Chapter 5: Contract Marriage
Julian Faulkner was only wearing a pair of shorts. A white bath towel draped over his upper body. Residual water droplets clung to his neck, sliding down to his collarbone.
The lighting in the room was dim, yet that single drop of water managed to reflect the ambient light. Vivian Lowell’s gaze was drawn to it, and she couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.
He was lean. Beneath the towel, his abs were faintly visible. The muscle definition on his arms and legs was also distinct, a clear sign of regular workouts. Vivian thought, "With a figure like this, he could easily be a male model."
A flurry of thoughts flashed through her mind. At that moment, the two people staring at each other finally snapped back to reality. Julian’s cold eyes flashed with sudden alertness. Looking a bit flustered and exasperated, he immediately turned around, grabbed a shirt at random, and threw it on.
There were still un-dried water stains on his body. As soon as he put on the slim-fit shirt, Vivian could clearly see the outline of the muscles around his waist. She mused, "Covering it up actually makes it even more enticing."
Vivian’s lips curled up slightly, and her gaze shifted to Julian’s earlobes. She had a sneaking suspicion that the tips of his ears had turned a shade redder.
As she was observing him, the "shy" President Faulkner had already turned and walked over to his desk. He started the printer and printed out a document.
"Come here."
Julian raised his eyes to look at Vivian. He took a pen and an ink pad out of the drawer and said, "I think it would be best if we signed an agreement.
"To keep Grandma’s condition stable, you’ll marry me. In exchange, I can give you access to some of the Faulkner family’s resources to help you start your jewelry design company."
He stapled the document together, quickly signed his name on the last page, and handed it to Vivian. "When everything is over, we’ll get a divorce."
Vivian wasn’t surprised. Julian was calm, wise, and independent. He had compromised on his marriage for Grandma Faulkner’s sake, but that didn’t mean he would let his entire life be tied to Vivian. It was a given that he would make his own preparations.
"Okay."
Vivian also only wanted to take what she needed. After taking the contract, she flipped to the last page, ready to sign it. Suddenly, she froze.
Julian planned to give her five hundred million as startup capital? Wasn’t that a bit too much?! To deal with the Lowell family, Vivian felt that five million would be more than enough. Moreover, his only requirement was that she help him take care of Grandma Faulkner when the older woman was in poor health. That was something Vivian already wanted to do anyway.
"Um, President Faulkner, this agreement isn’t fair!" Vivian felt a little awkward as she handed the contract back to Julian.
The corners of Julian’s mouth instantly turned cold. He wondered, "Not fair? What does she mean? Does she think it’s too little money?"
He sneered inwardly. He knew this woman was insatiably greedy! As expected, she wouldn’t be dismissed so easily.
"Five million is enough for me," she said. "In exchange, after everything is settled, I will give you all of the Lowell family’s resources in the jewelry design industry, including all of their properties."
Julian was taken aback. Had he guessed wrong?
"Then what do you want?" Julian asked, his tone casual but his guard raised. He wondered if this woman, by rejecting the money, was aiming for something even more valuable.
"Nothing," Vivian replied, her expression placid. She wasn’t stupid. She knew Julian was guarded and distrustful of her, but she had no intention of explaining herself. She simply said, "I’m tired.
"The past twenty-something years of living in the Lowell family’s home have exhausted me, and now I just want out. As for what I’ll do in the future, I haven’t decided yet.
"Maybe I’ll run a pet hospital with Eleanor! Either way, it’ll be a life of freedom."
Her tone carried a hint of weariness. Remembering how she had been used in her past life, she just wanted to be herself now. Whether that meant going out to rescue stray cats with Eleanor Rhodes or pursuing other things she enjoyed in the future. In short, she didn’t want to step foot into the jewelry design industry ever again.
Julian didn’t speak. He held the fountain pen in his hand, gently rubbing its barrel while studying Vivian. He read the sorrow in her eyes. A layer of gloom clouded what should have been a very bright and clear gaze, lingering and shrouding her heart.
None of this was faked. Julian’s intuition told him that Vivian wasn’t lying to him.
"It wouldn’t be fair if you asked for nothing, either," Julian said after a moment of thought, adhering to the principle of an equitable contract. "Think about it some more. Once you figure out what you want, we can add it in."
"Okay."
Vivian nodded in agreement. She took the contract and pen back from Julian and quickly signed her name.
After signing, Julian still had a video conference to attend. Vivian didn’t bother him; she nestled onto the sofa in the suite and started checking rental listings on her phone.
To fight against the Lowell family, she still needed to open her own jewelry design company. Renting office space and hiring staff were both pressing issues.
As for how she would get commissions...
Vivian believed that with her reputation and status in the International Designers Association, it would be quite easy. She quickly logged into the exclusive app for the International Designers Association. The moment she came online, her status caught the attention of the members.
"Nox, welcome back!"
"..."
The association’s president sent her a private message immediately.
Nox was Vivian’s name within the Designers Association. These three letters weren’t just an English name, but the title of the "Goddess of the Night" in Greek mythology.
The Goddess of the Night represented the dark night—much like Vivian’s own identity. She was the fake heiress of the Lowell family, the one who couldn’t be exposed to the light.
However, in reality, Nox’s status within the International Designers Association was the exact opposite. She was the only Chinese designer to ever join the association. She had also won the association’s highest design honor. Because of this, even the association’s president, who had once designed clothes and jewelry for the Queen of England, held Vivian in exceptionally high regard.
Vivian merely dropped a hint in the group chat that she planned to make a comeback and take on some design projects, and immediately, people caught wind of it and reached out to her.
At the same time, Vivian’s phone chimed. Sharon Galahad had sent her a WhatsApp message.
"It’s time to submit the design drafts for the Lowell family’s joint project with the Grant family. I’ve discussed it with your father, and this time, let Shelly use your drafts!
"Come home tomorrow and teach her how to design properly! We are all family. If Shelly becomes famous, the Lowell family will gain access to better resources, and I will reconsider your marriage arrangements for you!"
She scoffed inwardly. Sharon was using the "family" card to emotionally blackmail her again. Did she really think she was still the same foolish Vivian from before?
Vivian tossed her phone onto the corner of the sofa, slid down, and burrowed into the blanket, preparing to go to sleep right there in the suite.
On the other side of the room.
Julian had finished his video conference at some point. He looked up and saw that round little head on the sofa, wriggling around like an angry cat with its fur puffed up.
He found it curious and wondered if someone had made her angry. He wanted to take another look, but that round little head suddenly disappeared from view.