Emily Parker heard Carlos’s words, and was momentarily stunned. The marriage contract for their secret marriage surfaced in her mind again.
Almost instinctively, she muttered softly,
"What a bother, we’ll still have to announce it when we divorce." Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on nοvelfire.net
As soon as she spoke, she realized what she had said, but it was too late to take it back.
After all, she and Carlos were in a secret marriage, and they had been officially married for several months now. How long was left in this secret marriage? Less than a year?
To her, this was just a contractual marriage with a clear expiration date, so her first reaction to making it public was to refuse.
Her outright refusal caused Carlos, who was holding the steering wheel, to falter, his usually indifferent and handsome face instantly stiffening.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, making the atmosphere somewhat subtle and awkward.
Just then, the green light ahead lit up, breaking the suffocating silence. Carlos suddenly stepped on the gas, and the snazzy sports car shot off like an arrow, stirring up a gust of wind.
"Do you think I want to make a public announcement with you?"
Carlos’s face hardened, and his voice unintentionally carried a hint of anger and helplessness,
"I just want my grandfather to know, and my grandmother.
Grandfather is going abroad for treatment soon, we can’t keep them in the dark forever."
He stared straight ahead, appearing fully focused on driving, but his fingers gripping the steering wheel turned white from the strain, revealing his inner turmoil.
"What if... it’s only visible to family?"
Emily sighed softly, thinking about the Old Master going abroad, feeling quite reluctant about it.
Fortunately, communication is easy these days; she could still keep in touch with him via phone, so it wouldn’t be a complete severance.
She turned her head to look at Carlos, her eyes carrying a hint of inquiry, suggesting a compromise.
Emily insisted on being cautious for Carlos’s sake.
Within their circle, everyone could see that Carlos and Rainny White were very close.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, it was better to keep their secret marriage from Rainny White.
After some negotiation with Carlos, they finally reached an agreement.
Emily took a deep breath, slowly took out her phone, and opened the social media editing interface.
She carefully selected the option to make it visible only to the Carter Family and "Time", then she gently tapped the screen to upload a photo. In the photo, a bright red marriage certificate lay quietly.
The car came to a steady stop at their destination. As they got out, Carlos suddenly remembered something and took out his phone to check.
Soon, he saw the marriage certificate in "Blue Sky’s" social media feed.
Looking at the photo, he couldn’t help but smile slightly, a trace of tenderness flickering in his eyes.
Following, he casually posted on his feed as well, also setting it to family-only view.
Once done, he paused, glanced at the post once more, and then satisfied, put his phone back in his pocket, following Emily’s steps into the villa.
On the other side of the world, sunlight streamed through large floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the spacious and bright living room.
An elegant old lady sat on a soft sofa, dressed in a finely tailored black silk cheongsam, her silver hair neatly combed, each strand pinned perfectly behind her ears.
At that moment, she held a phone in her hand, her fingers gently swiping across the screen with a movement that carried a refined elegance shaped by time, yet exuding undeniable authority.
She wore sapphire reading glasses on her nose, and her eyes behind the lenses were fixed intently on the marriage certificate on the screen, her gaze gradually sharpening.
A fleeting look of displeasure crossed her brows, like a calm lake disrupted by a stone.
Without hesitation, she pressed the call button.
Her tone was commanding,
"Why did Carlos announce his marriage?
Didn’t we agree not to disclose the pre-marital pregnancy?"
On the other end of the line, she listened quietly, her expression growing darker by the moment as her lips pressed into a tight line.
"A woman with unknown background and questionable morals is not fit to be the Carter family’s granddaughter-in-law."
The old lady’s voice was cold and biting, every word seemingly coated in frost, "Neither this child nor this woman can stay."
With that, she ended the call.
Her gaze turned to the window, lost in thought, her eyes filled with ruthless determination, as if plotting how to handle what she deemed a "farce".