Valerie froze in shock until her phone rang, jolting her back to reality. It was the rideshare driver, calling because he couldn't find her. That's when she realized she'd gotten into the wrong car.

Quickly, Valerie apologized and canceled the ride. Hanging up, she noticed the streets whipping past as the black sedan sped through the rainy night. Matthew hadn't said where they were going, creating a palpable tension in the car.

His presence was overwhelmingly oppressive. She knew she was at fault; they'd only been married for three days, and she hadn't recognized him, which was bound to upset him.

Determined to break the ice, Valerie asked, "Mr. Grant, where are we going?"

Matthew's hand rested on the steering wheel, his index finger tapping rhythmically, but he didn't respond. Instead, he asked, in a dark tone, "Why did you block me?" His anger was evident—he was clearly not used to being blocked by anyone, let alone his wife.

Valerie quickly checked her phone, realizing she'd asked for his name that day but hadn't saved it, and it was now gone from her contacts.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Grant," she stammered. "I often add new contacts for work and regularly delete those without notes, and I accidentally" Her voice faded, overwhelmed by embarrassment.

Her explanation seemed to infuriate him even more.

Matthew gave her a brief, cold glance, his thoughts dripping with scorn. Does she even believe her own excuse? Did she think I didn't hear her talking about getting introduced to millionaires earlier? He had intended to reveal his identity and offer her money as compensation for her help, thinking perhaps he'd misunderstood her intentions.

But now, he thought, I see I was right. She's just a gold digger. She married me hoping for a jackpot, and when she thought I was broke, she blocked me. Thinks she can ditch me now! Too late! She's about to learn that nobody messes with me without paying the price.

As Matthew's expression shifted, Valerie took a closer look at the car, especially the shiny Porsche emblem. She mentally kicked herself. It was so dark. I didn't even spot the Porsche. I thought it was just some rideshare.

But then, a flicker of doubt crossed her face as she eyed the car again. "This car"

"It's my boss's," Matthew replied offhandedly.

"Oh, you're the driver," Valerie realized, remembering the last time he drove a plain Chevrolet.

Although she wasn't shopping for a Porsche, she knew they weren't cheap. Looks like his boss is loaded. No wonder he dresses like money—probably all on the company dime to look good.

Matthew didn't argue, just shot her a glance in the rearview mirror, thinking smugly, "What, disappointed I'm just the driver?"

He had planned to drive her to the Grant Manor, but instead, he swerved, heading directly to a posh, newly opened apartment complex with few residents.

A while later, Matthew parked, opened the door, and said bluntly, "Get out."

Valerie hesitated, feeling they should have a proper talk.

Just as she was about to speak, his intense gaze silenced her, and she found herself obediently following him.

He led her to the fifth floor, keyed in the code, and opened the door to a moderately sized apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, and floor-to-ceiling windows facing south.

"The apartment is under my name, so forget the mortgage," Matthew began. "It's a twenty-minute drive to your office, easy for commuting. The place isn't fully furnished yet. You can pick whatever you like; I'll foot the bill. But in return, I expect you to handle some chores. My job keeps me busy, and I travel a lot, so I won't always be here. You can bring friends over; I won't meddle."

Overwhelmed by his spiel, Valerie cut him off. "Mr. Grant, what are you getting at?"

He paused, giving her a mocking look. "Since we're married, we should live together, right? Mrs. Grant."

His voice was even, yet it hit her like a punch to the chest.

The final "12 15 PM" appears to be extraneous and has been removed. The entire passage has been cleaned up for grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Italics are used to represent Matthew's internal thoughts.