Chapter 1 - 001 ( Marriage That Took Place )

Today, a majestic and huge wedding was taking place at one of the top hotels in the central J area. The wedding adopted the theme of white and a million flowers. It managed to grab the attention of almost all the guests who attended that day.

For the first time, the Theodore family, one of the most reliable business families and highly respected by many city businessmen, held a wedding party for their first grandson, Harry Miles Theodore.

A 28-year-old man and had been very successful at his age, who was still relatively young among his peers.

With all his superior abilities and well-known good looks, this man succeeded in making most eye-observers very curious about the face and appearance of the woman he was going to marry.

As many people already knew, Harry Miles was a man who rarely showed his love life to the public. Even to his family, he rarely showed his relationship with the opposite sex. 

Or maybe...it was a relatively rare occasion.

Everyone surely knew Harry Miles. 

The man was an introvert, cold, and a workaholic. Therefore, instead of hearing rumors about his love life, everyone knew him as a person who would always devote all his time and thoughts to work.

Although many business associates or other entrepreneurs had offered their daughter to arrange for him, Harry never accepted the offer with open arms. He always politely declined the offer without care. 

So, when several people who knew the Theodore family quite well heard the shocking news about this marriage, many of them became very curious and impatiently awaited this wedding day.

They still thought the woman who was going to marry the Theodore family's first grandson was fortunate. 

This woman not only married a competent businessman, but she also married a man from a family that had a high reputation and was respected by almost everyone in their city.

Right amid the roar of curiosity that kept flooding among all the guests present, a large door opened wide. Quickly presented a woman wearing a long and beautiful wedding dress.

That woman slowly walked into the room through the red carpet that had been specially prepared for her.

With no regard for every eye that kept on staring at her, she strolled forward with a step that she controlled to remain beautiful and graceful. 

If it weren't for today being a special day, Cleo Alayster, the bride, would never have felt this nervous in her life.

She was a very simple woman and not from an esteemed and wealthy family. Even today, she never had dreamed of marrying a man who was very rich and famous like Harry Miles Theodore.

If she had ever wished or dreamed that a man would change her life with just a single pull– Cleo Alayster had never imagined that the man would be such an extraordinary man like the extended family of Theodore.

She did not know how much wealth and power the family of businessmen had, but Cleo surely knew that Harry was not someone she could take for granted.

Just look at how this wedding party is made.

They not only held a wedding party in one of the hotels that Cleo said was very grand and expensive, but they also prepared all the ornaments and wedding properties in great detail. 

It was amazing.

Sparkling crystal chandeliers, millions of roses, and chrysanthemums to tulips scattered everywhere. Then the classic decorations and knick-knacks are arranged very neatly also elegantly. Able to emphasize any very high calculated price behind it.

This clearly shows that everything has been arranged and set in such a way by skilled and professional hands. 

Because of that, every time Cleo stepped into this wedding room, she felt that it was so difficult to take not only a breath. But also swallow her saliva.

It was as if she was carrying a hefty burden within herself.

Although of course that expression she didn't show.

But, seeing several people who kept staring at her with expressions she couldn't guess, Cleo could only choose to remain calm even though her whole body was sweating.

Cleo could even feel that all of her knuckles were sweating more than they should have.

And she repeatedly questioned the authenticity of this marriage in her heart.

Was this truly her marriage? Was it true that she would become the wife of Miles?

Amid all his thoughts, Cleo stopped her footsteps right in front of Harry. The man with a million charms had been faithfully waiting for her across the street without giving any meaningful expression.

Even though that man was just waiting for her in silence, it couldn't be denied, Cleo had a hard time ignoring all the charm that the man gave her.

Harry managed to accentuate all of his most beautiful looks today by wearing his best clothes, on such a special day.

And if it weren't for some reason, Cleo Alayster is sure to fall in love with this man in just one look.

Especially when Harry stretched out his hand to make space for Cleo so that he could hold his arm. The man succeeded in making Cleo dissolve in her current situation.

Cleo shyly took the outstretched arm without hesitation, and then she walked beside Harry while continuing his footsteps.

Yes. 

This should have been the most moving and thrilling moment for Cleo if only that man hadn't crushed her by saying something she didn't expect, amid such a solemn event.

Slowly but sure, Harry whispered beside Cleo with a grim smile.

"Don't you ever forget, this is just a contract marriage! You and I are not married. So, don't you ever think that this is your real marriage!"

Tazzz…

Was like a television screen that was split and broken. All the beautiful images about marriage that Cleo deliberately created right before she set foot in this hotel, all vanished.

She stared at Harry with displeasure.

***