Xavier's eyes bore into Cathleen as he strode towards her, determined to make her acknowledge his presence. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her, taking in her every feature with a mix of fascination and desire. Despite his efforts, she remained oblivious to him, refusing to even glance in his direction. With each passing moment, Xavier grew more fixated on her appearance, unable to look away. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he found the courage to speak.
"I apologize for my tardiness; I'm coming from a distant state."
His tone did not even remotely suggest that he was sorry about anything. Cathleen eventually came to the realization that the man standing in front of her could not be Finn. Cathleen quickly jerked her head to look at the man standing in front of her. He wasn't Finn. She looked at old Mr. Knight and then at the man in front of her. As she gazed at him, her face remained void of any emotion. But her brows were furrowed in confusion as if she were trying to make sense of something. She stayed silent, refusing to respond, but her unwavering stare made it clear that something was amiss.
The man in front of her was breathtakingly handsome, with sharp features and piercing, icy eyes that seemed to hold a hint of dominance. The priest's voice rang out, commanding the attention of the entire wedding party. As he reached the section of the ceremony where he was supposed to announce the moment for the couple to share their first kiss as husband and wife, Cathleen couldn't help but pause.
Her eyes never left the striking man standing before her; their gazes locked in an intense exchange. There was no trace of emotion or interest on her face as she continued to stare at him. But as soon as his hand encircled her waist and his lips met hers in a passionate kiss, she felt a spark of electricity shoot through her body.
Stepping back, Xavier took a moment to gaze at his new bride, savoring every detail of her stunning appearance. As the ceremony ended and people began to celebrate with dancing and laughter, Cathleen and Xavier remained apart, still lost in their own thoughts about each other. Despite not knowing much about the man she married, Cathleen couldn't help but laugh at herself for getting swept up in this stranger's charm and allure.
She had intended to exact revenge on Finn, but she was now married to another knight, who, of course, wasn't her target. After the ceremony, she returned to the room she had been in prior to the ceremony and changed into something more comfortable. As she prepared to leave, a heavy silence fell over the room as Xavier strode in with purpose. Every muscle in her body tensed as she turned to face him, giving him her full and undivided attention. But when his eyes met hers, they seemed to darken with an intense emotion that sent shivers down her spine. She could feel the air crackle with tension between them, like a live wire ready to ignite at any moment.
"How much do you want for you to sign the divorce papers?" Cathleen studied the man's face for a moment, taking in his furrowed brow and clenched jaw. She crossed her arms over her chest, mirroring his defensive stance, and held his intense gaze without flinching.
"Actually, not a cent. Would it be possible for us not to sign the marriage certificate?" Xavier froze; his mind raced as he realized they had never actually signed the marriage certificate. His doubts about Avery resurfaced: was she truly a gold digger and a notorious flirt, using him for money and status? But then why would she be so eager to end their marriage just hours after tying the knot, if she really was Avery Jackson? The conflicting thoughts and suspicions made his head spin.
It seems like this Avery woman didn't want this wedding. Xavier was confused since he was supposed to marry a woman whose name was Avery, but the priest didn't call out her name nor his own, so who was this woman because she couldn't be Avery?
"Where is Avery?" Cathleen felt the man's gaze pierce into her like a hot knife, causing her to squirm uncomfortably. She quickly kicked off her high heels and exchanged them for flat sandals, grimacing at the feeling of vulnerability in her exposed feet. Xavier's face twisted with disgust, his eyes locking onto her toes as if they were repulsive creatures crawling on her skin.
She fought back the urge to hide her feet, knowing that it would only make him revel in her discomfort even more. It wasn't like she couldn't wear high heels. It was because she was tired from wearing high-heeled boots on the flight and then not resting enough, so she wanted something comfortable. So she decided not to answer his question.
"Come in!" He gave a loud bark, and his assistant, as well as his lawyer, entered the room. "Listen, we are in a bind because I cannot let my father down in any way, which means that getting a divorce is not even an option for us." He extended his hands, and his assistant slipped some documents into his hand. "Sign this." He said, shoving the documents in Cathleen's hand.
"What is this?" Cathleen asked.
"Our contract."
"What contact?"
"Do you think I have any interest in this topic? You need to know where you stand in my life because I do not want this marriage, and I also do not want you to get involved in my business. I will not touch you. Don't expect me to share a bed with you, and if you see me with a woman, don't even dare try to interfere. I married you because I couldn't disappoint my father. So sign those documents."
Xavier's voice boomed across the room as he delivered his speech, but Cathleen remained unfazed. Her serenity only fueled his anger, causing him to clench his fists and grit his teeth in frustration. Finally, it was her turn to speak, and she turned her piercing gaze back to Xavier, her lips curling into a taunting smile. With an unnerving calmness in her voice, she uttered her words like daggers aimed directly at Xavier's heart.
"I'll give these documents some thought and then come back to you." After making that statement, she grabbed her handbag and walked to the door. Xavier was rendered mute as a result.
"Meet me at the Civil Affairs Bureau on Monday at 11:00 a. m.; don't be late." Xavier's face was contorted with rage, his skin flushed and veins bulging in his neck as he yelled out his command.
'She does not appear to be the same as what I was told. I thought that she was only interested in making money for herself and had no education, and then thought she would not want to check the papers. What am I missing?' He thought to himself
Could it be that my assistant got the wrong Avery Jackson? Of course, we got the wrong girl…