Elowen had carefully considered proposing the prenuptial agreement.

She knew it would be extremely difficult to develop genuine feelings for a man she had never met before. With the agreement in place, she planned to work hard, save up 300,000 dollars, and repay the money by the end of the year. Then, she could file for divorce on the grounds of "no emotional connection," leaving both parties free from any obligations.

As for the unmentioned 300,000 dollars in the agreement, Elowen assumed Dylan was aware of it. After all, it was a substantial amount, and there was no way Senior Mr. Lockwood wouldn't have told his grandson about it.

But what Elowen didn't know was that Dylan had no idea about this financial transaction.

At this moment, to Dylan, Elowen was simply a scheming woman who had managed to gain his grandfather's trust and found a novel way to approach him, hoping to marry into wealth.

Dylan scoffed inwardly.

His sharp, deep eyes studied Elowen's seemingly innocent doe-like gaze, suddenly sparking a desire to shatter her facade.

Was this reverse psychology?

Did she think setting a one-year limit and claiming that intimacy would require her consent would pique his interest?

Fine, he had to admit, he was intrigued.

It was the first time a prey this clueless had stumbled into his sights, and he was genuinely curious about the ugly ambitions lurking beneath her harmless appearance.

One year?

He didn't need a month--he was certain he could make her beg for a divorce!

If she wanted to play, he would play along.

He signed his name on the agreement and pressed his fingerprint, raising an eyebrow with a faint smirk, "Let's go."

Senior Mr. Lockwood's heart leapt with joy when he saw his grandson sign the agreement.

The reason he had agreed so readily to Elowen's request for a prenuptial agreement was that he knew his grandson's nature--Dylan loved challenges and unconventional paths.

If the marriage had been arranged in the usual way, Dylan would have found a thousand ways to sabotage it.

But with Elowen boldly putting everything on paper beforehand, there was a chance he'd go through with it!

In any case, things had turned out well for everyone. Senior Mr. Lockwood was now eagerly awaiting the moment within the year when his arrogant grandson would fall for Elowen.

He was confident that finding Elowen was the best thing he could have done for his grandson!

Elowen had already signed and fingerprinted the agreement earlier, so she simply took one copy from Dylan and carefully placed it in her bag, reminding him, "Keep the other copy safe."

With that, the two headed toward the Department of Civil Affairs.

Since they were the first couple of the day, the process was quick. Just half an hour later, they emerged, one behind the other.

Dylan, with his long legs, naturally walked faster. Within a few steps, he was already far ahead of Elowen.

He walked straight ahead, not bothering to check if the short-legged Elowen was keeping up behind him.

"Hey! Dylan, wait up!"

It wasn't until after they got the certificate that Elowen noticed how cold he was. He had kept a stern face throughout the entire process, even when taking the marriage photo and making vows.

Now, he didn't even think to wait for her after leaving, walking off on his own. There were still many things she needed to clarify with him!

Dylan heard her shout and stopped, turning around with a frown, looking puzzled.

Elowen resisted the urge to scold him--how could she, when the face in front of her was this handsome?

Seeing that he had stopped, she felt less rushed. She signaled for him to wait a moment, bent over, hands on her knees, and took deep breaths to steady herself.

Dylan looked at her, perplexed.

Her pink cheeks puffed from heavy breathing, and her bright eyes made her look just like a rabbit.

"Dylan, if you don't mind, you could stay at my place. It's small, but we can make it work. That way, we can save on rent. If you do mind, then we can look for an apartment tomorrow and rent one as our marital home."

Elowen only spoke after catching her breath.

She had just recalled his mention of renting a place, which implied he couldn't stay at his own home.

It suited her just fine, as she didn't want to move into his house. After all, they'd agreed to divorce after one year, so living separately afterward would be simpler and less complicated.

But she was reluctant to spend any more money.

So, she came up with the idea of squeezing Dylan into her 58-square-meter, rundown apartment for a year.

Besides, judging from his situation--no house, a minivan--he probably wasn't well-off. He might actually agree to her arrangement.

"Tomorrow, we'll look for an apartment." Dylan's cold voice declared his choice before Elowen could celebrate for long.

"Oh, and the rent will be split evenly. It's in the agreement," Dylan added, his tone icy.

Elowen was speechless. "..."

Elowen, crestfallen, trailed behind Dylan as they walked toward Senior Mr. Lockwood, who was already eagerly examining their freshly issued marriage certificate.

Seeing that the rice was cooked, he couldn't have been happier.

Though he couldn't help but frown at the sour expression on his grandson's face in the marriage photo--such bad luck!

"Grandpa Lockwood, I'll head back to work now! Once we've found our new place tomorrow, we'll invite you over as our guest."

Elowen's heart ached at the thought of having to pay half the rent, but she had to rush back to work. It was a crucial time for her internship, and being late wasn't an option.

Senior Mr. Lockwood scolded, "You're married now, so stop calling me Grandpa Lockwood! Call me Grandpa!"

The sudden demand made Elowen realize that she was now someone's wife.

Obediently, she replied, "Grandpa!"

Senior Mr. Lockwood beamed and answered with a hearty "That's right!" He patted Dylan's shoulder, "Let Dylan drive you to work. I can get home by myself."

More time together meant a better chance to develop some feelings.

Seeing Dylan's icy face, Elowen quickly waved her hand, politely declining the offer, citing her electric scooter as the reason. After saying goodbye to Senior Mr. Lockwood, she hopped on her scooter and rode away from the Department of Civil Affairs without so much as a glance at the human ice block.

After watching Elowen leave, Senior Mr. Lockwood's smile faded, replaced by a stern expression. He raised his cane and gave Dylan a light whack. "You brat! Don't think Elowen is marrying up by being with you. You just don't know her character. I'm warning you, today's sulking was bad enough, but if you keep treating her like this, I'll ‘fix' you every time I see it!"

Dylan didn't dodge; he took the light tap from his grandfather and rubbed his forehead.

But he had a different plan. His grandfather wasn't around 24/7, and unless Elowen tattled, his attitude toward her would go unnoticed.

With a lift of his long fingers, a Bentley limousine that had been waiting nearby slowly pulled up.

It was followed by a line of luxury cars.

The Bentley stopped beside Dylan, and the rest of the convoy came to a halt behind it, completely blocking the entrance to the Department of Civil Affairs.

The driver, dressed in a sharp suit, got out and respectfully opened the rear door for Dylan. "Mr. Lockwood."