Elena Carter stared at the signature she had just written.
Her name.
Right there.
On a marriage contract with Alexander Knight.
Her hand slowly loosened around the pen.
"…Did I just ruin my life?"
Alexander calmly took the document and glanced at the signature.
"No," he said flatly. "You just improved it."
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"That remains to be seen."
Alexander closed the folder neatly.
"Pack your things."
She blinked.
"…Why?"
"You're moving in."
Her brain stopped again.
"Moving in WHERE?"
"My house."
Elena pointed at the massive penthouse around them.
"THIS house?!"
"Yes."
Her voice rose an octave.
"I can't live here!"
"You're my wife."
"Contract wife!"
Alexander corrected her calmly.
"In public, you're still Mrs. Knight."
The title made Elena's stomach flip.
Mrs. Knight.
That sounded… dangerously powerful.
Alexander checked his watch.
"We have thirty minutes."
"For what?"
"My driver will take you to your apartment."
She relaxed slightly.
"Oh good."
"To pack your belongings."
Her relief vanished.
"And bring them back here."
Elena looked like she might faint.
"Wait… this is happening TODAY?"
"Yes."
"This is moving way too fast!"
Alexander walked toward the door.
"You married me last night."
"That was a mistake!"
"And yet the law recognizes it."
She groaned loudly.
"This is insane."
Alexander paused at the door and looked back at her.
"You can still walk away."
Elena froze.
Walk away.
The words echoed in her head.
Walk away from the hospital bills.
Walk away from financial security.
Walk away from a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
She sighed heavily.
"…Fine."
Alexander nodded.
"Good."
Thirty minutes later.
Elena sat in the backseat of a luxury black car.
She had never seen the inside of a car this expensive before.
The leather seats felt softer than her bed.
The driver wore a perfectly pressed suit.
And Alexander Knight sat beside her as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
Elena glanced sideways at him.
"You do realize this looks suspicious, right?"
Alexander didn't look up from his tablet.
"How so?"
"A billionaire CEO suddenly living with a random woman."
"We're married."
"That doesn't make it less suspicious."
Alexander typed something on the screen.
"People will accept it."
"Why?"
He looked at her.
"Because I said so."
Elena blinked.
Oh right.
He was the CEO.
The car stopped in front of a small apartment building.
Elena opened the door quickly.
"This is my stop."
Alexander stepped out with her.
"You don't need to come."
"I do."
"Why?"
"To see how you live."
Elena immediately felt embarrassed.
Her apartment building was… not impressive.
Old walls.
Narrow hallways.
Flickering lights.
Definitely not billionaire territory.
She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly.
"It's small."
Alexander looked around calmly.
"It's functional."
That was the nicest way anyone had ever described it.
They walked upstairs together.
Elena unlocked the door to her tiny apartment.
The moment it opened—
Alexander stopped moving.
The apartment was barely big enough for one person.
Small couch.
Tiny kitchen.
Old furniture.
Elena suddenly felt very self-conscious.
"See? I told you it's small."
Alexander slowly walked inside.
His gaze moved around the room.
"You live here alone?"
"Yes."
He pointed to the broken kitchen cabinet.
"That looks unstable."
"It is."
"And the heater?"
"Doesn't work half the time."
Alexander frowned slightly.
"You shouldn't be living here."
Elena laughed dryly.
"Well, my salary disagrees."
She walked into her bedroom and grabbed a suitcase.
Alexander watched silently as she packed.
Clothes.
Shoes.
A few books.
It took less than ten minutes.
"That's it?" he asked.
"Yep."
"You don't own much."
She shrugged.
"Hard to buy things when you're paying hospital bills."
Alexander didn't respond.
But his eyes softened slightly.
Elena zipped the suitcase.
"Okay."
She looked around the apartment.
This place had been her home for three years.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was hers.
She suddenly felt strange leaving it.
"Ready?" Alexander asked.
She nodded slowly.
"Ready."
Two hours later.
Elena stood in front of Alexander Knight's mansion.
Her jaw dropped.
"This is not a house."
Alexander walked past her.
"It's a house."
"This is a palace!"
The mansion looked like something from a billionaire movie.
Huge gates.
Beautiful gardens.
Fountains.
The building itself was at least three stories tall.
Elena turned to him.
"You live here ALONE?"
"Yes."
"That's terrifying."
He opened the front door.
"Come inside."
The moment she stepped in—
Elena froze.
The interior was even more shocking.
Marble floors.
Crystal chandeliers.
Massive staircase.
This place was bigger than her entire apartment building.
A group of servants suddenly lined up near the entrance.
They bowed simultaneously.
"Welcome home, Mr. Knight."
Elena nearly jumped.
Alexander spoke calmly.
"This is Elena Carter."
He paused.
Then added—
"My wife."
The servants' eyes widened.
Elena felt their shocked gazes immediately.
Alexander continued casually.
"She will be living here from now on."
The head butler stepped forward.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Knight."
Mrs. Knight.
The title hit Elena again.
This time it felt even heavier.
Alexander turned to her.
"Your room is upstairs."
"My room?"
"Yes."
"Wait… we're not sharing?"
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
"You want to?"
Her face turned bright red.
"NO!"
"Then separate rooms are fine."
Elena sighed in relief.
Good.
At least there were still boundaries.
But as she followed Alexander up the grand staircase…
She noticed something strange.
The servants were whispering behind them.
And their expressions looked… nervous.
Elena leaned closer to Alexander.
"Your staff look scared."
"They are."
"Of me?"
"No."
He opened a large door at the end of the hallway.
Elena stepped inside.
Her jaw dropped for the third time that day.
The room was massive.
Bigger than her entire apartment.
King-size bed.
Walk-in closet.
Private balcony.
Luxury bathroom.
"This is my room?!"
Alexander nodded.
"Yes."
Elena spun around in disbelief.
"I could fit ten apartments in here!"
Alexander watched her quietly.
Then he said something unexpected.
"You should rest."
She blinked.
"…Why?"
His expression became serious.
"Because tonight…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"You're attending your first event as Mrs. Knight."
Elena froze.
"…Event?"
"Yes."
"My company's annual gala."
Her heart dropped.
"A gala?"
Alexander nodded calmly.
"The entire elite business world will be there."
Elena slowly realized what that meant.
Hundreds of rich people.
Powerful CEOs.
Socialites.
Media.
And she—
A girl from a tiny apartment—
Was about to walk into that world as Alexander Knight's wife.
Her voice trembled slightly.
"…They're going to eat me alive."
Alexander looked at her calmly.
"No."
He stepped closer.
His presence suddenly felt protective.
"They won't dare."
Elena swallowed nervously.
Because for the first time…
She realized something important.
Being married to Alexander Knight…
Meant she had just entered the most dangerous social battlefield in the city.
And this was only the beginning.