Ardane.
The sun was blazing, scorching the earth.
Eve Sherman held onto the household registration book, sitting expressionlessly in the Shaw Family's car.
"Eve Sherman, don't think about pulling any tricks. If you can't handle this marriage, don't bother coming back! Your foster father, Skye Sherman, will be fired immediately, and the Crawford Family will be left in dire straits!"
Before heading out, Mrs. Shaw—her biological grandmother—spoke to her viciously.
Eve Sherman, abandoned from birth, was kindly adopted by Skye Sherman, who worked at The Shaw Group, and was loved like his own daughter for twenty years. On the first day she was brought back by the Shaw Family, they forced her to come and register her marriage with the eldest son of the Sutton Family.
Not for anything else, but because Rory Shaw, the Shaw Family's adopted daughter, despised the fall of the other family's fortune and the unattractive appearance of the son, and adamantly refused to marry him.
This marriage was originally a childhood engagement arranged by the elders of the Sutton and Shaw Families. The Shaw Family, unable to go back on their word, pressured Skye Sherman to bring Eve Sherman back.
Skye Sherman is the pillar of his family; Grandma Crawford has been sick for years, needing medication to sustain her. If he lost his job, the family would fall apart.
Thinking about this, anger arose in Eve Sherman's heart.
Not long after, Eve Sherman arrived at the civil affairs bureau, and just as she got out of the car, she saw a tall man standing not far away.
He was dressed in simple shirt and trousers, his back facing Eve Sherman while talking on the phone.
Perhaps because his figure was so handsome and tall, it attracted the attention of people coming in for business, causing them to steal glances.
Eve Sherman looked for two seconds, then retracted her gaze.
Rory Shaw said the Sutton Family's eldest son was unattractive, greasy, and disgusting, not even reaching 1.7 meters tall, clearly not this nearly 1.9 meters tall guy.
She was planning to wait in the shade, when the man put away his phone, his gaze suddenly falling on her, "Eve Sherman?"
Eve Sherman looked up at him, "Mr. Sutton?"
Stellan Sutton nodded, glanced at his watch, and turned to walk into the hall, "Let's go, I'm very busy."
Eve Sherman watched his back and quickly followed.
He had already reserved the service window and collected two registration forms, handing one to Eve Sherman, skillfully pulling out a fountain pen, and started filling out his own form.
He wrote gracefully and fast. Eve Sherman watched his handsome profile, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Why didn't you insist on marrying Rory Shaw?"
Stellan Sutton skillfully signed his name at the end, not even lifting his eyes, "Who I marry isn't important."
That's true.
He was also just a victim of this ridiculous marriage contract, reluctantly married due to pressure from the elders. Who the partner was didn't matter.
She was here to protect the Crawford Family.
Who she marries doesn't matter.
At least, he wasn't as greasy and disgusting as Rory Shaw had said, incapable of reaching others' knees when jumping.
"I am usually very busy. I might not be able to pay much attention to you or provide emotional value, so I'd appreciate your understanding."
Stellan Sutton looked at her seriously and enunciated each word clearly.
"I'm quite good at taking care of myself, your matters are more important, you don't have to worry about me at all."
Eve Sherman said this, calmly filling out the form under Stellan Sutton's gaze.
The process went quickly. When they had their marriage certificate photo taken together, Eve Sherman graciously leaned toward him, making the photo go smoothly.
Eve Sherman held the marriage certificate that determined the fate of the Sherman Family, finding it rather laughable.
"I'm very busy recently, I might not be able to meet for a while," Stellan Sutton said, handing Eve Sherman a bank card, "This is my salary card, if there's anything you want to buy during this period, just swipe it, the password is six ones."
Eve Sherman heard that the Sutton Family could only maintain their living by selling raw materials now, so it was understandable that Stellan Sutton was busy.
If he wasn't around, she would be more at ease.
But his money, she didn't want it.
After all, she was working at Sterling, running a design studio with her friend, and had other side businesses, busy making money, earning quite a bit, giving a portion to Skye Sherman monthly, and the studio expenses, still leaving enough.
Whatever she wanted, she could buy herself.
She handed the card back to Stellan Sutton, "You should keep it; you probably need the money more than I do…"
Stellan Sutton's brows furrowed slightly, a sharp gaze flickered, and then he got in the car and left without looking back.
Watching Stellan Sutton leave, Eve Sherman sent a photo of the marriage certificate to Mrs. Shaw.
Soon, Rory Shaw replied with a cheerful voice message, "Congratulations, sis! Although the Sutton Family has fallen to being others' lackeys, it's still better than your foster father who cleans toilets for our family, right? You made a good deal."
Eve Sherman replied coldly, "I've done as you all asked; stay away from my family from now on!"
Skye Sherman is the pillar of his family; Grandma Crawford has been sick for years, needing medication to sustain her. If he lost his job, the family would fall apart.
Rory Shaw scorned back, "Who wants to associate with beggars? As for you, stay far away, don't think about taking a share of the Shaw Family's pie!"
Eve Sherman sneered coldly, then blocked all the Shaw Family members.
…
The marriage was done, but it was as if it hadn't happened.
Eve Sherman continued living at her previous residence, doing her own things. Over the two years, Stellan Sutton hadn't even called, as if the Suttons had vanished, none of them contacted her.
Previously, her foster parents started arranging for her to meet potential partners right after she graduated university, hoping she'd marry and have children soon for security, since she would get married eventually.
Eve Sherman didn't believe women should set marrying and having children as goals and dragged out the years.
Now that it was heard she had already married, Skye Sherman and the others didn't press further.
The Shaw Family finally ceased bothering her.
Without a husband, without children, without troubles with in-laws, she continued doing whatever she wanted.
It was almost like the marriage life she dreamed of.
…
"Eve Sherman, print these documents in triplicates and bring them to me."
"Eve Sherman, grab me a latte while you're at it, I'm busy."
In these two years, Sterling was suddenly acquired by Hess and changed owners. She was inadvertently promoted to Hess's secretariat due to her outstanding work performance.
Although she was an outstanding employee at Sterling, she was still new to this place, handling many miscellaneous tasks and frequently running errands for senior employees.
No one likes doing these things, but they must be done.
Eve Sherman carried two lattes in her hands, and a pile of documents under her arm, walking quickly when she suddenly noticed something was off.
Everyone was uniformly standing before the CEO's exclusive elevator, a tall, handsome man in a suit stood in the center, looking around assertively.
He wore silver-framed glasses, had deep-set eyes, a handsome face, and an intense aura around him, even making breathing feel daunting.
Eve Sherman felt his brows and eyes looked familiar, unsure, she took another look.
As if sensing her gaze, the man's sharp eyes swept over abruptly, like a blade, landing on Eve Sherman.