Chapter 11 Inside the bridal shop , Thelma was trying on a wedding dress , watching through the mirror as Kenyon approached with a sullen expression . " Ken , do you think this wedding dress looks good ? " The moment he walked in , Kenyon's displeasure was impossible to hide . " Why do you have to drag me here for this ? You can decide on your own . I'm busy at work . " Seeing Kenyon turn to leave , the smile that had been piling up on Thelma's face instantly faded . " Kenyon , we're getting married next week . Is it too much to ask you to spend some time with your future wife ? What do you think my father would say if he saw how indifferent you are ? " Kenyon had always known that his marriage had nothing to do with love and was only about benefits and drawbacks . He had accepted the consequences when he made this choice , but at this moment , all he felt was irritation Thelma tried on wedding dresses in the shop for a full three hours , and during those three hours , Kenyon sat on the sofa , watching her try on one dress after another as if on an assembly line . An absurd thought surfaced in Kenyon's mind . What would Marlene look like in a wedding dress ? She had fair skin and beautiful lines along her shoulders and neck , making her perfect for a white strapless dress . 0.00 % 08 25 Chapter 11 17709 Wouders At this thought , Kenyon suddenly smiled . After a brief moment of amusement , all that remained in his clear mind was the word ' absurd . ' Between the sheets , when the two of them were entangled , Kenyon had whispered many sweet nothings , including promises to marry Marlene and the like , but once they left the bed , neither of them took it seriously . After trying on the wedding dresses , Thelma took Kenyon to a hotel . After entering , Thelma turned and went into the bathroom . Hearing the sound of running water , Kenyon knew perfectly well what was about to happen . There was a bottle of red wine on the table . The crimson liquid flowed into the wine glass as Kenyon sat on the sofa , drinking glass after glass in a muddled state . He knew clearly that marriage was not about love , but about binding interests . A child would be the best tool to maintain his marriage . Even if he and Thelma went their separate ways in the future , it would not affect their marriage contract . The sound of water in the bathroom stopped . Thelma came out wrapped in a towel , barefoot . Seeing Kenyon sitting on the sofa , she walked over knowingly . She took the wine glass from Kenyon's hand and raised her head , downing the red wine in one gulp . " Mr. Burt , you're in quite a mood . " Every movement flowed naturally , as if nothing needed to be said between a mature man and woman . But at the very last moment , Kenyon suddenly stopped . Looking down at Thelma beneath him , all he could see in his mind was the persistent 30 48 % 08:25 Chapter 11 image of Marlene . 286 Vouchers Her body wasn't as soft , her voice wasn't as gentle , and even the blush at the corners of her eyes when she silently endured was unusually vivid in Kenyon's mind .. " Sorry , I'm just not in the mood today . " Then , Kenyon picked up his clothes from the sofa and left the hotel , ignoring Thelma's shouts behind him . The wind blowing in his face sharpened Kenyon's senses . He only felt more irritable , and when he reached into his pocket , he realized he didn't have any cigarettes . Only then did Kenyon remember that he had quit smoking a long time ago . Ever since he learned that Marlene m disliked the smell of smoke , he had subconsciously quit , a change he only ed now . In a way , he and Marlene were very much in sync , and in the past five years , he hadn't been with any other woman . Kenyon had always thought Marlene was just Marlene , that it would be the same with any woman , that sleeping with anyone was all the same . But when the moment truly came , Kenyon realized it wasn't . An even more absurd thought appeared in Kenyon's mind : what if the person he married was ' Marlene ? This ridiculous idea quickly took over his entire mind , growing larger and larger , and before he knew it , Kenyon dialed Marlene's number . " Beep- " The phone rang again and again , until finally a familiar voice answered , " Hello , this is Marlene . I'm not available to take your call right now . "