Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 94

How does he know?

No one had called her that since Malcolm and Vivian passed away.

The officiant recovered quickly and continued. Rings were exchanged. The diamond he slid onto her finger caught the light in a blaze of brilliance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the groom may now kiss the bride."

Applause thundered through the hall.

All eyes fixed on Elena. Would the veil finally be lifted?

She hesitated, uncertain whether Alexander would reveal her face. If he did, the fallout would ripple far beyond this room.

Before she could overthink it, Alexander's hands settled on her shoulders.

He did not lift the veil.

Instead, he leaned in and pressed a cool kiss through the delicate fabric against her lips.

The unexpected intimacy sent a sharp rush through her chest, and her eyes widened beneath the veil.

A murmur of disappointment ran through the crowd. They had expected at least a reveal during the kiss, and perhaps another glimpse during the toast.

But the moment the formalities ended, the newlyweds stepped down from the stage.

He never lifted the veil, and there were no extended toasts or lingering formalities. Instead, Alexander slipped an arm around her waist and guided her out of the ballroom without hesitation, leaving the guests to watch in silence.

No one dared to question it, because this was Alexander, and no one in that room had the audacity to challenge him.

Elena followed him through the corridor and into the elevator leading to the underground parking garage.

"There are still so many guests upstairs," she said quietly. "Is that really okay?"

She could already imagine headlines speculating about their abrupt exit.

Alexander glanced at her. "Isn't this our wedding?"

"Yes."

"Then shouldn't we be the ones enjoying it?"

He opened the passenger door for her and added lightly, "Unless you'd rather go back and make small talk?"

Elena had no argument for that. She got in.

It took her a few seconds to understand why he had refused to lift her veil.

No matter how gracious the Kingsley family appeared, Alexander still had a reputation to maintain. Publicly revealing that his bride had once spent five years trapped in a sham marriage would only fuel gossip.

Perhaps this was cleaner.

Alexander's lips curved slightly. "Something to do when I have time. Growing your own produce is healthier."

He said it casually.

Her chest tightened.

No one his age randomly converted part of a manicured lawn into a vegetable patch. She had never heard that he had any interest in gardening.

This was for her.

She had always loved growing things. It was a habit from the years she spent in the countryside with Malcolm and Vivian.

After the Hart family brought her back, she often found herself alone. Catherine favored Camille and frequently took her out, leaving Elena behind.

Out of boredom, she had carved out a small corner of the garden and planted vegetables, just to keep busy.

Camille had discovered it. The next day, every plant had been trampled.

When Elena confronted Catherine, Camille burst into tears and said, "She's trying to remind me I don't belong here. She wants me sent back to the country."

Catherine did not hesitate.

She ordered the staff to rip everything out.

"No more of that," she had said coldly. "This isn't some farm. Don't bring that rural mindset into this house."