Chapter 5 I Have Other Options

"You promised me last night that you would take responsibility. You would marry me and give me lots of babies. Then we would live happily ever after!"

Aaron's words knocked Irene off her feet. She fell back on the bed immediately.

'I blame the wine! The wine got me into this trouble.

I couldn't remember anything at all!' Irene thought.

"Hey! What's that look for? You look like you're regretting everything now. Don't tell me you're going back on your words,"

Aaron said. Meanwhile, Irene was too busy feeling her world crash. She wanted to cry but her tear ducts were not cooperating with her.

She wanted to tell him it was just the alcohol speaking last night. She was attracted with his handsome face while she was drunk off her mind, which was why she had said such ridiculous things.

'But if I tell him that now, he'd get sad now.'

"Well..." Irene sat up slowly. With a fake smile on her face, she said, "I'll think about it. Besides, we don't know each other yet. What if we get married and some problems arise because we didn't get to know each other."

"My name is Aaron Zhao. I don't have any family left. I'm a little poor, which is why I'm still unmarried. I'm a driver who drives for an owner of a big company. Your name is Irene Xiao. You're a fresh graduate from A University. You come from an old family that dabbles in cooking noodles. Your mother runs a noodle shop terribly and your younger sister doesn't have a job. Your aunt lives in T City and paid for your tuition and living expenses. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Irene took a deep breath.

She really had drunk too much for her to have divulged that much information about her life with a stranger.

"I meant, you don't know my character at all. What if our personalities didn't suit at all and we found out only after we got married? You'll only suffer so much!"

"It doesn't matter. I'm used to suffering losses. As for your character, I can get to know you more after we get married," Aaron answered while he looked at Irene with a smile.

Cold sweat started to break out on Irene's back. She thought, 'Why do I feel like he's a little cunning more than he let on?'

"Alright. It doesn't matter if you don't want to marry me. There are so many women like you break their promises. I'm not going to be upset about this. Well, I'm going out now. You need to check out before 2 o'clock in the afternoon."

And with that, Aaron turned around and went to the bathroom. He took his clothes that still hung there. While he was taking his clothes from the hanger, he wondered how long it would take for Irene to stop him.

Irene grabbed the quilt and lowered her head. There was an unmistakable deep loss and sadness on Aaron's face earlier. She had experienced how painful it was being hurt from others and now she was the one doing it. 'Damn it!' she cursed mentally.

Aaron finished putting on his half wet clothes and walked out of the bathroom. He gave Irene a cursory glance before he turned to leave.

He had taken a few steps to the door when he heard Irene's voice.

"Wait!"

Aaron smiled triumphantly. As he turned, he wiped the smile off his face and pretended to be sad. "Is there anything else?"

"I've thought about it. If you want, we can get married today."

Irene was crazy for agreeing to this plan. But then she realized it was for the best. She knew how it felt when others went back on their words. She couldn't do that to him just because she had her reservations.

And more importantly, it didn't seem like Aaron was a bad guy. It seemed like he didn't sleep with her and treated her well last night even though she was drunk beyond belief. He couldn't have been a bad guy.

And he seemed to know her family well now. He didn't mind the drama of her family. What else could she look for in a guy?

After a while, they found themselves in the Bureau of Civil Affairs.

The officer in charge of marriage registration looked at the handsome Aaron and the young Irene. He lowered his head to study the ID cards they gave him. "Are you getting married today out of your own free will?"

"Yes." Irene nodded.

"I'm not asking you. I'm asking him." The office nodded his chin at Aaron.

Irene blushed. She was surprised at what the officer said and looked at Aaron confusedly.

She knew he had the stoic handsome face going, but his expression right now was borderline deathly. It looked like his facial nerves had died and froze on this extremely neutral expression.

"I'm of perfect mental and physical health. I have lots of admirers. I don't worry about finding a husband," Irene said defensively. Contrary to what the officer insinuated, she was a pretty woman with lots of options. She wasn't trapping Aaron, if that was what the officer was thinking.

But what they didn't know was she was only being half-truthful with her words

Meanwhile, Aaron's expression didn't change. He placed his hand over Irene's and looked at her tenderly, as if he were really her fiance. "I was just thinking about what kind of wedding gift I should give her."

Irene's heart raced. Aaron's eyes were truly a treasure beyond this world. She could lose herself looking at them forever.

However, Aaron took her fascination with his eyes the wrong way. Gently, he put one hand on her shoulder and the other cupped her face. He leaned in and as quickly as the blink of an eye, he kissed her.