Elena smirked as she took the card back.

"Wrap it nicely. This is a gift for my husband."

The salesgirl immediately became respectful. "Yes, ma’am."

She carefully placed the tie in a black box and began wrapping it in a golden wrapper.

Tessa’s surprise deepened. Then fury exploded inside her chest.

"You..." She gritted her teeth. "What are you so proud of? You are obviously buying it with Noah’s money. Aren’t you ashamed of using his money to buy him a gift? Why don’t you spend your own money instead?"

Elena wanted to laugh.

Even now, Tessa was still pretending, not accepting the truth openly. Was she scared of admitting to being Noah’s wife in public?

It was ridiculous.

Elena didn’t expose the truth either. Instead, she decided to play along. She wanted to see how long this pretension could last.

"He already froze all my cards and bank account. So I can only use the card my husband gave me. He told me to buy whatever I wanted."

She flashed a provocative smile. "And if I want to use his money to buy him a gift, what’s wrong with that?"

She leaned toward her slightly and added deliberately. "I believe my husband will look very handsome wearing it."

"Ma’am, your gift is ready." The salesgirl quickly handed the beautifully wrapped box tied with a golden ribbon to her with both hands.

"Thanks." Elena took it and stuffed it carefully into her bag. She threw one last look at Tessa and her friend before walking out of the shop.

Tessa clenched her fists tightly at her sides, fury radiating from every pore of her body. ’I wonder whether you’ll still cling to Noah after finding out what he actually did to you,’ she thought viciously.

Later that evening...

Elias returned home earlier than usual. The moment he entered the apartment, he immediately noticed the change.

A metal candlestand stood in the middle of the dining table. A sweet lavender scent drifted into the air from the candles.

On the coffee table sat the tall ivory porcelain vase painted with delicate golden vines. Fresh white flowers bloomed inside it beautifully.

The once cold and empty apartment suddenly felt warmer, alive, and comfortable.

Then his eyes landed on the empty photo frame on the hearth. His expression changed instantly. The softness in his eyes vanished.

At that moment, Elena stepped out of the room and froze when she saw him standing motionlessly in the middle of the hall. She was surprised. She had not realized he had already returned.

’You are back.’

The words died in her throat when she noticed the stiffness of his shoulders.

Something was clearly wrong.

Elena followed his gaze and noticed the photo frame.

’What is he looking at it so carefully?’

She walked down the stairs carefully.

He didn’t move. He didn’t look at her. It seemed as if he wasn’t even aware she was there.

Elena became confused. She wondered why he was staring at the frame like that.

"The frame is empty for now," she said cautiously. "But we put our photo in it later."

Elias flinched slightly as if her voice startled him. He blinked once and looked away, hiding his uneasiness. He didn’t dare to meet her eyes.

Elena tensed when he was still silent. She assumed he didn’t like the changes. "The apartment felt empty and plain. So I bought a few things. I hope you don’t mind."

Elias turned to her. By then, his face was calm and composed.

"This is your home, too. You can do whatever you want. You don’t have to ask for it."

Then he fell silent briefly. "Excuse me. I need to freshen up."

He walked up the stairs stiffly.

Elena remained rooted there, watching his retreating figure. ’Is he alright?’ she wondered.

Then she glanced back at the frame in confusion. ’Does he not like it?’

After taking a quick shower, Elias changed into comfortable loungewear and stepped out of the bedroom. He then entered the next room, which was his study.

His steps paused the moment he saw an antique table lamp on the desk.

’She brought this too.’

He slowly walked toward it and pressed the switch.

Warm amber light immediately illuminated the room softly. The once cold and dull study suddenly looked entirely different.

The entire atmosphere seemed to have changed. The room felt calmer and welcoming.

Elias stared at it silently for a moment. "It’s not bad."

He then settled in his chair, turned on his laptop, and started checking his emails. But no matter how much he forced himself to focus, his thoughts remained restless.

Something continued distracting him.

After replying to several emails absentmindedly, Elias finally leaned back in his chair and pulled open one of the drawers.

Inside was an old photograph.

The picture showed a man and a woman standing together. The woman held a baby girl in her arms, while the man carried a baby boy.

The edges of the photograph were torn. The color had faded slightly with time, but the image remained clear enough to recognize.

Elias gently brushed his fingers over the photograph. Sadness clouded his face. He didn’t know how long he had been staring at it when a knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. He immediately schooled his expression and stuffed the photo back into the drawer.

"Come in."

The door pushed open, and Elena entered.

He watched her quietly, waiting for her to speak.

"Are you busy?" Elena asked as she crossed the room.

"Not really. I was just checking emails."

Elena nodded.

"Did you get the appointment letter?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I’ll start working from tomorrow."

He gave a curt nod. "And I already have some important tasks for you."

Elena smiled. "Then I’ll work hard and make sure you won’t get a chance to complain about me."

"I know."

Elena pulled her chin down briefly. After a bit of hesitation, she said, "I also have something for you."

Her fingers tightened a bit around the box hidden behind her back.

Elias’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What is it?"

Elena stepped closer and put the box onto the table.

Elias’s surprise deepened. He reached out slowly, unwrapped the golden ribbon carefully, and opened the box.

When he found the deep red tie, his lips curled slightly.

"I didn’t know what color you would like. But when I saw it, I thought it would look good on you. So I picked it up. I hope you like it."

Elias slowly lifted his gaze toward her. Very few people had ever given him gifts before. And this was the very first gift his wife had bought for him.

Of course, he liked it.

He stood up with the tie in his hand.

"I love it," he said, walking over to her. "But I’ll love it even more if you help me put it on."

He handed the tie to her. His fingers brushed lightly against hers.

Elena’s heart rate increased all of a sudden at the closeness. "Now?"

"Why not?"

"But..." Elena looked at him up and down. "You are in loungewear."

"So?" He took another step closer to her. "Tie it for me. I want to see how it looks on me."

The distance between them instantly disappeared.

Elena could feel the warmth of his body.

His dark gaze felt dangerously intense, almost scorching against her skin.

A strange nervousness spread through her entire body. Her breathing turned unconsciously uneven. Even her fingers began trembling slightly.

"I am waiting," he whispered, bowing his head.

The closer he came, the more she became aware of him—his scent, his warmth, his deep voice, and those dark eyes entirely fixed on her.

Elena’s face turned completely red. Her heart beat so hard that she feared he would hear it. She put the tie around his neck and tied it.

Elias’s eyes never left her face for a moment.

She looked beautiful. Her glowing skin, those slightly trembling thick eyelashes, and her plump lips—everything about her tempted him dangerously.

Elias felt his control slipping away little by little. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

Elena gasped. Her whole body went rigid. Instinctively, she tried stepping back, but Elias tightened his hold slightly, keeping her pressed against him.

Her hands unconsciously moved against his chest.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"What do you think I’m doing?" he asked back, his voice hoarse. "It’s the first night after marriage. And..."

He tilted her face with a finger. "I don’t want to stay away from my wife."

Elena’s heart skipped. She had just ended a years-long relationship. She couldn’t be intimate with another man so quickly.

"Elias...I-I’m not ready... Please... I need time."

Anything without love would be only physical, and Elena didn’t want it.

Right now, her heart carried too many wounds. The betrayal, the heartbreak, the pain of losing her child — none of it had faded completely.

She was terrified that if she forced herself before she was ready, this marriage would also become another scar in her life.

Elias was disappointed. His gaze darkened. "Elena." He pinched her chin tightly. "Are you fooling around with me now? I told you before—I am serious about this marriage, and I want you to do everything a wife should do. And now you are pushing me away?"