All Chapters of Will you marry me, Mr. Mayor: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The ink had dried, but the weight of it hadn’t.I sat behind my desk at the municipal office with the folder open in front of me—clean pages, neat signatures, and one line that kept pulling my eyes back as if it were alive:Althea Bailey Winston.A name could be a shield. A name could be a sentence. A name could be a door that locked behind you.Yesterday, she had been “the bride who caused a scandal.” Today, she was a Bailey again—openly. And now, she was also a Winston.I closed the folder carefully, as if a careless hand could undo what she had just chosen.“Mayor,” my secretary called from the doorway, “they’re here.”I stood. “Send them in.”The Baileys arrived without noise, without the kind of dramatic entrance people expected from a powerful family. There were no cameras, no entourage, no performance—only a quiet authority that made the hallway feel narrower.Mr. Bailey walked first, tall and composed, dressed in a dark polo that probably cost more than most people’s monthly

Daniel's POVThe moment I stepped into our house, I knew the town had already eaten us alive.The living room—usually noisy, warm, full of relatives who never stopped talking—was tense and sharp like someone had pulled a string too tight. My mother sat stiffly on the sofa, her face pale. One of my aunts was whispering into her phone. Even the air felt different, heavier, like the walls had absorbed yesterday’s shame.My father didn’t sit.He stood near the window, arms crossed, jaw clenched so tightly the muscle in his cheek kept jumping. He didn’t look at me right away. He didn’t have to. I could feel his anger in the silence.I dropped my keys on the table. “Where’s everyone?”My mother’s eyes flicked to me, then away. “They went home,” she said quietly. “After what happened…”I scoffed. “After what she did.”That finally made my father turn.His gaze hit me like a slap—hard, disappointed, furious. “You still have the nerve to speak like you’re the victim?”I swallowed, heat rising

Althea’s POVAfter Alexander left, I messaged my parents about the situation because they had called me last night. I thought they would be angry because of what had happened. Of course, what parent would be happy knowing their name had ended up in the headlines because of humiliation?But unexpectedly, they were more worried than angry. They might not have asked directly about the situation, but I knew they were already aware of it. That was why they kept insisting on coming here to see me. I couldn’t help but smile as I remembered how worried sick my mother and father had been during our call last night.FlashbackThe moment I answered the video call, my mother’s face filled the screen.“Thea,” she said immediately, her voice trembling. “Are you alright? Tell me the truth.”I tried to smile, but it felt weak even to me. “Mom, I’m fine.”“You are not fine,” she snapped, eyes already glossy. “Don’t lie to me. Do you know how we found out? Your father received three calls before sunrise

Althea’s POVI woke up early because last night, I realized I had been acting too important. Alexander was always the one coming to me here just to keep me updated.Since Shaun was already here, I could go out without worrying because I knew he would never leave me unprotected. That was why I made sure to wake up early this morning.After getting ready, I stepped out of my room and ran into Shaun, who was pushing a cart. On top of it was a covered tray, most likely my breakfast.“Shaun, get ready. We’re going out,” I told him. “We’ll have breakfast outside.”“Are you sure? ” he asked. “Are you okay now? ”I could hear the concern in his voice.I couldn’t help but smile. No matter how much he tried to hide it behind politeness, he still couldn’t conceal how worried he was about me.“Yes,” I said. “I’m going to see Alexander.”I took my phone from my Chanel sling bag as I spoke.“With that outfit? ” he asked, glancing at me.“Why? ” I asked, looking down at myself. “I look dazzling, don

Althea’s POVAfter the woman left, the whole office fell silent.I looked at Shaun, but he wasn’t looking at me. He simply stood straight at my side, his posture stiff and expression unreadable as always.“It’s not what you think,” Alexander said suddenly.My gaze snapped back to him, and only then did I notice that he had already finished eating.“I’m not thinking anything,” I answered.But the truth was, I was thinking about who that woman was.“She’s the governor's daughter,” he explained. “I don't understand why she keeps sticking herself to me.”I raised a brow at that.Was he numb or just dense?Obviously, the woman liked him, assuming there was really nothing going on between them.“It’s fine,” I said, looking away. “You don’t have to be so defensive.”I froze when I suddenly felt his fingers under my chin, gently tilting my face back toward him.My breath caught the moment my eyes met his.“I’m not being defensive,” he said seriously. “I just want to assure you that there is n