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Alfred.

But he was already closing the door behind them, leaving me standing alone in our bedroom, completely dumbfounded by what had just transpired. I remained frozen in disbelief for more than five full minutes, trying to process the surreal turn our wedding day had taken.

"This can't be happening," I whispered to the empty room, feeling like I'd stepped into some bizarre alternate reality where nothing made sense anymore. "He can't possibly be serious."

The thunderstruck disbelief slowly gave way to simmering rage as I realized that Sebastian actually intended to go through with this insane plan. Our wedding day, the moment that should have marked the beginning of our exclusive commitment to each other, and he was spending it with someone else?

"Not if I have anything to say about it," I growled, finally spurring myself into action.

I huffed loudly, grinding my teeth in frustration as I paced around the bedroom. This was beyond insulting - it was completely unacceptable. No way was I letting this happen without a fight.

"Who does he think he is?" I muttered angrily, yanking off my tie and tossing it aside.

With decisive movements, I stripped off my suit jacket, leaving me in my dress shirt and pants - more appropriate attire for the confrontation I was about to initiate. I stormed toward the door with purpose in every step, my entire body tense with righteous indignation.

"Sebastian Evans, you've gone too far this time," I growled, my hand closing around the doorknob.

Fueled by a combination of jealousy, anger, and disbelief, I charged down the hallway toward the guest room where I assumed they had gone. Without hesitation, I launched a powerful kick at the door, my foot connecting with the wood just beside the handle with enough force to burst it open dramatically.

The loud crack of splintering wood announced my entrance better than any words could have as I stood in the doorway, breathing heavily from both exertion and anger.

"Sebastian Evans!" I shouted, scanning the room until I found him lounging casually on the bed, the woman standing nearby looking completely unfazed by my dramatic entrance. "Get your entitled ass out of this room right now, or I swear to God I will kill both her and you and possibly myself too when I'm done!"

My voice was unrecognizable even to my own ears, a commanding roar that contained none of my usual restraint. This wasn't a request or a suggestion - it was an ultimatum delivered with all the fury I could muster.

"You don't get to do this," I continued, taking a threatening step forward. "Not today. Not ever."

"I'll just need tonight with her," Sebastian replied with infuriating calmness, stretching out comfortably on the bed as if he were preparing for a nap rather than facing his furious new husband. He even had the audacity to giggle slightly at my obvious distress, as if my anger were an amusing overreaction.

His casual dismissal of my feelings pushed me beyond simple anger into a white-hot rage I rarely experienced. This was our wedding day - the beginning of our life together - and he was treating our vows as if they were meaningless formalities.

"This night is MY special night, Sebastian!" I snarled, marching across the room and grabbing his arm with more strength than I knew I possessed. "You will sleep in OUR bed with ME tonight. That's non-negotiable. Now get up and come with me this instant!"

Surprisingly, Sebastian didn't resist as I physically pulled him up from the bed and dragged him toward the door. Perhaps he'd finally realized how serious I was, or maybe this had been a test all along - a bizarre examination of my commitment to our exclusivity.

As I pulled him from the room, I couldn't resist throwing a venomous glare at the woman, who still maintained her professional detachment despite the dramatic scene unfolding before her. I slammed the door forcefully behind us, the loud bang satisfyingly punctuating my victory.

Without releasing my grip on Sebastian's arm, I marched him down the hallway to our bedroom, practically shoving him inside before following and firmly locking the door with the key, ensuring we wouldn't be interrupted.

"What were you thinking?" I demanded once we were alone, my voice quieter but no less intense. "Is this your idea of starting our marriage off right?"

Only then did I notice the slight smile playing at the corners of Sebastian's mouth, as if he were struggling to maintain his serious expression.

"So... are you jealous?" Sebastian asked with casual nonchalance, stretching his arm lazily in the air and releasing an exaggerated, obviously fake yawn. His entire demeanor suggested complete indifference to the drama that had just unfolded, as if my emotional reaction was completely disproportionate to the situation.

