Cornelia Steward's impulsive marriage to an ordinary man left her feeling alone and unfulfilled, until she met the mysterious CEO of her company. Despite feeling a strange familiarity towards him, she couldn't quite figure out where she had seen him before. Rumors swirled about the Hartley Group's CEO, known for his cold demeanor towards women, suddenly getting married and showering his wife with love. Little did Cornelia know, she was the one envied by all as the CEO's wife. At the end of a boozy banquet, the CEO whispered in her ear, "Wifey..."

Chapter 1Riverton.The scorching sun of summer feels like it could roast a person to a crisp.Cornelia Stewart took half a day off from her boss, left the office, and went straight to the city hall in Waterside District to get her marriage certificate.She knew that her grandma was still upset about what had happened three years ago, thinking she didn't protect Cornelia well, which led to her bad reputation and inability to go home.With Granny Rebecca getting older, Rebecca worried about not being able to take care of Cornelia anymore. So, she found Granny Luisa from Riverton, hoping she could introduce a suitable man to Cornelia. As it happened, Granny Luisa's grandson was an eligible bachelor.The older generation always felt that a girl's ultimate goal should be to get married, no matter who the husband was, as long as she got married, it was like completing her mission.Having experienced what happened three years ago and witnessing so many broken marriages around her, Cornelia didn't have high hopes for marriage.She believed that if she met the right person, she could get married, but if not, being single for the rest of her life wasn't bad either.But to put her grandma at ease, Cornelia agreed to marry Granny Luisa's grandson.She quickly arrived at her destination and, as she got out of the car, she saw a tall man standing at the entrance of the city hall.He wore a plain white shirt and black slacks, but his appearance was striking, and women couldn't help but stare at him.He was on the phone, not looking sideways.Cornelia checked her phone and found the photo her grandma sent her. The man was the one in the photo, but he was even more handsome in person.She approached him, and when she was close, he hung up the phone and asked, "Cornelia?"Not only was he good-looking, but he also had a deep and sexy voice.She nodded, "Are you Jeremy Artis?"Jeremy nodded and turned to walk into the city hall.He took big strides, walking fast, and Cornelia had to jog to keep up with him. "Um, are you sure you want to get married?"Jeremy stopped and checked his watch, "Do you have any concerns?"Cornelia wanted to ask if he knew her, if he knew her past.But she thought that he might be like her, forced to get married by the pressure of the older generation, not because of true love, so knowing each other wasn't essential.Just like her, she only knew he was Granny Luisa's grandson, not even knowing his occupation.Cornelia shook her head, "Let's go then."They finished it quickly.When she saw the newly issued marriage certificate, she could hardly believe it. At that moment, Jeremy handed her a bank card."I've been busy with work lately and won't have time to take care of you. Take this card, the password is six 6s, and use the money inside as you wish."Cornelia was stunned, and by the time she recovered, Jeremy had already left in a business car.She looked at the bank card in her hand, feeling like it was burning her.She worked in the branch of the Hartley Group, and had opened a comic book studio with her friend. With a lot of income every month, she ccould live a good life without spending men's money.Her ideal loveless marriage was to get a certificate to deal with the elders at home, not to interfere with each other after marriage, and to live as usual.However, if Jeremy Artis is willing to live a peaceful life with her, she would also manage this marriage with her heart.By thinking that, Cornelia sent a photo of the marriage certificate to her grandma, "Grandma, we've got our marriage certificate."Her grandma replied, " Good thing. You’d better have some children with him as soon as possible.""Okay." Replying with one word, Cornelia put away her phone, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.That's how it was in Cornelia's hometown. If a woman was still single, she would be urged to get married, and once married, she would be pushed to have children. It was as if women couldn't have their own lives.Cornelia's marriage seemed to have no influence on her life.After getting married, that man never reached out to Cornelia again. Cornelia's life didn't undergo any changes whatsoever and she continued tirelessly working day and night.A year passed quickly, and Riverton welcomed its hottest season again.During that year, Cornelia, due to her outstanding job performance, had been transferred to the secretary's office at the Hartley Group headquarters.The president of the Hartley Group returned from a year abroad today, and everyone in the company was very nervous, especially Cornelia, who may be transferred to the president’s side to continue her work.As everyone was expecting the president to appear, the president's exclusive elevator door opened, and two men and a woman exited.The man in the lead wore silver-framed glasses and was at least 6 feet tall, with an impeccable physique and face.Cornelia thought he looked familiar and couldn't help but observe him for a few more moments..."Cornelia, that's our president, President Hartley," her colleague Yolanda whispered in her ear. "A girl in our office once had some thoughts about President Hartley and was fired."Cornelia hadn't seen the president in her less than a year working at the headquarters. She knew he was only 28 years old but didn't expect him to be so attractive and well-built.Just as she was feeling a bit flustered and about to explain, a scoff came from behind, "Do you think you're worthy of him?"The speaker was Eden Petersen, who had asked Cornelia out and often made things difficult for her after being rejected.Cornelia never harbored unrealistic fantasies, and she didn't care about such petty people.However, Eden thought he had guessed Cornelia's thoughts and continued sarcastically, "Women these days are always aiming too high. Just because they're a little attractive, they want to marry a rich man.""What are you talking about?" the president's assistant, Helena, came over and looked at them coldly. "Cornelia, Yolanda, Eden, come with me to the president's office."Helena was a senior employee of the company. She had worked for the previous president and then for Marcus Hartley for many years. She was about to be transferred to the West Region, so someone needed to replace her position.Cornelia, Yolanda, and Eden were among the outstanding talents selected from the president's office staff of over twenty people. It was up to the president to choose who would replace Helena.They entered the president's office, which was elegantly decorated with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking half of Riverton.The man known as President Hartley wore a white shirt and black trousers, standing tall and graceful by the large window.Helena respectfully said, "President Hartley, everyone is here."The guy turned his head to look at them, and his aura was so strong that everyone was too scared to breathe.Eden gathered up the courage to take a step forward, "President Hartley, my name is Eden, and I've been working in the CEO's office for five years. My uncle Matt Petersen also asked me to say hi to you on his behalf..."The man glanced at Eden, his expression unchanged, but those who knew him were aware that he had no respect for this kind of ass-kissing behavior.He turned to Yolanda, who immediately straightened up, "President Hartley, my name is Yolanda, and I've been working in the CEO's office for three years."She tried to appear more confident, but her trembling voice betrayed her nervousness.Finally, the man looked at Cornelia, who was also looking at him...This time it was even closer, Cornelia could see the man's face, which was like a work of art carefully sculpted by an artist, even more clearly.She still thought he looked kind of familiar...How could Cornelia possibly know that Marcus was actually Jeremy, the husband she had only met once on the day they picked up their marriage certificate?The year Jeremy was born, the Hartley Group was unstable internally, and to protect their only heir, his family arranged for him to have two identities.The name announced to the public was Marcus Hartley, and the name used in life was Jeremy, and only