Chapter 3 Marriage

"Marriage?"

Yvette thought she misheard due to the wind. Her eyes widened as she asked, "Are you asking me to marry you?"

Albert looked at her, a hint of danger in his eyes. "You don't want to?"

Yvette quickly waved her hands. "That's not what I meant."

Albert's expression softened. "I'll come for you tomorrow to apply for our marriage."

His voice was calm, with a hint of detachment, as if he was giving her an order.

After the shock, she subconsciously responded. And just like that, they decided to get married.

The next day, Yvette left early. Although Albert said he would come for her, she decided to meet him at City Hall.

It was an ordinary day, and there weren't many people applying for marriage. Yvette thought it would be quick, but the process was full of twists and turns.

First, the online system had issues, wasting over an hour. Then, the embossing device malfunctioned, wasting another half an hour.

Yvette waited quietly, stealing glances at Albert. His handsome face showed a hint of impatience.

After a while, they completed a simple marriage ceremony and walked out of City Hall. Now, they just needed to wait for their marriage certificate.

Albert walked fast, and she could barely keep up.

The streets were busy, and it wasn't until they reached the corner that he stopped, checking his watch. He asked, "Do you want me to take you home?"

His blue eyes showed no emotion, and his lips curved slightly downward. If they hadn't just left City Hall, she would have doubted if they were there to get married.

Yvette waved her hand. "No, thank you. My home is nearby. I can walk."

"Alright, then. Goodbye."

Albert walked away without hesitation. Yvette watched his retreating figure, her fingers clenched.

The cold wind blew, and the fallen leaves danced in the air, hitting her face like tiny knives.

Yvette pondered, 'We began as a purely physical relationship, but now that he is willing to take responsibility for this child, this is the outcome I had hoped for. If I desire anything more, it would be my mistake.'

Night fell, and the city came alive with neon lights.

She was engrossed in her phone conversation. "Where are you? I don't see you," she inquired.

Sylvia's voice came through the phone. "Keep walking in, towards the innermost seat. Oh, silly me!"

Yvette furrowed her brow. "I told you I didn't want to come, but you insisted. I've mentioned before, I'm not keen on these social gatherings."

Sylvia teased mysteriously, "Once you're here, you'll understand. It's definitely worth the trip."

"Really? You've lied to me several times, always saying there would be great guys, but all I see are unattractive men. Anyway, I've already told you I don't want to socialize with them. I'm just here to accompany you..."

Yvette's words were interrupted as she found the seat Sylvia mentioned.

She suddenly paused. Apart from Sylvia waving at her and a few unfamiliar faces, Albert and Violet were also on the couch.

The dim and hazy light, mixed with the smell of smoke and alcohol, made that corner seem out of place.

Albert sat on the sofa, his head slightly lowered, his handsome features looking even more three-dimensional from this angle.

He casually played with a bottle, rotating it in his hand, while Violet whispered in his ear, being particularly intimate.

Sylvia shouted, "Yvette, over here!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, including Albert. He raised his eyes, and they narrowed slightly, giving Yvette a sense of pressure.

Yvette pursed her lips and looked away.

As Yvette arrived, everyone naturally and enthusiastically asked her to introduce herself. After she finished, the atmosphere calmed down a bit.

She was never the one to liven up the mood, so she sat quietly, and soon, everyone ignored this corner.

Sylvia deliberately arranged for Yvette to sit across from Albert's best friend, Victor Thomas.

Victor was sitting next to Albert and Violet, so her position was diagonally across from Albert.

Yvette hesitated for a moment but could only sit down reluctantly.

Sylvia leaned close to Yvette and said in a low and triumphant voice, "Albert has a girlfriend now, and his friend here is the best match for you. Aren't I good to you?"

Yvette looked at Victor, and her eyes involuntarily fell on Albert and Violet.

A slightly tipsy man was pouring whisky for everyone, and when he saw an empty glass, he would fill it with whisky.

When he reached Violet, Victor stopped him. "Wait, she's allergic to alcohol. She's been to the emergency room several times because of it."

Violet retorted, "I'm only allergic when I drink too much. It's fine if I drink less!"

"But you always drink too much. You always end up having an allergic reaction, so it's like you can't drink."

They were arguing, and Albert frowned, reaching out to take the glass and pouring Violet a glass of juice. "Have this."

"No," Violet pouted. "Why can't I drink?"

Albert glanced at her indifferently. "You just can't."

His calm tone made Violet stop insisting, and she sweetly took the glass of juice.

Victor couldn't help but complain, "Stop your lovey-dovey act!"

Albert remained silent, looking at Victor with an expressionless face, his lips pressed into a straight line.

The other men pretended to be dissatisfied and made a fuss. "It's so frustrating! Why do we have to face such a scene at a social event? Let's drink!"

The table was noisy, and the scene was chaotic yet lively.

Sylvia, seeing this, whispered to Yvette, "They actually invited a couple to the social event. It's unbelievable. They're getting all the attention, and we've all become supporting roles."

Yvette put her hands on her thighs and quietly clenched her jeans. The thick fabric crumpled under her grip. She had to admit that she felt sad at this moment as if an invisible hand was scratching her heart.

Yvette recalled her first encounter with Albert at a gathering like this.

All the men were urging her to drink, and she really couldn't handle much alcohol, but she had to. In the end, she got so drunk that her hands were shaking.

She didn't want to leave because Albert was there. It was the first time she had been so close to him since her school days.

After the party, she was very dizzy, and the figures she saw were all blurry, but she could still clearly find Albert.

He was like a casual hunter, laughing lightly as he asked her, "Do you want to come with me?"

Both adults understood what he meant.

Yvette felt a bit cold, and her head was heavy, but she tried to remain calm, pretending to be experienced and nodded with a smile. "Sure."

He took her to the car, reclined the seat, and got straight to the point.

The car stopped in a dark corner of the parking lot, and occasionally, a vehicle passing by would brighten Yvette's vision. The inside of the car was cramped, and their heavy breathing made the already narrow space even more stuffy.

Yvette had never imagined that her first time would be in such a place, and a strong sense of discomfort and humiliation made her want to stop.

But he lowered his head and kissed her.

It was a kiss, his lips against hers, wet and lingering, as if he loved her.

While she was still immersed in the kiss, he brought the pain that she would never be able to forget.

They indulged in their desires.

She held onto his shoulders, trying hard to remember how he looked, how he felt pleasure because of her.

Finally, she couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "If it were someone else today, would this still happen?"

His hand gently brushed her forehead, and he chuckled, asking her in return, "Does that answer really matter?"

His body was still hot, and his words made her shiver.

She was stunned for a moment and finally answered in a low voice, "No."