Mr. Enigmatic's Spontaneous Bride

A coffee shop.

Ivy sat down and took a good look at the man in the wheelchair opposite her, slightly stunned.

He is extraordinarily handsome, with an air of nobility. It's just his legs... How did he end up in a wheelchair?

Ivy's gaze fell on the man's wheelchair. "Grandma Winston only said her grandson is exceptionally talented..."

The man smiled faintly as if accustomed to her reaction. "It's not too late to regret now."

Ivy waved her hand, indicating that she wasn't concerned. "The Civil Affairs Bureau is in the building next door." Then, she skillfully took out her ID and got straight to the point. "Shall we go get the marriage certificate?"

This was Ivy's 101st blind date in nearly a year.

Due to something urgent, at the start of every blind date, Ivy would immediately propose to the person she thought was suitable. As a result, all previous blind dates ended in failure.

Of course, the 101st blind date caught this man off guard too.

He was slightly stunned, and pushed the iced Americano towards her, "Take a sip, calm down."

"Thank you, I'm perfectly calm." Ivy smiled faintly, pushing away the iced Americano. "Formal introduction, I'm Ivy Rosalia Jones, a doctor at the County Ordinary Clinic. Grandma Winston told me that you're introverted, prefer to live alone, and dislike socializing, which is why you work part-time at DT Investment Group."

Ivy remembered that Grandma Winston had mentioned her grandson occasionally going to DT Investment Group. If she guessed correctly, he should be a part-time employee at that company.

"Perfect. I'm busy with work most of the time and rarely go home. After marriage, we can avoid disturbing each other, no need for a wedding, no need for a dowry. If you're okay with it, we can split expenses equally after marriage."

The man lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, as if contemplating.

Being set up for blind dates countless times by his grandmother, this was the first time he encountered a woman in such a rush to get married. He found it intriguing, "Aren't you worried I might be a fraud?"

"Grandma Winston is a very kind woman I met in the orphanage. I believe her grandson won't be any different."

Shawn asked, "Do you mind that I'm disabled?"

"As an orthopedic doctor, I can even guide daily care." Ivy smiled gently, calculating in her mind that marrying him would relieve her of the responsibility of childbirth.

A win-win situation.

Thinking of this, Ivy blinked her big eyes sincerely, "Um, Tate..."

She stopped. What did Grandma Winston say his name was?

"Shawn."

"Yes. I mean Shawn... Tate." The sincerity in her bright eyes almost overflowed. "There's only an hour left before the Civil Affairs Bureau closes..."

Shawn's hand, hidden in his pocket, rubbed the household register Grandma Winston had forced on him. Thinking of his grandmother's stern words.

"Shawn, Ivy is an excellent orthopedic doctor, and also a daughter-in-law I approve of. If you don't get the certificate today, I'll die in front of you!"

With this in mind, Shawn pondered for a moment, then smiled, "Since you don't regret it, let's go."

....

Half an hour later.

Ivy and Shawn each held a marriage certificate, exchanging their Whatsapp contacts.

Seeing that the other had agreed, Shawn put away his phone, about to speak, but was met with a serious little face.

Ivy, under his gaze, put on her helmet, and hopped onto her pink motorcycle, "Mr. Tate, sorry, I have a patient in half an hour, so I'll be leaving. We'll talk next time."

"..."

Shawn was speechless. Is she getting a marriage certificate in her spare time? After getting the certificate, she just goes home and lives her own life.

"Mr. Tate, why do you look so pale?" Seeing Shawn's unpleasant expression, Ivy's doctor duties kicked in.

When Shawn saw Ivy about to leave like this, he asked, "Are you leaving like this?"

Ivy was taken aback, thought for a moment, took off her helmet and gloves, and held Shawn's hand, "Mr. Tate, I look forward to the rest of my life with you."

In her view, if the other party didn't cross the bottom line like those cheating and abusive men, she had no intention of divorcing.

"Look forward to...," he hadn't finished his sentence, and Ivy had already pulled her hand back, "I'm running late, we'll talk after I finish work."

After giving him a professional smile, Ivy revved the engine and left in a roar.

When the assistant arrived in the nanny's car, Shawn had just inhaled the exhaust from the motorcycle.

"Mr. Tate..." The assistant handed the phone to Shawn. "Grandma's call."

