Timid by nature, she jumped in surprise and fell right into his arms, completely caught off guard.
He had a light, clean scent. Ashley Bowen found her face buried in his chest, pinned in place.
Yuri Sinclair leaned in, bringing his handsome face close to Ashley Bowen's.
Ashley Bowen quickly turned her face away, bobbing her head like a frantic chick. "I'll remember, I'll remember."
Only then did Yuri Sinclair shove her away. His large, calloused hand enveloped her small one, squeezing it so tightly it felt like he wanted to crush it.
"From now on, you are forbidden from mentioning other men in my presence."
His features were so fine you couldn't see a single pore. A domineering air clung to his stern expression, as if he were laying claim to his property.
Ashley Bowen held her breath, not daring to even exhale, and quickly nodded. "Under... stood."
Only then did Yuri Sinclair release her hand. He gave a cold command to the person behind him. "Push me inside."
Though her mind was reeling with questions, Ashley Bowen meekly followed Yuri Sinclair and his entourage into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
By the time she came out, she was clutching a little red booklet. Ashley Bowen opened the marriage certificate, her eyes landing on their photo against the red background. Yuri Sinclair was drop-dead gorgeous. 'If only he weren't disabled... how perfect would that be?'
Aaron pushed Yuri Sinclair out of the building. Yuri didn't spare Ashley Bowen a single glance.
"Um... Your Highness, are you leaving already?" Ashley Bowen scrambled after them.
A luxurious, stretched Bentley was now parked outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. A door slid open, and a steel ramp automatically descended from the vehicle.
Aaron was about to push the wheelchair up the ramp.
Yuri Sinclair motioned for him to stop, then looked back at Ashley Bowen. "Wait for me."
He said it as a simple statement, his voice ice-cold, yet Ashley Bowen nodded frantically as if she were under a spell. It was as if his words were a divine decree.
'Wait for him...'
Yuri Sinclair was wheeled into the vehicle, and the car sped off, disappearing in a cloud of dust.
Ashley Bowen stood frozen in place for a moment, watching until the car had completely vanished from sight. Only then did she look down at the red booklet in her hand.
She pressed the little red booklet to her chest, her heart blooming with joy.
'I'm married,' she thought, 'and my husband is gorgeous, to boot.'
'Yuri Sinclair's legs aren't in the photo anyway. If I just post a picture of this booklet, everyone will be so jealous they could die.'
At that thought, she pulled out her phone and snapped a selfie with the marriage certificate before tucking everything away in her bag, completely satisfied.
"Miss Bowen, you can't post that on social media."
Just as Ashley Bowen was about to tap "Post," a large hand blocked her screen. She snapped her head up. It was the stone-faced man.
His face remained a mask of indifference as he said coolly, "His Highness's marriage requires the family's formal approval. The official announcement must come from the most authoritative member of the family. When the time comes, it will be proclaimed to the entire nation, and foreign dignitaries will arrive to offer their congratulations. You cannot leak the news before then, Miss Bowen. It would cause unnecessary trouble for His Highness."
"Oh, I see." Ashley Bowen reluctantly tapped "Cancel" and put her phone back in her bag. She looked up at the stone-faced man with pleading, puppy-dog eyes. "I can keep the photo, though, right? I promise I won't post it."
The corner of the stone-faced man's mouth twitched. "Please get in the car, Miss Bowen," he said, a note of resignation in his voice.
The car drove along a wide, flat road that grew increasingly remote, yet the scenery became more and more beautiful. As the car began to climb a winding mountain road, a vista of lush green peaks filled the window. Ashley Bowen excitedly pulled out her phone and began snapping photos nonstop.
"Miss Bowen, you can't post photos of this area on social media, either," the stone-faced man reminded her from the passenger seat. "This is His Highness's private estate. The location is a closely guarded secret. Please, for His Highness's safety."