The coffee shop near the Civil Affairs Bureau.
"Evelyn, if you're ready to sign, we can go handle the paperwork right away."
A calm, cool voice came from the seat across the table.
The man, tall with long legs, rested one hand against his cheek as he leaned back on the plush sofa, slightly tilting his head to look at her.
Evelyn glanced through the agreement, then finally shifted her gaze to the man sitting across from her.
Sure, he was ridiculously handsome—hands down better-looking than most movie stars—but that distant, cold vibe of his screamed "hard to deal with."
Honestly, if it weren’t for the tight deadline forcing her to get married this month, she wouldn’t have agreed to Helen’s proposal and gone for this spontaneous marriage with her brother.
But then again, all she wanted was that red certificate, not his money or anything else. Besides, a whirlwind marriage like this? He was being cautious—kind of fair, really.
And to be honest, even though the terms in the agreement about finances and property were pretty strict, it clearly stated that they’d keep out of each other’s personal lives after marriage, do a trial for six months, and split if things didn’t work out.
Most importantly, there was no obligation during the trial period to act like a typical married couple. They didn’t even have to live in the same place. "Anyway, simple as that—if it doesn’t work out, we split."
This marriage agreement? Yeah, it was totally up her alley.
When Evelyn Collins finished reading and picked up the pen, Alonso Moore opposite her had a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
The terms, honestly, didn’t benefit her at all.
No joint finances after marriage, no compensation if they divorced, no hidden relationship but absolutely no wedding. Apart from the title "Mrs. Moore," she’d basically get nothing.
Let’s be real—any woman with ulterior motives would bolt at the sight of this agreement.
But Evelyn? Not even fazed.
Could it be he had misjudged her?
Or... maybe it was just a cunning little game, playing hard to get. After all, how else could she have sweet-talked Helen Moore into singing her praises nonstop and even pushing him into "marrying her for gratitude"?
He scoffed internally.
Alonso had always thought Helen was totally played by Evelyn, that’s why she nudged him into this absurd "marriage for repayment."
Evelyn had no clue that, from the very start, Alonso Moore simply pegged her as a fraud—a calculated, manipulative woman through and through.After signing her name, she pushed the agreement back across the table. “Mr. Moore, do you need to sign too? And maybe leave your fingerprint?”
She didn’t want to risk him backing out.
Evelyn Collins kept her gaze steady on the handsome man sitting across from her. Deep down, she had already made up her mind: as soon as the trial marriage was over, they’d go their separate ways.
Alonso Moore’s sharp eyes briefly lingered on the clean, precise strokes of her signature. His brow arched slightly.
Her handwriting’s not bad, he thought.
Still, all it showed was that she had done her homework—clearly, not just an ordinary scam artist.
He had also made up his mind: six months, then divorce.
The air around him seemed to chill further as he grabbed the pen, scrawled his name with a flourish, and borrowed the café owner’s red ink pad to press his fingerprint.
“Let’s go. Time for the civil affairs office.”
Evelyn hummed a quiet acknowledgment, stood up, and followed behind him.
These days, marriage procedures were streamlined—a quick, one-stop process. From snapping a photo to stamping the certificate, it took less than twenty minutes.
With well-practiced smiles, the staff handed over the little red booklets and offered their congratulations. Evelyn walked out clutching hers, a wave of relief spreading through her.
With this certificate in her hands, she could finally complete the adoption process for Jasper.Evelyn Collins' face, usually calm and composed, showed a hint of brightness as a smile crept onto her lips.
Walking beside her, Alonso Moore caught sight of her expression, and his aura turned even colder.
"Typical little liar," he thought to himself. She must think that getting the marriage certificate secured her place in the Moore family as Mrs. Moore.
Next step? Probably sticking to him under every excuse she can find. Or maybe announcing their marriage everywhere.
He had deliberately avoided mentioning a private marriage just to see if she would expose herself. As long as she used the title "Mrs. Moore" to cause trouble, Helen Moore would finally see her true colors.
By then, a divorce wouldn’t even take half a year.
The more Alonso thought about it, the colder his expression became. But at that moment, Evelyn stopped walking.
"Mr. Moore!" she said, looking up at him with genuine gratitude. "Thank you!"
No matter what his attitude was, getting that red booklet was a big favor in her eyes and deserved a heartfelt "thanks."
Her bright and sincere smile left Alonso momentarily stunned.