Chapter 14
The next day, Alexander and Braelynn went to city hall to register their. marriage.
The procedure was simple–no grand ceremony, no blessings from friends. or family, just two strangers signing their names on a document, becoming husband and wife in the eyes of the law.
On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was quiet, but not awkward.
“Do we need to have a wedding?” Alexander suddenly asked.
Braelynn shook her head. “No need, this is fine.”
She had been through a grand but hollow marriage before, and now she valued substance over form.
Alexander nodded and said nothing more.
In the days that followed, Braelynn quickly threw herself into her work.
Although she was married to Alexander, she had no intention of relying on him completely.
The information Alexander provided was thorough yet shocking; the difficulties the branch had faced early on were far more than just business competition, involving tangled local powers and some methods that skirted the edge of legality.
She and Alexander quickly established their division of labor: she was mainly responsible for intelligence analysis, business strategy, and connecting with the original Aidley Group and potential external resources, Alexander, with his knowledge of the local situation and hist fearless tenacity, handled execution and clearing obstacles.
One was skilled in strategy, the other in action; unexpectedly, they worked together with remarkable tacit understanding.
Alexander was not talkative, but anything he promised, he would do–and often did it better than expected. He was like a silent alpha wolf: sharp. fierce, and protective.
That day, Braelynn, following a newly acquired piece of information. discovered a key breakthrough that might require Alexander to approach a rather difficult person who held important resources.
She organized the materials and went to Alexander’s usual, shabby temporary office to find him.
The office door was open. She knocked and heard a voice from inside: “Come in.”
She pushed the door open and saw Alexander talking with several men who looked equally tough, apparently arranging something.
Those men glanced at Braelynn, their eyes filled with curiosity and scrutiny.
Alexander saw her and waved at the men. “Do as we discussed.”
The men nodded, gave Braelynn another look, and then filed out one after
another.
“Something up?” Alexander turned to her, his eyes questioning.
Braelynn handed over the documents. “I found something new–about the ownership dispute over the warehouse at the docks. We might be able to break through with this person.” She pointed to a name on the papers. “But this person has a bad reputation, supposedly very difficult to deal with.”
Alexander took the documents, scanned them quickly, and didn’t even
Chapter 14
frown. “Got it. I’ll handle it.”
His reaction was so calm, it was as if he were dealing with a trivial
matter.
Braelynn couldn’t help but remind dangerous.”
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him, “This person… might be a bit
Alexander looked up at her, his gaze deep and wild with confidence. “In this place, if you’re afraid of danger, you’ll never get anything done.”
He put away the documents, as if remembering something, and took a small black device from the drawer, handing it to her. “Take this. If there’s an emergency, press it–I’ll know.”
It was a miniature alarm device.
Braelynn took it, feeling a subtle stir in her heart. “Thank you.”
“Mm,” Alexander replied, acknowledging her, then picked up his jacket. “I’m heading out.”
He walked to the door, then stopped, not turning around, his voice low as he added, “When I’m not here, try not to go to remote places alone. Call me if you need anything.
With that, he strode away.
Braelynn watched his back, gripping the alarm device that still held the warmth of his fingertips. A long–lost feeling of being quietly protected began to rise in her heart.
A few days later, Alexander returned, travel–worn, with a shadow of stubble on his chin, but his eyes were astonishingly bright.
He placed a signed document on Braelynn’s desk.
“Done.” Just two concise words.
Braelynn opened the document–it was a statement from that difficult person relinquishing the priority right to purchase the dock warehouse! How had he managed it?
She looked up, wanting to ask about the process, but saw a faint strip of gauze peeking out from the cuff of his jacket.
“Are you hurt?” she blurted out.
Alexander followed her gaze, then casually pulled his sleeve down. “Just a scratch, it’s nothing.”
Clearly unwilling to discuss it further, he changed the subject. “What’s your plan next?”
Suppressing her questions, Braelynn refocused on the business plan. “Now that the biggest obstacle is gone, we can start preparing funds and building the team. My preliminary calculations show the initial investment isn’t a small amount…”
She took out the budget sheet she had prepared.
Alexander glanced at the numbers and didn’t even frown. “I’ll figure out the money.”
“This isn’t a small sum…” Braelynn reminded him. She knew Alexander had some savings, but it was probably far from enough.
“I know,” Alexander interrupted, his eyes filled with unwavering certainty. “I said I’ll handle it. You just focus on what you’re good at- planning.”
His attitude was resolute, even a bit domineering, yet strangely reassuring.
That evening, when Braelynn returned to the apartment, she found a paper bag at the door. Inside was a box of highly effective anti-
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inflammatory ointment and a serving of local, easily digestible dinner.
There was no name, but she knew who had left it.
She picked up the ointment, a wave of indescribable emotion rising in her heart.
Alexander was like a beautiful jade wrapped in rough stone–cold and even a bit harsh on the outside, yet always revealing a clumsy but genuine attentiveness in the details.
This kind of attentiveness was completely different from the procedural. emotionless “gentlemanly manners” she remembered from Zachary
A subtle feeling, one she herself had not yet fully realized, began quietly
to grow.
