The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 367

In his eyes, Wisteria’s cheeks were flushed, and she looked so flustered that she was speechless for a long moment. Sunlight began to filter into the room, bathing them both in a warm glow. Yancey leaned in closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over her.

He was like the cool light of the moon, no longer the bright, untroubled person she had always known.

Wisteria held her breath, her brow furrowing. “Yancey…”

“A sham marriage is a lie, and I don’t like lying. If getting married for real can solve your problem, then let’s get married.” Yancey’s fingers gently brushed the corner of her mouth. The bruise from last night had faded, leaving only a faint mark that was still visible in the light.

“You… do you know what you’re saying? Yancey, don’t tell me you still have feelings for me…” Wisteria’s voice caught, a storm of emotions swirling inside her. She couldn’t tell if he was just trying to help her, or if he…

Yancey offered a small smile, his hand slowly tracing a line down her cheek. “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to take advantage of you, and I’m not planning on growing old with you.”

“I just happen to not have anyone I like at the moment, and my father is eager for me to settle down. Since neither of us can find a suitable partner right now, why don’t we just look after each other for a while?”

After he said his piece, he turned away, feigning a casual air, but the smile vanished from his face. A bitter, acidic feeling rose in his chest. When he’d heard her talking about finding someone else to marry, he felt his carefully cultivated composure begin to crack. If he hadn’t been so skilled at controlling his emotions, he would have grabbed her and demanded an explanation right then and there.

All these years he had cared for her. If she had even a shred of conscience, she wouldn't have dismissed him without a second thought, without giving him a single chance!

Yancey had thought he was over her. He could protect her, think about her, but he believed he no longer felt the need to rekindle their past. But her words today had caught him completely off guard.

“Yancey, you don’t have to do this…”

“This is my decision. You don’t have to persuade me. Of course, I respect your choice as well. I’ll give you two days to think about it. If you agree, we’ll meet at the courthouse in two days. Eight o’clock in the morning.”

Yancey ended the conversation with a calm finality. He sounded so rational, it was as if he were discussing a business deal. But to Wisteria, it still felt uncomfortably like charity. He had given her time to consider, and she didn't refuse him on the spot.

…………

That afternoon, after Wisteria returned to the Covington Group, she received a call from Ramona. Yancey had wasted no time, telling Ramona everything as soon as he got back.