CHAPTER 43: SO EVERYONE KNOWS YOU’RE MY WIFE

"Lyra, smile and wave."

Rowan tapped her hand lightly and pointed toward a group of cameramen standing together, pointing their cameras at them.

Startled by the sudden attention, Lyra halted and radiated a plastic smile before she resumed her steps.

She was puzzling slightly why Rowan suddenly go easy with the press when he usually kept his distance.

A faint double tug on Rowan’s sleeve made him lean in, just close enough for her to whisper.

"Why do I have to smile and wave at them?" she murmured, barely moving her lips.

Rowan then shifted his stance so he could lean closer to her ear. "Because I want everyone to know you’re my wife."

She was surprised, and her mouth opened a little in a round shape that made her look even cuter.

Rowan’s smile almost turned into a chuckle when look at her reaction.

People around them noticed how close the two looked. Their interaction was like a couple showing real affection.

On top of that, the VIP seats were all the way at the front, forcing them to walk past every pair of watching eyes before they could sit down.

She didn’t really want to attend, but Rowan had a short interview and would only take five minutes. So, she still had to come with him.

Rowan didn’t want to leave her alone in the upstairs lounge because of safety.

Marcus and Enzo, seated in the row beside Rowan’s spot, both blinked when they saw her.

Rowan’s wife looked much younger than him, and they couldn’t help wondering if he had married a university student before she’d even finished college.

And she appeared delicate in her demeanor, completely opposite to Rowan, who looked intense and sharp.

Rowan didn’t linger. He kept his answers brief during the interview, unwilling to make Lyra wait.

Once the conference wrapped up, Rowan and Lyra left, heading straight to airport.

He kept the honeymoon destination a secret, and it made Lyra restless along the way there.

Even though they had gone there by private jet, but the mystery didn’t end. After the one-hour flight, it still took another three hours from the airport to reach the place.

Rowan even asked her to cover her eyes with a blindfold. He was determined to surprise Lyra.

The road to the place was so winding that every turn made Lyra even dizzier. After an hour on the road, she ended up throwing up. After that, he refused to keep her eyes covered any longer.

Lyra folded her arms and sat right at the edge of the seat, sulking. She didn’t want Rowan anywhere near her.

It was because Rowan made her uncomfortable with the blindfold. She didn’t like it at all.

Rowan had indeed tried to be romantic, but his military style almost made Lyra feel as if she were being abducted to their honeymoon location.

Damian lifted the divider between driver and passenger seats after Rowan shot him a firm warning with his gaze.

When Rowan edged closer to her, Lyra scooted away. She forced her gaze out the window.

She pouted, and her cheeks puffed, which made Rowan want to laugh. But he held it back. If not, Lyra would sulk even more.

The car gradually slowed and came to a stop in one of the parking spaces. Rowan stepped out right away. Lyra, who had been sulking a moment earlier, instantly forgot about it.

Rowan opened her door and bent slightly, offering his hand. "Come."

"Where are we?"

"You’ll see. Come on."

Lyra took Rowan’s hand, and stepped out of the car.

They were in a small town, and a supermarket was before them.

It was small, similar in size to the kind of convenience store she might find in the city. The walls were old, and the paint had begun to flake off with age.

Still, it didn’t stop the place from being the main spot for the locals to buy their daily necessities.

"Let’s go. We need to get something for cooking," Rowan said as he took Lyra’s hand and walked toward the entrance.

Damian and Kane went ahead of them and grabbed a cart from the row beside the entrance.

Lyra had never been inside a small supermarket like this before, especially not the section for buying fresh ingredients.

Daily necessities were usually delivered straight to Hale Estate, so she hardly knew anything about buying fresh produce and she admitted inwardly that she couldn’t cook to save her life.

She watched Rowan pick out meat, vegetables, fish, onions, and everything else they needed.

It’s like he had done it a thousand times.

She leaned in and spoke quietly. "You’re really quick at picking things out. When did you learn to buy all this?"

Rowan smirked and pinched her cheek. "I used to be in the military, did you forget? Countless times in foreign countries. I had to take care of myself. That’s when I learned all of this."

Indeed she had forgotten. She rubbed her cheek where he pinched her.

Lyra followed Rowan through the busy crowd of shoppers. He didn’t even bother, even though his social status was much higher than the ordinary people around them.

Until end, she just watched Rowan gather everything they needed before heading to the checkout counter.

They wheeled two full carts toward the car. Damian and Kane loaded all the items into the car trunk. Lyra watched them organize all those items so neatly, surprised that everything actually fit.

The sun was almost setting by the time Damian and Kane finished.

"We’re good to go, boss!" Kane called out to Rowan and Lyra, who were sitting on a bench not far from the car.

Rowan crushed his cigarette under his shoe, then took Lyra’s hand and led her toward the car.

On the way, the road climbed steadily toward higher ground.

The sun, almost set, seemed to chase them from the side, as if trying to match their pace as they continued forward.

The scenery made Lyra smile, enjoying the atmosphere without even realizing it.

She didn’t want to ask Rowan where they were heading, but her heart beat a little faster. It felt as if something exciting was waiting for them at the top of that hill.

At that exact moment, Lyra caught a faint scent of salty air.

"Waa..." Lyra couldn’t hold back her reaction.

The road they followed led them to a stretch that ran right along the edge of the sea. In the distance, she could see tiny specks of sunlight dancing across the rippling surface.

Lyra even spotted three large ships out on the horizon.

Seeing her react like that, Rowan felt he had made the right choice. His guess was right—she truly enjoyed the spot he cherished as much as he did.