Page 7 of The Rancher's Unloved Wife

And it didn't.

Because her bridegroom had already stepped back, the whole ballroom had erupted in thunderous applause, and not one of them had realized that the man she married had onlyfakedkissing her.

The judge smiled at both of them before turning to their still-cheering guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Ryu Harcourt!"

Point #2

I'M SORRY, SELF.

I failed you.

I'm so, so sorry—-

(You're not forgiven.)

I'm not talking to you!

(Then who are you talking to?)

Myself!

(I rest my case.)

Summerine seriously considered knocking her head against the mirror in front of her at this point.

Her life had officially hit rock bottom.

Not only had she lost the chance to escape marriage, but she had also ended up losing an argument.

To herself!

The thought made her want to cry, and maybe she would have...if not for someone knocking on the bridal suite, and her husband of two hours walking in right after.

"Are you ready to go?"

Summerine nodded in answer even as she braced herself for a sign of impatience. Her parentshatedit whenever she had nothing to say, but her husband didn't seem to mind and was instead the perfect gentleman as he offered her his hand.

She expected him to move away as soon as she was on her feet. But then she felt his hand slide to the small of her back—-andstaythere even though she knew he was aware of how her body had involuntarily jerked at his touch.

"I'm afraid you'll have to bear with my touch whenever we're out in public."

She had no chance to respond, with her husband suddenly sweeping her up into his arms before stepping out of the bridal suite.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Hotel staff was lined up on each side of the hallway, and they were all smiles as they showered the newlyweds with white and pink rose petals.

"Congratulations, Mr. Harcourt! Congratulations, Mrs. Harcourt!"

Summerine was still in a daze even when they were inside the luxurious confines of his limousine. She wasvery,very sure that her parents would never have arranged for such a surprise, and so that left only...

Ryu.

It was her first time to allow herself to eventhinkof her husband by his given name, and doing so felt shockingly intimate.

What in the world is going on?

She should still be thinking of ways to escape this marriage, but here she was, testing the sound of his name as if it was a rare delicacy she was tasting for the first time.

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