Chapter 3 I Want You To Acknowledge Me As Your Wife

For a brief moment, the living room fell into complete silence.

Braydon kept his gaze on Caroline, something unreadable passing through his eyes.

He had expected a spoiled girl, someone who had been indulged all her life and never endured even the slightest hardship. He had denied her a wedding, skipped the photos, and locked her out on the very first day of their marriage.

Even after all that, Caroline didn't break down, didn't lash out, didn't cause a scene, and didn't reach out to the Palmer family for support.

Instead, she simply dropped onto the couch and settled in as if she had every intention of staying.

That alone caught his interest.

Tilting her head up, Caroline met his gaze. "Braydon, I'm aware you don't like me. Still, we're legally bound now, so our lives are tied together. You don't want to acknowledge it? That's fine. I'll stay right here and wait. If you deny it for a day, I'll wait a day. If it takes a year, then I'll wait a year."

"Acknowledge what?"

"That I'm your wife."

A laugh slipped from Braydon as he looked at her.

"Fine," he said casually. "Then go ahead and wait."

Without another word, he turned and made his way upstairs.

Left alone in the living room, Caroline slowly let a faint smile form on her lips.

She wasn't simply waiting. She was taking a gamble.

From what she remembered of her previous life, she understood Braydon far too well.

He wouldn't bend to pressure, and pleading meant nothing to him. The only thing that ever moved him was curiosity.

As long as she managed to catch his interest, even slightly, he would start paying attention to her.

Once that happened, she would have the opportunity to change everything.

Upstairs, Braydon pushed the bedroom door open.

Jared lay stretched out on the bed, absorbed in his phone. The moment he noticed Braydon, he sprang up. "Well? Did that woman stir things up?"

Without responding, Braydon walked over and sat on the couch beside the bed, then poured himself a glass of whiskey.

Leaning closer with curiosity, Jared asked, "Did she cry? Did she call her family to complain?"

"No."

"What's she doing?"

Braydon raised his glass and took a slow sip. "She's downstairs, sitting on the couch."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"She's just sitting there doing nothing?"

A subtle curve formed at Braydon's lips. "She's waiting for me to acknowledge that she's my wife."

Morning came soon after.

Caroline had stayed on that couch the entire night.

The living room was spacious, and the couch felt comfortable, but it still fell short of an actual bed.

As she woke, a slight stiffness settled into her neck.

She pushed herself upright, massaged the soreness, and then noticed a glass of warm milk along with a sandwich placed neatly on the table.

For a brief moment, she paused.

Standing nearby, the butler stepped forward once he saw she was awake, and his tone carried more respect than before. "Madam, Mr. Lewis arranged breakfast for you."

Caroline's brow lifted slightly. "He did?"

"Yes."

Reaching out, Caroline picked up the milk and took a sip. The warmth felt just right.

A faint smile touched her lips, yet she said nothing.

Upstairs, Braydon stood by the study window, watching the staff move about as they cleaned the garden below.

The door opened as Jared walked in, then moved beside him and looked down. "So she really stayed? I figured she was just putting on a show last night."

Braydon didn't respond.

Jared kept rambling. "She's got patience. Most women would've broken down and run back home after being made to sleep on a couch on the first night after marriage."

Turning away from the window, Braydon walked over and took a seat at his desk. "That's not patience."

"Then what do you call it?"

"She's clever."

"Clever? How does that even count as clever?"

Instead of answering, Braydon stayed silent and flipped through the papers in his hand.

The file he was reading held Caroline's personal details.

Caroline was a smart woman. She knew tears wouldn't change anything and complaints would only fall flat, so she chose a different approach altogether.

After finishing her breakfast, Caroline picked up her suitcase and made her way upstairs without hesitation.

The butler moved as if to block her path, yet he held back and followed behind her instead. "Madam, Mr. Lewis' study is located on east side of the second floor. Please be careful not to head the wrong way..."

"Where's my room?"

The butler hesitated before pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "That is Mr. Lewis' bedroom. The room beside it is meant for guests."

Caroline stepped forward and pushed open the guest room door.

