Chapter 90

"The two families do have an engagement." Clair looked me straight in the eye, his gaze open and honest.

Hearing Clair admit it himself, my heart sank with disappointment.

Soon after, Clair continued, "That was an engagement my grandfather made with his old war buddy. After Grandpa got dementia, the only thing he's fixated on is my marriage. But I never said I would marry Charlotte. Other people in the family can fulfill the engagement."

Two keywords flashed through my mind.

Dementia. Engagement.

I suddenly remembered that old gentleman who came to Blue Sky Corporation, held my hand and called me his granddaughter-in-law, could it be...

"Did your grandfather come to Blue Sky Corporation looking for Charlotte?"

Clair nodded, "I had Anna go pick him up."

I smiled, "So that old gentleman was your grandfather."

Clair raised an eyebrow and asked, "You've met my grandfather?"

I told Clair what happened that day at Blue Sky Corporation. "Grandpa mistook me for Charlotte and kept telling me how wonderful and handsome his grandson is. He really insisted on introducing his grandson to me. But I never imagined that the grandson he was talking about was you."

Clair said, "Even Grandpa thinks you're great. Looks like you're destined to be my wife."

Four words, direct yet romantic.

My face turned bright red. From what Clair was saying, he'd thought about a future with me?

Seeing my shocked expression, Clair chuckled softly and reached out to ruffle my hair. "Why so quiet? Or do you really just want to fool around with me?"

I guiltily touched my nose, my voice weakening a bit.

"That was just for your mom to hear."

Thinking about today's encounter with Zoey, I felt helpless. "Your mom probably never wants to see me again for the rest of her life."

But Clair said, "You're marrying me, though, living your life with me. You don't need to worry about my mom."

Clair took out his phone, his expression serious.

I thought he had work to handle and looked out the car window.

Soon, Clair called me, "Susan."

I turned around, "Do you have something to take care of? Then you..."

"Let's go get our marriage certificate tomorrow." Clair's dark eyes sparkled with gentle yet firm light. "I just checked the calendar. Tomorrow is a good day, suitable for marriage."

So he'd been checking his phone to pick a date.

My eyes widened in disbelief, my heart pounding hard. "Clair, what did you say? Can you say that again?"

My voice shot up several notches from excitement.

We'd been officially together for less than a month, and now... marriage?

"Susan, let's go get our certificate tomorrow." Clair slowly leaned closer, enunciating each word clearly, each syllable sinking deep into my heart.

His warm breath brushed against my face, carrying a faint scent of pine.

It smelled good, made me feel safe.

But I didn't know how to respond.

Seeing me in this dazed state, Clair's smile grew wider. He restrained himself, planting a kiss on my forehead, his voice low and alluring. "What, too happy to think straight?"

I stuttered incoherently, "This, this is too sudden. Are you sure you want to get a certificate with me, have a flash marriage? Your mom clearly said this morning she doesn't approve of us being together, and you want to get a certificate with me? You're a billionaire CEO, and I'm a... I'm just a nobody, an ordinary person. Are you sure you really want to marry me, get a certificate? Actually, go to the civil affairs bureau and get a real certificate?"

Do wealthy families treat marriage this casually?

Up until now, I'd never even thought about marrying Clair.

Being with Clair, I'd only ever thought about today, never dared to think about tomorrow.

But now...

Outside the car window, rain poured down heavily. Passing vehicles and pedestrians hurried by. All sounds seemed muted, and inside the car, it was so quiet I could only hear my thundering heartbeat.

Clair held my hand, his eyes smiling. "Susan, don't you want to marry me? Or are you afraid of something?"

How could I not want to?

It's just that things were beyond my imagination.

"Don't you need to discuss this with your parents first?"

"No need. Given my mom's attitude, she won't agree." Clair said in a low voice. "Susan, marriage is between the two of us. As long as you're willing, we'll get our certificate tomorrow when we wake up."

He raised an eyebrow, asking with a smile, "Miss Susan, do you dare to give me the rest of your life?"

I gripped his hand back. "Why wouldn't I dare?"

From the moment Clair was honest with me about everything, my heart had completely settled.

Since he dared, naturally, I'd see it through to the end.

"But let me say this first - if your mom gets so upset she has a breakdown, don't blame me."

Clair nodded with a smile. "Okay."

At that moment, Dean, who'd been playing invisible in the back seat, couldn't help but speak up. "Could you two please drop me off at the hotel up ahead first? It's pouring rain. You can't expect me to walk there in this, right?"

If Dean hadn't spoken, I would have completely forgotten about him. My face turned red with embarrassment.

Clair was in a good mood and didn't bother arguing with Dean. He started the car and dropped Dean off at the hotel ahead, then we went back to the apartment together.

After that, everything was like usual.

It seemed like nothing was different, but somehow things had changed.

I kept acting calm, but every time I looked at Clair, I wanted to confirm again and again, to ask him if we were really getting our certificate tomorrow. But the words would reach my lips, and I'd swallow them back.

Was he acting on impulse, or was it just a whim?

Tomorrow... I'd have my answer, right?

Thinking about all this, I unsurprisingly couldn't sleep. But Clair, beside me, fell asleep almost the moment his head hit the pillow, and slept soundly too.

I pouted. How could this guy be so calm?

I didn't manage to fall asleep until the early morning hours.

After I fell asleep, Clair opened his eyes. He reached out to hold me in his arms, his eyes full of tender affection.

He actually hadn't been sleeping at all. He'd been pretending.

How could he not know what was on my mind?

He also knew that his sudden proposal to get our certificate must have scared me.

But getting the certificate wasn't an impulsive decision, and it wasn't a joke. After learning that Zoey had come to see me, he'd been thrown into chaos, terrified that I would become another Winona.

He'd thought it through carefully and decided that marrying me was the solution.

Only this way would Zoey back off.

"Just trust yourself to me," Clair said softly, but each word was solemn. "I absolutely won't let you lose. I'll only let you win beautifully, make everyone in the world envy you."

I turned over in my sleep, instinctively burrowing into Clair's embrace.

The corners of his lips curved up as he held me tighter.

"Sweet dreams. Looking forward to tomorrow."

The next morning.

I woke up but didn't see Clair anywhere. I couldn't help feeling nervous and scared. I perked up my ears to listen for sounds outside - it was completely quiet.

Could it be that Clair regretted it but didn't know how to tell me?

So he ran away at the last minute?