Chapter 513 Married by Tomorrow

Chapter 513: Chapter 513 Married by Tomorrow

Even Rose was stunned, let alone Diana.

Diana knew exactly how demanding her condition had been. She and Sebastian weren’t even in a relationship, much less deeply in love. He understood that perfectly well, yet he had agreed without hesitation—and hadn’t even asked about her family background.

“You...” She faltered, searching for the right words. “Why don’t you think it over carefully? You shouldn’t make such a big decision on impulse.”

“I’m an adult, not a child.” Sebastian sounded utterly unconcerned, but there was unmistakable certainty beneath his casual tone. “I’ll have the agreement ready tonight. You’ll get a satisfactory answer, and then you can start arranging our wedding.”

In other words, he had no intention of reconsidering.

“...”

Diana fell silent.

Suddenly, she wondered whether she’d been a little too hasty herself.

She had deliberately made her conditions difficult, hoping he might reconsider. Instead, Sebastian had accepted them as though she’d merely asked him to pick up something from the grocery store.

When she didn’t respond, he stepped closer.

“Aurora, when are we getting married?”

He bent slightly to meet her eyes, watching her with an intent gaze and the faintest hint of a smile.

Diana snapped out of her daze and found herself staring straight into his amused eyes.

A strange tingling sensation crept up the back of her neck.

“...Next month?”

Sebastian continued looking at her.

“That’s too far away.”

Diana hesitated.

“Then... next week?”

“I’m busy next week.”

“...Tomorrow?”

“Then tomorrow it is.”

“...”

Wait. What?

Diana felt as though she’d somehow been talked into something without realizing it, but she couldn’t quite figure out how he’d managed it.

Sebastian had already straightened and taken Damian’s hand.

“From now on, call her Aunt Aurora.”

Diana: “...”

Rose: “...”

Damian: “...”

The three of them exchanged bewildered looks.

Was this really happening?

Rose’s eyes widened.

Could two people really move from discussing marriage to practically arranging a wedding in the space of a few minutes?

They were talking about it as casually as if they were deciding what to have for dinner.

Meanwhile, Diana was only just beginning to process what she’d agreed to.

She couldn’t explain why, but she had the unsettling feeling that she’d wandered into a trap—like a plump little lamb that had cheerfully walked into a butcher’s shop.

Yet when she looked at Sebastian more closely, his expression was perfectly composed. He seemed entirely satisfied with how things had turned out.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow, then. But I’m concerned that the man from earlier might try to bother you again. If you don’t mind, you can stay at my place tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll take care of the marriage paperwork.”

Diana looked at him suspiciously.

Unfortunately, his reasoning made sense.

“That’s all right. I’ll stay with my friend,” she declined.

Otherwise, she feared she’d feel terribly uncomfortable. Everything was moving so quickly that she hadn’t even had time to catch her breath.

“Fine,” Sebastian replied easily.

Rose studied him again.

There was no doubt that this man was far from ordinary. Beside his composed confidence, Diana almost seemed like a schoolgirl experiencing her first crush.

And Rose couldn’t shake the suspicion that Sebastian had a plan of his own.

After saying goodbye to Sebastian and Damian, Diana wasted no time. She grabbed Rose’s hand and hurried toward the car.

She was still wary of Liam.

Judging by his reaction at the hospital, he clearly hadn’t accepted her decision. She had no intention of letting him chase her down and turn the peace she’d fought so hard to regain into another emotional battlefield.

That was precisely why she’d staged her death in the first place.

Liam’s obsession ran too deep. She had needed to take drastic measures to make him leave her alone.

“Are you really sure about this?” Rose asked once they were in the car.

Diana scratched her head.

“I don’t have any particularly strong feelings about it. Maybe that’s actually why I’m more comfortable with the idea. I wasn’t looking for love to begin with, and everything that’s happened has only made me more certain of what I want.”

She paused before continuing.

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone, but I’m not expecting some grand romance, either. So why not choose someone who’s reliable, compatible with me, and shares my values? At the very least, we’d have a stable life together.”

It wasn’t as though she’d made the decision after knowing Sebastian for only a day.

They’d known each other for nearly two months, and during that time, she’d learned quite a bit about his circumstances and background.

The way he cared for Damian, his late sister’s son, spoke volumes about his sense of responsibility. He was devoted to the boy and took his role as guardian seriously. Whatever his quirks, Diana believed he was fundamentally a good man.

Rose could tell that Diana had thought this through.

