My Amnesic Ex Married My Sister, So I Married His Uncle-Chapter 13: No Separation

The newlyweds, marriage certificate in hand, stood outside the registration office, shaking hands and talking politely as if they’d just met.

Not far away, Silas Jacobs was slumped bonelessly in the passenger seat of a Ghost, leaning against the window.

Seeing the two of them acting like they barely knew each other, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.

"Hey! Who on earth gets married and just shakes hands?! Hug! Kiss! Are you two—"

His voice died under Owen Rhodes’s murderous glare.

But when his gaze returned to Stella Sterling, it was once again filled with tenderness.

Owen Rhodes asked her, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

’For him to ask like that, he must have something he wants me to do with him.’

Stella Sterling shook her head obediently. "I’ll follow your lead."

Jandor in June was growing hotter by the day, but the evening breeze was still quite pleasant.

As the car drove through the city, surrounded by dazzling lights and brightly lit office buildings and malls, Stella Sterling finally felt like she was truly back in her homeland.

She pulled her gaze away from the window and turned to look at Owen Rhodes. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

He had been busy ever since they got in the car, switching from his phone to a tablet. Now, he had even put on a pair of silver-rimmed glasses.

The dome light was on, and the thin frames of his glasses reflected a cold glint, giving him an inexplicably distant and stern air that made one hesitate to interrupt.

In the soft light, the man’s features were sharply defined. He had a high nose bridge and a strong jawline, and his Adam’s apple, hidden beneath his shirt collar, held an indescribable sexiness.

As if sensing her gaze, Owen Rhodes looked up from his tablet.

"Is there something you want to say?"

Stella Sterling’s shoulders gave a slight shudder. "Oh, I was just wondering... is it really okay to leave Silas Jacobs on the side of the road like that?"

There had originally been four people in the car, but for some reason, halfway through the drive, Owen Rhodes had suddenly told the driver to stop and kicked Silas Jacobs out.

"It’s fine. He won’t get lost," Owen Rhodes said succinctly.

"So, where are we heading now?"

This was what Stella Sterling had really wanted to ask.

"Home."

"Oh."

Stella Sterling nodded instinctively. Then, the word slowly deconstructed and reassembled itself in her mind...

’Wait a minute, why am I not getting it?’

"Huh?"

Owen Rhodes took off his glasses, folded them, and set them on the tablet.

He set the tablet aside and turned toward Stella Sterling.

"It’s the first day of our marriage. I have no plans to live separately."

"..."

"You want to keep our marriage a secret for the time being. That’s fine. But living separately? No."

Direct and to the point.

Very Owen Rhodes.

’Come to think of it, ever since I’ve known him, he’s always been considerate in everything he said and did, always discussing things with me first. This is the first time he’s ever explicitly said no.’

When she had accepted his proposal, Stella Sterling had already considered what would come next.

’It’s just living together—I’m so understanding, it won’t be a problem!’

’It’s just married life—Owen Rhodes’s face and physique are exactly my type, so it’s no loss for me!’

’I just never expected it to come so suddenly.’

Stella Sterling wrinkled her nose slightly and looked down at the tips of her shoes, murmuring, "I never said I wanted to live separately..."

She didn’t get a response from Owen Rhodes and wasn’t sure if he had even heard her.

Just after eight in the evening, the car drove into Lanthos Bay.

Lanthos Bay was a renowned high-end residential area in Jandor. The standard home here was a three-story, stand-alone European-style villa with a pool and a garden, though some homes were also custom-built.

When the car stopped, a butler and a housekeeper were waiting respectfully at the villa’s entrance.

Owen Rhodes personally opened the car door for her, shielding her with his arm as she stepped out.

"This is the butler, Mr. Joel, and the housekeeper, Tate. From now on, if you need anything at home, you can just ask them."

Mr. Joel and Tate had only just received a notification from Owen Rhodes a short while ago, telling them that he would be bringing the lady of the house home later and that they should prepare dinner.

The two of them had been working for Owen Rhodes for several years and had never once seen him bring a woman home.

They never thought the first time he did, it would be the real deal.

Both were highly professional, their faces maintaining respectful and friendly smiles.

When Owen Rhodes introduced them, they each stepped forward, bowed to Stella Sterling, and greeted her, "A pleasure to meet you, Madam."

"And this is my assistant, Liam Hawthorne. If, by any chance, you can’t reach me, contact him."

Liam Hawthorne, who had been with them all the way from the registration office to Lanthos Bay, only now stepped in front of Stella Sterling to hand her a business card. "Madam, this is my contact information. Please feel free to call on me anytime."

Stella Sterling felt that she must have been dazed by the repeated "Madam."

’It feels like a dream, not real at all.’

For the rest of the tour, she felt like an accessory being led by Owen Rhodes through their understatedly luxurious yet noticeably empty "home."

By the time her thoughts returned to her, Owen Rhodes had already had dinner with her and gone out again.

Owen Rhodes explained that he had fallen behind on a lot of work during his trip to Lumina, so he had to rush back to the office to put in some extra hours. He told her to get some rest and not to wait up for him.

And so, in the enormous villa, she was now left alone with Mr. Joel and Tate.

The sheer amount of information she’d had to process in such a short time was overwhelming; Stella Sterling’s brain felt a little fried.

She hugged a throw pillow, sitting cross-legged on the living room sofa in a daze.

An open diary rested on her lap.

Next to the entry "A grand escape," a red checkmark had been drawn, and Stella Sterling had even added two five-pointed stars beside it.

’I never imagined I would end up checking this item off first.’

Just then, Tate came over and handed her a new phone. "Madam, Sir asked me to prepare this for you."

Stella Sterling froze.

’That’s right. My phone is currently in a trash can at some FBO in Lumina.’

Tate continued, "Your toiletries and a change of clothes have also been placed in the master bathroom and walk-in closet, just as Sir instructed."

’Owen Rhodes really is thoughtful.’

’We were together the entire time. I have no idea when he managed to arrange all this so quietly.’

Tate added, "Sir also mentioned that the third floor has always been empty, so it would be perfect for you to use as a painting studio, Madam. You can decorate it however you like."

Stella Sterling’s beautiful, almond-shaped eyes widened slowly.

’Even though we’re a legally married couple now, it’s not like I can just do whatever I want in his villa.’

She quickly waved her hands in refusal. "Oh, I couldn’t, that’s..."

"There’s nothing to worry about," Tate said, covering her mouth to hide a chuckle as something occurred to her. "Sir said it’s not just the third floor—you can redecorate the entire house however you please. You’re the lady of the house. Mr. Joel and I listen to Sir, and Sir said he listens to you. So, around here, you have the final say."