Claire Harper waited in the car for Nathan Cross.
She had no idea why the lawyer needed to meet with Nathan.
Though they were now married, Claire felt it wasn't her place to pry into Nathan's personal affairs. Despite being married for a few days, she still didn't know what Nathan currently did for a living. The only clue she had was that owning a property in Seaside Gardens suggested he was doing quite well for himself.
Claire's phone buzzed—it was her mother, Grace Harper.
Grace had been calling frequently over the past few days, possibly because Ethan Sterling had approached her. Each time, Claire had avoided answering directly, offering vague responses instead. But Grace wasn't one to give up easily.
"Claire, why would you tell Ethan that you're married? Some things can be said in the heat of the moment, but others can't!"
Claire took a deep breath. "First, Ethan and I are no longer together. Second, I really did get married. My husband is the 'new relationship' I told you about—a former upperclassman from high school."
Grace fell silent, her reaction mirroring that of Ethan's assistant.
"Claire, don't joke with me. Marriage is a serious matter!"
"Mom, I'm not joking. Take your time to process it. I'll bring him home to meet you in a few days."
Claire had considered introducing Nathan to Grace immediately but decided to postpone it out of respect for Nathan's recent loss.
Grace had countless questions, but as Claire noticed Nathan approaching the car, she quickly ended the call. "Mom, we'll discuss everything in person soon."
Claire hung up just as Nathan reached the car.
Nathan's gaze carried a subtle hint of scrutiny. "Who was on the phone?"
"My mom… She doesn't believe we're really married. I was thinking of arranging for you to meet her soon. Would that be okay?"
Though she tried to sound casual, Claire was inwardly nervous. In theory, Nathan owed her this much, as she had helped fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. But if Nathan refused to interact with her family, there was little she could do about it.
To her surprise, Nathan agreed without hesitation. "Of course. Just let me know when you're ready."
Relieved, Claire smiled. "Thank you, Nathan!"
Nathan took the driver's seat and began driving. As he did, he initiated a casual conversation.
"It seems like you don't want your mom to know the real reason for our flash marriage. If that's the case, I should probably learn more about you before meeting her. Otherwise, I'll have nothing to say when she asks questions, and it'll raise suspicions."
Nathan's concern mirrored Claire's own. She, too, worried that he might slip up.
Claire wasn't concerned about what the Sterlings thought, but she wanted Grace to believe in the authenticity of her marriage. Only then would Grace feel reassured enough to marry Richard Carter without guilt.
"My family went bankrupt three years ago. My dad disappeared at sea, and after two years of searching with no results, the police declared him dead. My mom eventually moved on and is now engaged to someone else. As for me, I've been working at an advertising company since college and also run a side business…"
Claire gave Nathan a brief overview of her life, including signing new agreements with creditors and breaking up with Ethan. She also mentioned that her side business involved being a fashion blogger, which Ethan's mother had disapproved of, considering it undignified.
"By the way, you don't mind my side business, do you?" Claire asked cautiously.
What she shared aligned with the findings of Nathan's background check.
Nathan decided to test her. "You mean the kind where you show your face online? If I did mind, would you stop doing it?"
Claire shook her head. "I do occasionally appear on camera, but I hope you won't mind. I've signed new debt agreements, and I need to earn as much as possible to pay them off."
Nathan was taken aback by Claire's straightforwardness. If she were a spy sent by the Sterlings, she should be trying to please him in every way, not standing her ground like this.
Still, he couldn't rule out the possibility that her attitude was part of an elaborate ploy.
"As long as your content doesn't cross any lines, I have no objections," Nathan said.
Claire smiled, her genuine gratitude shining through. "Thank you for understanding!"
For a moment, Nathan was caught off guard.
Her smile was radiant, evoking a fleeting sense of nostalgia. It reminded him of the confident and spirited Claire he had known a decade ago.
"I know your story now, but you don't know mine," Nathan said, changing the subject. "Ten years ago, I got into East City University. After graduation, I worked at an internet company. Through a mix of hard work and luck, I've managed to get by. I'm currently stationed in South City because of a company transfer."
Nathan crafted a false identity for himself as a senior engineer at Huahu Network Technology, a company experiencing rapid growth.
The fabricated story aligned with his educational background and explained how he could afford a property in Seaside Gardens.
If Claire were a spy, she would likely already know his true identity, and this cover story would seem laughable to her.
Nathan watched for any signs of amusement or disbelief but found none. Instead, Claire's face lit up with admiration.
"Huahu Network is doing so well! I've even seen employees share their salaries online. I didn't realize you worked there!" Claire exclaimed.
Coming from humble beginnings herself, Claire was genuinely impressed that Nathan, also from modest roots, had achieved so much.
Nathan carefully observed her every expression.
If Claire was acting, she was exceptionally skilled. Alternatively, she truly didn't know his real identity.
Could it all just be a coincidence?
Or was the Sterling family keeping Claire in the dark to better hide their intentions?
Nathan suddenly lost interest in testing her further.
"Could you take a cab back home? I just remembered I need to go to the office," Nathan said abruptly, pulling the car over.
Claire glanced at the road sign. "But my place is in the opposite direction from your office."
"It's still a bit out of the way. Dropping you off would make me late," Nathan replied.
Claire was stunned. They had been getting along well so far, but Nathan's sudden change in attitude left her bewildered.
This area was still on the outskirts of the city, and asking her to take a cab felt unkind, if not outright rude.
Still, Claire reasoned that Nathan had just lost his grandfather, and his emotional fluctuations were understandable.
"All right," Claire said, pushing down her disappointment as she stepped out of the car.
Using a ride-hailing app, she quickly booked a cab.
When she saw the estimated fare, her heart sank.
Claire rarely spent money on cabs and considered this an extravagant expense. She felt both rationally forgiving of Nathan and emotionally disappointed:
She must have been blind these past few days to think Nathan Cross was a decent person.