his family knew about it.When Marcus noticed the girl staring at him without any hesitation, he frowned slightly.Even ignoring his position as the president of the Hartley Group, his good looks attracted many women to approach him, which made him feel annoyed.Helena noticed this and nudged Cornelia, "What are you daydreaming about?"Cornelia snapped back to reality, adjusting her mood quickly, "President Hartley, nice to meet you, I'm Cornelia. I've been working at the Hartley Group headquarters for less than a year."Her self-introduction was full of power, making her stand out more than the previous two people."Cornelia?" Marcus silently repeated the name, feeling somewhat familiar.He looked at Cornelia again, and she didn't stare back this time, making him feel much more comfortable, "Let her stay."Helena agreed and then led the three out of the office, "Cornelia, go move your stuff to the special assistant's office.""Alright." Cornelia returned to her desk, starting to pack her personal belongings.Working alongside the president meant their salaries would at least double. All three of them were the winners of a series of selection rounds, all wanting this promotion.But the good promotion ultimately fell on Cornelia, the one with the least experience, which made the other two somewhat dissatisfied.However, Yolanda soon realized this wasn't right. Cornelia's abilities were well known, and they couldn't deny her skills just because she was young and inexperienced.She smiled and gave Cornelia a hug, "Cornelia, congratulations!"Cornelia replied, "Thank you!"But Eden wasn't so generous. He sarcastically commented, "Yolanda, you should learn more. It's not just strong work abilities that get you promotions, you also need to learn how to seduce people."He didn't name names, so whoever jumped out to refute would seem guilty. He thought Cornelia couldn't do anything about his slander.Cornelia glanced at him, her eyes cold, "Eden, do you think you're qualified to slander President Hartley?"This made Eden realize the implications and his face turned pale.Yolanda also chimed in, "Eden, seeing a woman more outstanding than you and then maliciously slandering her really is shady.""Yolanda, I'll head over there now." Cornelia gave Yolanda a grateful look, then left with her box.Cornelia arrived at the special assistant's office, and Helena watched her for a moment, "President Hartley chose you today, but whether you can work by his side for a long time will depend on your abilities."She continued, her voice somewhat serious, "Remember, President Hartley really dislikes subordinates with ulterior motives. Don't ruin your own future."Marcus never showed his face in the media, and the public didn't know what he looked like. But for many years in a row, he topped the list of Riverton's most eligible bachelors.Cornelia had no inappropriate thoughts about Marcus, but saying so wouldn't necessarily be believed. She thought it would be more convincing to excel at work than any explanation.She said, "Thank you for the reminder, I'll be careful."Helena saw her sincere attitude and softened her gaze, "I'll hand over the work to you now."The staff of the Hartley Group president's secretariat was numerous, but only two special assistants were with him - Helena and Ben, both with different responsibilities.Helena was more like his private assistant, caring about all details in his life.Knowing the president's personal preferences, habits, taboos, etc. were essential for the president's secretary, and Cornelia had already memorized them.Helena and Cornelia spent the morning handing over work, so Cornelia had to face the president alone in the afternoon.After lunch, Cornelia made a cup of iced Americano and knocked on the president's office door. A deep and pleasant male voice came from inside, "Come in."Cornelia entered and saw Marcus sitting at his desk, reading a document.She placed the coffee thirty centimeters to his left, "President Hartley, the meeting with Digital Sports Technology is at 2:10, in ten minutes."Marcus didn't even lift his head, accurately picking up the coffee and taking a sip, "Mm."Ten minutes later, the other special assistant Ben and Cornelia followed Marcus to the meeting.During the meeting, Ben was responsible for recording the content, and Cornelia prepared the materials the president needed.Marcus rarely spoke, mostly just listening to his subordinates and the other party. Occasionally he'd interject, always hitting the nail on the head.With just a raise of his hand or a change in his gaze, Cornelia knew what he wanted and promptly handed him the necessary materials.The two were so in sync at the meeting that even Ben couldn't believe it.If he didn't know Cornelia had just been promoted, he'd think she'd been working with President Hartley for many years.More than three hours later, the meeting ended successfully, and Cornelia and Ben followed Marcus back to his office.They were about to report on their upcoming work when Marcus's private phone rang.Upon answering the call, Marcus heard Granny Luisa's weak voice, "Marc, now that you're back in the country, hurry up and bring your wife home. You can't let her live outside alone anymore. If you don't bring her back, I'm going to stay at Southern Summer Garden until I die, never coming home."Marcus adjusted his silver-framed glasses on his nose, "Even if you didn't say anything, I was planning on picking her up today."Granny Luisa got so excited when she heard the news that she totally forgot she was pretending to be sick. Her voice instantly raised a few notches, "I'll send you her address, and you go pick her up in person after work!"Marcus agreed and hung up the phone, then listened to the reports from his two assistants.No one expected that after hearing the reports, Marcus would ask, "What do you think I should prepare to meet a girl?"Ben, who had been with Marcus for many years, usually spoke casually, "Well, that depends on what kind of girl you're meeting."Marcus smiled, "My wife."When they registered their marriage last year, the French branch of the Hartley Group encountered some problems. After finishing the paperwork and receiving their marriage certificate, he rushed to the airport to fly to another country, and it had been a busy year ever since.During this time, she never contacted him, and he was so busy that he didn't have time to get in touch with her either. If it weren't for his granny constantly nagging, he would have forgotten that he was married.Now he’s back to live a good life with her and to make it up to her.Ben knew that their boss had registered his marriage with a woman a year ago, but he hadn't been in contact with her for the entire year. He assumed that the boss was just trying to appease his granny.But it didn't seem to be the case now.Ben suddenly had an idea, "Sir, before you came back to the country, you specifically spent 30 million dollars in Paris to buy a necklace called 'Constellation'. Is this a gift for your wife?"Marcus responded with a "What else could it be?" kind of look and said, "I'm asking you guys a question."How could Ben, someone with no dating experience, give good advice? He said, "With a necklace worth 200 million, do you need to prepare anything else?"Marcus looked at Ben coldly, and Ben shivered in fear, pushing Cornelia forward, "To find out what young girls like, Mr. Marcus, you should ask a young girl, of course."Cornelia just found out that her boss was already married. Every time he mentioned his wife, he'd have a gentle smile on his face. Cornelia guessed that the couple must be deeply in love.Rich, fit, good-looking, and madly in love with his wife, Cornelia's admiration for her new boss grew by the day.From the perspective of an ordinary girl, she thought carefully before answering, "President Hartley, I think most girls like jewelry, but what's really important is the thought behind the gift. Like giving her a bouquet of flowers, taking her out for dinner, or watching a movie together."Marcus had no experience in dating. All he knew was to treat the girl well after marrying her. So he instructed Cornelia, "Alright, you go prepare."Upon receiving the order, Cornelia immediately contacted the flower shop that the Hartley Group often worked with and personally chose red roses that represented love.As for suitable dating restaurants and movie theaters, it wasn't difficult for Cornelia, even if she had no dating experience.She was able to climb step by step to work alongside the president, with unimaginable effort behind her.She remembered the specialties of all high-end restaurants in Riverton, knew which was suitable for dating, which