“As long as he’s willing to sign that prenup, and the agreement gives you the protection you want, you’ll have a measure of security you can rely on,” Rose said. “If he’s genuinely willing to commit to those terms, then I don’t see what you have to complain about.”

Nothing in life was perfect.

Diana lowered her eyes, deliberately pushing the image of Liam’s devastated face out of her mind.

“Things can hardly get worse than they already have.”

******

Sebastian worked quickly.

By that evening, he had sent Diana a comprehensive prenuptial agreement, detailing their financial arrangements and the terms they’d discussed.

Rose had Ryan’s legal team review it carefully. After going through the document, they found no obvious loopholes or issues that undermined the protections Diana had requested.

It was clear that Sebastian had taken the matter seriously.

Ryan also had something to report.

“I know a little about Sebastian Ellington, but I looked into his background myself. His personal life appears to be spotless. As far as I can tell, this would be his first marriage, and he’s never had a serious relationship before.”

Diana stared at him.

“...”

Why did that suddenly make her feel uneasy?

It was almost as if she’d somehow become responsible for a man who had absolutely no romantic experience.

The next morning arrived.

Rose didn’t come to see Diana off.

When Sebastian showed up, Diana couldn’t help looking him over several times.

He was usually so relaxed that it was difficult to imagine him getting worked up over anything. Yet today, he was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, his tie perfectly knotted and his hair carefully styled.

Standing at the door, he looked exceptionally handsome.

And he was holding a single flower.

Diana approached him slowly, eyeing his polished appearance with open curiosity.

“You’ve really dressed up for this, haven’t you?”

As soon as he saw her, Sebastian handed her the flower.

“I believe in making important occasions special. If I’m going to do something, I prefer to do it properly.”

Diana hadn’t expected flowers, especially not a single rose.

“You brought me a flower, too?”

“Do you like it?”

“Just one?”

Sebastian actually laughed at that.

“That’s more like you. No pretending to be grateful when you’re not satisfied.”

He held out his hand, inviting her to place hers in his.

“We have photographs to take and documents to sign. There’s a fair amount to do, and a huge bouquet would only get in the way. If you like this one, I’ll get you more later.”

Diana was speechless.

She’d only been on one date before, but somehow Sebastian was already making her ears burn.

She glanced at his outstretched hand.

Then she cleared her throat.

“Why don’t we get in line first? We should probably get in line.”

Clutching the single rose, she hurried toward the entrance.

Sebastian watched her go without looking the least bit surprised.

He wasn’t in a hurry.

Although he’d initially considered marriage because of Damian, he hadn’t made the decision lightly. He wasn’t interested in entering a marriage merely for convenience and leaving it at that. Now that he’d chosen to marry Diana, he intended to find ways to build a genuine bond with her.

He would do whatever he could to strengthen their relationship as husband and wife.

Fortunately, he had plenty of patience—and more than enough resources.

The marriage formalities turned out to be relatively straightforward. With the necessary paperwork completed and the civil ceremony taken care of, they were legally married.

Now that she was Aurora Sinclair, everything had gone smoothly.

Diana’s old identity belonged to the past. Whatever remained unresolved from that life, she was determined not to let it drag her backward.

Yet as she looked at the marriage certificate in her hands, she couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling.

Then her phone began vibrating.

She glanced at the screen.

The number was painfully familiar.

Liam had managed to find her new phone number.

As long as he believed she was out there somewhere, he would keep looking for ways to reach her.

Call after call came in, followed by a flood of messages.

The desperate pleas were almost unrecognizable coming from the once-imposing Mr. Mercer, a man who had always carried himself as though the world would bend to his will.

Now he was begging her to come back.

Diana felt no satisfaction, only a profound sense of sadness at what their relationship had become.

She blocked the number with a single tap.

“What happened?”

Sebastian had opened the car door. He glanced at her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her expression.

Diana slipped her phone away.

“Nothing. Just an annoying call.”

A flicker of something passed through Sebastian’s eyes, but he didn’t press her for an explanation.

Instead, he asked, “So, what should I call you from now on?”

Diana had just climbed into the car. She paused and looked at him in confusion.

“My name, obviously.”

Sebastian turned and reached into the back seat. Then he lifted a large bouquet of roses—one he’d arranged to have placed there earlier that morning—and settled it into her arms.

“I said I’d make it up to you.”

Diana suddenly found herself buried in flowers.

Before she could say anything, Sebastian continued in a perfectly matter-of-fact tone.

“I’m not interested in spending our marriage treating each other like strangers. So...”

He leaned closer, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“Baby, sweetheart, darling—or wife. Pick a pet name.”