What Randal said made sense. In the business world, parties were important activities, where people from different consortiums socialized.

The parties the consortiums attended also stood for their statuses and power.

Nigel pondered over his grandpa’s words and decided to obey him.

After all, at the party, he and Elvira could show up as a couple. He could introduce her as his wife and receive people’s admiration.

"Go home tomorrow. Let her meet the others of our family,"

Felix demanded. Then he gave Elvira a cold glance.

His weird and casual tone made Nigel feel very uncomfortable.

Frowning, Nigel balled his hands into fists with resentment as if the older man were not his father but a stranger.

Sitting there, Elvira listened quietly as the three men talked, too nervous to speak.

She studied Nigel’s face from time to time. She could tell that he was angry right now.

To give him some time to calm down, she summoned up her courage and said cautiously to Felix, "No problem. Nigel and I will go home tomorrow."

This was the only thing she could do for Nigel on such an occasion.

Judging from their conversation, she realized that Nigel was not close to his father.

Felix had been having a long face since the moment Nigel got home from work. During their conversation, Nigel had talked back to him. Right now Felix’s face was even gloomier than a moment ago.

Elvira didn’t know exactly what was the problem between them, but she wanted to help them bond.

Nigel hadn’t expect her to speak, so he was surprised when he heard her voice.

Their marriage was a sham, but she was now talking as if she was really his wife. As a smart man, Nigel soon figured out that she was trying to help him out in front of his family.

Since she had agreed to meet his family, Nigel didn’t say anything else. He would always be on her side.

He loosened up a little after his father and grandfather had left. Now that he was alone with Elvira, instead of a defiant son and grandson, he was that gentle husband again.

"They must have scared you,"

he said, looking at her with concern.

"What did they say to you before I got home?"

He was worried that Felix might have been harsh on her. Did he say anything inappropriate?

He and his father were on bad terms. It was okay that his father was mad at him, but Nigel hoped he hadn’t taken it out on her, because she had nothing to do with their problem. And if she was hurt because of him, he would feel bad about it.

"Not much. They just got here when you came back."

Elvira smiled. Her eyes were narrowed like two crescent moons. Actually, even if Randal and Felix did say something harsh to her, she wouldn’t tell Nigel, because telling him would only make his relationship with his family tenser.

Looking her in the eye, he was engrossed. Because of the sudden arrival of his father and grandfather, he hadn’t gotten a chance to have a good look at her yet after work.

He spread out his arms and hugged her tightly.

It felt great to be so close to her.

A sense of content rose from the depths of his heart.

It was sweet.

Elvira leaned on his chest, his strong arms wrapped around her. He had a scent of lemon.

She liked it.

Everyone had a unique scent. It didn’t come from the laundry detergent, or soap, or shampoo, or body wash one used. Neither was it because of the perfume they were wearing.

It was born with.

It might change as the person grew up, but no people's scents were the same.

Nigel smelled like lemon while Elvira smelled like candy. Their scents mixed up in the air. They were happy even without saying a word.

Right now, the tenderness on his face contrasted sharply with the coldness when he had faced his father and grandfather.

Once again, she was convinced that only when he was with her was he gentle and considerate.

To the others, including his father and grandfather, he remained cold, as if nothing concerned him.

She had thought that his decision to marry her had been made on a whim. Maybe he just wanted to have some fun. Now she didn’t think so. He was a serviceman after all. Marriage shouldn’t be such an immaterial matter to him.

Elvira felt bad about misunderstanding him.

That night, they lay in bed awkwardly. Although this wasn’t the first night they had shared a bed, it was still embarrassing. They didn’t know each other that well after all.

Lying there, for a while, neither of them moved. Elvira looked about nervously, and Nigel was as stiff as a board.

Just like last time, he struggled in his heart. When he finally convinced himself to do something, he found that she had already fallen asleep.

Nigel clenched his teeth, full of regrets.

She should thank him for being a gentleman, or their marriage would have been consummated.

She is so careless. Does she know anything about self-protection?

Tomorrow I’ll give her such a piece of my mind. Maybe I should ask her to take self-defense lessons,

he thought sullenly. He could protect her, of course. But what if he was occupied elsewhere and couldn’t make it in time?

Ferguson could protect her too, but still he was an outsider.

Caution was everything.

In her sleep, her long eyelashes fluttered now and then. Her breathing was even. Her tender, pouting lips tempted him.

Nigel’s mouth went bone dry. He gulped nervously.

The next morning, Elvira woke up to find that she was in Nigel’s arms and he was in sound asleep.

In case she woke him up, she remained motionless.

She turned to look at him. This was the first time she had looked at him so close.

He was really handsome, even more good-looking than her.

He had determined eyebrows and bright eyes, like a movie star.

She recalled the way he looked at her when their eyes met. The look in his eyes was intent and tender.

His high nose and thin lips were perfect from every angle.

His long eyelashes curled up slightly at the end. His clean black hair felt soft. Some stray hair fell on his forehead.

He looked proud and stern, but when he smiled, he was like an innocent child.

I bet he doesn’t smile much to the others, she thought. If he did, she never saw it.