The space looked complete with furnishings, though it carried the untouched feel of a room no one had ever used.

She placed her suitcase on the floor, opened it, and began taking out her clothes, arranging them neatly in the wardrobe as if she belonged there.

Lingering at the doorway, the butler seemed hesitant, as though words were stuck on his tongue.

Without even glancing back, Caroline said, "If you've got something to say, then say it."

"Madam, Mr. Lewis has quite a temper. If there's anything you need, it might be better to come to me first."

Turning around, Caroline met his eyes. "Then let me ask you something. Will he acknowledge that I'm his wife?"

The question left him speechless.

"If he won't, then what's the point of going through you?"

The butler stood there, unable to respond.

Returning to her task, Caroline continued hanging her clothes, her voice light and unconcerned. "Don't worry. I'm not here to stir trouble. I'll live my life as usual. When I'm hungry, I'll eat. When I'm tired, I'll sleep. He can act like I don't exist, and I'll do the same."

By midday, Caroline went downstairs for lunch.

The dining hall stretched wide, and though she sat there alone, the table was filled with an elaborate spread.

Once she finished eating, she returned to her room and took a nap.

Later that afternoon, she wandered into the garden and spent some time talking with the gardener, learning about the different varieties of roses.

When dinner time came, Braydon was nowhere to be seen.

Caroline didn't question it. She ate quietly and went back to her room afterward.

The second day passed the same way, and nothing changed on the third.

By the fourth day, Jared finally snapped.

"Seriously, this is driving me insane!" he burst out. "I've been staying here for four days and there's zero excitement! All I see is that woman strolling around the garden like it's her daily routine!"

A hand came up to Braydon's temple as he massaged it lightly.

Even he hadn't anticipated Caroline would keep this up for so long.

Not once in those past days had she tried to seek him out.

"Have the butler bring her to the study," he said.

If things dragged on any further, he figured Jared might settle in for the long haul.

At that same time, Caroline was outside chatting with the elderly gardener when the butler approached in a hurry. "Madam, Mr. Lewis would like to see you in his study."

Caroline lifted her gaze. "Right now?"

"Yes."

"Alright."

Brushing off her dress, Caroline followed him back inside.

They arrived at the study upstairs, and the butler knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in." Braydon's voice sounded from within.

Opening the door, the butler stepped aside to let Caroline pass.

The study stretched wide, with a large desk positioned in front of tall windows that reached from floor to ceiling.

Seated behind it, Braydon held a pen while reviewing documents.

Caroline paused at the entrance instead of stepping forward.

Without lifting his head, Braydon said, "Come here."

Caroline walked over and stopped across from him.

Setting the pen aside, Braydon finally raised his head and looked at her.

A soft blue dress framed her figure, and her long hair fell naturally over her shoulders. With no makeup on, she looked simple yet striking.

Compared to the last time he saw her, she seemed a little thinner.

Braydon asked, "Are you settling in well?"

Caroline nodded. "Everything's been fine."

"No tears?"

"None."

"No complaints either?"

"Not at all."

With his eyes fixed on her, Braydon studied her quietly. "Do you have any idea what people are saying about you right now?"

Caroline gave a slight shake of her head. "I don't."

"They're saying that you were rejected by me on the first night we got married, spent the night on the couch and still chose to stay, making a complete fool of yourself."

After hearing all that, Caroline only let out a faint smile. "I see."

"That's it? That's all you've got to say?"

"What else should I say?" Caroline replied, meeting his gaze. "If I cared about those rumors, I wouldn't have married you in the first place."

For a brief moment, Braydon simply stared at her before a low laugh escaped him.

He rose from his seat, walked around the desk, and stopped right in front of her.

As he stood over her, his height made his presence feel overwhelming.

In that moment, she couldn't help but think his reputation wasn't exaggerated at all. He ruled Praginia with unmatched influence and moved effortlessly between both sides of the law, a man everyone feared.

He asked in a low voice, "Caroline, what is it that you actually want?"

Caroline met his eyes. "I want you to acknowledge me as your wife."