Shawn just put the phone to his ear, and Grandma Winston on the other end couldn't contain her excitement. "Shawn, did you marry Ivy?"

"Yeah." The wedding was done, but it seemed like it wasn't...

"Great!" Next door came Grandma Winston's cheers: "Quickly throw away these oxygen machines for me. I'm fine; I'm faking it. Shh, don't let Shawn know..."

Shawn's mouth twitched, and he hung up the phone.

"Luke, arrange a trip to the USA for the old lady. Bring along the housekeeper from home, let her relax, and take care of her body." He instructed the assistant.

His Grandma had always been cautious, and forcing him to marry Ivy suddenly was really strange.

He needed some time to explore Ivy's background. During this time, his Grandma shouldn't interfere.

"Yes!" The assistant replied, then placed the tablet on Shawn's lap. "Mr. Tate, should we send someone to bring Mrs. Tate back to the Tate family since we've located her clinic?"

Looking ahead at the still lingering exhaust from the motorcycle, the man suddenly laughed softly. "Not for now. Prepare a two-bedroom apartment near her clinic for me."

To be able to conquer his fiery grandmother and the fact that she immediately demanded a certificate on their first meeting, Ivy was either genuinely interesting or deeply scheming.

Which one was she?

***

Ivy returned to the clinic and received an urgent task to go to the rural areas for medical consultation. She didn't return home until a month later, after seeing the last patient.

As soon as she opened the house door, a strong smell of blood hit her.

The scene before her eyes was chaotic, with pots and pans scattered all over the floor, and her mother sitting on the sofa, bearing signs of physical abuse.

Ivy's heart tightened, and she quickly grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet above the shoe rack and rushed towards her. "He hit you again?!"

Her mother tried to comfort her, "It's okay."

"This scumbag!" Ivy cursed, unable to contain her anger. "I've told him countless times that the accident three years ago had nothing to do with you or him. It was my fault, and since he dares not vent his anger on me, he takes it out on you. Mom, you're his wife, he shouldn't treat you like this!"

"You know your father has always been like this, right?" Mrs. Jones held Ivy's hand indifferently. "Don't worry, I am used to it now. I'm more concerned about you. If it weren't for that incident, you and Kevin would have..."

"Mom, you should divorce him tomorrow! Even though the salary from my clinic isn't high, it's more than enough to support us!"

"I'll only burden you." Mrs. Jones interrupted Ivy. "I only wish for you to find a good place to settle down. That way, I can rest assured."

Ivy's hand, in the process of applying medicine, suddenly stopped.

No matter how many years passed, she still couldn't understand why her mother, as a victim of domestic violence, stubbornly believed that marriage could bring security to women.

Having witnessed her father's abuse towards her mother since childhood, Ivy had no interest in marriage and childbirth.

A marriage without responsibility and love, she would rather not have it!

But, she suddenly remembers one important thing.

"Mom, you said last time that as long as I get married, you would divorce him, right?"

Ivy took out the marriage certificate from her bag and handed it to her mother. "Look, I'm already married. Pack your things, move out, and come live with me outside. In a few days, I'll take you to complete the divorce procedures!"

Mrs. Jones suddenly widened her eyes, looking shocked. "What did you say?"

Ivy held her mother's hands and spoke clearly, "Mom, I'm married!"

Hearing her daughter's firm answer, Mrs. Jones was stunned. She looked at the photo on the marriage certificate, then at Ivy, taking quite some time to digest this news.

This man on the marriage certificate had sharp eyebrows and a starry gaze. He seemed to be a talented person. But Ivy had never mentioned having a boyfriend before. When did she suddenly get a husband?

"This... What's going on?" Mrs. Jones frowned.

The man on the marriage certificate looked even better than male celebrities on TV. However, his eyes were sharp and cold, showing he was someone calculating.

And those starry eyes, similar to Ivy's father. It wouldn't be good if he turned out to be unfaithful.

"Mom, I'm not lying to you. Do you remember Grandma Winston from the welfare center where I volunteered? She vouched for her grandson. Don't you trust Grandma Winston's character?" Ivy warmly explained the basic information about Shawn.

Seeing her mother still half-doubting, she added, "After several encounters, I found him handsome and has a good character, so we got together."

