Chapter 4

Feeling slightly relieved, Queenie entered the house and took in her surroundings. The penthouse was over 2,000 square feet, with three bedrooms and a small living room upstairs. The kitchen, dining room, main living room, and open balcony were downstairs. Queenie had always dreamed of having a spacious balcony like this. Unfortunately, she never had the money to buy a house. Now, her impromptu marriage had unexpectedly granted her wish. She felt that fate was finally being kind to her. Seeing Queenie linger on the balcony, Joshua said, "Your room is upstairs, on the right. It has a small balcony, so you get plenty of sunlight. I live alone, so feel free to get anything you need for the house." As he spoke, Joshua handed Queenie a black bank card. "Use the money in this card for anything you need. Consider it our household expenses." Queenie stared at the card. They had just met, and taking his money didn't feel right. But since he mentioned it was for household expenses, she accepted it. Taking the card, Queenie sensibly said, "Normal couples usually keep track of their household expenses. We should do the same." Joshua thought it wasn't necessary. Money was just a number to him, and he believed it was only fitting for her to spend his money since they were married. However, from their brief interaction, he could tell that Queenie valued her independence and didn't like to trouble others. Hence, he wanted to respect her in every decision she made. Still, Joshua was reluctant to reveal too much of himself to Queenie for now. After all, they had both rushed into marriage and were still unfamiliar with each other. Besides, he wasn't sure how long their marriage could last. They both only got married because of their families. If Queenie wanted a divorce after everything was settled, he wouldn't stop her. Hence, he thought it was unnecessary to tell her too much. "As long as you don't find it troublesome, do whatever you think is best," Joshua said after pondering briefly. "Alright then. It's getting late. We can discuss the details tomorrow." Queenie was exhausted from her long day. With that, she wanted to take her luggage to her room. Of course, as a man, Joshua wouldn't let her carry the suitcase herself. "I'll take it." Before Queenie could move, Joshua quickly grabbed her suitcase and carried it to her room. "This is your room from now on. Make yourself at home." "Thank you. Thank you very much," Queenie said sincerely. Without a doubt, Joshua was the most gentlemanly man she had ever met. Queenie slept soundly through the night. She would have slept longer if it hadn't been for the incessant calls from the renovation workers. She answered the phone, only to be told to bring a box of thumbtacks when she came by. She acknowledged the request and quickly got up to wash up. After washing up in the bathroom with a separate wet and dry area, Queenie came out of her room, still in her nightgown. She was about to go to the kitchen to make breakfast. It was already past eight, and the house was quiet. So, she assumed Joshua had gone to work. With that thought in mind, Queenie headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge to see what ingredients were available for breakfast. However, the fridge was nearly empty. After a moment of hesitation, she used what was left to make herself a ham and egg sandwich. She also boiled some water, intending to let it cool for later consumption. She walked out of the kitchen, eating her sandwich. Just then, she ran into Joshua, who was coming downstairs. Seeing Joshua fresh from a shower, Queenie was surprised. "Mr. Newman, you're still here? I thought you'd gone to work." Upon hearing Queenie's question, Joshua sized her up. Frowning, he looked away, walked past her into the kitchen, and said faintly, "It's a Saturday." After graduating from university, Queenie didn't have regular jobs. She had used her savings from part-time jobs to open a small shop, so she didn't keep track of weekdays. Upon realizing her mistake, Queenie was about to ask Joshua if he wanted breakfast. But she saw him casually taking out a couple of slices of bread and starting to eat. While munching, he said, "It's getting cooler now that it's autumn. You should wear a robe when you come out of your room." Queenie looked down at herself. She was so used to living alone and never wearing a bra at home. Her face flushed red with embarrassment. She quickly retreated upstairs with her sandwich and shouted, "I got it!" Watching her scurry away like a startled deer, Joshua rubbed his temples. It was too late to regret it now. He would just have to get used to it.