Julia Bluen didn't go back but fell asleep at the desk.
His gaze fixed on her slightly flushed, melon-seed-shaped face, Glades Horne's eyes gradually darkened.
When Julia Bluen woke up in the evening, Glades Horne ordered a driver to take her back to the Bluen Family. From beginning to end, he never responded to Julia's mocking words.
The cycle of day and night continued, a daily occurrence.
People slept through the night. When they awoke, the day had dawned. It seemed the transition from dark to light was so simple, and time slipped away unnoticed.
When Julia Bluen opened her eyes, she felt a slight ache in her head. She knew it was because of the few drinks she'd had yesterday. Aside from red wine, just a touch of any other alcohol would make her drunk.
"Pleasant Goat, Beautiful Goat... Gray Wolf, Red Wolf..." Her phone rang again.
So early in the morning, who could it be?
Rubbing her slightly aching forehead, Julia Bluen got out of bed. She stood before the nightstand, picked up the phone placed there, and answered directly without even bothering to look at the caller ID.
"Julia."
A very deep, magnetic voice came through. Hearing it was extremely comforting, even inducing daydreams. Such a pleasing and magnetic voice must belong to a handsome man, she thought.
"Glades?"
Julia was confused. It was the first time Glades Horne had called her so early in the morning.
Has something happened? Could my sister have been found?
"Glades, has my sister been found? Where is she? You mustn't bully her! She must have her reasons, you..."
"Bring your household registration book and meet me at the Civil Affairs Office at nine o'clock," Glades Horne interrupted Julia's wild guesses in a deep voice.
"What? Glades, what's going on? Hello...?"
Glades Horne had already hung up.
Julia immediately called back, but Glades Horne didn't answer.
Looking at the time, there were only twenty minutes left until nine o'clock!
Heavens!
Julia couldn't afford to ask for the reason anymore. Hurriedly, she changed her clothes, freshened up, grabbed her car keys and LV bag, hastily asked Scarlett Taylor for the household registration book, and then left the Bluen Family villa, rushing toward the Civil Affairs Office.
「Civil Affairs Office.」
Just like the day before, Glades Horne had parked his silver Rolls-Royce in front of the Civil Affairs Office. He leaned against the car door, hands still in his pockets. His sharp eyes were unfathomable, every glance flickering with an impenetrable depth. His sensual lips were pursed, and the black suit outlined his strong, upright figure, a natural nobility evident in his every move.
Compared to yesterday's anxious anticipation, today he carried a hint of imperceptible pleasure.
When he spotted Julia's Mercedes from afar amidst the flow of traffic, his pursed lips curved into a faint smile. However, it was fleeting; by the time Julia's car stopped in front of him, he had resumed his usual cold demeanor.
"Glades, I've brought the household registration book. Do you need it? This is my family's," Julia said as she got out of the car. Standing before Glades, she took her family's household registration book from her bag and, thoroughly perplexed, presented it to him with both hands.
Glades didn't speak. He extended his hand, took the book from Julia, glanced through it briefly, then closed it. Taking her hand, he said in a low voice, "Let's go inside."
"Oh."
Julia instinctively complied. As Glades pulled her inside, she still naively asked, "Glades, can you register even if my sister doesn't come? My sister... she might... um..." ...not want to marry you, she trailed off internally.
Julia assumed Glades asking her to bring her family's household registration book meant he intended to complete the registration by himself. But since her sister had run off during the registration, it clearly showed she didn't want to marry Glades at all. For Glades to proceed unilaterally with both their household registration books seemed rather dictatorial and arrogant to her.
Glades merely glanced at her, his expression unreadable. He didn't speak but tightened his grip on her hand.
The two of them entered the Civil Affairs Office.
There weren't many people registering, so there was no need to queue.
Inside the Civil Affairs Office, the large office to the left was for marriage registration, while the one to the right handled divorce procedures. It was Julia's first time in such a place. She hadn't expected marriage and divorce to be separated merely by a left or right turn.
Glades led her into the large office on the left. The staff inside immediately greeted them with a smile, asking if they were there to register. Glades nodded, replying softly, "Yes." The staff then congratulated them. Julia wanted to say she wasn't the actual bride, but when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them. With Glades handling things, there's no need to worry, she thought. Surely he wouldn't mistakenly write the bride's name on my section of the form, right?
"Did you bring both your household registration books and IDs?" the staff asked cheerfully.
"We did," Glades replied quickly, pulling out his own household registration book and ID. He then placed Julia's household registration book on the table, turned to her, and asked, "Your ID?"
"Mine?" Julia was even more puzzled. Do they need my ID?
"Julia, give it here," Glades said, his eyes darkening slightly. His gaze grew deeper as it fell on Julia, carrying an irresistible authority that she couldn't defy. Despite her confusion, she handed over her ID.
Next, the staff handed them two forms to fill out. Julia finally found the opportunity to ask, "Whose name should I write?"
The staff replied with a smile, "Of course, you should write your own name."
Huh?
Julia finally realized something. If she filled out the form with her name and used her ID, wouldn't the resulting marriage certificate be for her and Glades? How could this be?
Suddenly, Julia remembered she'd had a few drinks yesterday and seemed to have said something to Glades about them making a good pair. Could Glades have taken it seriously? But he had been as tight-lipped as a clam yesterday, not saying a word. Besides, she had only said it self-deprecatingly, a spontaneous remark, not genuinely intending to pair up with Glades.