My Stand-In Groom Is A Secret Tycoon (Audrey)

Alistair didn't regret stepping in. If Dominic was foolish enough to let her go, that was his mistake.

However, Alistair couldn't help but fear Audrey might regret marrying him. He couldn't even imagine what he would do if she filed for divorce.

As Alistair gazed at Audrey's striking profile, his expression grew serious. Just then, she looked up suddenly, meeting his eyes head-on.

Alistair's heart skipped, and he looked away quickly, covering his mouth as he cleared his throat, wondering if she was about to ask for a divorce.

After a pause, Audrey's bright voice rang out. "Alistair, what kind of car do you like?"

Alistair's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. "A car? Why? Are you planning to buy one?"

'Has she really been so deep in thought about this?' Alistair thought, feeling relieved.

Audrey nodded, replying, "Yeah. Don't you say you were fine being a freeloader? You practically covered dinner tonight with that favor of yours, so I figured I'd buy you a new car, just to keep you comfortable." Audrey meant it playfully, of course, not really calling Alistair a freeloader.

Alistair, momentarily speechless, looked a bit dazed. "You...uh..."

"Well, do you want one or not?" Audrey demanded, feigning annoyance as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course I do. As long as it's from you, I'll love it," Alistair answered quickly.

Whatever her reasoning, Alistair was happy to accept it. 'After all, at least for this moment, she's thinking of me, isn't she?' he thought.

"That's more like it. I'll make sure it's a good one," Audrey said with a nod, glancing back down at her phone.

A moment later, Audrey looked back up, adding thoughtfully, "It's not that I don't like your car. It's just, well, we're married, and you paid for the house, so I figure getting you a car is fair. Plus..." Audrey trailed off for a second before continuing, "I want everyone watching to know I'm serious about this marriage. I didn't do this on a whim."

Audrey had seen the posts herself. She wasn't about to go around explaining to everyone individually, but if they lived well together, the gossip would eventually die down.

The determined look in Audrey's eyes as she talked about their future made something in Alistair stir. She was ready to move on from her past and make a real life with Alistair. When Alistair heard this, his heart stirred slightly. Like everyone else, he'd thought Audrey married him just to spite Dominic. And there was no reason for her to marry a stranger.

Alistair wanted to ask about her true feelings, but after a pause, he kept it to himself and went along with the current conversation.

"I don't have any strong preferences. I just want something spacious and comfortable, maybe an SUV?" Alistair asked carefully.

Alistair's garage was already packed with luxury cars, but this one, from Audrey, would mean a lot more.

"Got it." Audrey took a few minutes to pick out a couple of options on her phone and then handed it over. "Look, any of these appeals to you?"

Alistair leaned in, glancing at her phone. After a moment, he said, "The top one, I think. I've got a friend in car sales; he might be able to get us a deal. Send me a picture, and I'll reach out to him." Audrey agreed, saving the image quickly. "Sure, once you work out the details, I'll handle the payment."

Though her paycheck wasn't much, Audrey still had her earnings from her design work in Koivara and streaming savings set aside. So she could cover a car just fine.

As she was about to send the photo, Audrey realized something. Then she said, "I don't even have your number."

Funny, how they'd been married yet hadn't exchanged contact information or even WhatsApp.

Annoyed with himself for overlooking that, Alistair took out his phone, letting her scan the QR code. Once they'd added each other, he pinned her to the top of his list subtly, saving her as "Sweetie." Unaware of the change, Audrey sent the picture over. Alistair forwarded it to Logan immediately.

Logan, trying to keep an eye on Instagram, saw the incoming image and sent back a question mark. [??]

Logan: [So, a new car? Looks pretty basic. Haven't you always said SUVs handle like boats compared to sports cars? If you're gonna buy one, it might as well be a Karlmann King. Now that's a real beast!] The one-million-dollar SUV didn't exactly catch Logan's eye.

Alistair: [It's a gift from my wife.]

Logan: [...Get lost!]

'Is he here just to rub his happiness in my face? You think it's cool having your wife buy you a car, huh?' Logan muttered.noveldrama

Alistair: [Go talk to the people at this brand and have them modify an SUV with the best configuration. I want it sold to my wife for under 700 thousand dollars, with me covering any difference in cost.] Logan stared at his phone and murmured, 'So, Mr. Hayes can do anything to attract his wife.'