The next morning, Joanne woke up to the sound of a soft knock on her bedroom door. She groggily sat up as Martha, the head housekeeper, stepped inside with a calm expression.
"Good morning, Mrs. King. Mr. King requests your presence for breakfast."
Joanne rubbed her temples, still adjusting to her new reality. Mrs. King. The title felt foreign, yet it was now hers.
After freshening up, she made her way downstairs. The grand dining room was already set, but Alexander wasn't at the table. Instead, he sat at the far end of the room, his wheelchair positioned near the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the garden.
Joanne hesitated before approaching. "Good morning."
Alexander didn't look at her immediately. He merely gestured toward the seat beside him.
He looked at her face,so delicate and soft he wondered why she was crying last night.
She sat, and soon, the butlers began serving breakfast. The sight of him in the wheelchair was a stark reminder of the man she had agreed to marry. He looks so powerful despite him pretending to be crippled.
She sigh, and shoke her head, "When did you get back last night, I didn't hear you walk in."
He didn't respond to her.
"I have a charity gala tonight," Alexander said suddenly, breaking the silence. "You'll attend as my wife."
Joanne blinked. A public event already?
"But… I don't know anything about your world."
"You'll learn," he replied coolly. "For now, you just need to smile and look the part."
Joanne frowned. "And what exactly is 'the part'?"
Alexander finally turned to her, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "The devoted wife of a crippled billionaire."
His tone was calm, but the words carried a sharp edge. It made her stomach twist.
Before she could respond, he continued, "Our marriage is now public knowledge. Eyes will be on you. On us. Don't make mistakes."
Joanne gritted her teeth. "You think I'll embarrass you?"
He smirked, sipping his coffee. "I think you don't yet understand what you've signed up for."
Joanne clenched her fists under the table. Maybe I don't. But I will.
Tonight, the world would meet Mrs. Joanne King for the first time.