Se connecterPerhaps because yesterday was Valentine’s Day, most people chose to get their certificates then, so there weren’t many people registering today at the County Clerk Office.They didn’t have to wait long before it was their turn.When it came time for the photo, there was an issue. Russell wore a black shirt, and Chelsea wore a white dress. In the photo, they looked like a pair of grim reapers.Chelsea immediately protested, “No, it’s too ugly. I want to go home and change.”Russell’s eyelid twitched, and he quickly coaxed, “By the time you change and come back, they’ll be off work. Let’s take the photo now, and we can change it later.”Chelsea turned to ask the staff, “Can we change the photo on the marriage certificate later?”“Of course not. Once it’s stamped, it’s permanent,” the staff replied, pushing the documents over. “You’
**One Year Later**The morning sun was bright as Chelsea opened her eyes. Her slightest movement woke the person next to her. She looked up, meeting his eyes, and realized she was clinging to him like an octopus.Russell’s eyes went from sleepy to alert. He glanced down at Chelsea’s hand resting on his chest and asked, “Does it feel good?”Chelsea quickly pulled her hand back, frowning, “What are you doing in my bed?”Russell sat up, pausing at her question. “Take a good look at whose blanket this is.”Chelsea checked and fell silent. She quietly slipped out of Russell’s blanket and pulled her own over herself.“I used to sleep very still,” Chelsea tried to explain. “It must be because I’m pregnant. The baby must be affecting me.”Russell got out of bed, took off his pajamas, and started putting on a shirt. While buttoning it up, he said, “It&rsq
Russell's body stiffened, doubting whether he had heard correctly. He held his breath and asked, "What did you just say?"Chelsea wasn't shilly-shally. She couldn't deny her feelings for Russell. She had seen all the efforts he had made to win back their relationship. She couldn't keep him hanging in uncertainty forever—no good relationship could endure that. Since they had come this far, it was time to push forward.She turned her head and said, "Isn't trial marriage popular these days? Let's have a trial relationship. I'll give you a probationary period as a boyfriend. If you do well, I'll make it official. If you don't..."Russell immediately interrupted her, "There’s no such possibility. I’ll definitely get a perfect score."Chelsea suppressed a laugh, "Don't make promises too early. I haven't even told you my requirements yet."Russell held her hand, looking attentive, "Go ahead.""I only have one requirement: during the probation period, you can't tell anyone about our relations
The next morning, Chelsea woke up groggily. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the clock on the opposite wall—8:30 AM.Startled, she tried to sit up quickly, but just as her back lifted less than ten centimeters off the bed, she fell back down.There was an arm draped across her waist. Chelsea paused, then slowly followed the arm up with her gaze.Russell was lying beside her, eyes closed, not wearing a stitch of clothing. Her head was resting on his left arm, and his right arm was draped across her waist.From this angle, Chelsea could see the ambiguous scratch marks and hickeys on his body...Her mind uncontrollably replayed some strange scenes from last night, and her ears turned bright red.She gently moved Russell’s hand off her waist, planning to slip away unnoticed.But as soon as she moved his hand from her waist, the hand on her shoulder pulled her back into his embrace.With a husky morning voice, he asked softly in her ear, "Where are you going?"Her back pressed again
A single sentence made Russell's boiling blood turn cold.He gritted his teeth and said, "Do you know what you're saying?"Chelsea responded with a simple "Mm."Russell angrily bit her lip, "How dare you just say 'Mm'!"Chelsea winced in pain, frowning, "Don't you men like women who don't need you to take responsibility?"Russell paused, "Who told you men like that?"Unable to control herself, Chelsea reached out to touch him, but Russell held her hand down and guided her softly, "Tell me, and I'll let you touch me."Upon hearing this, Chelsea immediately confessed."Online, in the forums.""What did they say?" Russell unbuttoned one button, continuing to "coax," "Be clear, I'll unbutton more if you explain."Chelsea, already lacking strong willpower, was tortured by the drug's effect, and Russell, the walking antidote, was dangling right in front of her, completely destroying her rationality.She stammered out the whole story.She didn't mention the infertility issue, but how could s
Chelsea's eyelashes trembled. She wondered if she was hallucinating due to the drugs. How else could she be hearing Russell's voice?"Chelsy," the voice came closer, “Chelsea, open your eyes and look, it's me, no one else."Chelsea slowly opened her eyes, her vision shifting from blurry to clear. It was really Russell.The tension drained from her body, and she burst into tears. She hugged Russell tightly, then began to hit and kick him while crying and cursing, "You bastard, you scared me to death!"Russell, knowing he was in the wrong, didn't dare to talk back. No matter how much she resisted, he held her tightly, whispering, "I'm sorry, it was just a joke, all fake. Please, stop crying."Chelsea was genuinely terrified. From being drugged and kidnapped in the car to waking up to the realization that she was drugged, the constant fear had torn at her nerves. There was even a moment when she considered perishing together with her assailant.When her sobs finally subsided to faint sni







