In the South, the summer sun felt like it could fry one alive.
Chloe Clark took a half-day off work, grabbed her bag with her ID, and hopped in a cab straight to the marriage office in Skyhaven City.
Chloe knew Cassidy Clark still held a grudge about what had happened three years ago, thinking Chloe hadn't protected her enough, which ruined her reputation and kept her from coming home.
Cassidy also worried about getting older and not being able to look after her anymore, so she asked Donna Taylor in Skyhaven City to set her up with someone. Donna happened to have an older, single grandson.
The older folks believed the best thing for a girl was to get married, no matter who it was, as long as she got hitched.
After what happened three years ago and seeing so many divorces around her, Chloe had no hopes for marriage. She figured if she met someone decent, she'd get married; if not, staying single wouldn't be the worst thing.
But to ease Cassidy's worries, she agreed to marry Donna's grandson.
Soon, Chloe arrived at her destination. As she stepped out of the cab, she spotted a tall man standing at the entrance of the registration office.
He wore a plain white shirt and black pants, but he was so handsome that women passing by couldn't help but steal glances.
He was on the phone, not paying attention to his surroundings.
Chloe pulled out her phone and checked the photo Cassidy had sent her. This had to be the guy; he looked even better in person.
Chloe walked up to him. As she got closer, he put away his phone and looked at her. "Chloe?"
Not only was he handsome, but his voice was also nice.
Chloe nodded. "Are you Luke Taylor?"
Luke nodded and turned to head into the registration office.
He had long legs and walked fast, so Chloe had to jog to keep up. She asked casually, "Do you want to reconsider?"
Luke stopped and glanced at his watch. "Do you have any concerns?"
Chloe wanted to ask if he knew her.
Did he know about her past?
Then she figured Luke was probably in the same boat, pressured by their elders to marry, not out of love, so there was no need to dig into each other's lives.
Just like her, she only knew Luke was Donna's grandson and had no clue what he did for a living.
Chloe shook her head. "Let's go."
There weren't many people getting married today, so they finished the process quickly.
Looking at the brand-new marriage certificate, Chloe felt a bit dizzy. Luke handed her a bank card.
He explained, "I'm really busy with work right now and won't have much time for you. Take this card; there's no password, and you can use the money however you want."
Chloe was a bit stunned, and by the time she snapped out of it, Luke had already gotten into a business car by the curb and left.
She looked at the bank card in her hand and suddenly felt it was a bit hot.
She worked at the Harrison Group's branch office and had started a comic studio with her childhood best friends. Her monthly income was solid, and she could live comfortably without relying on a man's money.
Her ideal loveless marriage was to get married to satisfy the elders and then live separate lives without interfering with each other.
However, if Luke was willing to make it work, she would also put effort into the marriage.
After thinking it through, Chloe took a photo of the marriage certificate and sent it to Cassidy. "Grandma, we got our marriage certificate."
Cassidy quickly replied with a voice message, "Good, live well with him and have a child soon."
Chloe replied with an "Okay" and put away her phone, feeling a bit stifled.
That was how society was running today: single people were urged to get married, and once married, they were urged to have children. It seemed like girls couldn't have their own lives.
After getting the certificate, Luke never contacted Chloe again, and her life remained unchanged. She was still busy with work day and night.
Time flew by, and a year had passed. It was once again the hottest season of the year.
Over the past year, Chloe's exceptional work performance earned her a transfer to the secretary's office at the Harrison Group headquarters.
Today marked Vincent Harrison's return from a year abroad as president of the Harrison Group. People in the company was on edge, especially those like Chloe, who might be transferred to work directly under the president.
As everyone in the president's office eagerly awaited, the doors of the exclusive elevator opened, and two men and a woman stepped out.
The leading man wore silver-rimmed glasses, stood at least five feet ten inches tall, had a great physique, and a very handsome face.
Chloe found him somewhat familiar and couldn't help but take a second look.
"Chloe, that's Mr. Harrison," her colleague Seraphina Blake whispered in her ear. "There was once a girl in our office who had inappropriate thoughts about Mr. Harrison. She got fired."
Chloe had been at the headquarters for less than a year and had never seen the president. She knew he was under twenty-eight but hadn't expected him to be so exceptionally good-looking.
Feeling awkward, Chloe was about to explain when a cold laugh came from behind, "Daydreaming all the time."
The speaker was David Jones, who had been challenging Chloe at work ever since she rejected his advances.
Chloe had never harbored unrealistic fantasies and couldn't be bothered with such troublemakers.
David, however, thought he had guessed Chloe's thoughts and continued to mock, "Women these days all have their eyes set high, thinking they can marry into wealth just because they're a bit pretty."
"What marrying into wealth?" Emily White, the president's assistant, walked over and gave the three of them a cold look. "Chloe, Seraphina, David, come with me to the president's office."
Emily was a company veteran who had worked with the previous president and had been with Vincent for many years. Now that she was being transferred to the West, someone had to take her place.
Chloe, Seraphina, and David emerged as the cream of the crop, plucked from a pool of over twenty hopefuls vying for Emily's spot in the president's office. The final decision lay squarely in the president's hands.
They arrived at the president's office, which was simply and elegantly decorated. The 180-degree floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of half of Skyhaven City.
The man known as Mr. Harrison wore a white shirt and black trousers. He stood by the large windows with a straight, elegant, and noble posture.
Addressing him with deference, Emily announced, "Mr. Harrison, the candidates are all present."
As Vincent's piercing gaze swept over the trio, a weighty silence descended, each breath held captive by his sheer presence.
Steeling himself, David advanced a step, his voice steady. "Mr. Harrison, I'm David. I've dedicated five years to the president's office. My uncle Jonny Jones also sends his regards..."
Vincent's glance lingered on David, his stoic facade revealing a silent disapproval to those exploited connections.
Turning his attention to Seraphina, Vincent's scrutiny prompted her to stand tall, introducing herself with a mix of confidence and underlying nerves. "Mr. Harrison, I'm Seraphina. Three years in the president's office..."
She tried to appear confident and composed, but her trembling voice betrayed her nervousness.
Finally, Vincent looked at Chloe, who was also looking at him. This time, being closer, Chloe could see the man's perfectly sculpted face more clearly.
She still inexplicably felt that she had seen him somewhere before.
Chloe had no idea that Vincent was actually Luke, her husband, whom she had only met once on their wedding registration day.
When Luke was born, the Harrison family was in turmoil. For the safety of their sole heir, they gave him two identities.
The publicly announced name was Vincent, while the one used for everyday life was Luke Taylor, taking Donna's surname. Only the Harrison family knew about this.