"Miss Miller, didn't you say you didn't want to get married, especially not to me?"
Carson Flores was quite confused, had he misunderstood?
Or had he heard wrong just now?
Shirley Miller felt a surge of shame and anger. In her mind, the man before her was nothing short of a scoundrel who peeped at women's chests—a pervert!
He didn't want to marry her, yet now she was the one who had to ask him for marriage!
"My parents died early, and my grandfather raised me. I don't want to disappoint him, let alone make him sad, so I will marry you... a marriage in name only."
Carson Flores finally understood, his eyes widened, "You mean... a fake marriage?"
Shirley Miller nodded lightly, "Yes, in name only."
Carson Flores instinctively objected, "That won't do. I still need to find a wife. Once this certificate is torn up, I'll already be a married man, and wouldn't that be a waste? Miss Miller, it's your business if you want to show filial piety, but I don't think I have any obligation to play this pretend husband and wife game with you, right?"
Shirley Miller spoke coldly, "Don't you want the Jade Pendant? In three months, I'll divorce you and give you the jade pendant!"
Carson Flores's eyes lit up immediately, "Three months?"
"Yes!"
Carson Flores asked again, "No money?"
Shirley Miller clenched her teeth, "No money!"
Carson Flores muttered, "Three months isn't that long. It's just, playing this act with you, I'll instantly become a divorced man. If I talk to a girlfriend in the future, and she asks about it, people might think I'm scum, or some kind of domestic abuser..."
Shirley Miller's hand had unconsciously formed a fist, and her irritation was growing, wishing she could smash it into Carson Flores's face.
A divorced man?
Wouldn't I then be a divorced woman?
I, a pure and beautiful woman, am not afraid, yet you, a filthy rascal, are worried about ruining your reputation?
Shirley Miller said coldly, "I'll give you an extra million, that should be enough, right?"
Carson Flores waved his hand, "Forget the money. But can I ask why it has to be three months?"
A hint of sorrow flashed in Shirley Miller's eyes, then she said with a cold face, "Three months is about the time two people can get to know each other. After that, I will tell my grandfather that our personalities don't match, that we're both miserable together. Then, naturally, he won't stop us from divorcing. After all, we will have been married and tried."
Makes sense!
Without having married, the old man would definitely say you never tried and never knew it wouldn't work. After being married for a few months, the marital promise has been fulfilled, and everything promised to each other has been completed. If it doesn't work out, what can you do?
By then, the old man indeed would have no reason to force two people to be together.
Having thought it over, Carson Flores reasoned that three months wasn't a long time. As long as he got the jade pendant and found clues to his own identity, he could leave.
Carson Flores looked up, "Since we're going to be fake spouses, outside of pretending to be husband and wife at home, you can't interfere with my other activities."
Disgust flashed in Shirley Miller's eyes. Once a low-life, always a low-life—couldn't even restrain himself for three months!
He just wants to go out and flirt with other women!
Shirley Miller said coldly, "You only need to act along with me in front of my grandfather, I won't interfere with the rest. Whether you go bar-hopping or seduce girls, it's none of my business. Just don't reveal anything in front of my grandfather!"
Carson Flores breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I have no objections then. Do we have a deal?"
Shirley Miller also relaxed, nodded, and said, "Later I'll draft a contract for us. You just need to sign."
Carson Flores smiled, "A contract? You're afraid I might trick you later, huh? Okay, you draft it, and I'll sign."
Shirley Miller pursed her lips without denying it.
Indeed, she had her worries, on one hand, that Carson Flores would refuse to divorce after three months, and on the other, that he would demand all sorts of things at the time of divorce, like a large sum of money or shares of the company. After all, in Shirley Miller's heart, Carson Flores was nothing but a thug; a person like that was capable of anything.
"Let's head back."
Carson Flores saw the disgust and caution in Shirley Miller's eyes and felt helpless. What was all this about? Not only was the marriage fake, but he'd also become a complete villain in Shirley Miller's eyes...
Thinking of Samantha Tate's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Shirley Miller, Carson Flores couldn't help but ask, "Miss Miller..."
Shirley Miller turned around, "In front of Grandfather, you can call me Mary."
Carson Flores nodded. If they were to put on an act, it had to be comprehensive. They were about to get married on paper; calling her Miss Miller all the time was like telling the old man that their relationship was as good as estranged.
"Okay, Mary..."
Shirley Miller glared at Carson Flores, "I meant that you can call me that in front of Grandfather."
Carson Flores spread his hands, "People are creatures of habit. If I get used to calling you Miss Miller, it'll slip out, and I might accidentally get it wrong in front of the old man. It's just a name, and if you care about that, then we can't play this act."
This guy was seizing the opportunity to sweet-talk her, acting sleazy?
Shirley Miller stared at Carson Flores for a moment, but ultimately didn't argue back because what he said made sense.
If they were to pretend to be husband and wife and couldn't even stand each other's names, how could they carry on the act?
"Alright, you can call me that, but don't have any dirty thoughts."
Dirty thoughts?
Carson Flores smiled bitterly. Was this misunderstanding never to be resolved?
Would he have to carry the burden of being labeled a scoundrel forever?
No, he had to ask!
"Mary, I want to ask you something. Do you have a sister or something..."