Chapter four

Kelly's POV. 

The moment we stepped out of the wedding hall, I stopped. Several expensive cars were lined up outside, while men in black suits stood beside them like they had been waiting for an important guest. I looked from the cars to Adrian, then back at the bodyguards.

“Did you rent all these cars and bodyguards just to make them jealous?”

Adrian glanced at me. “I didn't do it for them.”

“Thank you anyway. Just tell me how much they are charging. I will pay you back.”

He stared at me for a few seconds. “Why are you always talking about paying?”

I blinked. “What?”

“You just got married, and the first thing you want to know is how much everything costs.”

I shrugged. “I'm used to paying for myself. I don't like owing people.”

He stared at me. “Your work must have been paying well” 

“I work at Hawthorne Global Group. I'm a branch manager.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly. “That's a good position.”

“It is. I worked hard for it.”

We got into one of the cars, and I settled into the seat beside him. I looked out of the window and suddenly felt the weight of everything that had happened. I wiped my cheeks, surprised to find that I was crying again.

“I don't even know why I'm crying.”

Adrian looked at me. “Maybe because you still love him.”

I sighed. "I need to get drunk again.”

“No.”

I turned toward him. “Why not?”

“Because you're already my wife.”

I stared at him. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It means I'm not allowing my wife to get drunk and disappear somewhere.”

I laughed softly. “Okay, okay, husband.”

The word sounded strange coming from my mouth, yet it also made something warm flutter inside me. I had known Adrian for barely a week, but there was something about him I could not explain. I felt strangely safe around him.

“I already rented an apartment for us after the wedding,” I said. "I guess I will ask for a refund"

Adrian opened his mouth.

I raised my hand before he could speak. "It sounds funny,  right? That's so stupid of me"

“I'm sorry for dragging you into all of this.”

Adrian looked around quietly. “You don't have to apologize.”

“I just need someone beside me for a while. Someone who can make Thomas understand that he didn't win.”

Adrian's eyes rested on me. “You really only married me to make him jealous?”

I nodded. “That was the plan.”

I took a deep breath. “I don't need to know everything about your personal life. I don't want to interfere with whatever you were doing before I met you."

Adrian was silent for a moment. “No problem.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

When we arrived at my apartment, the driver stepped out and immediately bowed his head toward Adrian.

“Sir...”

Adrian coughed.

The driver stopped. I guess his cough interrupted him.

I smiled. “Thank you so much for bringing us home.”

I reached for my phone. “Please give me your account number. I will send you something for the trouble.”

The driver glanced at Adrian.

“Don't worry, ma'am.”

“Don't worry? No, I insist. He's my husband. I will pay.”

I quickly transferred a hundred dollars to the driver before he could argue.

He stared at his phone in surprise. “Thank you, ma'am.”

I waved at Adrian and faced the driver. "Please take care of my husband; drive safely"

Then I faced Adrian.  "Send me a message when you get home"

We exchanged our contacts two days ago when I asked him to come to my wedding. 

He nodded gently.  "I will"

After he left, I stood alone in the living room and looked around the apartment I had once imagined sharing with Thomas. Suddenly, the place felt wrong. I went straight to my bedroom, removed my wedding gown, and changed into something comfortable before calling the landlord.

“I won't be moving into the apartment I rented after my marriage. Is there any way I can get my money back?”

After the call, I turned toward my phone again and contacted my bank manager. Every card Thomas had access to was frozen. I changed my passwords, security codes, and every detail connected to the accounts I had shared with him. The joint account I had created for our future was frozen too. He had used my money long enough.

Then I walked around my apartment removing every picture of Thomas. Our first dinner. Our vacation. His birthday. The engagement. The moments I once treasured. One by one, I threw them away. Some frames shattered against the floor, but I didn't stop until there was nothing left that reminded me of him.

That night, I slept better than I expected. When I woke up the next morning, it was already late, and I had no intention of going to work. I had taken time off for the wedding, so I was supposed to have two more days at home. Then my phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Ms. Kelly, you need to report to the company by ten this morning.”

I frowned. “What? Why?”

“You'll be informed when you arrive.”

I glanced at the clock. It's 9:30pm.

“What?”

I jumped out of bed, rushed into the bathroom, and got ready as quickly as possible. By the time I arrived at Hawthorne Global Group, I was still trying to understand what could be so urgent. I hurried through the entrance and headed toward the administrative floor.

As a branch manager, I was used to having employees report to me, but the moment I stepped inside, several senior employees greeted me with unusual smiles. Before I could ask what was happening, the CEO's assistant approached me.

“Kelly, your dedication to this company has brought a huge result that can't be ignored.”

I stared at her. “What do you mean?”

“You've been selected for a new position within the administration office, working directly alongside the CEO's office.”

My mouth fell open. “Me?”

“As the managing director,  you will receive a significant salary increase, and your schedule will also change. You will only need to report to the office three times a week.”

“How much is the salary?”

I don't even know how that slipped out of my mind, but I already asked anyway. 

He smiled. “Ten times your current branch manager salary.”

I almost thought I had heard her wrong.

“Ten times?”

“Yes. You have earned it.”

I left the building in a daze, unable to stop smiling. Maybe Thomas and Natalia really had bad luck in my life. The moment they were gone, everything seemed to be falling into place.

I immediately called Adrian.

“Guess what?” I said the moment his voice connected. 

“What?”

“I got promoted!”

There was a short silence before I heard his amused voice. “Congratulations.”

“Meet me at the bar. I'm treating you to dinner.”

“All right.”

I ended the call with a smile and headed toward the parking garage. As I approached my car, I noticed someone getting into an expensive car a short distance away. I paused.

For a second, the man's back looked strangely familiar to Adrian. His side view looked similar to him.

I narrowed my eyes, but the car was already moving. “No,” I muttered. “It can't be him.”

It's just my imagination.

I shook off the thought, climbed into my car, and drove away.