was suitable for treating clients to dinner, and even remembered the preferences of all past clients.After delivering the roses and the dating address to the president's office, Cornelia's work for the day was over.Today's work seemed easy and went smoothly, but only Cornelia knew how tense her nerves had been throughout the day.Returning home, she could finally relax and lazily collapsed on the couch, dozing off.Marcus arrived outside Cornelia's neighborhood and was about to make a call when he realized that his wife was not in his contact list.He felt deeply guilty for neglecting his wife after they got married, not caring for her for a year, and not even saving her phone number.Marcus secretly decided to treat her better in the future.He found a phone number from his grandmother's chat history and dialed it. A soft and somewhat drowsy voice came through, as if just waking up, "Hello, who is this?"His wife didn't even save his number?Marcus smiled slightly, "This is Jeremy.""Mr. Jeremy, hello. What can I do for you?" Her voice was polite but unfamiliar, as if she didn't know him at all.Just as Marcus was about to say something, a man's voice came from the other end of the call, "Honey, wake up and come eat..."Marcus suddenly realized something, and his eyes behind the glasses sank as he hung up the phone.He looked at the gift box and bright red roses beside him, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his eyes.He looked away, lit a cigarette, and took a few puffs before instructing the driver, "Start the car, head to Southern Summer Garden."Cornelia was half-asleep and, coupled with her non-stop busy work schedule, she had long pushed the marriage registration to the back of her mind. She truly had no recollection of the name "Jeremy."Cornelia didn't pay attention to the phone call, as it was probably not a client calling her.She put down the phone, walked into the kitchen, squeezed between Abigail Young and Zack Ruck, and said softly, "Why didn't you wake me up when you two got back?"Abigail gently tapped her nose, "You looked so tired, like a worn-out puppy. I didn't want to wake you up."Zack, while serving food, said, "Hurry up and wash your hands, it's dinner time."The three of them grew up together, went to college in Riverton, and originally planned to start a business together after college.But during their sophomore year summer, Cornelia had an accident and almost couldn't continue her studies.After that incident, they decided to stay in Riverton and develop their careers together.After graduation, the three of them opened a comic studio, rented a three-bedroom apartment, and worked and lived together, having a close relationship.Cornelia looked at the table full of dishes, "Is this feast because our studio made a lot of money?"Zack poured each of them a glass of red wine, "We heard you got promoted to the president's assistant, so we prepared this celebration feast for you."Abigail squeezed next to Cornelia, full of gossip, "The president of the Hartley Group never shows his face in the media, and there are so many noble ladies lining up to marry him. Is he really handsome?"Zack thought women were superficial and said unhappily, "Just richness doesn't mean he's good-looking. Maybe he never shows his face in public because he's ugly?"Cornelia laughed and joked, "He is indeed handsome, but whether he's handsome enough to make people swoon, you'll have to ask his wife."Abigail exclaimed, "Wait, he's married?"Cornelia nodded, "Yes, he is. And he seems to love his wife very much. But I always feel like he looks familiar, and I can't remember where I've seen him before."Abigail said, "You always feel familiar when you see handsome guys. You have the potential to become a heartbreaker."Cornelia laughed, "It's not bad to be a heartbreaker, no need to take responsibility."Zack rolled his eyes, "Miss, you're already married!"Abigail immediately retorted, "Can't married people have crushes? Do you want Cornelia to stick with that man who disappeared after marriage for the rest of her life?"Cornelia shrugged, looking calm, "I don't need a man with you two by my side."When they first registered their marriage, Cornelia did entertain the thought of building a good life together with that man. However, as time went on and he disappeared without a trace, and even his granny, whom she had met a few times before the registration, didn't contact her again, she lost any remaining thoughts she had.But her grandmother would often mention her husband and planned to visit the couple in Riverton this Christmas.Abigail and Zack chimed in, "Right, lousy men are nothing compared to us."The meal was finished amidst their laughter, and after they cleaned up the table, they worked on their comics together.Life was both beautiful and fulfilling.The next day, Cornelia went to her company early.The new boss was very busy, and working with him meant a doubled salary, but it also required more time and effort.Cornelia had just gotten out of a taxi when she saw a luxurious black Bentley slowly stopping in front of the company's entrance.She hurried over to open the door for her boss, "President Hartley, good morning!"Marcus nodded, looking a bit under the weather.Cornelia didn't dare to think too much, and followed him into the CEO's private elevator, dutifully reporting today's schedule to him.In the morning, they had a golf appointment with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology.Marcus's complexion had returned to normal, and he was all chummy and elegant with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology.However, Ben and Cornelia, who were waiting nearby, still felt some pressure.Ben had been with Marcus for many years and rarely saw the CEO show his emotions. Today was an exception. "Cornelia, what do you think is going on with our CEO?"Cornelia shook her head. "If you don't know, how would I know?"Ben thought for a long time. There were no issues with their work recently, so the CEO's worries must be about his personal life.He suddenly had an idea. "Could it be... last night President Hartley didn't get what he wanted from his wife?"Chapter 2Riverton.The scorching sun of summer feels like it could roast a person to a crisp.Cornelia Stewart took half a day off from her boss, left the office, and went straight to the city hall in Waterside District to get her marriage certificate.She knew that her grandma was still upset about what had happened three years ago, thinking she didn't protect Cornelia well, which led to her bad reputation and inability to go home.With Granny Rebecca getting older, Rebecca worried about not being able to take care of Cornelia anymore. So, she found Granny Luisa from Riverton, hoping she could introduce a suitable man to Cornelia. As it happened, Granny Luisa's grandson was an eligible bachelor.The older generation always felt that a girl's ultimate goal should be to get married, no matter who the husband was, as long as she got married, it was like completing her mission.Having experienced what happened three years ago and witnessing so many broken marriages around her, Cornelia didn't have high hopes for marriage.She believed that if she met the right person, she could get married, but if not, being single for the rest of her life wasn't bad either.But to put her grandma at ease, Cornelia agreed to marry Granny Luisa's grandson.She quickly arrived at her destination and, as she got out of the car, she saw a tall man standing at the entrance of the city hall.He wore a plain white shirt and black slacks, but his appearance was striking, and women couldn't help but stare at him.He was on the phone, not looking sideways.Cornelia checked her phone and found the photo her grandma sent her. The man was the one in the photo, but he was even more handsome in person.She approached him, and when she was close, he hung up the phone and asked, "Cornelia?"Not only was he good-looking, but he also had a deep and sexy voice.She nodded, "Are you Jeremy Artis?"Jeremy nodded and turned to walk into the city hall.He took big strides, walking fast, and Cornelia had to jog to keep up with him. "Um, are you sure you want to get married?"Jeremy stopped and checked his watch, "Do you have any concerns?"Cornelia wanted to ask if he knew her, if he knew her past.But she thought that he might be like her, forced to get married by the pressure of the older generation, not because of true love, so knowing each other wasn't essential.Just like her, she only knew he was Granny Luisa's grandson, not even knowing his occupation.Cornelia shook her head, "Let's go then."They finished it quickly.When she saw the newly issued