"Oh, I see." Carolline obediently replied.
Bryan Hawkins was finally satisfied.
Xavier Estrada quietly glanced at the rearview mirror and was shocked by what he saw. Was Bryan Hawkins actually smiling? The curve of his mouth was undeniable unless you were blind.
Having worked for Bryan Hawkins for many years, Xavier naturally knew his boss's rules. When it came to certain matters, especially his private life, it was best to play deaf and blind.
In Xavier's view, Bryan Hawkins and Carolline's affair also belonged to the realm of private matters, so when he caught that glance just now, he pretended not to notice anything.
At 9:20 am, the two arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau. They went directly through the express lane to fill out forms, take photos, and undergo pre-marital check-ups. They then paid nine yuan for the Marriage Certificate.
Throughout the process, Bryan Hawkins remained calm, but Carolline was extremely excited. Her hand trembled uncontrollably as she filled out the form. The staff eyed her suspiciously but she couldn't control herself.
In fact, not only were her hands shaking, but her legs were too, her entire body trembling, and her heart quivering.
During the photoshoot, things got even more dramatic. Sitting next to Bryan Hawkins, Carolline was so nervous that she forgot how to smile. When she received the photo, she felt it was the ugliest photo in her life.
She was actually quite photogenic and loved taking pictures, but somehow, the most important photo ended up ruined.
She wanted to cry and ask the photographer to retake it, but she knew it probably wouldn't be allowed.
Hence, after looking at the photo, Bryan Hawkins didn't say a word either.
With his silence, her request would definitely be useless.
From the moment she entered the Civil Affairs Bureau to when she left, it only took less than half an hour, but Carolline felt as if a century had passed.
Her palms and feet were sweaty with nervousness. But once she got the certificate, her trembling heart finally calmed down a bit.
As they left, Carolline could hardly believe everything that had just happened - she was married, and her husband was the man of her dreams she had admired for years.
She wondered if she was being overly favored by fate and felt like celebrating wildly or announcing it to the world.
This had nothing to do with Bryan Hawkins' current identity and status. It was just because of him, and him alone.
"Here are the keys to our new home at Bluen Lake Wonderland. You can go there whenever you want. This is the access card; you need to swipe it when entering and exiting. Also, I hope we can have a secret marriage. Any objections?"
Bryan Hawkins took the keys and card from Xavier and handed them to Carolline. Having gotten the Marriage Certificate, his earlier uncertainty was gone, and the matter was resolved.
"No," Carolline blurted out almost unconsciously.
"Alright, I'll be a bit busy from now on. If you need anything, you can call Xavier. I'll have someone help you sort out the card. If you need money before that, you can also call Xavier, and he'll handle everything for you."
"I don't need it. I have a job, and I don't need money urgently. You don't have to..." Carolline wanted to say he didn't have to get her a card, but when she saw Bryan Hawkins' increasingly dark expression, she knew she had said the wrong thing.
"Mrs. Hawkins, I don't think I expressed myself incorrectly just now, did I?" Bryan Hawkins stared at her intently. He meant a secret marriage, not a fake marriage. He was naturally going to fulfill his duties as a husband, including providing financially for the family and his wife.
Thus, getting her a card was only logical. However, Carolline's rebuttal genuinely displeased him.
"..." Carolline unconsciously looked up, her expression still blank.
She didn't understand, which part of her words just now was wrong?
"We are having a secret marriage, not a fake one. Understand? Alright, I have a video conference now. Xavier and I will go first, and you can take a taxi back." Bryan Hawkins took out his wallet, pulled out a stack of cash, and handed it to her.
He checked the time on his watch and realized he was running late. He turned around and quickly walked down the stairs.
Carolline stood there, gripping the cash and feeling utterly dazed for a long while before finally returning to reality.