The morning arrived far sooner than Jamal had expected.He barely slept over the night.He had spent most of the night lying awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering how life had managed to lead him here.If someone had told him a year ago that he would one day agree to marry a woman he barely knew, he would have laughed.Life, however, had taught him that it rarely cared about the plans people carefully made for themselves.It simply happened.Sometimes beautifully.Sometimes painfully.And sometimes... Both at once.A gentle knock sounded on his bedroom door."Jamal?"Jamal sat upright. "Come in."The door opened to reveal Evelyn.She stepped inside carrying a neatly pressed black garment bag.Her eyes immediately settled on him and she raised her brow at him. "You didn't sleep."He smiled tiredly. "Am I really that easy to read?""You've always been too easy to read."She placed the garment bag carefully on the bed. "I brought your suit."Jamal slowly unzipped it.Inside hung an ex

The morning wasn't even clear yet when Vivian's eyes fluttered opFor a few quiet seconds, she simply lay there in the large bed of the guest room, staring around the room.Then a smile slowly crept onto her lips.Day One.Her first full day as Jamal's wife.She had thirty days until Jamal decides to either choose to continue being married to her or opt for divorce.But until then, she intended to give the marriage everything she had. She climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom first.After showering, she chose a simple blouse tucked neatly into a shot flare skirt. Her hair was tied into a loose ponytail, and except for the wedding band on her finger, she wore almost no jewelry.Most of the staff were only just beginning their morning routines as she walked down the stairs and Vivian smiled to herself.It was the perfect condition to start what she had in mind.She quietly made her way toward the kitchen and her smile faded.. the kitchen wasn't as empty as she had thought.Se

Vivian drove one of Jamal's cars as she headed out to work instead of taking hers.She still wasn't used to seeing herself behind the steering wheel of one of his cars.Every now and then, she'd glance at the Lincoln emblem on the steering wheel and smile to herself.It felt surreal.She had admired Jamal from afar, convinced that someone as remarkable as him would never even know her name.Now... She wore his wedding ring.She carried his surname and she lived under the same roof as him.The thought alone was enough to make her cheeks warm.Her fingers absentmindedly brushed the ring before tightening around the steering wheel again."I really married him..." She laughed softly to herself. "It still feels like a dream."Her thoughts drifted back to years ago.She could still remember the first interview she'd watched on television.Jamal had been younger then, standing confidently before reporters after winning a business award, it was a small award but he had been smiling like it m

Jamal barely slept the previous night.Every time he closed his eyes, another memory surfaced.It felt like a door to his past memories were unlocked and every horrible phase of his life surfaced again, tripping over each other as they rushed through his head.His parents, the foster home, the Smith family, Scarlet.Everything that had happened in his life somehow traced back to one man.Today was the day that man would finally answer before the law.The thought alone made sleep impossible.As dawn broke, Jamal stood before the large window in his bedroom, one hand tucked into his pocket while the other held a cup of untouched coffee; he was almost ready.A soft knock came from the door."Come in."The door opened, and Vivian stepped inside carrying his neatly pressed suit jacket.She smiled warmly the moment she saw him."I knew I'd find you standing here." She walked toward him before holding up the jacket."I thought I'd save you the trouble."He accepted it with a grateful smile.

Jamal loosened the knot of his tie as they drove out of the courthouse.The tension that had been pressing down heavily on his shoulders since dawn finally eased, if only a little.He leaned back against the driver's seat and released a long breath."I honestly didn't think today would end like that."Evelyn, seated in the passenger seat, chuckled as she adjusted the stack of documents on her lap."Neither did Andrew."Jamal laughed.Behind them, Vivian smiled warmly, watching the two of them discuss so freely."I've been replaying that moment over and over in my head." Evelyn shook her head in disbelief.Jamal glanced at her briefly. "Which one?""The judge walking in." She laughed. "I've never seen someone's confidence disappear so fast."Vivian covered her mouth as she giggled."The expression on his face... Oh my goodness, I almost felt bad for him."Jamal raised an eyebrow. "You almost did?"She nodded. "Almost."They all burst into laughter.After a few moments, Evelyn imitated