The tall, commanding man in front of her looked cold and distant. Elowen tried to ignore the pressure his stern features exuded...

As a true face lover, Elowen could swear that this level of handsomeness even surpassed that of her boss, Ronan Barrett, who was often compared to Henry Cavill.

She had prepared herself to meet a middle-aged man with a beer belly and a bald head. The stark contrast left her momentarily speechless, her lips slightly parted in shock, frozen on the spot.

To Dylan, her expression looked like she was swooning.

He had already unconsciously labeled this girl as just another gold digger who would stop at nothing to jump into his arms.

He scoffed inwardly, his first impression of the girl in the sweater and overalls sinking to rock bottom.

No substance, yet dreaming of marrying into wealth? Utter delusion!

His disdain was obvious, and it reflected in his tone. His gaze lowered to meet the girl's wide, clear eyes, which shimmered like a calm lake.

He spoke in a low, cold voice, "Elowen Halloway? 23 years old?"

According to his grandfather, this girl had just graduated from college and was currently interning at a private dental clinic.

He was confirming her age because, with her baby-faced appearance, she looked no older than 16 or 17, far from 23.

Elowen snapped out of her daze with a little "oh," ignoring the coldness in his voice. She was too distracted by how pleasant it sounded--deep and rich, like a cello.

Her gaze was pure as she met the man's dark eyes. Her voice was soft and clear, "Yes, I'm 23. It's written on my ID." She took out her ID booklet and, tilting her head slightly, opened it up for Dylan to check.

Elowen thought that since they were about to get married, it was only right to get to know each other better. She had no idea he was actually questioning whether she had lied about her age.

The soft November sunlight fell gently on the little girl. Her long, curled lashes cast deep shadows over her eyelids, and her doe-like eyes were wide and sincere, meeting his gaze without hesitation.

Their eyes locked.

Dylan quickly looked away, glancing at the ID booklet. He caught a look from his grandfather, cleared his throat, and, ignoring the urgency in his grandfather's eyes, spoke slowly, "Here's the thing, Miss Halloway. I haven't bought a house yet. If we're to live together after marriage, we might need to rent. Also, this car was bought on a loan, and I'm still paying it off. I hope we can share the loan payments after we get married."

Senior Mr. Lockwood's mustache twitched slightly, "..."

His grandson was clearly testing Elowen, but wasn't this a bit too much? Describing his own situation as nearly bankrupt was quite an exaggeration!

To sabotage this marriage, the boy was really going overboard with self-deprecation!

Ignoring his grandfather's fiery gaze, Dylan slipped one hand into his pocket, silently waiting for Elowen's response.

He was confident that unless this girl had something seriously wrong with her head, she'd turn around and leave.

Just as his calculations seemed to be spot-on, he saw Elowen's expression shift from shock to sympathy, then to a strange sense of guilt.

Her expression was truly a sight to behold!

Elowen's heart ached. She hadn't realized that Grandpa Lockwood's family was so poor! Was he really about to give her 300,000 dollars at the cost of selling his last possessions, his own burial savings?

No, she couldn't accept that money!

But her mother's surgery couldn't wait. She'd have to accept the money now and pay it back slowly.

"Sure, no problem!" A sudden surge of courage filled her as she naturally patted Dylan's shoulder.

Because he was so tall, she, at 5'3", even had to stand on tiptoe. Her doe eyes curved as she broke into a smile, "Don't worry, I'll help you pay off the loan too!"

Consider it interest on the 300,000.

Standing so close, her warm breath carried a faint scent.

Dylan's eyes narrowed slightly, completely taken aback by how readily she agreed. His already stern face grew even more tense.

This girl--why wasn't she reacting the way he expected?

Senior Mr. Lockwood sighed in relief, silently praising his judgment. He pulled out the household registration booklet from his coat and shoved it into Dylan's hand. "Hurry up! Be the first couple today will get some good luck. I'll wait outside!"

What was said was said. Dylan's face turned as dark as ink, and he gritted his teeth as he took the booklet. Just as he was plotting his next move to stop this absurd marriage, the round-faced girl suddenly called out, "Wait!"

Dylan paused, a hint of relief rising in his chest.

Had this little girl come to her senses and decided to back out?

That would be wonderful.

Before Elowen could say more, he swiftly pocketed the household registration. His tone was relaxed, "That's more like it. A young woman should be more practical, not..."

Before he could finish, the girl lifted her head and said, "We haven't signed the prenuptial agreement yet!"

Dylan's brow furrowed as he stared blankly at Elowen, "What agreement?"

"Just a moment!" Elowen paid no mind to the underlying message in Dylan's earlier words. She reached into her handbag and pulled out two sheets of A4 paper filled with dense text. "The prenuptial agreement. Since this is a flash marriage without any emotional foundation, it's best to reach a consensus beforehand to avoid trouble later. Don't you think?"

When she first proposed the one-year trial marriage agreement, she had expected Grandpa Lockwood to object. But to her surprise, he readily agreed--perhaps having immense confidence in his grandson. He even insisted she bring it up with Dylan before getting the certificate.

"Here it is. Take a look, two copies. If there's nothing wrong, sign it, and we can proceed with the marriage registration." Elowen handed him the document.

Though this man's attractiveness was practically god-like, Elowen had principles. She wasn't going to take advantage of his looks or the 300,000 dollars.

An agreement had to be signed.

In her heart, a flash marriage without an emotional foundation couldn't last. This was merely a transaction for her mother's surgery money.

Dylan took the document, and after reading it, his cold expression stiffened. He shot Elowen a meaningful look.

What kind of nonsense was written in this agreement?

"... After marriage, daily expenses should be split evenly. Cooking can be shared, but if one cooks, the other must wash the dishes."

"... The husband should not interfere with the wife's personal life. Likewise, the wife should not interfere with the husband's."

...

"... Regarding intimacy, the husband must not force the wife if she is unwilling."

"... If no emotional connection is formed within one year of marriage, a peaceful divorce must be granted without complaints."

Ha!

Did she really plan to treat him as a playhouse partner?

But the last term actually pleased Dylan.

As for the one about intimacy...

He glanced at her thin frame and felt zero interest. He almost wanted to tell her she was overthinking it!

Feeling his gaze, Elowen's cheeks flushed.

It was the first time she had been stared at so intently by such a handsome man, and she couldn't help feeling a bit shy. She turned her head away.

But after a long pause, there was still no response from him.

Was he dissatisfied with the agreement?