Chapter 2

Looking at his gentle features, I decided to just lay my cards on the table.

"Mr. Sterling, since Ethan set this up, I assume he's filled you in on my situation?"

"My only goal right now is to get married as soon as possible so my Grandma can stop worrying."

Adrian listened quietly.

When I finished, he raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Alright."

"As it happens, I'm looking to get married as soon as possible, too."

I froze, completely caught off guard by how easy that was.

Adrian casually poured a glass of lemon water from the carafe and slid it across the table to me.

"Let me tell you a bit about myself first."

"I work in management at a large corporation, so my income is stable."

"My family has been pressing me, and I'm at the age where I should settle down. I just want to find someone kind to share my life with."

He looked right into my eyes, his gaze steady and entirely focused on me.

"What do you think of me?"

I studied him.

He was gorgeous, carried himself flawlessly, spoke gently, and was willing to get married immediately.

It felt almost too good to be true.

I nodded quickly, terrified he might change his mind.

"I think you're great. If you feel the same, we can try dating."

The smile on Adrian's lips deepened.

"Deal. How about dinner tomorrow for our first official date?"

Over the next two weeks, Adrian and I saw a lot of each other.

He was incredibly grounded.

No matter what I suggested, he would just smile gently and say, "Okay."

When we shopped, he naturally took my bags. When we ate, he already knew my preferences.

When we crossed the street, he seamlessly shielded me from the traffic.

He was exactly my type—gentle, reliable, and totally safe.

I knew Grandma would love him.

That weekend, carrying bags of groceries, I brought Adrian back to our modest apartment on the North Side of Chicago.

The moment Grandma laid eyes on Adrian, her face lit up.

She grabbed his hands, beaming as if he were the best thing that had ever walked through her door.

Adrian, meanwhile, expertly rolled up his sleeves and headed straight into the kitchen, insisting on cooking dinner.

Leaning against the kitchen doorframe, watching his broad back as he chopped vegetables, a profound sense of security washed over me.

Right then, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was a text from Ethan.

"I know you wouldn't actually settle for that guy."

"Be a good girl and wait for me to get back to Chicago. The surprise I have for you will blow your mind."

I stared at the screen, thinking he was completely delusional.

Grandma had quietly walked up beside me, peering at my screen.

She couldn't read the small text, but her intuition was razor-sharp.

Her face hardened, and she lowered her voice.

"Who is that?"

I didn't answer. I just locked the screen.

She gave me a stern glare and poked my forehead.

"Don't you go causing trouble, Lily."

"Adrian is a wonderful boy—handsome, good-tempered, and he treats you like gold."

"I just want to make sure you're with him because you like him, not because you're too polite to say no to whatever mess you were in before."

"If you truly think he's the one, then settle down and be with him."

Looking at Grandma, my heart softened.

I knew she was just trying to protect me.

But this time, I hadn't agreed just because she pushed me.

I genuinely wanted to build a life with Adrian.

"Don't worry, Nana," I said, hugging her arm. "I've thought it through. I'm going to build a good life with Adrian."

"I absolutely won't cause any trouble. Whoever causes trouble first buys dinner, deal?"

Grandma finally gave a satisfied harrumph and turned back to the living room to watch TV.

I turned around and, without a second thought, blocked and deleted Ethan's number.

Dinner was incredibly warm and cheerful.

The more Grandma looked at Adrian, the more she loved him. Halfway through the meal, she couldn't help but bring up the wedding.

"Adrian, you two have been seeing each other for a bit now."

"When are you planning to have the wedding?"

Chapter 2

Looking at his gentle features, I decided to just lay my cards on the table.

"Mr. Sterling, since Ethan set this up, I assume he's filled you in on my situation?"

"My only goal right now is to get married as soon as possible so my Grandma can stop worrying."

Adrian listened quietly.

When I finished, he raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Alright."

"As it happens, I'm looking to get married as soon as possible, too."

I froze, completely caught off guard by how easy that was.

Adrian casually poured a glass of lemon water from the carafe and slid it across the table to me.

"Let me tell you a bit about myself first."

"I work in management at a large corporation, so my income is stable."

"My family has been pressing me, and I'm at the age where I should settle down. I just want to find someone kind to share my life with."

He looked right into my eyes, his gaze steady and entirely focused on me.

"What do you think of me?"

I studied him.

He was gorgeous, carried himself flawlessly, spoke gently, and was willing to get married immediately.

It felt almost too good to be true.

I nodded quickly, terrified he might change his mind.

"I think you're great. If you feel the same, we can try dating."

The smile on Adrian's lips deepened.

"Deal. How about dinner tomorrow for our first official date?"

Over the next two weeks, Adrian and I saw a lot of each other.

He was incredibly grounded.

No matter what I suggested, he would just smile gently and say, "Okay."

When we shopped, he naturally took my bags. When we ate, he already knew my preferences.

When we crossed the street, he seamlessly shielded me from the traffic.

He was exactly my type—gentle, reliable, and totally safe.

I knew Grandma would love him.

That weekend, carrying bags of groceries, I brought Adrian back to our modest apartment on the North Side of Chicago.

The moment Grandma laid eyes on Adrian, her face lit up.

She grabbed his hands, beaming as if he were the best thing that had ever walked through her door.

Adrian, meanwhile, expertly rolled up his sleeves and headed straight into the kitchen, insisting on cooking dinner.

Leaning against the kitchen doorframe, watching his broad back as he chopped vegetables, a profound sense of security washed over me.

Right then, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was a text from Ethan.

"I know you wouldn't actually settle for that guy."

"Be a good girl and wait for me to get back to Chicago. The surprise I have for you will blow your mind."

I stared at the screen, thinking he was completely delusional.

Grandma had quietly walked up beside me, peering at my screen.

She couldn't read the small text, but her intuition was razor-sharp.

Her face hardened, and she lowered her voice.

"Who is that?"

I didn't answer. I just locked the screen.

She gave me a stern glare and poked my forehead.

"Don't you go causing trouble, Lily."

"Adrian is a wonderful boy—handsome, good-tempered, and he treats you like gold."

"I just want to make sure you're with him because you like him, not because you're too polite to say no to whatever mess you were in before."

"If you truly think he's the one, then settle down and be with him."

Looking at Grandma, my heart softened.

I knew she was just trying to protect me.

But this time, I hadn't agreed just because she pushed me.

I genuinely wanted to build a life with Adrian.

"Don't worry, Nana," I said, hugging her arm. "I've thought it through. I'm going to build a good life with Adrian."

"I absolutely won't cause any trouble. Whoever causes trouble first buys dinner, deal?"

Grandma finally gave a satisfied harrumph and turned back to the living room to watch TV.

I turned around and, without a second thought, blocked and deleted Ethan's number.

Dinner was incredibly warm and cheerful.

The more Grandma looked at Adrian, the more she loved him. Halfway through the meal, she couldn't help but bring up the wedding.

"Adrian, you two have been seeing each other for a bit now."

"When are you planning to have the wedding?"