Chapter 14 The next morning , I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window . After washing up and getting dressed , I went downstairs . Mark was already seated at the dining table , calmly flipping through some documents . The table was set with a steaming hot breakfast . There were sticky toffee pudding , a full English breakfast and , to my surprise , a plate of carefully peeled peach . It was my favorite . I froze at the bottom of the stairs . There was a lump forming in my throat . Back in the Wyatt Family home , no one ever waited for me to eat . Even if I woke up late because of a fever , the food left for me would always be cold . Instead , they would scold me for being ' lazy and ignorant ' . But if Adeline slept until noon , the kitchen would still heat up her favorite desserts and serve them to her fresh and warm . Mark looked up from his documents and noticed me standing there . A faint , almost teasing smile touched his lips . " You're awake ? Why are you just standing there ? You don't like the food ? " I blinked , snapping out of my daze and quickly walked to the table . Sitting down , I shook my head and said softly , " No , it's perfect . Thank you . " " Mark set his papers aside , picked up a plate of sticky toffee pudding and gently pushed it toward me . " His tone was natural , but his words carried weight , as he spoke , " We're husband and wife now , partners in every sense . There's no need for thank - yous anymore . " " t'wrapped my fingers around the warm plate , my skin tingling from the heat . When I looked up , my gaze met his . There was no cold calculation in his eyes , only a faint trace of warmth . There was something deeper , something I wasn't ready to name . " My heart skipped a beat . I quickly lowered my head . Immediately , I scooped a spoonful of pudding into my mouth to hide my sudden rush of emotion . Breakfast passed quietly , but just as we were finishing , my phone rang . It was one of my trusted friends . " Lilian , the technical blockade on Herbert Corporation has gone into effect ! As soon as the market opened this morning , Herbert and Wyatt Corporations ' stocks had crashed ! " " Now we're waiting for your signal to deliver the final blow ! " My tone stayed calm when I responded , " Good . Keep a close eye on them and update me immediately if anything changes . " After ending the call , I glanced at Mark . " I hope you'll do well at the business summit next week . " Mark had clearly overheard the conversation . He couldn't help but smile knowingly . Eventually , he said , " It seems my partner is far more capable than I imagined . " } The next day , I threw myself into work . I gathered the Wyatt Corporation's internal client data and identified gaps in their financial systems . I compiled everything carefully and sent it to Mark's trusted assistant . While going through their files , I unexpectedly discovered evidence of serious tax evasion by Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt from three years ago , along with proof that Adeline had been embezzling company funds . Without hesitation , I saved copies of everything and sent them to a financial reporter I knew well . By evening . I felt restless from staying indoors all day . I decided to take a walk in the garden to clear my head . As T approached the terrace , I heard the sound of laughter and clinking glasses . Mark was sitting there , sharing drinks with a few of his friends . One of the men , dressed casually , noticed me first . His face lit up as he raised his glass . " " Hey ! This must be Mark's wife ! I never thought you , Mark , of all people , would actually fall for someone one day ! " Mark didn't argue . He only turned his head slightly . His lips were curving into a subtle smile as his eyes lingered on me . Another man waved enthusiastically . " Miss Wyatt , come join us ! You're new to Edinburgh , right ? You probably don't have many friends here yet . Come , sit with us . It'll be fun ! " % 1 hesitated for a moment , but I eventually walked toward them . To my surprise , they didn't ask prying questions about my past , nor did they treat me with judgment because of the rumors surrounding me.M Instead , they offered me teas and chatted about the interesting places in the city . Watching Mark laugh lightly with his friends , occasionally stepping in to gently defend me when they teased , I felt something warm bloom in my chest . For the first time in years , I felt relaxed . For so long , I had been on guard as I was fighting for every scrap of dignity and survival . But here , no one expected me to prove myself . " Rumors painted Mark as cold and ruthless , but he was sitting here as he was surrounded by laughter and kindness , I saw a different side of him . A side that was protective , steady and quietly attentive .