FINALLY MY WIFE

ATLAS’S POV

For a man who had everything he could ever want, there was not much left that I longed for.

Money, power, you name it… I had it all.

But if there was one thing I had wanted for so long, it was Salem Grant. The woman I had loved for years, though there had never been a chance to make her mine.

Salem Grant was my first love. I had been in love with her for so many years, and today, I was finally going to make her my wife.

Even thinking about those four words made something inside my chest tighten.

Once we got into the car, she looked at me.

“Aren’t you being a bit too hasty, Mr. Knight?” she asked.

I ignored her question and looked straight at my driver.

“Drive.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Atlas!”

I turned sharply to look at her.

She looked pale, as if she had just committed the worst offense imaginable and was waiting for her sentence.

If only she knew how long I had waited to hear her say my name.

My heart was beating so fast that I feared it might burst right out of my ribcage.

Not that it would be the worst way to die.

“Mr. Knight, I am sorry…”

I looked away from her so she wouldn't see how flushed I was.

I, Atlas Knight, was actually blushing.

Impossible.

I had faced boardrooms filled with men twice my age without blinking. I had negotiated deals worth millions without breaking a sweat.

Yet one woman saying my first name was enough to make me completely lose my composure.

“You don’t need to apologize. We are getting married now anyway, so I guess we can drop the formalities, Salem.”

“…”

I loved the way her name sounded on my lips.

Like sweet nectar.

So sweet, I had to say it again.

“Salem.”

She looked at me.

“From now on, when we are alone, call me Atlas. Got it?”

She nodded slowly.

“Yes, Mr.… Yes, Atlas.”

I smiled.

“Good.”

The rest of the drive was strangely quiet.

She toyed with her hands nervously, while I tried my hardest not to act like a prepubescent teenager on Christmas morning.

When we finally arrived at the courthouse, Salem looked around with wide eyes.

“We are actually doing this?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Doing what?”

“Getting married?” she asked, as if still waiting for the other shoe to drop and for me to tell her I was only kidding.

“Of course, Salem. I never go back on my word.”

She shook her head and muttered something under her breath that I didn't catch.

We were led into a small room where the lawyer was already waiting for us.

Everything about the situation felt almost ridiculous.

There was no wedding gown.

No flowers.

No family members.

No guests.

Just the two of us, my driver as a witness, a lawyer, and two marriage certificates sitting neatly on the table.

The lawyer looked at both of us, then down at the documents.

Then he looked back at us.

“Are you both sure that you really want to get married?”

I glared daggers at him for talking too much.

Salem looked like she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

“Yes,” I answered immediately.

The lawyer looked at Salem.

She swallowed.

“Yes.”

He still looked suspicious.

“Both of you understand that once you sign these documents, it is legally binding?”

“Yes,” I said.

Salem nodded.

“Yes.”

The lawyer sighed and pushed the documents toward us.

“Then sign here.”

I picked up the pen.

For a moment, I stared at the blank space where my signature was supposed to go.

This was it.

After all these years.

I was finally making Salem Grant my wife.

I signed my name.

Then I looked at her.

She hesitated for a few seconds before finally signing hers.

And just like that, it was done.

We were married.

The lawyer handed each of us a copy of the certificate.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Knight.”

Mrs. Knight.

I liked the sound of that.

More than I probably should.

When we got outside, I couldn't help but fold the document carefully in my hand.

A part of me felt guilty for tricking her. I could have helped her father without any strings attached… I had enough money to solve his problems ten times over.

But this was the only way I could make her mine.

And maybe that made me selfish.

I wasn't denying it. I was one selfish motherfucker. It was the one quality that had gotten me this far in life.

I saw a chance to make her mine, and I took it.

Now we were married on paper.

All that was left was to make her fall in love with me.

She cleared her throat and turned to me once we were outside.

“So, Mr. Knight, what next?”

“Atlas.”

“Huh?”

I grabbed her and pulled her close until we were almost sharing the same breath.

Her body went completely still.

I could see every single freckle on her nose.

Her green eyes had never looked so beautiful.

“We are married now, Salem. Call me Atlas.”

Her face turned a pretty shade of pink.

“Okay, Atlas. I get it now.”

I smiled.

I held her for a few more seconds before finally letting go.

“Continue what you were saying?”

She waved the certificate in front of my face.

“Now that we are married, what next?”

“You will have to fulfill your duties as a wife,” I said.

She narrowed her eyes at me.

“And what might those be?”

I pretended to think about it.

“How about we start with you moving in with me?”

“What did you say?”

“You are going to have to keep up with me at some point, Salem. I can only repeat myself so many times.”

She blinked.

“I heard what you said. I am only trying to figure out whether you are being serious or not.”

“I am dead serious.”

“But…”

“There are no buts. We are married now, so there is no way in hell I am going to allow us to live apart.”

“This is crazy.”

I folded my arms. “You have until Sunday to pack your things, and then I will come pick you up.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but then her phone rang.

She pulled out her phone, and her eyes widened.

“Shoot! I have to get back to work!”

I adjusted my suit.

“Let’s go.”