All Chapters of The Marriage Equation: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

When I graduated from Saint Martin University, my classmates and I celebrated by partying at a bar for three whole days. At that moment, Noah Brooke was tangled up with his first love, his dream lover. I'd seen her picture once in his wallet—fair skin, stunning looks, and long, slender legs. She was just another pretty face, blending in with a sea of similar types. I caught another glimpse of that photo later on Noah's social media. Alice Larson, sitting beside me, chuckled. "She has a face that inspires zero desire—fresh but so bland." Maybe first loves are like that—a delicate little flower swaying in the wind, evoking sympathy. Noah, like most men, had poor taste. My flight back home landed at 3:00 AM, and the cold wind in Sylverwood stung my face like tiny needles. I wrapped my scarf tightly around my neck, dragging my suitcase behind me. I instinctively returned to the apartment on Moonfall Avenue, our little love nest. After knocking for what felt like ages

His deep, mysterious eyes flickered with an emotion I couldn't quite place. He stood there, speechless for what felt like forever. I stared at his face, so close to mine, and found myself lost in thought. He was undeniably handsome—he had strong features but not harsh, with an aura of quiet intensity. Yet, even facing such a breathtaking man, I felt nothing."Noah, our marriage was always about business. There's no need to overthink it."I've known about you and Lillian for a while now. You know what you should and shouldn't do. Grandpa cares a lot about the Brookes' reputation."I grew more serious as I spoke. His grandfather, Doug Brooke's, health was worsening, and if anything happened, I doubted he could handle the stress. The company would feel the blow too.After a long pause, Noah finally responded, "Teagan, you're right. The last thing our marriage needs is feelings."I pulled my hand back, my voice cold. "The doors of the Brooke residence are for me and me alone. Don't

I didn't have time to deal with her, so I called the security guard to escort her out. Later, I heard that she had been sitting outside, refusing to leave. By evening, after dinner with my colleagues, Noah showed up. I couldn't stand the sight of them pulling and tugging at the entrance, so I intervened. "Noah! There are cameras here; just look up if you don't believe me. If you don't leave, I'll send this to the media. I hope you still care about the Brookes' reputation!"With that, Noah dragged Lillian to the car and shut the door, but he didn't get in himself. "Teagan, please don't be angry." He leaned against my desk. I didn't lift my eyes, my fingers flying over the keyboard as I responded to the mountain of emails piling up. "Teagan, I haven't seen Mom in so long. I heard she was having trouble with her legs recently, so I bought some supplements. How about we go visit her?" I frowned at him. "Noah, since when did you start caring about my family?" Doug had to

My mother decided to move into the Brooke residence to keep me company. I recovered quickly, and a month after giving birth, I was eager to dive back into work. My studio was thriving under my management, generating a profit of over a million in a short time. So, I decided to expand and opened my own company. It was completely my own creation; every detail was personally overseen and chosen by me. Nothing came from my family or from Noah's side. Of course, I still had to claim what was rightfully mine. As my company grew, I secretly started buying shares in Reed Enterprise. Over the years, if it hadn't been for the support of the Brookes, my father would have completely bankrupted Reed Enterprise. When my shareholding reached a significant percentage, I removed my father from the company. On that day, he slammed his cup down in front of me, anger flaring in his eyes. "Teagan, what are you doing?" I smiled back at him. "I'm saving the company; otherwi

He let out a helpless laugh. "You're still the same woman who's only interested in money." "What exactly do you want, Howard?" "Don't you already know?" His eyes sparkled as they locked onto mine. "Teagan, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If I can't be your husband, can I at least be your ally?" "Come on, Mr. Brooke. I still need your help for business matters moving forward." I quickly tried to steer him away. "In the past, I may have been too impulsive. I don't know much about the Brookes, but since you've achieved so much, it would be best to stay clear of their mess." "Teagan, I've let it go. You're among the Brookes now, so I don't want to cause any more trouble." We exchanged a smile, both of us finally at ease. In the days that followed, my workload piled up. I found myself working late into the night after coming home from the office. And Noah always showed up right when I was most busy. "Teagan, please believe me! That child really isn't mine!"