The Vanishing Vows

Chapter 4 ; Sealing the Deal: The Price of Partnership

As soon as the young woman in front of him sat back down, Attorney Noah gave a polite smile.

The eyes of the man in the very neat formal attire calmly observed the young woman in front of him. Judging by her simple yet attractive clothing, it was clear that the woman before him was not the type who usually gets into trouble with his superiors, Mr. Caspian. However, seeing that the other party showed no signs of reluctance and had been waiting patiently for him all this time, Attorney Noah could only let out a subtle, barely noticeable sigh.

The lawyer then opened a folder containing a thick stack of documents in front of him and began explaining, “Miss Elara, we have a lot to discuss.”

Elara glanced at the stack of papers and asked, “Is this the prenuptial agreement he mentioned?”

“The term ‘prenuptial agreement’ is quite common to others, but this contract not only covers assets but also confidentiality regulations, reputation, rights, obligations after marriage, and so on. As Mr. Caspian mentioned, it will not only contain our requests but also yours. I will be responsible for communication and negotiation on behalf of Mr. Caspian.”

“This is too thick,” Elara murmured while flipping through the stack of documents.

“Don’t worry, you can read through it carefully, and I will be here to assist you. The contract is your right, but you are not allowed to take it out of this place until you have finished signing it.” Lawyer Noah gave a business smile before continuing, “Of course, if you find you do not have enough time to read everything, I can summarize all the important points for you.”

Elara whispered, “Just explain it to me.”

“The maximum duration of this marriage will not exceed two years, and the person who decides when the marriage ends is Mr. Caspian. You must keep this marriage completely confidential. Any secrets you find about Mr. Caspian and his family before and after the marriage must be kept as confidential as possible. During the marriage, you are required to fulfill your duties as a wife. As Mr. Caspian mentioned earlier, you should remain humble, loyal, and aware of your limits. This means you must comply with Mr. Caspian as much as possible without interfering with his personal life or business. Regarding lifestyle, the housekeeper will explain everything to you later. Additionally, you must act as an intermediary in business matters between Mr. Thorne and Mr. Caspian because the primary goal of this marriage is to channel resources from both companies. Your blood relation with Mr. Thorne is the basis of Mr. Caspian’s trust in you. Prenuptial assets and assets acquired during the marriage will not be related to you.”

After a brief pause to take a deep breath, Lawyer Noah continued, “You are not allowed to bear Mr. Caspian’s children without permission. However, after the marriage ends, Mr. Caspian will provide you with additional compensation. As long as you adhere to this agreement, you will receive the freedom and respect you deserve, along with substantial allowances.”

Elara calmly looked at Attorney Noah as he spoke fluently. Her mind raced quickly, but her heart remained increasingly cold. Elara had always thought of marriage as a transaction, but she never imagined her own marriage would be like this. Yet, she had no better choice.

Tired of listening to the seemingly endless explanations, Elara cut in, “You don’t need to explain any further; I will agree to everything. I won’t waste your time any longer, so let’s sign everything now.”

Attorney Noah didn’t seem surprised at all as he responded, “Okay.” He then handed Elara a pen and said, “You need to sign and fingerprint all the places with seals.”

Elara nodded and focused on the signing process. As she did, she felt as though she was selling herself and secretly fought the urge to laugh.

After Elara finished, Attorney Noah patiently reviewed the documents a few times before saying, “Thank you for your cooperation.”

“You’re welcome.” Elara nodded and said, “Well then, I’ll get back to work now.”

“The sun was shining very brightly that day, but fortunately, Elara’s workplace wasn’t too far away. As soon as she arrived at her office, her gossip-loving assistant approached her with bright eyes.

“How was it?” asked Elara’s assistant, Seraphine.

Elara sat down in her chair and replied, “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but I can’t because I signed a confidentiality agreement.”

“Huh? That serious?” Sera huffed in dissatisfaction before pulling her chair closer to Elara’s desk. Her round eyes widened even more as she eagerly asked, “What about the guy?”

“He’s handsome and seems very wealthy,” Elara replied calmly with a faint smile.

Elara had only one friend, her gossip-loving assistant. So, when she was feeling uncertain and worried that she might have just imagined the sudden offer she received, she had unintentionally shared the details with Sera. She also told the young woman that she would meet the man who would be her future husband today. That’s why Sera was so excited now.

Lara asked eagerly, “How handsome is he? Is he more handsome than the Crown Prince of our company?”

Elara imagined the face of the man Sera was referring to for a moment before grinning and proudly answering, “My fiancé is in the perfect category.”

“You, who always seem indifferent to all men, consider this one perfect? What kind of fool would make such a mistake before her wedding?” Sera clicked her tongue in frustration before dragging her chair back to her own desk.

Elara, amused, whispered, “The fool named Selene.”

Once Sera stopped pestering her with questions, Elara returned to her own thoughts. She should have felt happy about marrying someone as rich as Caspian Ashford, who was like winning a lottery. However, she now felt uneasy. Her bitter life experiences had taught her that when good fortune was too great, the ensuing disaster could be even greater.