"Is that what this was about?" I asked incredulously. "Some kind of twisted test to see if I'd fight for you? On our wedding day?"

He merely shrugged, that infuriating half-smile still playing on his lips.

"It's not a big deal, Alfred," he continued, deliberately provoking me. "I don't understand why you're so upset about this small arrangement."

His dismissive attitude pushed me over the edge completely. I felt my control snap like a brittle twig under too much pressure.

"F*ck you, Sebastian! Don't you dare ruin what should be the happiest day of my life with these stupid games!" I shrieked, kicking the nearby coffee table so hard with my foot that it actually toppled over, sending books and decorative items crashing to the floor.

My uncharacteristic violence seemed to surprise even Sebastian, his eyebrows raising slightly at my outburst.

"We got married literally half an hour ago!" I continued, my voice cracking with emotion. "The ink isn't even dry on our marriage certificate! How could you possibly think it was appropriate to suggest sleeping with someone else tonight of all nights?"

"Alfred—" he began, but I was too far gone to let him interrupt.

"If this is how you plan to treat our marriage, then maybe we should end it right now before we waste any more time!" I threatened, though even as I said the words, I knew I didn't mean them. The mere thought of losing Sebastian again made my heart constrict painfully in my chest.

To my complete bewilderment, Sebastian suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, doubling over and clutching his stomach as if I'd just told the funniest joke he'd ever heard. After a few moments of this bizarre reaction, he straightened up and, without explanation, walked to the door and unlocked it.

"Elissa, please come in here," he called out, pulling the door open to reveal the woman from earlier standing in the hallway, looking completely unsurprised to be summoned.

She entered the room with military precision, her posture perfect as she stood awaiting further instructions. I stared at Sebastian in disbelief, wondering if he had completely lost his mind. Why was he inviting her back after our confrontation?

"Alfred," Sebastian said, his voice suddenly serious and formal, "I'd like to properly introduce you to Elissa, your new personal bodyguard."

I felt my jaw physically drop as I struggled to process this unexpected revelation.

"What?" I stammered, completely thrown by this development. "A bodyguard? For me? You're not... she's not...?"

"A second wife?" Sebastian finished, breaking into another smile. "No, of course not. Did you really think I'd do that to you?"

"But you said..." I trailed off, trying to reconcile his earlier statements with this new information.

"I know what I said," Sebastian admitted, having the grace to look slightly sheepish. "I wanted to see how you'd react. If you really cared enough to fight for me."

"You are unbelievable," I muttered, torn between relief, lingering anger, and a grudging admiration for his elaborate ruse.

"A bodyguard?" I repeated, still trying to wrap my head around the situation as I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, studying the woman with new understanding. "But why did you choose a woman for this role instead of a man?"

It was an unusual choice, especially for someone as traditionally minded as Sebastian tended to be in certain areas. Most high-profile individuals I knew employed large, intimidating male security personnel.

Sebastian strolled confidently toward me and wrapped his arms around me from behind, speaking directly into my ear with unexpected gentleness.

"First and foremost, I'm pathologically jealous of any man who might spend significant time around you," he admitted without a hint of shame. "I couldn't bear the thought of some handsome security guard following you everywhere, potentially seeing you in vulnerable moments."

"Really, Sebastian?" I sighed, though I couldn't help but be slightly touched by his honesty.

"Second, and more importantly," he continued, his tone becoming more professional, "Elissa is genuinely better qualified than any male candidate I interviewed. She served with distinction in the Russian special forces for fifteen years before entering private security."

I raised my eyebrows, impressed despite myself as I looked at Elissa with new respect.

"She's extraordinarily capable and efficient at her job," Sebastian explained proudly. "She ranked at the absolute top of all the security professionals my team vetted. Her salary is quite literally beyond belief - more than most corporate executives earn - but I refuse to compromise when it comes to your safety."

He squeezed me tighter for a moment before continuing. "Plus, she'll be able to blend in more easily when necessary, appearing simply as your friend or assistant in public settings. No one will suspect she's actually there to protect you."