marriage certificate, she could hardly believe it. At that moment, Jeremy handed her a bank card."I've been busy with work lately and won't have time to take care of you. Take this card, the password is six 6s, and use the money inside as you wish."Cornelia was stunned, and by the time she recovered, Jeremy had already left in a business car.She looked at the bank card in her hand, feeling like it was burning her.She worked in the branch of the Hartley Group, and had opened a comic book studio with her friend. With a lot of income every month, she ccould live a good life without spending men's money.Her ideal loveless marriage was to get a certificate to deal with the elders at home, not to interfere with each other after marriage, and to live as usual.However, if Jeremy Artis is willing to live a peaceful life with her, she would also manage this marriage with her heart.By thinking that, Cornelia sent a photo of the marriage certificate to her grandma, "Grandma, we've got our marriage certificate."Her grandma replied, " Good thing. You’d better have some children with him as soon as possible.""Okay." Replying with one word, Cornelia put away her phone, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.That's how it was in Cornelia's hometown. If a woman was still single, she would be urged to get married, and once married, she would be pushed to have children. It was as if women couldn't have their own lives.Cornelia's marriage seemed to have no influence on her life.After getting married, that man never reached out to Cornelia again. Cornelia's life didn't undergo any changes whatsoever and she continued tirelessly working day and night.A year passed quickly, and Riverton welcomed its hottest season again.During that year, Cornelia, due to her outstanding job performance, had been transferred to the secretary's office at the Hartley Group headquarters.The president of the Hartley Group returned from a year abroad today, and everyone in the company was very nervous, especially Cornelia, who may be transferred to the president’s side to continue her work.As everyone was expecting the president to appear, the president's exclusive elevator door opened, and two men and a woman exited.The man in the lead wore silver-framed glasses and was at least 6 feet tall, with an impeccable physique and face.Cornelia thought he looked familiar and couldn't help but observe him for a few more moments..."Cornelia, that's our president, President Hartley," her colleague Yolanda whispered in her ear. "A girl in our office once had some thoughts about President Hartley and was fired."Cornelia hadn't seen the president in her less than a year working at the headquarters. She knew he was only 28 years old but didn't expect him to be so attractive and well-built.Just as she was feeling a bit flustered and about to explain, a scoff came from behind, "Do you think you're worthy of him?"The speaker was Eden Petersen, who had asked Cornelia out and often made things difficult for her after being rejected.Cornelia never harbored unrealistic fantasies, and she didn't care about such petty people.However, Eden thought he had guessed Cornelia's thoughts and continued sarcastically, "Women these days are always aiming too high. Just because they're a little attractive, they want to marry a rich man.""What are you talking about?" the president's assistant, Helena, came over and looked at them coldly. "Cornelia, Yolanda, Eden, come with me to the president's office."Helena was a senior employee of the company. She had worked for the previous president and then for Marcus Hartley for many years. She was about to be transferred to the West Region, so someone needed to replace her position.Cornelia, Yolanda, and Eden were among the outstanding talents selected from the president's office staff of over twenty people. It was up to the president to choose who would replace Helena.They entered the president's office, which was elegantly decorated with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking half of Riverton.The man known as President Hartley wore a white shirt and black trousers, standing tall and graceful by the large window.Helena respectfully said, "President Hartley, everyone is here."The guy turned his head to look at them, and his aura was so strong that everyone was too scared to breathe.Eden gathered up the courage to take a step forward, "President Hartley, my name is Eden, and I've been working in the CEO's office for five years. My uncle Matt Petersen also asked me to say hi to you on his behalf..."The man glanced at Eden, his expression unchanged, but those who knew him were aware that he had no respect for this kind of ass-kissing behavior.He turned to Yolanda, who immediately straightened up, "President Hartley, my name is Yolanda, and I've been working in the CEO's office for three years."She tried to appear more confident, but her trembling voice betrayed her nervousness.Finally, the man looked at Cornelia, who was also looking at him...This time it was even closer, Cornelia could see the man's face, which was like a work of art carefully sculpted by an artist, even more clearly.She still thought he looked kind of familiar...How could Cornelia possibly know that Marcus was actually Jeremy, the husband she had only met once on the day they picked up their marriage certificate?The year Jeremy was born, the Hartley Group was unstable internally, and to protect their only heir, his family arranged for him to have two identities.The name announced to the public was Marcus Hartley, and the name used in life was Jeremy, and only his family knew about it.When Marcus noticed the girl staring at him without any hesitation, he frowned slightly.Even ignoring his position as the president of the Hartley Group, his good looks attracted many women to approach him, which made him feel annoyed.Helena noticed this and nudged Cornelia, "What are you daydreaming about?"Cornelia snapped back to reality, adjusting her mood quickly, "President Hartley, nice to meet you, I'm Cornelia. I've been working at the Hartley Group headquarters for less than a year."Her self-introduction was full of power, making her stand out more than the previous two people."Cornelia?" Marcus silently repeated the name, feeling somewhat familiar.He looked at Cornelia again, and she didn't stare back this time, making him feel much more comfortable, "Let her stay."Helena agreed and then led the three out of the office, "Cornelia, go move your stuff to the special assistant's office.""Alright." Cornelia returned to her desk, starting to pack her personal belongings.Working alongside the president meant their salaries would at least double. All three of them were the winners of a series of selection rounds, all wanting this promotion.But the good promotion ultimately fell on Cornelia, the one with the least experience, which made the other two somewhat dissatisfied.However, Yolanda soon realized this wasn't right. Cornelia's abilities were well known, and they couldn't deny her skills just because she was young and inexperienced.She smiled and gave Cornelia a hug, "Cornelia, congratulations!"Cornelia replied, "Thank you!"But Eden wasn't so generous. He sarcastically commented, "Yolanda, you should learn more. It's not just strong work abilities that get you promotions, you also need to learn how to seduce people."He didn't name names, so whoever jumped out to refute would seem guilty. He thought Cornelia couldn't do anything about his slander.Cornelia glanced at him, her eyes cold, "Eden, do you think you're qualified to slander President Hartley?"This made Eden realize the implications and his face turned pale.Yolanda also chimed in, "Eden, seeing a woman more outstanding than you and then maliciously slandering her really is shady.""Yolanda, I'll head over there now." Cornelia gave Yolanda a grateful look, then left with her box.Cornelia arrived at the special assistant's office, and Helena watched her for a moment, "President Hartley chose you today, but whether you can work by his side for a long time will depend on your abilities."She continued, her voice somewhat serious, "Remember, President Hartley really dislikes subordinates with ulterior motives. Don't ruin your own future."Marcus never showed his face in the media, and the public didn't know what he looked like. But for many years in a row, he topped the list of Riverton's most eligible bachelors.Cornelia had no inappropriate thoughts about Marcus, but saying so wouldn't necessarily be believed. She thought it would be more convincing to excel at work than any explanation.She said, "Thank you for the reminder, I'll be careful."Helena