Chapter 0005

Kieran's ears pricked up at that. He nodded before raising his head to look at the priest.

The priest understood the look Kieran had given him. He smiled before repeating his words again. "Ms. Valerie Wood … Do you take this man as your husband?"

"I do!" Valerie answered loud and clear. She even nodded.

Now that she had said those words, William and the Woods let out a breath of relief.

The priest then turned to Kieran and repeated the same vows he had said to Valerie. "Do you, Kieran Kingsley, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

His answer was like the final nail in the coffin.

Valerie couldn't help but raise her head to look at him again. Regardless of whether their marriage was a business deal, this man was now her husband.

"You may exchange your rings now," the priest announced.

At that, a round of applause broke out from everyone in attendance.

Valerie felt awkward hearing the applause. She asked Kieran, "Why do they need to clap for the ring exchange?"

Kieran didn't answer her and simply shoved the ring onto her finger.

That immediately left Valerie with a bad impression of him. What a clumsy and aggressive man!

Now, it was her turn to put the ring on him. She deliberately shoved the ring onto his ring finger with all her strength.

The pain made him focus his gaze on his newly-wed wife.

She was young and extremely grudge-bearing.

Valerie intended to pick a fight with him for shoving the ring on her finger. However, once she saw the dark expression he was giving her, she couldn't help but shudder.

She had thought that he was simply insensitive to his own strength and just accidentally used more force than necessary. But it seemed like he was a petty man as well.

Just like that, the two were married.

That night, Valerie went back to Kingsley Estate with the Kingsleys.

Just the thought that this was her wedding night made Valerie close her eyes in embarrassment. She nervously chewed on her lip as she sat in the room. She wondered what she would do tonight.

When the doors to the room swung open, she anxiously opened her eyes and shot to her feet.

She nervously swallowed as she looked at Kieran, who had just entered.

Just thinking about how she was going to have to sleep with him on the same bed made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

As Kieran walked toward her, Valerie took a few steps back out of fear.

"Well … um … let's get to know each other. My name is Valerie Wood. I'm 20 years old, and I'll be starting my second year of college soon. I … I … "

"What did you do to convince him?"

Kieran's eyes were filled with hate as he glared at the woman before him.

He had hastily agreed to the marriage to get information from William. He hadn't had time to think about why his father had chosen this unassuming girl for him out of all the available bachelorettes in the world.

Kieran needed to know how she had managed to convince his stubborn father to allow her to marry him.

Valerie paused in confusion. "You're not making any sense. What do you mean?"

Kieran simply replied haughtily, "Don't covet what isn't yours, Valerie Wood. Don't think that you'll live a life of peace and luxury now that you've married into the Kingsleys. I'm afraid that it will be the opposite for you."

Valerie finally understood what was happening. Kieran suspected that she had convinced William to let her marry him.

In an attempt to resolve the misunderstanding between them, Valerie explained, "Kieran, we were both forced into this marriage."

Kieran smiled mockingly in response. "Wood Corporation just received 15 new projects because of this wedding. Do you really think I would believe that you've been forced?"

His tone made Valerie furious.

She had tried to explain the situation nicely, but he didn't believe her.

"Are you saying that my dad sold his own daughter off for power? I'll have you know, had your father not forced him, my dad would rather starve to death than let me marry you!"