Surprise Marriage to a Billionaire
Chapter 141: A Business Matter

Chapter 141: A Business Matter

Days passed with Rain and Alexander settling into his penthouse, just as planned. As they had expected, her father-in-law didn’t push too hard for them to stay at the ancestral mansion.

Alexander had become quite convincing in his efforts to assure his father that they needed private time to work on their marriage, just the two of them under the same roof.

Rain had also spoken to her father-in-law in private, explaining that this arrangement gave her the perfect opportunity to show Alexander how she could personally take care of him and, hopefully, make him fall for her. Her father-in-law agreed to the plan but with one condition: Sundays would be reserved as family days, where they’d all gather together.

It was the second day Rain woke up in the room beside Alexander’s bedroom. She had decided to sleep there instead of sharing a room with him, playing hard to get—but she knew that act wouldn’t last long. She was curious to see what Alexander would do next to convince her to give in to what he wanted.

"Five," she murmured, glancing at the wall clock. She hoped she had woken up first so she could prepare breakfast. For the past two days since moving into the penthouse, Alexander had been the one making their morning meals.

Quickly washing her face and brushing her teeth, Rain headed out to the kitchen.

"Yes!" she exclaimed softly when she noticed the kitchen lights were still off.

Whenever she woke up at six, Alexander was usually close to finishing breakfast. She put on some soft music, just loud enough for background noise, and began preparing the dishes. She also packed lunch boxes for later, mentally noting to remind Tyron to heat them up if they got cold. But hopefully, the thermal lunch boxes she bought would do their job.

"You’re up early." The sudden warmth of Alexander’s breath on her ear made her nearly jump out of her skin.

"Oh, right," she mumbled with a gulp, trying to focus on stirring the beef brisket she was cooking. Her heart pounded as Alexander rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Isn’t that too much for breakfast?" he commented, his face so close that if she turned, her lips would undoubtedly brush against his.

"Hmm, it’s for lunch. I’ll pack it for you to take later," she murmured, barely able to breathe until he finally stepped back.

"I see," he responded casually.

"So, is it coffee or hot chocolate today?" he asked, knowing her choice depended on her mood.

"Hot chocolate," she replied, smiling to herself as she continued cooking.

"Let’s get groceries later," Rain commented casually as she stirred the brisket.

Tyron had mentioned they were running low on essentials, something he usually handled, but now that she was staying at the penthouse, he had discreetly stepped back, understanding that she should take over the household responsibilities.

"Alright, what time do you want me to pick you up?" Alexander asked his tone light but attentive.

"I’ll be out at five sharp," she replied, trying to focus on the cooking, though she could feel the weight of Alexander’s gaze lingering on her every movement.

Unable to ignore it any longer, she turned and met his eyes. "What is it?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Alexander didn’t respond right away. Instead, his gaze softened slightly, and he gave her a small, almost amused smile before answering, "Just admiring how quickly you’ve taken charge of everything."

Rain’s face flushed as Alexander’s boldness left her feeling a mix of flustered and amused. She was growing more convinced that her "hard to get" strategy was working far better than expected, and she secretly enjoyed how forward he had become.

"It’s just cooking," she replied, trying to deflect. "You’ve been waking up early to do it when I should be the one taking care of it."

Alexander smiled at her, his tone light but firm. "But you’re the one cooking dinner, so I like making breakfast for you. Balance, right?"

Rain chuckled. "Are we really keeping score now? Who does more around the house?"

Alexander’s eyes twinkled as he gestured toward the breakfast he’d set up. "Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold."

As they sat down, Rain’s curiosity got the best of her. "By the way, any updates on William?" she asked. Alexander had given his brother until today to choose between settling down or taking on more responsibility in the family business.

Alexander’s expression didn’t shift much. "Nothing yet. He’ll probably make up his mind later today."

He paused briefly, then asked, "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

Rain hesitated. She had a flight scheduled to visit their research facility on the island with Clifford, but she hadn’t told Alexander yet. She didn’t want him to have high hopes unless there was significant progress to share.

"I have a business matter to attend to tomorrow. I’ll be back Sunday night," she said, keeping her tone casual.

"Is it work-related?" Alexander asked, his tone neutral but probing.

"Yes..." Rain replied, trying to maintain her composure.

"Are you going alone?" he asked, his gaze sharp.

Rain forced a smile, feeling a strange sense of unease. "No, Clifford’s going with me. We’re business partners after all."

She felt her throat tighten as she watched Alexander’s reaction, unsure why she suddenly felt the need to explain. "Clifford and I have been best friends since I was thirteen. He’s always helped me with my finances..."

She trailed off, realizing she didn’t need to explain herself. Alexander hadn’t accused her of anything.

"I trust you," he said, but his words hung in the air with an odd weight. There was an awkward silence between them until he broke it with a sudden question. "Don’t you want me to go with you?"

Rain’s heart skipped a beat. The tension in his voice was subtle, but she could sense it. Rain’s breath caught in her throat. If Alexander would go with her, there would be no avoiding the full truth. Her mind raced, but she kept her expression calm, or at least tried to.

"Do you want to come?" she asked, cautiously testing his resolve.

Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice steady but firm. "I’ll go with you... I told you I trust you, but that doesn’t mean I trust your best friend, Clifford."

Rain’s lips parted in surprise, momentarily speechless. She hadn’t expected such blunt honesty from him.

"Alexander, Clifford is just—"

"A best friend, yes," Alexander interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "But that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with him being around you alone."

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