She twisted the truth a bit, saying that they got married after a few encounters, thinking that her mother might find it easier to accept.

But Mrs. Jones still couldn't accept it. After thinking for a while, she instructed, "While your father is away for the next two days, bring Shawn over for dinner. I need to see him in person before I can be at ease."

"Okay." Ivy opened WhatsApp to find Shawn but suddenly felt uneasy.

Oh no, she left in a hurry and forgot to change his name.

Which one was his number?

Ivy, due to work requirements, added many patients to her contacts every day to keep track of their health status, and some of them were strangers with no names, only numbers.

She sighed as she looked at these chat windows--it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

"Ivy, are you just finding someone randomly to trick me and your dad into divorcing?" Mrs. Jones, seeing her scrolling through WhatsApp contacts repeatedly, doubted her daughter again.

"How could that be? I just remembered that he's in a meeting right now. I'll contact him later."

Finally managing to get her mother to rest, Ivy spent nearly half an hour before finding Shawn on WhatsApp.

She checked the date and time of adding the contact, confirmed that it was him, and asked: Mr. Tate, my mom wants to have dinner with you. When are you free?

A minute later, her WhatsApp chimed.

Shawn: I'm free tonight. What time do you finish work? I'll pick you up.

Actually, he had a business dinner to attend tonight, but Shawn inexplicably decided to cancel it to meet Ivy.

He just wanted to know--was the female doctor from the clinic in the poorest county in the city genuinely busy and out of contact for a month after getting married, or was it just a strategic move on her part?

Ivy checked the time: No need to pick me up. What time do you finish work? I'll come to pick you up.

Deciding on a time with Shawn, Ivy left an hour early and stopped by the Jewelry Store on the way.

It had been a month since they got the certificate, and there wasn't even a proper ring. It looked more and more like a fake marriage.

Ivy usually devoted most of her time to work, and she hadn't planned to spend much time picking a wedding ring.

Therefore, after entering the store, she briefly stated her budget, and preferred style, and selected a wedding ring within a few minutes.

"Miss, your husband will surely like this ring." The salesperson smiled at her but had a sympathetic look in her eyes. The husband of this lady must not love her enough, otherwise, how could he bear to let her buy a lifelong symbol alone?

Ivy understood the meaning in her eyes, just thanked her lightly, and left with the ring.

Her expectations for marriage were simply to live together, and it didn't matter who bought the ring.

An hour later, accompanied by the roaring and clattering sounds of a nearly scrapped pickup truck, it heavily stopped in front of Starbucks.

In this street full of luxury cars and luxury goods in the financial district of the city, this vehicle continuously emitting unpleasant exhaust fumes seemed out of place.

***

The assistant coughed a few times, waved his hand to clear the exhaust fumes for Shawn, and suggested with difficulty, "How if I drive you instead?"

"No need." His gaze fell on the girl in the pickup truck wearing a duckbill cap. A playful glint flashed beneath his deep eyes hidden behind the black sunglasses.

Seeing that he couldn't persuade his boss, the assistant frowned. This pickup truck obviously had signs of being in an accident. The rear cover was lifted, the body was dented, and the windshield was cracked.

Shawn's usual ride was a globally limited-edition luxury car, and this truck... what kind of junk was it?!

Ivy, dressed casually, jumped out of the car. Seeing the displeased expression on the assistant's face, she asked Shawn, "Who is this?"

"I am Mt. Tate's..."

"Colleague." Shawn interrupted him, sending a warning look to the assistant. "Thank you for your help. You can go back to work."

Helpless, the assistant sighed inwardly. If the boss insisted on enduring hardships, there was nothing he could do. "Well, let me help you get in the car."

After saying this, Luke pulled the door handle, but the next moment, the door wobbled and with a loud clang, it fell off!

"..." The assistant was truly astonished! Was this door made of paper? How could it protect Mr. Tate's safety?

Shawn's wife, Ivy, noticed the assistant's disdainful look and explained with an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, this car was lent to a friend a few days ago. It had an accident, and we haven't had time to repair it properly. But it's not a big deal; I can fix it. I know a bit about repairs." With that, she effortlessly lifted the door and snapped it back into place.

"!!!"

The assistant was dumbfounded. Was there really such a powerful girl?!

