The limousine glided through the city streets in silence. Lena sat stiffly, her hands clasped together in her lap, the diamond ring on her finger glinting mockingly under the faint glow of the car's lights.
Just an hour ago, she had been an ordinary woman drowning in debt. Now, she was the wife of Adrian Li—the man every woman in the city either feared or desired.
Her stomach churned. Was this really happening?
She sneaked a glance at the man beside her. Adrian sat with his usual elegance, one hand resting lazily on the armrest, the other scrolling through his phone as if marrying a stranger was nothing more than a minor business transaction.
Lena finally broke the silence. "When… when will the hospital receive the payment?"
Adrian didn't lift his gaze from his phone. "Already done."
Her breath caught. Already? She should have felt relieved, yet the relief tangled with a suffocating dread.
"You'll move into my villa tonight," he added flatly. "From this day forward, you will live as Mrs. Li. Publicly, our marriage must look real. Privately…" His eyes flicked to hers, sharp and cold. "Do not overstep your boundaries. Remember the contract."
Her cheeks burned, but she nodded. "I understand."
"Good."
The car pulled up to a towering black iron gate. Beyond it stretched an estate so vast it looked like a palace hidden in the city. Servants lined up at the entrance as the limousine rolled to a stop.
Lena's breath hitched as she stepped out. Marble columns, glittering chandeliers visible through the windows, and gardens sprawling endlessly in every direction—it was a world she had only ever seen in magazines.
But before she could take in more, a woman's sharp voice cut through the air.
"So it's true. Adrian Li, the untouchable CEO, actually brought home a wife."
Lena turned. A tall, elegant woman stood at the top of the steps, her lips curled in disdain. Dressed in a figure-hugging dress and dripping in jewels, she looked like she belonged in this world far more than Lena ever could.
"Who… who is she?" Lena whispered.
Adrian's jaw tightened. "My cousin. Li Xinyi."
Xinyi's gaze swept over Lena like she was inspecting cheap merchandise. "This is your choice, Adrian? She doesn't look like she belongs here. Are you sure she isn't after your money?"
Lena froze, her heart hammering.
Adrian's expression remained cold, but his voice carried a sharp edge. "My decisions need no explanation. She is my wife now. Anyone who dares question that… is questioning me."
The servants bowed their heads instantly. Even Xinyi's smile faltered, though her eyes glinted with hostility.
Lena's stomach twisted. She was stepping into a battlefield she wasn't prepared for.
And Adrian Li—the man who had just claimed her as his wife—was the most dangerous player of all.