saw her sincere attitude and softened her gaze, "I'll hand over the work to you now."The staff of the Hartley Group president's secretariat was numerous, but only two special assistants were with him - Helena and Ben, both with different responsibilities.Helena was more like his private assistant, caring about all details in his life.Knowing the president's personal preferences, habits, taboos, etc. were essential for the president's secretary, and Cornelia had already memorized them.Helena and Cornelia spent the morning handing over work, so Cornelia had to face the president alone in the afternoon.After lunch, Cornelia made a cup of iced Americano and knocked on the president's office door. A deep and pleasant male voice came from inside, "Come in."Cornelia entered and saw Marcus sitting at his desk, reading a document.She placed the coffee thirty centimeters to his left, "President Hartley, the meeting with Digital Sports Technology is at 2:10, in ten minutes."Marcus didn't even lift his head, accurately picking up the coffee and taking a sip, "Mm."Ten minutes later, the other special assistant Ben and Cornelia followed Marcus to the meeting.During the meeting, Ben was responsible for recording the content, and Cornelia prepared the materials the president needed.Marcus rarely spoke, mostly just listening to his subordinates and the other party. Occasionally he'd interject, always hitting the nail on the head.With just a raise of his hand or a change in his gaze, Cornelia knew what he wanted and promptly handed him the necessary materials.The two were so in sync at the meeting that even Ben couldn't believe it.If he didn't know Cornelia had just been promoted, he'd think she'd been working with President Hartley for many years.More than three hours later, the meeting ended successfully, and Cornelia and Ben followed Marcus back to his office.They were about to report on their upcoming work when Marcus's private phone rang.Upon answering the call, Marcus heard Granny Luisa's weak voice, "Marc, now that you're back in the country, hurry up and bring your wife home. You can't let her live outside alone anymore. If you don't bring her back, I'm going to stay at Southern Summer Garden until I die, never coming home."Marcus adjusted his silver-framed glasses on his nose, "Even if you didn't say anything, I was planning on picking her up today."Granny Luisa got so excited when she heard the news that she totally forgot she was pretending to be sick. Her voice instantly raised a few notches, "I'll send you her address, and you go pick her up in person after work!"Marcus agreed and hung up the phone, then listened to the reports from his two assistants.No one expected that after hearing the reports, Marcus would ask, "What do you think I should prepare to meet a girl?"Ben, who had been with Marcus for many years, usually spoke casually, "Well, that depends on what kind of girl you're meeting."Marcus smiled, "My wife."When they registered their marriage last year, the French branch of the Hartley Group encountered some problems. After finishing the paperwork and receiving their marriage certificate, he rushed to the airport to fly to another country, and it had been a busy year ever since.During this time, she never contacted him, and he was so busy that he didn't have time to get in touch with her either. If it weren't for his granny constantly nagging, he would have forgotten that he was married.Now he’s back to live a good life with her and to make it up to her.Ben knew that their boss had registered his marriage with a woman a year ago, but he hadn't been in contact with her for the entire year. He assumed that the boss was just trying to appease his granny.But it didn't seem to be the case now.Ben suddenly had an idea, "Sir, before you came back to the country, you specifically spent 30 million dollars in Paris to buy a necklace called 'Constellation'. Is this a gift for your wife?"Marcus responded with a "What else could it be?" kind of look and said, "I'm asking you guys a question."How could Ben, someone with no dating experience, give good advice? He said, "With a necklace worth 200 million, do you need to prepare anything else?"Marcus looked at Ben coldly, and Ben shivered in fear, pushing Cornelia forward, "To find out what young girls like, Mr. Marcus, you should ask a young girl, of course."Cornelia just found out that her boss was already married. Every time he mentioned his wife, he'd have a gentle smile on his face. Cornelia guessed that the couple must be deeply in love.Rich, fit, good-looking, and madly in love with his wife, Cornelia's admiration for her new boss grew by the day.From the perspective of an ordinary girl, she thought carefully before answering, "President Hartley, I think most girls like jewelry, but what's really important is the thought behind the gift. Like giving her a bouquet of flowers, taking her out for dinner, or watching a movie together."Marcus had no experience in dating. All he knew was to treat the girl well after marrying her. So he instructed Cornelia, "Alright, you go prepare."Upon receiving the order, Cornelia immediately contacted the flower shop that the Hartley Group often worked with and personally chose red roses that represented love.As for suitable dating restaurants and movie theaters, it wasn't difficult for Cornelia, even if she had no dating experience.She was able to climb step by step to work alongside the president, with unimaginable effort behind her.She remembered the specialties of all high-end restaurants in Riverton, knew which was suitable for dating, which was suitable for treating clients to dinner, and even remembered the preferences of all past clients.After delivering the roses and the dating address to the president's office, Cornelia's work for the day was over.Today's work seemed easy and went smoothly, but only Cornelia knew how tense her nerves had been throughout the day.Returning home, she could finally relax and lazily collapsed on the couch, dozing off.Marcus arrived outside Cornelia's neighborhood and was about to make a call when he realized that his wife was not in his contact list.He felt deeply guilty for neglecting his wife after they got married, not caring for her for a year, and not even saving her phone number.Marcus secretly decided to treat her better in the future.He found a phone number from his grandmother's chat history and dialed it. A soft and somewhat drowsy voice came through, as if just waking up, "Hello, who is this?"His wife didn't even save his number?Marcus smiled slightly, "This is Jeremy.""Mr. Jeremy, hello. What can I do for you?" Her voice was polite but unfamiliar, as if she didn't know him at all.Just as Marcus was about to say something, a man's voice came from the other end of the call, "Honey, wake up and come eat..."Marcus suddenly realized something, and his eyes behind the glasses sank as he hung up the phone.He looked at the gift box and bright red roses beside him, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his eyes.He looked away, lit a cigarette, and took a few puffs before instructing the driver, "Start the car, head to Southern Summer Garden."Cornelia was half-asleep and, coupled with her non-stop busy work schedule, she had long pushed the marriage registration to the back of her mind. She truly had no recollection of the name "Jeremy."Cornelia didn't pay attention to the phone call, as it was probably not a client calling her.She put down the phone, walked into the kitchen, squeezed between Abigail Young and Zack Ruck, and said softly, "Why didn't you wake me up when you two got back?"Abigail gently tapped her nose, "You looked so tired, like a worn-out puppy. I didn't want to wake you up."Zack, while serving food, said, "Hurry up and wash your hands, it's dinner time."The three of them grew up together, went to college in Riverton, and originally planned to start a business together after college.But during their sophomore year summer, Cornelia had an accident and almost couldn't continue her studies.After that incident, they decided to stay in Riverton and develop their careers together.After graduation, the three of them opened a comic studio, rented a three-bedroom apartment, and worked and lived together, having a close relationship.Cornelia looked at the table full of dishes, "Is this feast because our studio made a lot of money?"Zack poured each of them a glass of red wine, "We heard you got promoted to the president's assistant, so we prepared this celebration feast for you."Abigail squeezed next to Cornelia, full of gossip, "The president of the Hartley Group never shows his face in the media, and there