“Mia!” Adam smiled as Mia came to see him. She still couldn’t believe he was getting married in a rushed ceremony. Then she saw the news about Adam with his mysterious girlfriend shopping for an engagement ring. When had all this happened, and why didn’t she know about it? Was she so busy with her own problems that she didn’t have time to check on her friends? “Adam, you better speak up about what’s going on,” Mia demanded immediately. “Relax, Mia. Take a seat first, and I’ll tell you everything,” he coaxed her, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back. He led her to the sofa in his study. Then he went to close the door before turning to Mia, finding her watching him eagerly, her eyes filled with curiosity. “So?!” Mia questioned again, waiting impatiently for Adam to explain. Adam took a deep breath before he started, “After you rejected my proposal...” But Mia cut him off, “Look, Adam, it wasn’t intentional…” He held up a hand to stop her from saying more. “Relax, Mia. It’s not your fault. But I needed to pay for being an insecure and selfish asshole,” he chuckled, making Mia giggle slightly. “But this affected my professional life. The media and critics started judging me with nonsense rumors. Many future projects were going to shut down, and my current movies were going to be dumped in boxes, not getting a release date. That’s why my PR manager, Claire, came up with the idea that if I got married, it would shut everyone up and revive my image as a reliable star and family man,” Adam shrugged. “And the rest is history,” he finished. “I’m sorry you have to suffer because of me,” Mia murmured with a regretful expression. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault,” Adam shook his head, smiling. Mia nodded, lowering her head, then looked up at Adam. “I genuinely wish for you to find your true love through this marriage, Adam. I hope you and Claire make a perfect couple,” she sighed hopelessly. Adam smiled but didn't say anything. He couldn't disclose his contract marriage to anyone, not even to Mia. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, but he wanted to respect Claire’s privacy and dignity.“By the way, you have to come to my wedding and bring Alessandro with you,” Adam insisted playfully. Mia’s face fell at the mention of Alessandro. “I will definitely come, as I can’t miss your wedding for anything in the world. But... I don’t know about Alessandro,” she murmured the last sentence with disappointment. “Why? What’s wrong?” Adam asked with concern. “I don’t know. He’s been avoiding me for days, not replying to my calls and texts,” Mia replied, frustration evident in her voice. She was fed up with Alessandro’s strange mood swings. One moment he wanted her, and the next, he distanced himself. She was done with him, and this time, it was for good. Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Adam went and unlocked it, finding Claire standing before him. “Are you busy? Should I come back later?” she asked promptly, worrying she might have disturbed her boss. “No, it’s fine. Come in,” Adam opened the door wide, allowing her to enter. As she stepped inside, her eyes fell on Mia sitting on the sofa.Mia had met Claire on several occasions and she liked that girl. She smiled to greet Claire and stood up. “Claire, I’m here to congratulate you and Adam,” Mia said warmly as she walked over and held Claire's hand. “Thank you, Mia,” Claire smiled, though she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She knew Adam loved Mia and only Mia. She couldn’t understand why Mia had rejected such a man who was brilliant in every way. “I’ll leave you two and head to my office. I have an urgent meeting in half an hour,” Mia said, making Adam sigh. He wished she would stay longer, but he couldn’t say it in front of Claire. “Alright, take care and let me know if you need anything,” Adam assured her and hugged her out of habit. Mia nodded and headed to the door. She held the handle, opened it, and stepped out. As the door closed behind Mia, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Claire looked at Adam, who was staring at the closed door, lost in thought. “You really care about her, don’t you?” Claire said softly.Adam turned to her, his expression softening as he smiled and shrugged. “So, tell me, what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked instead of replying. “Today we have to go for the wedding dress trial and cake tasting. The venue is booked, and the guest list is ready. I’ve sent it to you already. Check it and send me confirmation afterward,” Claire spoke in a very professional tone, and Adam couldn’t help but smile amusingly. “You never take a break, do you?” he teased. “It’s our wedding, babe. You should relax and have some fun.” Claire rolled her eyes. “Boss, it’s still my job to marry you, and it’s no fun for me.” “Fine!” Adam huffed, shaking his head subtly. “Let’s go for the dress trial.” He said, putting on his sunglasses. “We’ll teach you to have some fun later,” he mumbled under his breath, but Claire didn’t miss it. She shook her head, making an annoyed face as they left the study.