Chapter 1

“Professor Reed,” Timothy Campbell approached Aura Reed as she was leaving her class. She nodded in acknowledgment. “Let’s discuss things over a meal.”

Although it sounded very business-like, they would simply be discussing matters over a meal in Astralt University’s cafeteria. Timothy knew this was Aurora’s way of operating and played along. He ate a few bites and waited for her to finish her meal before taking a document from his briefcase.

“Professor Reed, Mr. Jenson has already signed the papers and agreed to all your conditions. This is the agreement. Please review it and sign it if you have no other objections.”

Timothy handed her a marriage agreement and application form. Aurora glanced at the documents and saw it bore Owen Jenson’s striking signature. The agreement itself consisted of only a few main points.

Firstly, the marriage would be kept secret. Secondly, both parties were not allowed to interfere with the other’s private lives; however, both should take care not to negatively impact the other’s reputation. Thirdly, each should play their respective roles when needed. And so on.

The general idea was essentially a non-interference pact between them. They would each be able to live their lives as they saw fit without accounting for anything else.

Aurora skimmed through the document, fished a pen from her bag, and signed her name without hesitation.

“So, Ms. Jenson—”

Aurora quickly interjected, bluntly, “Please continue to address me as Professor Reed.”

Her tone was bland and detached as she returned the agreement. It was as though she was merely signing off on a delivery package.

Yet she had become Owen’s wife after signing those papers. She was now the wife of a mysterious magnate who owned a business empire and whom people would kill to curry favor with. In fact, she was now also the esteemed madam of the Jenson family.

Although this marriage was orchestrated by Owen’s grandmother without his consent, it was still legally binding. Therefore, Aurora was now indeed Mrs. Owen.

Aurora was a professor at the prestigious Astrait University despite her young age. She was known as a prodigy, fast-tracking through her education with the speed of a comet, quickly attaining a PhD from a renowned foreign university. She was stunningly gorgeous, cultured, and brilliant—the ultimate poster child for the phrase “beauty and brains.” Thus, she inadvertently became the ideal daughter-in-law in the eyes of many wealthy families.

Owen’s grandmother probably set her sights on Aurora precisely because of these qualities. That was probably why she went to such great lengths, such as feigning illness, to pressure Owen into a marriage he didn’t want.

Unfortunately, Owen likely harbored resentment toward Aurora because of his predicament. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so intransigent as to not appear for the registration of their marriage. He even went ahead and created a marriage agreement!

Regardless, Aurora didn’t seem to care. There wasn’t a hint of joy on her face despite successfully attaining the position many women had vied for. “Mr. Jenson has said that you can move to Cordia. Here’s the key card. He’ll be depositing 100 thousand per month into your bank account as your allowance. Mr. Jenson has also mentioned that you shouldn’t feel pressured as this is part of the agreement.”

The implication was clear: they were merely bound by a long-term agreement. Aurora understood this perfectly. It was obvious that Owen wanted her to know her place. Frankly, she wouldn’t have chosen someone like him if it weren’t for the pressure she was facing.

Still, Owen was the most outstanding specimen, in terms of looks and wealth, among the long line of men trying to marry her. She had always been rather pragmatic. She had gone through several blind dates before making a decision. Even though her suitors were decently impressive, she found that she wasn’t as concerned about their backgrounds after meeting them face-to-face.

In the end, she figured she might as well pick the best one out of the lot; Owen was certainly far better than those men who were only after her wealth.

Truthfully, she felt nothing for Owen and didn’t expect him to view her favorably. After all, she was aware that he had a beloved girlfriend. She had also heard whispers about his love life. Nonetheless, she wasn’t the least bit interested in knowing why he chose to marry her.

Besides, a purely transactional marriage suited her just fine.

“Thanks. I’ll move in over the weekend.” Aurora took the key card without hesitation.

Qurix Corporation’s office was situated on the top floor. Owen had just finished his meeting when Timothy returned.

“Mr. Jenson,” Timothy greeted respectfully.

“Did she sign it?” Owen asked nonchalantly, his gaze remaining on the document in his hand. There wasn’t a hint of emotion on his handsome face.

“Did she have any requests?”

“Professor Reed made none. In fact, she signed it almost immediately. She also said that she’ll move to Cordia over the weekend. Here’s the marriage certificate between you and Professor Reed.”

Owen took it and flipped through it. Then, he gave the spare copy back to Timothy. “This is hers. You’ll be in charge of the subsequent arrangements.”

“Yes, Mr. Jenson.”

As Timothy left the office, Owen opened a drawer and placed the marriage certificate inside before continuing with his work.

Most people might find joy in being newlyweds. Alas, this wasn’t the case for this odd couple. They continued to go about their business; Aurora busied herself with her packed schedule while Owen got ready to meet a client for a business deal. They didn’t even bother meeting each other after getting hitched.