are so many noble ladies lining up to marry him. Is he really handsome?"Zack thought women were superficial and said unhappily, "Just richness doesn't mean he's good-looking. Maybe he never shows his face in public because he's ugly?"Cornelia laughed and joked, "He is indeed handsome, but whether he's handsome enough to make people swoon, you'll have to ask his wife."Abigail exclaimed, "Wait, he's married?"Cornelia nodded, "Yes, he is. And he seems to love his wife very much. But I always feel like he looks familiar, and I can't remember where I've seen him before."Abigail said, "You always feel familiar when you see handsome guys. You have the potential to become a heartbreaker."Cornelia laughed, "It's not bad to be a heartbreaker, no need to take responsibility."Zack rolled his eyes, "Miss, you're already married!"Abigail immediately retorted, "Can't married people have crushes? Do you want Cornelia to stick with that man who disappeared after marriage for the rest of her life?"Cornelia shrugged, looking calm, "I don't need a man with you two by my side."When they first registered their marriage, Cornelia did entertain the thought of building a good life together with that man. However, as time went on and he disappeared without a trace, and even his granny, whom she had met a few times before the registration, didn't contact her again, she lost any remaining thoughts she had.But her grandmother would often mention her husband and planned to visit the couple in Riverton this Christmas.Abigail and Zack chimed in, "Right, lousy men are nothing compared to us."The meal was finished amidst their laughter, and after they cleaned up the table, they worked on their comics together.Life was both beautiful and fulfilling.The next day, Cornelia went to her company early.The new boss was very busy, and working with him meant a doubled salary, but it also required more time and effort.Cornelia had just gotten out of a taxi when she saw a luxurious black Bentley slowly stopping in front of the company's entrance.She hurried over to open the door for her boss, "President Hartley, good morning!"Marcus nodded, looking a bit under the weather.Cornelia didn't dare to think too much, and followed him into the CEO's private elevator, dutifully reporting today's schedule to him.In the morning, they had a golf appointment with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology.Marcus's complexion had returned to normal, and he was all chummy and elegant with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology.However, Ben and Cornelia, who were waiting nearby, still felt some pressure.Ben had been with Marcus for many years and rarely saw the CEO show his emotions. Today was an exception. "Cornelia, what do you think is going on with our CEO?"Cornelia shook her head. "If you don't know, how would I know?"Ben thought for a long time. There were no issues with their work recently, so the CEO's worries must be about his personal life.He suddenly had an idea. "Could it be... last night President Hartley didn't get what he wanted from his wife?"Chapter 3Riverton.The scorching sun of summer feels like it could roast a person to a crisp.Cornelia Stewart took half a day off from her boss, left the office, and went straight to the city hall in Waterside District to get her marriage certificate.She knew that her grandma was still upset about what had happened three years ago, thinking she didn't protect Cornelia well, which led to her bad reputation and inability to go home.With Granny Rebecca getting older, Rebecca worried about not being able to take care of Cornelia anymore. So, she found Granny Luisa from Riverton, hoping she could introduce a suitable man to Cornelia. As it happened, Granny Luisa's grandson was an eligible bachelor.The older generation always felt that a girl's ultimate goal should be to get married, no matter who the husband was, as long as she got married, it was like completing her mission.Having experienced what happened three years ago and witnessing so many broken marriages around her, Cornelia didn't have high hopes for marriage.She believed that if she met the right person, she could get married, but if not, being single for the rest of her life wasn't bad either.But to put her grandma at ease, Cornelia agreed to marry Granny Luisa's grandson.She quickly arrived at her destination and, as she got out of the car, she saw a tall man standing at the entrance of the city hall.He wore a plain white shirt and black slacks, but his appearance was striking, and women couldn't help but stare at him.He was on the phone, not looking sideways.Cornelia checked her phone and found the photo her grandma sent her. The man was the one in the photo, but he was even more handsome in person.She approached him, and when she was close, he hung up the phone and asked, "Cornelia?"Not only was he good-looking, but he also had a deep and sexy voice.She nodded, "Are you Jeremy Artis?"Jeremy nodded and turned to walk into the city hall.He took big strides, walking fast, and Cornelia had to jog to keep up with him. "Um, are you sure you want to get married?"Jeremy stopped and checked his watch, "Do you have any concerns?"Cornelia wanted to ask if he knew her, if he knew her past.But she thought that he might be like her, forced to get married by the pressure of the older generation, not because of true love, so knowing each other wasn't essential.Just like her, she only knew he was Granny Luisa's grandson, not even knowing his occupation.Cornelia shook her head, "Let's go then."They finished it quickly.When she saw the newly issued marriage certificate, she could hardly believe it. At that moment, Jeremy handed her a bank card."I've been busy with work lately and won't have time to take care of you. Take this card, the password is six 6s, and use the money inside as you wish."Cornelia was stunned, and by the time she recovered, Jeremy had already left in a business car.She looked at the bank card in her hand, feeling like it was burning her.She worked in the branch of the Hartley Group, and had opened a comic book studio with her friend. With a lot of income every month, she ccould live a good life without spending men's money.Her ideal loveless marriage was to get a certificate to deal with the elders at home, not to interfere with each other after marriage, and to live as usual.However, if Jeremy Artis is willing to live a peaceful life with her, she would also manage this marriage with her heart.By thinking that, Cornelia sent a photo of the marriage certificate to her grandma, "Grandma, we've got our marriage certificate."Her grandma replied, " Good thing. You’d better have some children with him as soon as possible.""Okay." Replying with one word, Cornelia put away her phone, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.That's how it was in Cornelia's hometown. If a woman was still single, she would be urged to get married, and once married, she would be pushed to have children. It was as if women couldn't have their own lives.Cornelia's marriage seemed to have no influence on her life.After getting married, that man never reached out to Cornelia again. Cornelia's life didn't undergo any changes whatsoever and she continued tirelessly working day and night.A year passed quickly, and Riverton welcomed its hottest season again.During that year, Cornelia, due to her outstanding job performance, had been transferred to the secretary's office at the Hartley Group headquarters.The president of the Hartley Group returned from a year abroad today, and everyone in the company was very nervous, especially Cornelia, who may be transferred to the president’s side to continue her work.As everyone was expecting the president to appear, the president's exclusive elevator door opened, and two men and a woman exited.The man in the lead wore silver-framed glasses and was at least 6 feet tall, with an impeccable physique and face.Cornelia thought he looked familiar and couldn't help but observe him for a few more moments..."Cornelia, that's our president, President Hartley," her colleague Yolanda whispered in her ear. "A girl in our office once had some thoughts about President Hartley and was fired."Cornelia hadn't seen the president in her less than a year working at the headquarters. She knew he was only 28 years old but didn't expect him to be so attractive and well-built.Just as she was feeling a bit flustered and about to explain, a scoff came from behind, "Do you think you're worthy of him?"The speaker was Eden Petersen, who had asked Cornelia out and often made things difficult for her after being rejected.Cornelia never harbored unrealistic fantasies, and