"I asked you to help me carry the suitcase downstairs," Victoria snapped at Ryan, shoving the suitcase into his hands.
Ryan sighed, grabbed the suitcase, and dashed downstairs. When he saw the Hello Kitty car parked outside, he burst out laughing. "Whose car is this? So childish! Is the driver a kid? This looks like a toy car."
Victoria, looking pissed, snatched the suitcase back, popped the trunk with the car key, and tossed the suitcase inside.
Ryan just stood there, stunned, as Victoria got into the driver's seat, rolled down the window, and said, "This 'toy car' was a gift from your brother-in-law Michael. Remember that name, so you don't mess it up again, kid."
She rolled her eyes and drove off, leaving Ryan standing there, feeling like an idiot. "Damn, I really messed up with Victoria. Now I've got no chance," Ryan muttered, yanking at his hair in frustration.
Meanwhile, Victoria's anger had cooled off. Ryan was just spoiled, a bit annoying but not a bad guy. When she arrived at her new apartment, a wave of nervousness hit her. This was going to be her future home.
Looking at the fancy name on the building, Victoria felt a bit uneasy. The place was super luxurious. According to David, their family wasn't supposed to be this rich.
'Maybe there's another apartment with the same name.' Victoria thought, deciding to call Michael and check.
Up in the CEO's office on the top floor of the Jones Group building, all the senior staff were standing around, heads down, getting chewed out by Michael.
"Have you gotten too comfortable? Where's your drive? Why are this quarter's financials so bad?" Michael slammed the folder on his desk. The senior staff bowed their heads even lower.
Just then, Michael's phone rang. He frowned; he hated interruptions. Seeing an unfamiliar number, he hung up immediately.
On the other end, Victoria stared at her phone, stunned. "He hung up on me. Am I getting ditched right after getting married?" Victoria frowned and called again.
Michael, still fuming, saw the number again and hung up without thinking. But the call came in a third time. Annoyed, Michael answered, ready to snap at whoever it was.
"Is this Michael? I'm your wife..." Victoria started, but Michael cut her off.
"I've been single for 30 years, how am I supposed to have a wife??" Michael hung up, leaving Victoria bewildered.
Just after hanging up, Michael had a bad feeling. Joseph tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Mr. Jones, you just got married today. Your fiancée's name is Victoria."
Everyone in the office looked up in shock. 'Michael, the cold-blooded demon, got married?' they all thought.
Michael, realizing his mistake, broke into a cold sweat. He had just yelled at his wife on their wedding day. If David found out, he was toast.
"I'll deal with you all later," Michael said to the senior staff, then bolted out of the office with his phone.
After he left, everyone turned to Joseph. "Joseph, when did this happen? How did Mr. Jones suddenly get married? Is the bride pretty? Which wealthy family is she from? Spill!"
Joseph rolled his eyes. "If you want to know, ask Mr. Jones yourself."
Meanwhile, Victoria glared at her phone. "Michael, you jerk, how dare you yell at me? I'm getting Grandpa to teach you a lesson!" Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Michael calling.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Gonzalez. I was in a meeting and got a bit worked up. My bad. Is everything okay? Need any help?" Michael's sincere apology took the edge off Victoria's anger.
"No, I just wanted to check if the address you gave me is right. This apartment looks way too fancy for your salary," Victoria said, voicing her concern.
Michael hadn't expected this, but then he remembered that Victoria thought he was just a regular employee, not someone who could afford such a swanky place.
Scratching his head, he came up with an excuse. "Actually, I once hit the lottery and saved a bunch. Plus, my boss really values me and gives me big bonuses, so I could buy the apartment outright. Expensive places have good security, so it's safe for us."
Victoria's mind went wild with that explanation. 'Valued by the boss, always getting bonuses? Is Michael being kept by a rich woman? Is he marrying me to cover it up?' She was shocked by her own thoughts.
She imagined a rich, affectionate woman holding Michael, stroking his chest. "Baby, I'll give you a $20,000 bonus next month. Do you like that?" the rich woman would say, lifting Michael's chin.
Michael, looking shy, would hug her neck and say, "Yeah, I'll listen to you from now on." Victoria shivered in disgust at the mental image.
One couldn't blame her for having a vivid imagination. She used to be a novelist and earned her first paycheck from it. But the industry was tough, so she had to find a regular job.
Michael had no clue what was going through Victoria's mind. He was just puzzled by the sudden silence on the other end.
"Got it. I'll drive the car in now. Do you need me to pick you up from work tonight?" Victoria suddenly asked.
Michael panicked at the thought of her picking him up and exposing everything. "No need. I might work late tonight, but don't worry, I'll find a way home."
"Okay," Victoria said and hung up.
"Men working late is always an excuse. The real reason is to spend time with his rich boss. What was I even hoping for? True love? We're just contract spouses, and I just needed a place to stay. Making friends is enough; I mustn't invest real feelings," Victoria lamented as she drove into the apartment complex.
Michael had no idea about Victoria's inner drama. If he knew, he'd probably shout that it was all a misunderstanding.
Back at the office, Michael found the senior leaders gathered around Joseph, gossiping about his marriage. His face turned cold.
"It seems you're all into gossip. So, let's implement a survival-of-the-fittest culture. Senior leaders will now undergo performance evaluations. Those who don't measure up should step aside for talented young people." Michael's words made their faces pale, but he didn't give them time to object and promptly kicked them out.
Michael picked up some documents and started reading. Joseph, standing beside him, teased, "Did you manage to calm Victoria down? I told you, marriage is trouble. Staying single like me is much better."
Michael rolled his eyes and ignored Joseph. Suddenly, his gaze fixed on something. He saw a familiar face in the documents.
Joseph noticed Michael's change in expression, glanced at the document, and frowned. "Did the HR manager lose their mind? Why did they bring up the resume of someone who failed the interview?"
Michael pointed to the photo on the resume. "This girl is my wife. Why didn't I know she came to interview here?"
"She's Victoria?" Joseph's eyes widened in disbelief.