Elena’s cheeks flushed at his teasing tone. "I...I have been sleeping for two days?"

He stopped beside the bed, staring at her.

Elena’s heart started beating faster under his unwavering gaze. She looked away. "Thank you for saving me."

"Hmm." He hummed softly.

Silence fell between them again.

Elena stole a glance at him and found him staring at her. Nervous, she looked away. She cleared her throat softly.

"How – how did you find me?" she stuttered.

"It was not a big deal."

"Oh..." She nodded slowly. ’Maybe he has his own sources.’

"Those kidnappers have been caught," he started in his deep voice. "They confessed. Tessa was behind this. She faked her own kidnapping just to frame you."

Elena looked up at him.

"But I couldn’t understand one thing. Why would she go to such lengths to frame you? What’s going on between you and her?"

Elena hesitated for a moment. It was a secret she had not even told the people closest to her. And Elias was a stranger to her.

’Should I tell him everything?’

She was skeptical about him. Then again, he was the one who had saved her. Above all, she would marry him soon.

Even if there was no love between them yet, she didn’t want to begin a relationship with lies and secrets.

"She is Noah’s wife," she revealed.

"Noah’s wife?" Elias repeated with disbelief. As far as he knew, Elena was Noah’s fiancée. When did he get married?

"But everyone knows you are his fiancée," he said. "Is he hiding his relationship with Tessa?"

Elena let out a deep sigh. When she thought of Noah’s cheating, her heart still ached.

"Five years ago, Noah and I got married," she explained. "But he insisted on keeping the marriage secret. So in public, I remained his fiancée."

Elias stiffened in his place. He had not expected to hear this.

"Two years ago, on a business trip, he met Tessa again. He claimed she saved his life and was injured because of him. According to him, she developed a heart problem after that incident. So he felt responsible and wanted to repay the favor."

A bitter smile crept up her lips. "But the truth is he couldn’t keep himself away from her. They rekindled their love for each other."

Elias’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"He cheated on me, took my signature on the divorce papers secretly, and married Tessa."

She thought she wouldn’t cry, but a lone tear still slid down her cheek.

"To avoid the wedding with me, he staged my accident just to kill my baby."

Even someone as composed as Elias felt fury surge violently through him.

"That scoundrel." A curse escaped his mouth instinctively. "That was his child too. He should be punished for that. Why don’t you file a case against him?"

Elena smiled through her tears. She had thought about that. But she had changed her mind.

"Sending him to jail is not enough," she said. "With his wealth and influence, he will easily manipulate the situation and prove himself innocent. I want him to suffer. I want him to regret every single thing he did to me."

Elias raised an eyebrow as he studied her. "You want revenge on him."

"Yes," she admitted without hesitation.

"And you want to use me as a tool to make him jealous?"

Elena’s breath caught. She had not thought that way. She had agreed to marry him only because she was heartbroken and wanted to leave Noah and the Sinclair family for good, so they couldn’t force her to go back.

"That’s not what I mean..."

Before she could even explain properly, he bent down and tilted her chin with one finger.

"Miss Elena Hart." His voice turned even deeper. "I am a committed person. I’m not someone who plays around with marriage. Once I decide something, I don’t back down."

Elena’s heart was thumping so hard that she feared he would hear it.

"Since I decided to marry you, I expect complete loyalty." His gaze dropped to her lips. "We will sleep in the same room and share the bed. Don’t expect me not to touch you. I’m not a saint."

She swallowed, her fingers clutching the bedsheet beneath her palm.

"I won’t allow you to keep any contact with your ex," he continued. "Now think carefully, Elena..."

He leaned even closer, close enough for his warm breath to brush against her skin. "Are you still willing to marry me?"

Elena blinked.

His eyes were dark, consuming. Though he sounded terrifying just now, his gaze held gentleness. There was no deception hidden within them. He seemed to be serious about what he had said.

It surprised her.

She had expected he would propose a contract marriage or ask her to sign a prenup agreement. She had not thought he would be this serious about her, about this marriage.

But after everything Noah had done, Elena couldn’t trust someone so easily anymore.

"I...I also want a serious relationship, devoid of cheating and lies," she managed. "I promise I’ll be loyal to you as long as you don’t cheat on me."

His lips curled subtly. ’Trust me, Elena. After a long time, you are the only one I want to marry,’ he mused but didn’t say out loud.

"Then I’ll help you destroy them," he whispered.

He lingered there, watching her lips, feeling the slight tremble of her body.

Elena couldn’t calm her racing heart. The scent of his cologne, the heat radiating from his body, and the ticking of his breath on her skin—everything was too much for her.

She had never imagined another man besides Noah could make her feel this way.

"M-Mr. Rowan," she whispered.

"Call me Elias."

"El... Elias..." Her cheeks burned hotter. "I-I want to rest."

He nodded slowly and then stepped back.

The sudden distance made cool air brush against her skin. Elena secretly let out a shaky breath and lowered her head, trying to hide her reddened cheeks.

However, nothing escaped Elias’s sharp gaze. He smirked, amusement glinting in his eyes.

"Rest well and recover soon. In two days, we’ll go to the city hall and register our marriage."

Dropping those words, he walked out of the room.

Elena’s expression changed gradually. The nervousness vanished, replaced by cold determination.

"Before that, I have to do something," she murmured. "I’ll go back to the villa one last time."