she didn't care about such petty people.However, Eden thought he had guessed Cornelia's thoughts and continued sarcastically, "Women these days are always aiming too high. Just because they're a little attractive, they want to marry a rich man.""What are you talking about?" the president's assistant, Helena, came over and looked at them coldly. "Cornelia, Yolanda, Eden, come with me to the president's office."Helena was a senior employee of the company. She had worked for the previous president and then for Marcus Hartley for many years. She was about to be transferred to the West Region, so someone needed to replace her position.Cornelia, Yolanda, and Eden were among the outstanding talents selected from the president's office staff of over twenty people. It was up to the president to choose who would replace Helena.They entered the president's office, which was elegantly decorated with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking half of Riverton.The man known as President Hartley wore a white shirt and black trousers, standing tall and graceful by the large window.Helena respectfully said, "President Hartley, everyone is here."The guy turned his head to look at them, and his aura was so strong that everyone was too scared to breathe.Eden gathered up the courage to take a step forward, "President Hartley, my name is Eden, and I've been working in the CEO's office for five years. My uncle Matt Petersen also asked me to say hi to you on his behalf..."The man glanced at Eden, his expression unchanged, but those who knew him were aware that he had no respect for this kind of ass-kissing behavior.He turned to Yolanda, who immediately straightened up, "President Hartley, my name is Yolanda, and I've been working in the CEO's office for three years."She tried to appear more confident, but her trembling voice betrayed her nervousness.Finally, the man looked at Cornelia, who was also looking at him...This time it was even closer, Cornelia could see the man's face, which was like a work of art carefully sculpted by an artist, even more clearly.She still thought he looked kind of familiar...How could Cornelia possibly know that Marcus was actually Jeremy, the husband she had only met once on the day they picked up their marriage certificate?The year Jeremy was born, the Hartley Group was unstable internally, and to protect their only heir, his family arranged for him to have two identities.The name announced to the public was Marcus Hartley, and the name used in life was Jeremy, and only his family knew about it.When Marcus noticed the girl staring at him without any hesitation, he frowned slightly.Even ignoring his position as the president of the Hartley Group, his good looks attracted many women to approach him, which made him feel annoyed.Helena noticed this and nudged Cornelia, "What are you daydreaming about?"Cornelia snapped back to reality, adjusting her mood quickly, "President Hartley, nice to meet you, I'm Cornelia. I've been working at the Hartley Group headquarters for less than a year."Her self-introduction was full of power, making her stand out more than the previous two people."Cornelia?" Marcus silently repeated the name, feeling somewhat familiar.He looked at Cornelia again, and she didn't stare back this time, making him feel much more comfortable, "Let her stay."Helena agreed and then led the three out of the office, "Cornelia, go move your stuff to the special assistant's office.""Alright." Cornelia returned to her desk, starting to pack her personal belongings.Working alongside the president meant their salaries would at least double. All three of them were the winners of a series of selection rounds, all wanting this promotion.But the good promotion ultimately fell on Cornelia, the one with the least experience, which made the other two somewhat dissatisfied.However, Yolanda soon realized this wasn't right. Cornelia's abilities were well known, and they couldn't deny her skills just because she was young and inexperienced.She smiled and gave Cornelia a hug, "Cornelia, congratulations!"Cornelia replied, "Thank you!"But Eden wasn't so generous. He sarcastically commented, "Yolanda, you should learn more. It's not just strong work abilities that get you promotions, you also need to learn how to seduce people."He didn't name names, so whoever jumped out to refute would seem guilty. He thought Cornelia couldn't do anything about his slander.Cornelia glanced at him, her eyes cold, "Eden, do you think you're qualified to slander President Hartley?"This made Eden realize the implications and his face turned pale.Yolanda also chimed in, "Eden, seeing a woman more outstanding than you and then maliciously slandering her really is shady.""Yolanda, I'll head over there now." Cornelia gave Yolanda a grateful look, then left with her box.Cornelia arrived at the special assistant's office, and Helena watched her for a moment, "President Hartley chose you today, but whether you can work by his side for a long time will depend on your abilities."She continued, her voice somewhat serious, "Remember, President Hartley really dislikes subordinates with ulterior motives. Don't ruin your own future."Marcus never showed his face in the media, and the public didn't know what he looked like. But for many years in a row, he topped the list of Riverton's most eligible bachelors.Cornelia had no inappropriate thoughts about Marcus, but saying so wouldn't necessarily be believed. She thought it would be more convincing to excel at work than any explanation.She said, "Thank you for the reminder, I'll be careful."Helena saw her sincere attitude and softened her gaze, "I'll hand over the work to you now."The staff of the Hartley Group president's secretariat was numerous, but only two special assistants were with him - Helena and Ben, both with different responsibilities.Helena was more like his private assistant, caring about all details in his life.Knowing the president's personal preferences, habits, taboos, etc. were essential for the president's secretary, and Cornelia had already memorized them.Helena and Cornelia spent the morning handing over work, so Cornelia had to face the president alone in the afternoon.After lunch, Cornelia made a cup of iced Americano and knocked on the president's office door. A deep and pleasant male voice came from inside, "Come in."Cornelia entered and saw Marcus sitting at his desk, reading a document.She placed the coffee thirty centimeters to his left, "President Hartley, the meeting with Digital Sports Technology is at 2:10, in ten minutes."Marcus didn't even lift his head, accurately picking up the coffee and taking a sip, "Mm."Ten minutes later, the other special assistant Ben and Cornelia followed Marcus to the meeting.During the meeting, Ben was responsible for recording the content, and Cornelia prepared the materials the president needed.Marcus rarely spoke, mostly just listening to his subordinates and the other party. Occasionally he'd interject, always hitting the nail on the head.With just a raise of his hand or a change in his gaze, Cornelia knew what he wanted and promptly handed him the necessary materials.The two were so in sync at the meeting that even Ben couldn't believe it.If he didn't know Cornelia had just been promoted, he'd think she'd been working with President Hartley for many years.More than three hours later, the meeting ended successfully, and Cornelia and Ben followed Marcus back to his office.They were about to report on their upcoming work when Marcus's private phone rang.Upon answering the call, Marcus heard Granny Luisa's weak voice, "Marc, now that you're back in the country, hurry up and bring your wife home. You can't let her live outside alone anymore. If you don't bring her back, I'm going to stay at Southern Summer Garden until I die, never coming home."Marcus adjusted his silver-framed glasses on his nose, "Even if you didn't say anything, I was planning on picking her up today."Granny Luisa got so excited when she heard the news that she totally forgot she was pretending to be sick. Her voice instantly raised a few notches, "I'll send you her address, and you go pick her up in person after work!"Marcus agreed and hung up the phone, then listened to the reports from his two assistants.No one expected that after hearing the reports, Marcus would ask, "What do you think I should prepare to meet a girl?"Ben, who had been with Marcus for many years, usually spoke casually, "Well, that depends on what kind of girl you're meeting."Marcus smiled, "My wife."When they registered their marriage last year, the French branch of the Hartley Group encountered some problems. After finishing