Chapter 5: The Vow Without a Heartbeat

They were married on a Wednesday.

No church bells. No crowded chapel. No fairy-tale fanfare.

Just a city courthouse, two signatures, and a quiet exchange of rings beneath the sharp lens of a well-placed photographer.

The image would be everywhere by morning.

"Billionaire CEO Damien Ashford Marries Mysterious Civilian Bride."

The media didn't need a love story. They just needed a headline.

Amelia stood beside Damien as flashbulbs exploded outside the courthouse steps, her hand resting gently in the crook of his arm. She smiled—not too wide, not too stiff. It was part performance, part reflex.

But the surprising part?

It wasn't that difficult to fake.

He hadn't forced a facade on her. He didn't tell her to laugh louder or grip his hand tighter. He let her lead. He matched her pace.

And when he leaned in slightly, so their foreheads almost touched for the cameras, his voice was low enough that only she could hear it.

"You're doing fine."

Just three words.

But in a storm of noise and lights, they grounded her.

Later That Day – Ashford Penthouse

The penthouse was different now. Their names were on paper, their photos splashed across headlines, but inside those walls… nothing changed.

There were no rose petals. No champagne. No forced intimacy.

Just space. Comfort. Quiet.

She entered her bedroom to find a small white box waiting on the bed. No note.

Inside, a slim gold bracelet—simple, elegant, engraved with her initials and the date: A.H. – 06.26

She ran her fingers over it and smiled softly.

No romance. But not indifference either.

Damien didn't give her flowers.

He gave her thought.

Evening – Shared Kitchen Space

She found him standing at the counter, sleeves rolled, reading the news on his tablet with a cup of black coffee beside him. He looked up as she entered.

"Bracelet," he said. "Too much?"

She shook her head. "It's perfect. Thank you."

He nodded, looking almost… relieved.

Amelia poured herself a cup of tea and leaned on the marble island. "So. What now, Mr. Ashford?"

He arched a brow. "You already live here. You've already married me. If you're planning to rob me, I'm afraid it's too late."

She laughed quietly, and something in him softened.

"I meant," she clarified, "what happens in terms of appearances. Do we go out as a couple? Are we supposed to hold hands in front of your board of directors? Kiss at dinner parties?"

Damien set the tablet down and considered her seriously. "Only what you're comfortable with. You don't owe me affection. Not in public, not in private. The world will talk either way—our job is to be unified. Not artificial."

She appreciated that. Immensely.

Still, she tilted her head. "So… no fake honeymoon photos? No suspicious beach sightings?"

He smirked. "We could fake a trip to the Maldives. Or you could enjoy an actual one while I answer emails from a villa terrace."

She laughed again, more freely this time. "A honeymoon where we both get solitude. That's probably more romantic than most real ones."

His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary.

Then, almost too quietly:"You're not what I expected, Amelia."

She met his gaze. "Neither are you."

Night – Across the Hall

That night, they didn't sleep in the same room.

They didn't pretend to.

But as she lay in bed, Amelia didn't feel alone. Not quite.

The silence wasn't heavy.

It was… respectful.

He wasn't rushing her into his world.

He was inviting her into it—at her pace.

And in a world where she'd been forced to fight, beg, and compromise to survive… that small grace felt bigger than diamonds.

Damien – Office Study, Late

He sat in the dim light of his private study, staring at the contract again.

She had signed the line so cleanly. No hesitation.

And yet, every hour he spent with her chipped away at the certainty he thought he had.

She wasn't impressed by the money. She didn't flinch in the face of cameras. She didn't cling to him.

She challenged him without attacking.

She stood next to him—not behind him.

Damien closed the contract and set it aside.

This arrangement had a countdown.

But he was starting to wonder what he'd do if the clock ran out… and he wasn't ready to let her go.

🖤Next Chapter Preview: Public appearances begin. Beneath the surface of practiced smiles and whispered lies, something begins to shift. And when one of Damien's former flames resurfaces, Amelia must decide what her role truly is… and what she wants it to be.