Chapter 5: Officially Married

Eleanor and Archie processed their marriage registration that very day.

Jackson truly did not care about Eleanor; once the registration paperwork was finalized, he simply left without a second thought.

Now, Eleanor sat inside the car alongside Archie.

She stared silently at the marriage certificate in her hands. Her dream of getting married in a grand ceremony wearing a beautiful dress seemed destined to remain nothing more than a fantasy.

Eleanor harbored no grand expectations for this contract marriage. All she hoped for was to work and live in peace.

“We’re going to see my mother now.”

Archie’s voice made Eleanor turn her head. She looked at him as he focused on the road.

“Will your mother mind that we got married this quickly?” Eleanor asked to make sure. After all, she had no idea what Archie’s mother was like.

Was she strict? Or was she kind?

Archie didn’t answer. His gaze remained fixed ahead, though the subtle tension in his facial expression betrayed a hint of hesitation.

After a short while...

They arrived in the driveway of the Archie family’s luxurious estate.

Archie stepped out of the car with Eleanor, and together they walked into the residence.

“Archie, is that you?”

Before they could fully step inside, a raspy female voice called out from within.

Archie and Eleanor stopped in their tracks.

Archie turned his gaze toward the source of the voice.

An elderly woman in her sixties walked toward Archie.

“It really is you, and...” Grace—Archie’s mother—paused mid-sentence as her eyes landed on the woman beside her son.

Grace’s brow furrowed deeply, her eyebrows knitting together as she took in the appearance of the woman Archie had brought home.

“Archie, who is she?” Grace pointed directly at Eleanor.

Eleanor bowed politely to Grace in greeting.

Immediately after, she felt Archie’s hand clasp hers once again.

When Eleanor looked up at Archie, she heard him say, “Mother, allow me to introduce Eleanor Montgomery. She is the woman I love, and she is now my wife.”

Grace’s face froze instantly. She stared at Archie in utter disbelief at his sudden announcement.

“Your wife? What do you mean wife, Archie?” Grace demanded an explanation.

Archie glanced at Eleanor first, his expression softening before he led her a step closer to Grace.

Grace remained entirely baffled by what was unfolding.

She looked back and forth between Archie and Eleanor standing before her.

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, Mother. But Eleanor is the woman I love. I am also sorry for rejecting the arranged marriage you set up for me. I cannot live without Eleanor.” With that, Archie tightened his grip on Eleanor’s hand.

Eleanor stood quietly, watching Archie speak.

Every word that tumbled from Archie’s lips sent a flutter through Eleanor’s heart, yet reality slapped her just as quickly. Every single sentence was merely an act.

It was a charade they were playing for their own mutual benefit.

Archie wanted to escape an arranged marriage, and Eleanor wanted to break free from the prison her father had built for her.

Grace still stared in disbelief at what Archie had just revealed, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

“Wait...” Grace tried to speak once she managed to compose herself from the initial shock.

“You say you love Eleanor—since when? And why didn’t you ever mention this to me?” Grace pressed for a straight answer.

Archie stole a brief glance at the silent Eleanor, then turned back to Grace and replied, “For a long time now. We simply kept our relationship a secret. Isn’t that right, Ele?”

Eleanor nodded to reassure Grace.

Grace’s eyes still held a trace of skepticism, but seeing the way Archie looked at Eleanor caused her suspicions to melt away.

“So... you two are truly in love?” Grace sought confirmation.

Both Archie and Eleanor nodded together reassuringly.

Grace let out a soft sigh. She stepped forward and stood directly in front of Eleanor.

As she looked at Eleanor, a warm smile spread across her face.

Grace gently cupped Eleanor’s cheeks with both hands.

“Thank you for accepting Archie. From now on, it is your duty to take care of him,” Grace said, her eyes filled with hope.

Eleanor didn’t quite understand why Grace said this, but she gave a gentle nod anyway.

“Of course,” Eleanor replied softly.

Grace’s eyes welled with tears, a continuous smile gracing her lips even as she pulled her hands away from Eleanor’s cheeks.

“It doesn’t matter that you turned down the marriage I arranged. What matters most is that you found the woman you love.” Grace’s gaze shifted back to Eleanor after taking a quick glance at Archie.

Grace breathed a sigh of relief. “Even though your marriage was so sudden that it caught me completely off guard, I am still happy for you.”

“So, are you planning to throw a reception? We ought to meet Eleanor’s family, shouldn’t we?” Grace asked, looking between Archie and Eleanor.

Seeing Eleanor’s expression suddenly turn somber, Grace’s smile faded.

“What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?” Grace asked, confused.

Eleanor shook her head gently.

Archie immediately interjected, “I’ll explain later.”

Turning to Eleanor, Archie added, “Let Ele rest first.”

Grace knit her brows. Was there something they were keeping from her?

Archie asked a servant to escort Eleanor to his room.

Once Eleanor had left, Archie invited Grace to sit in the living room.

“What happened? Why did her face turn so sad the moment her family was mentioned?” Grace asked immediately, unable to hold back her curiosity.

Archie looked at Grace and explained, “Her family does not treat her well. Her father didn’t even care that she was getting married, so it’s best not to bring up her family at all.”

Grace gasped, staring at him in utter disbelief at what she had just heard.

“How could any parent be like that? What about her mother?” Grace pressed.

Archie shook his head. “Her mother passed away. There is only a cruel stepmother and stepsister at her home. That is why I married her so quickly—to protect her from her family’s mistreatment.”

Archie had not anticipated using Eleanor’s family situation to convince his mother, but it worked.

Grace was shocked, her jaw clenching in anger.

“How could a parent be so heartless? No matter what, she is his child—how could he just disregard her like that?” Grace fumed.

Archie remained composed. Had he not experienced something quite similar himself? The only difference was that he still had a mother who protected him.

Grace looked at Archie, taking his hands into hers as she gazed at her son pleadingly.

“Now that you are married, as her husband, you must take good care of her from now on.” Grace simply could not bear hearing such a story about Eleanor.

Archie nodded slowly.

“I promise not to bring up her family unless she brings it up herself,” Grace added.

“Yes, that would be for the best,” Archie replied briefly.

After speaking with Grace and putting her mind at ease, Archie headed to his room to check on Eleanor.

Upon stepping inside, Archie’s eyes immediately landed on Eleanor, who was sitting on the sofa with her suitcase beside her.

Seeing Archie enter, Eleanor stood up right away.

She looked at him and asked urgently, “Did you explain everything to your mother? Was she suspicious?”

Archie gave a brief nod.

His gaze flicked over to Eleanor’s suitcase before returning to her face.

“Regarding our marriage contract—do you have any specific conditions?” Archie brought up the subject of their marital arrangement.

For a moment, Eleanor had almost forgotten about the contract, as though her interaction with Grace earlier had been that of a real mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Archie’s words brought her crashing back to reality: their marriage was nothing more than a contractual agreement.

“I’ll go along with whatever you prepare, sir. If there’s anything I find unreasonable, I’ll bring it up then.” Eleanor didn't dare demand too much from Archie.

Archie gave a subtle nod.

“I will have the draft contract prepared shortly.” Archie broke eye contact with Eleanor.

Just as Archie turned around to leave, Eleanor’s voice called out again.

“Am I going to share a room with you?”