Shawn also looked stunned. Meeting for the first time, she wanted to get the certificate. Meeting for the second time, she fixed the car door. How could this woman surprise him every time they met?

"Help me up." The man regained his composure and instructed the assistant.

Seeing that the boss had made up his mind, the assistant sighed again, helping him sit in the passenger seat.

Well, with the bodyguards always around Mr. Tate, nothing should go wrong.

"Sit securely and hold on tight," Ivy reminded in a low voice.

Wearing black sunglasses that hid the waves in his eyes, he replied nonchalantly, "Cool."

With a roaring sound, the pickup truck kicked up dust as it sped away. In this financial district street, several sports cars nearby, under the assistant's gestured eyes, quickly started their engines and followed, leaving in a hurry.

From the center of the city to the bustling county on the outskirts, Ivy's worn-out pickup truck roared for a full two hours before arriving at her house.

As the car came to a stop, Shawn subtly rubbed his nearly deafened ears and let out a barely audible sigh. This car... had to be replaced!

Thinking about it, Ivy jumped out of the car, opened Shawn's door, and her gaze fell on his legs. After some thought, she reached out and touched his thigh.

The man's gentle expression instantly darkened. "Let go!"

Did she think she could touch my thigh whenever she wanted? Why did this woman not understand boundaries?

Ignoring the cold face of the man, Ivy looked at him and said, "Car accident?"

"Let go!"

Knowing that this matter was painful for the man, Ivy softened her tone. "I don't mean anything by it. I'm also an orthopedic doctor. Understanding your condition will help when I assist you with rehabilitation in the future."

Upon hearing this, Shawn's eyes flashed with a hint of pain. He then indifferently said, "Car accident fifteen years ago. The surgery failed, and the chance of recovery is only thirty percent."

Ivy continued to touch his thigh, forming her own judgment. "Give me your medical records later. I'll help you."

"You?" Shawn didn't hide his suspicion.

It wasn't that he looked down on people, but countless world-renowned doctors had told him that his legs had no hope of recovery. Looking at this newlywed wife, both in terms of age and qualifications, she didn't seem to have the ability to make him believe.

"Let's go up. Mom is anxious." Knowing that the man didn't believe her, Ivy changed the topic. After all, she really didn't have a hundred percent certainty of curing him.

"Okay."

The doorbell had just rung, and excited vibrations echoed from inside. As the door opened, seeing the two, Mrs. Jones' smiling face froze.

Shawn was accustomed to such gazes and didn't mind. He smiled lightly and said, "Hello, Auntie. I'm Shawn."

Mrs. Jones hesitated for a moment and quickly smiled, "Hello, come in, come in."

After the man entered, Mrs. Jones grabbed Ivy and pulled her outside. In a hushed voice, she angrily asked, "What's going on? Why did you marry a disabled man?"

Ivy tried to soothe her, explaining gently, "Mom, Shawn had a car accident fifteen years ago. Doctors say his condition is untreatable, but I..."

"What?" Mrs. Jones couldn't listen anymore and exclaimed, "Are you saying his legs can't be healed?"

"Hush!" Ivy gestured for her to speak more quietly. However, the next moment, Mrs. Jones choked up.

"Ivy, I hope you marry someone who can protect you in the future. I don't want you to marry out of anger. It's not that I look down on Shawn's disability, but how can he protect you? You might as well protect him!"

Ivy gently embraced her mother's shoulders and whispered, "Mom, his leg condition is temporary. I will do everything to cure him. Even if it's not successful in the end, it won't change my feelings for him. Shawn is kind, reliable, and exceptional in his abilities. Being with him won't make me worse off than others. Mom, believe in me and believe in him, okay?"

"He can't even take care of himself. How can I believe in him?" Mrs. Jones turned away, wiping her tears.

It wasn't that she looked down on disabled people. She just regretted impulsively forcing her daughter to marry a disabled man.

"Mom, look at Dad. He has hands and feet and can take care of himself. But after you married him, did he protect you apart from using his hands to hit you and his feet to kick you?"

Her daughter's words cast a shadow on Mrs. Jones's heart. She had always known about domestic violence, which left a deep scar in her daughter's heart.

"But..."

Mrs. Jones wanted to say more, but the door to the house opened at that moment. Ivy's long-unseen father, Harry Jones, walked in.

***