Jasper didn't say anything else. Instead, he took out his ID and set it on the counter before the clerk.
Coralie followed his lead.
Not a single word passed between them during the whole process. The clerk repeatedly looked from one to the other and paused several times, as though she was waiting for proof that they fully understood how serious this decision was. She didn't want to approve a marriage that might soon end in an ugly divorce.
However, neither of them showed any hesitation. With no reason left to delay them, the clerk finished the required procedures.
Once Jasper received both copies of the document, he looked them over and passed one to Coralie. "This one is yours."
Coralie took it and softly thanked him.
Together, they left the courthouse.
When they got outside, Jasper stopped and waited until Coralie reached him. He then took a set of keys from his pocket, which he had clearly prepared beforehand, and held them out to her. "I live at Veridian Apartments. Grandma told me that you own a bookstore near Evrata School. The apartment isn't far from there, and the bus ride should only take around ten to fifteen minutes. Do you have a driver's license? If you do, I can help you buy a car. I'll sign the loan with you and pay the down payment, while you take care of the monthly payments. That should make traveling to work more convenient. My job keeps me busy, so I usually leave early and return late. Sometimes, I also have to travel for work. You only need to look after yourself, and you don't have to worry about me. I'll send you money every month for the household expenses. To prevent any unnecessary trouble, we should also keep our marriage a secret for now."
Jasper was clearly accustomed to giving instructions, so he went through everything in one breath without giving her a chance to reply.
Coralie had only entered this rushed marriage because she no longer wanted to be the reason her sister and brother-in-law kept arguing. She needed to marry someone and move away so her sister could finally live in peace. To her, their marriage was simply a convenient agreement between two adults.
Since Jasper had offered her the keys, Coralie took them without pretending to refuse.
"I do have a license, but I don't need to buy a car yet. I normally use my scooter, and I recently replaced its battery. Letting it sit unused would only waste money. Mr. Warren, are we going to divide the household bills?"
Her sister had married for love, but her brother-in-law still demanded that every expense be divided equally. He behaved as though his wife was taking advantage of him, yet he had no idea how much effort went into raising a child, buying groceries, preparing meals, and keeping the house clean.
Men who had never handled those responsibilities often believed that being a housewife was easy.
Coralie and Jasper had entered this marriage in a hurry. Before that day, they hadn't even met each other. Keeping their money separate would at least help her feel more secure.
Without any hesitation, Jasper blurted out, "You're my wife now, so I can support you and pay for our household expenses. There's no reason for us to divide the bills."
A small smile appeared on Coralie's face. "Alright. We'll do it your way."
Even so, she had no plans to rely on him for everything.
Since she would be staying in his home, she could use her own money to pay for the things they needed around the house.
Besides, she would no longer have to spend money on rent.
Living together would only work if both of them did their part.
Once again, Jasper looked at his watch. "I have a lot to do, so I need to return to the office. You can drive my car yourself, or you can take a cab. I'll pay for the ride. I'll bring Grandma to my brother's place first. We should exchange our contact details in case either of us needs something."
Coralie took out her phone. Once they had saved each other's numbers, she replied, "I'll take a cab instead. You can leave first."
"Alright. Call me if you need anything."
Before walking away, Jasper placed two hundred dollars in her hand to cover the fare. Coralie tried to give it back, but one stern look from him made her close her fingers around the cash without thinking.
Unlike other couples who had just gotten married, they didn't leave the courthouse side by side.
Jasper stepped out ahead of her and went straight to his car.
"Where is Coralie?"
Judie questioned Jasper as soon as he climbed inside. When she saw that her grandson was alone, her doubts immediately grew. "Both of you went inside together, so why didn't you come back out together? Did you change your mind, or did she?"
After fastening his seat belt, Jasper said calmly, "We completed everything. Work is hectic, and I need to hurry back for a meeting. I gave her money to take a cab home. Grandma, I'll let you out at the next intersection, and my bodyguard will drive you the rest of the way."
"I don't care how busy you are. You can't leave Coralie there by herself! Don't even think about driving away. Wait until she comes out, take her home, and then you can return to work."
Judie grabbed the door handle, but Jasper had already locked it.
"Grandma, I agreed to marry her, but everything after that is between us. This is my marriage, so I'll deal with it in my own way. I also need time to judge her character for myself. Until I know what kind of person she is, we'll only be husband and wife on paper."
Judie fixed him with a hard stare. "Men from the Warren family don't get divorced!"
"That will depend on whether the woman you chose for me is someone I can spend my whole life with." As he finished speaking, Jasper started the car.
"Is this really how you're going to treat your wife? You just got married, and now you're abandoning her right away?"
Judie knew that agreeing to get the married was already the furthest Jasper would bend. After that, he would follow his own pace, and she wouldn't be able to change his mind. If she pressured him too much, Coralie might be the one to suffer and end up trapped in a marriage without love. In that case, Judie would be to blame for ruining the young woman's life.
Jasper ignored her complaints.
If Coralie proved that she was a decent person, he would make sure she lived a happy life with him. However, if she had fooled his grandmother and only pretended to be kind, he would end the marriage after six months. He had no intention of touching her, and because no one knew about their marriage, she could still start over and meet someone else.
Around ten minutes later, Jasper pulled over where several expensive cars were waiting, including a Rolls-Royce.
After stepping out, Jasper threw his keys to one of the bodyguards. "Drive my grandmother home."
Judie immediately objected. "I'm not going home! I want to stay with you and Coralie!"
By then, Jasper had already gotten into the Rolls-Royce and acted as though he hadn't heard her.
All Judie could do was stand there and watch as the luxury car quickly disappeared from sight.
In truth, Jasper stood at the top of Evrata's business world. He led the wealthiest family in the city, and his fortune was worth hundreds of billions.
"That cold-hearted brat!"
Judie cursed quietly before a sly smile appeared on her face. "I hope you fall hopelessly in love with Coralie one day and regret every word you said today. I'll be waiting right here to enjoy the whole thing."
Since getting angry wouldn't make Jasper return, Judie quickly called Coralie, who was already riding in a cab.
"Coralie, Jasper is unbelievably busy with work. Please don't be upset with him."
Coralie smiled lightly. "Mrs. Warren, I understand. It honestly doesn't bother me, so you don't have to worry. He gave me money for the cab, and I'm already on my way."
"You two are already husband and wife, which means you're part of the family now. You shouldn't keep calling me Mrs. Warren..."
Coralie hesitated briefly before correcting herself. "Judie."
A wide smile spread across Judie's face on the other end of the call.
"Coralie, you're one of us now. If Jasper ever mistreats you, come straight to me. I'll make sure he learns his lesson."
Finding a granddaughter-in-law like Coralie hadn't been easy. Judie had no intention of letting her grandson make the young woman suffer.
