Chapter 7 Married?!
The dark green Bentley pulled up in front of a luxurious apartment building.
I stared through the window at what could only be described as a palace disguised as a modern apartment building. The structure towered above the surrounding buildings, its sleek glass and stone exterior gleaming in the afternoon sun.
"This is where you live?" I asked, unable to hide my surprise.
Alexander nodded as Bill opened my door. "This is where we live now."
I stepped out onto the sidewalk, craning my neck to take in the full height of the building. Even the North family estate, which was considered one of the grandest in New York, seemed modest in comparison.
He guided me through the marble lobby. The security personnel nodded respectfully as we passed.
As we moved deeper into the house, I found myself in an expansive living area that took my breath away. The space was decorated in a modern minimalist style with classical touches—predominantly in deep blue-gray tones. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of Manhattan.
"This is your home now, Emma. If there's anything you want to change, feel free." He reached into his pocket and extracted a sleek black card, holding it out to me.
I took the card, flipping it between my fingers. "I'll think about it," I said, mentally adding, but I'll keep the card anyway.
Alexander took my hand, an action that still felt foreign but not entirely unwelcome. "Let me show you the master suite."
He led me to another private elevator tucked discreetly at the end of a hallway. "This goes directly to the top floor—our bedroom," he explained as we stepped inside. "It has the best view. You can see the sunrise, and at night, you can even see stars despite the city lights."
When the elevator doors opened, we walked down a short corridor to a set of double doors. I paused at the threshold, suddenly feeling the weight of our hasty marriage.
"Will I be staying in this room too?" I asked, looking up at him.
Alexander leaned one hand against the doorframe above my head, looking down at me with those intense eyes. "What do you think, Mrs. Sterling?"
I felt my cheeks warming but stood my ground, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm... asking you."
"What are you afraid of?" he asked softly. "Is that the kind of man you think I am?"
I turned my head slightly. "How would I know what kind of man you are?"
A gentle smile played on his lips. "Rest assured, I'm a gentleman, not a beast." He lightly pinched my cheek. "We're husband and wife now. Do you really think we should sleep in separate beds?"
I pushed his face away with my palm and walked into the bedroom. The master suite was enormous, with the same floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city. A massive king-sized bed dominated one wall, while a fireplace occupied another.
Adjacent to the bedroom was a walk-in closet larger than my entire bedroom at the North estate. To my surprise, I found all my clothes—sleepwear, casual outfits, workout gear, surfing equipment, and shoes—already arranged neatly inside.
"The North family's butler brought your maid to set everything up," Alexander explained, watching me from the closet doorway. "I wanted you to feel at home."
The sight of my belongings arranged in this unfamiliar place gave me an unexpected sense of comfort. It was a small bridge between my old life and this new one I'd just committed to.
Alexander stepped closer, his expression suddenly serious. "Emma, you're my wife now. I will treat you well and take responsibility for you. Just be yourself. If you have any problems, I'll be right behind you. Understand?"
I caught his gaze in the closet mirror and nodded slightly.
"We may be living together," he continued, his voice gentle, "but don't worry about me crossing any boundaries. I'll respect your wishes until you're ready."
Feeling suddenly awkward with the intimacy of the moment, I shifted my focus to a surfboard propped in the corner of the closet.
"Wait, is that an NM limited edition?" I gasped, moving toward it. "There are only sixty of these in the world, worth $600,000 each!" I ran my hand along the smooth surface. "I have one too, but I don't even dare use it for fear of damaging it. Why do you just have it sitting here like it's nothing?"
Alexander smiled and motioned for me to follow him. He led me to another room—an entire space dedicated to surfboard collection. My jaw dropped as I counted the boards displayed on the walls.
"Holy shit," I breathed. "You have thirty-five NM signature boards? How is that even possible?" I walked around the room in amazement. "I tried to buy his work once, but I couldn't even meet the guy. Only knew him by his artist name, NM."
Alexander leaned against the doorway. "The designer's real name is Nick Morgan."
I sucked in a sharp breath, whirling to face him. "Nick? Our Nick?"
An hour later, we walked into the VIP room at Starlight. Jackson was sprawled on one of the leather couches while Nick mixed drinks behind the small bar.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Jackson teased, raising his glass. "The mighty Mr. Sterling actually reaching out to us for drinks? That's a first."
Nick looked up, his eyes narrowing when he spotted me behind Alexander. "Emma? Why are you with Alex?"
I ignored his question, marching straight up to him. "Remember when I asked you to help me buy an NM limited edition surfboard? And you said even you couldn't get one and suggested I contact an overseas purchasing agent?"
Nick's eyes shifted nervously. "Yeah, what about it?"
"I finally understand why this mysterious designer is so hard to meet," I said, my voice dangerously sweet.
"Why's that?" Nick asked, still playing dumb.
My patience snapped. I lunged forward, grabbing his ear and yanking it hard. "Stop pretending! You're still pretending!"
"Ow! Ow! Emma, let go!" Nick yelped as I twisted his ear back and forth.
Jackson burst out laughing while Nick flailed helplessly.
I finally released him, and he tumbled back onto the couch. "You're NM, you jerk! Why did you make me go through all that trouble?"
Nick rubbed his ear, wincing. "I really didn't have any stock at the time."
"Then how does Alexander have thirty-five of them?" I demanded.
"Our contract specifies that thirty-five pieces are reserved for Alexander. The rest go to the brand for sales, but not in the American market."
"And why didn't you tell me you were NM?"
Nick gave me a pointed look. "Tell you? With your obsession with surfboards? I'd never have a moment's peace."
I raised my hand threateningly, and he flinched back.
"Wait a minute," Jackson interrupted, suddenly serious. "How do you know Alexander has thirty-five boards? That information is only known to the three of us and the brand CEO."
Nick's eyes widened as realization dawned. His gaze darted between Alexander and me. "Yeah... and why are you two here together?"
I froze, suddenly at a loss for words.
Alexander smoothly pulled me against his side, his arm wrapping around my waist.
"Are you two dating?" Jackson and Nick asked simultaneously, shock evident in their voices.
"We're not dating," I said quickly.
"We're married," Alexander corrected.
The identical expressions of absolute shock on their faces were almost worth all the day's confusion.
"MARRIED?!" they exclaimed in unison.
