one courage. She was not a coward but undoubtedly lacked courage. It was as though she had used up all her courage when she approached Alexander and spoke of her cooperation with him.

After pouring the wine, Alexander raised his glass toward Lily. She stared at the red liquid, gritted her teeth, and clinked her glass with Alexander’s. Then Lily downed her wine in one gulp. She was so hurried that she choked and coughed violently.

Alexander laughed, raised his hand, and patted her back gently. “I’ll go for a soak. You take your time.” He gave Lily ample time to prepare and also gave her a chance to retreat and regret her downing of the wine. Then he turned to walk toward the hot tub.

Lily was puzzled as she watched Alexander walking away. She hurriedly poured herself another glass of wine and downed it again. After drinking almost half a bottle of wine in one go, it took effect, and Lily started to feel tipsy. She straightened herself and could vaguely see the hot tub and Alexander.

Alexander sat in the hot tub with his arms stretched and back facing Lily, revealing only his broad upper shoulders. His muscles were prominent, and the water droplets on his back glowed with a crystal sheen against his skin.

Lily’s throat was dry as she walked straight over. She stood on the dividing line between the dry and wet areas. Alexander could hear her movements but did not look back. He was patient and gave Lily the chance to collect herself.

Lily did not give herself to overthink and quickly removed her clothes, only her outerwear. She walked barefoot behind Alexander and entered the hot tub to sit beside him. The water was a little hotter than usual, and she started sweating slightly as soon as she entered the water.

The alcohol’s effect was as if it evaporated with the water vapor, and the courage Lily had finally mustered disappeared. She quickly crossed her arms unnaturally. Lily had never stripped in front of a man before. She even limited Nathaniel to holding hands and kissing.

“Phew…” She took a deep breath. The two were coles to each other, and their body temperatures differed from the water. However, their bodies were hotter than the water.

Alexander held Lily’s waist with one hand and cupped her chin with the other, forcing her to look at him. “I’ll give you one last chance.” He paused, the flames in his eyes burning faintly. “If you’re not ready, we can…”

Lily clung to him as her teeth knocked against Alexander’s lips because of her sudden forced kiss. There was even a faint smell of blood as she closed her eyes tightly and did not say or think about anything. She only showed her determination with her actions.

There was nothing unearned in this world, and one would not take anything for granted. There were only equivalent exchanges— pain and gain.

Lily brought a softness and warmth into Alexander’s arms, and he had no reason to refuse. Everything went smoothly, and they found it hard to contain their emotions, almost overwhelming Lily.

Alexander quickly noticed something was off, so he picked her up and got out of the hot tub. Lily’s long hair was wet, and her eyes were closed while her long eyelashes trembled involuntarily. She looked gorgeous.