the paperwork and receiving their marriage certificate, he rushed to the airport to fly to another country, and it had been a busy year ever since.During this time, she never contacted him, and he was so busy that he didn't have time to get in touch with her either. If it weren't for his granny constantly nagging, he would have forgotten that he was married.Now he’s back to live a good life with her and to make it up to her.Ben knew that their boss had registered his marriage with a woman a year ago, but he hadn't been in contact with her for the entire year. He assumed that the boss was just trying to appease his granny.But it didn't seem to be the case now.Ben suddenly had an idea, "Sir, before you came back to the country, you specifically spent 30 million dollars in Paris to buy a necklace called 'Constellation'. Is this a gift for your wife?"Marcus responded with a "What else could it be?" kind of look and said, "I'm asking you guys a question."How could Ben, someone with no dating experience, give good advice? He said, "With a necklace worth 200 million, do you need to prepare anything else?"Marcus looked at Ben coldly, and Ben shivered in fear, pushing Cornelia forward, "To find out what young girls like, Mr. Marcus, you should ask a young girl, of course."Cornelia just found out that her boss was already married. Every time he mentioned his wife, he'd have a gentle smile on his face. Cornelia guessed that the couple must be deeply in love.Rich, fit, good-looking, and madly in love with his wife, Cornelia's admiration for her new boss grew by the day.From the perspective of an ordinary girl, she thought carefully before answering, "President Hartley, I think most girls like jewelry, but what's really important is the thought behind the gift. Like giving her a bouquet of flowers, taking her out for dinner, or watching a movie together."Marcus had no experience in dating. All he knew was to treat the girl well after marrying her. So he instructed Cornelia, "Alright, you go prepare."Upon receiving the order, Cornelia immediately contacted the flower shop that the Hartley Group often worked with and personally chose red roses that represented love.As for suitable dating restaurants and movie theaters, it wasn't difficult for Cornelia, even if she had no dating experience.She was able to climb step by step to work alongside the president, with unimaginable effort behind her.She remembered the specialties of all high-end restaurants in Riverton, knew which was suitable for dating, which was suitable for treating clients to dinner, and even remembered the preferences of all past clients.After delivering the roses and the dating address to the president's office, Cornelia's work for the day was over.Today's work seemed easy and went smoothly, but only Cornelia knew how tense her nerves had been throughout the day.Returning home, she could finally relax and lazily collapsed on the couch, dozing off.Marcus arrived outside Cornelia's neighborhood and was about to make a call when he realized that his wife was not in his contact list.He felt deeply guilty for neglecting his wife after they got married, not caring for her for a year, and not even saving her phone number.Marcus secretly decided to treat her better in the future.He found a phone number from his grandmother's chat history and dialed it. A soft and somewhat drowsy voice came through, as if just waking up, "Hello, who is this?"His wife didn't even save his number?Marcus smiled slightly, "This is Jeremy.""Mr. Jeremy, hello. What can I do for you?" Her voice was polite but unfamiliar, as if she didn't know him at all.Just as Marcus was about to say something, a man's voice came from the other end of the call, "Honey, wake up and come eat..."Marcus suddenly realized something, and his eyes behind the glasses sank as he hung up the phone.He looked at the gift box and bright red roses beside him, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his eyes.He looked away, lit a cigarette, and took a few puffs before instructing the driver, "Start the car, head to Southern Summer Garden."Cornelia was half-asleep and, coupled with her non-stop busy work schedule, she had long pushed the marriage registration to the back of her mind. She truly had no recollection of the name "Jeremy."Cornelia didn't pay attention to the phone call, as it was probably not a client calling her.She put down the phone, walked into the kitchen, squeezed between Abigail Young and Zack Ruck, and said softly, "Why didn't you wake me up when you two got back?"Abigail gently tapped her nose, "You looked so tired, like a worn-out puppy. I didn't want to wake you up."Zack, while serving food, said, "Hurry up and wash your hands, it's dinner time."The three of them grew up together, went to college in Riverton, and originally planned to start a business together after college.But during their sophomore year summer, Cornelia had an accident and almost couldn't continue her studies.After that incident, they decided to stay in Riverton and develop their careers together.After graduation, the three of them opened a comic studio, rented a three-bedroom apartment, and worked and lived together, having a close relationship.Cornelia looked at the table full of dishes, "Is this feast because our studio made a lot of money?"Zack poured each of them a glass of red wine, "We heard you got promoted to the president's assistant, so we prepared this celebration feast for you."Abigail squeezed next to Cornelia, full of gossip, "The president of the Hartley Group never shows his face in the media, and there are so many noble ladies lining up to marry him. Is he really handsome?"Zack thought women were superficial and said unhappily, "Just richness doesn't mean he's good-looking. Maybe he never shows his face in public because he's ugly?"Cornelia laughed and joked, "He is indeed handsome, but whether he's handsome enough to make people swoon, you'll have to ask his wife."Abigail exclaimed, "Wait, he's married?"Cornelia nodded, "Yes, he is. And he seems to love his wife very much. But I always feel like he looks familiar, and I can't remember where I've seen him before."Abigail said, "You always feel familiar when you see handsome guys. You have the potential to become a heartbreaker."Cornelia laughed, "It's not bad to be a heartbreaker, no need to take responsibility."Zack rolled his eyes, "Miss, you're already married!"Abigail immediately retorted, "Can't married people have crushes? Do you want Cornelia to stick with that man who disappeared after marriage for the rest of her life?"Cornelia shrugged, looking calm, "I don't need a man with you two by my side."When they first registered their marriage, Cornelia did entertain the thought of building a good life together with that man. However, as time went on and he disappeared without a trace, and even his granny, whom she had met a few times before the registration, didn't contact her again, she lost any remaining thoughts she had.But her grandmother would often mention her husband and planned to visit the couple in Riverton this Christmas.Abigail and Zack chimed in, "Right, lousy men are nothing compared to us."The meal was finished amidst their laughter, and after they cleaned up the table, they worked on their comics together.Life was both beautiful and fulfilling.The next day, Cornelia went to her company early.The new boss was very busy, and working with him meant a doubled salary, but it also required more time and effort.Cornelia had just gotten out of a taxi when she saw a luxurious black Bentley slowly stopping in front of the company's entrance.She hurried over to open the door for her boss, "President Hartley, good morning!"Marcus nodded, looking a bit under the weather.Cornelia didn't dare to think too much, and followed him into the CEO's private elevator, dutifully reporting today's schedule to him.In the morning, they had a golf appointment with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology.Marcus's complexion had returned to normal, and he was all chummy and elegant with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology.However, Ben and Cornelia, who were waiting nearby, still felt some pressure.Ben had been with Marcus for many years and rarely saw the CEO show his emotions. Today was an exception. "Cornelia, what do you think is going on with our CEO?"Cornelia shook her head. "If you don't know, how would I know?"Ben thought for a long time. There were no issues with their work recently, so the CEO's worries must be about his personal life.He suddenly had an idea. "Could it be... last night President Hartley didn't get what he wanted from his wife?"