Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 90 - 090 Marriage Certificate: Mrs. Hale, Happy Marriage (2 more updates)

Chapter 90: 090 Marriage Certificate: Mrs. Hale, Happy Marriage (2 more updates)

Zac Cruz stood by, his breath visible in the cold air.

He had never imagined that his job would include watching his boss pose for wedding photos.

"Don’t look so stiff, you can smile a bit," the photographer added.

Only then did Zoe Bell realize he was speaking to William Hale, and she promptly whispered, "Mr. Hale, please smile a bit."

"I am smiling."

"..."

The photography team was very professional, changing Zoe’s outfits and makeup several times while William patiently cooperated.

The session lasted until after nine.

After the photos were done, William tilted his head and whispered in her ear, "Take a rest, we’ll leave as soon as the photos are printed."

Everything was so natural, so composed.

The photographer took many photos. With both of their good looks, there was no need for much editing. After selecting the best ones, they printed them on the spot and let them take the prints to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

On the way to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Zoe felt the atmosphere was a bit tense.

For some reason, William seemed a bit off today.

It seemed particularly tense.

Could it be something to do with the company?

But, she never interfered with work matters.

Today was just a regular workday, not Valentine’s Day or 520, and with marriage and birth rates declining over the years, the Civil Affairs Bureau wasn’t very crowded.

When they appeared, the staff frequently glanced over.

The staff followed the procedure to register their marriage, taking a longer look at Zoe’s ID and Passport Card.

They seemed to be verifying her identity!

When they tried to take a closer look, they were intimidated by William’s gaze.

Accustomed to high positions, his presence was commanding, especially when he silently stared at you, which felt like a scrutinizing pressure that made the staff’s scalp tingle. They quickly lowered their heads and sped up their work.

They signed, stamped the seal, and, when they received the marriage certificate, Zoe still felt a bit dazed.

"May I keep the marriage certificate?" William asked.

Zoe nodded.

William took the two marriage certificates, and as he turned, Zac, who was waiting outside, distinctly saw...

His usually aloof boss slightly curved his lips,

smiling in a way that seemed almost worthless.

Nobody knew the warmth churning inside him beneath his calm exterior, filling his every limb.

That overwhelming joy seemed to engulf him.

His Adam’s apple moved slightly, and his hand holding the marriage certificate tightened repeatedly.

On the surface...

It still appeared calm and tranquil.

As they left, they happened to meet a young couple coming to get their license; the girl wore a simple white veil and held the arm of the young man, smiling sweetly, prompting Zoe to take a longer look.

Perhaps, that’s what it looks like to marry for love, to smile so happily.

As they left the licensing office, Zac somehow produced a bouquet of roses, which William accepted and then handed to Zoe.

"Mrs. Hale, happy marriage," he said in a cool, slow voice.

Zoe, smiling, accepted the flowers, "Thank you."

"Let’s call Lucas and invite him over for dinner; I’ll cook," William’s tone was noticeably higher than usual.

Zac’s face lit up with a smile:

This was true happiness from the bottom of his heart.

From now on, his boss finally had a recognized status.

What a joyous occasion!

Zac had followed William for many years. When Zoe was off-limits, he had secretly visited Greenland to watch her train.

At that time, Zac sometimes wondered:

Perhaps his boss, whom he followed, was a bit of a pervert.

Back when William had just taken over the company, Old Sir Hale sometimes called Zac alone to inquire about the situation. Zac really wanted to say:

"Perhaps you should find a psychiatrist for the boss; I think his silent infatuation will twist his mind sooner or later."

Several times, he had almost said it, only to swallow his words back down.

Now, his wish had finally come true.

Zac felt deeply relieved,

unconsciously, his face breaking into a fatherly smile.

"Inviting Lucas over?" Zoe looked at William, somewhat surprised.

From what she had observed over time, she knew William disliked socializing and seldom took the initiative to invite anyone.

"He helped us solve such a big problem; as a husband, shouldn’t I express my gratitude? The last time we met was too hurried, and I didn’t get a chance to properly greet him and get to know him," William reasoned.

Zoe said she needed to check Lucas’s schedule.

"Then you should call and ask." William Hale said bluntly.

Lucas Bell returned home last night, and Kevin Bell and his wife had another heart-to-heart talk with him, urging him not to be stubborn. He had gone to bed late and was a bit surprised to receive a call from his sister early in the morning.

"Invite me over as a guest?" Lucas frowned.

What was that scoundrel up to now?

Strutting around, declaring dominion, or...

Planning to silence him permanently?

The safest place is away from enemy territory.

"Are you free to come?" Zoe Bell asked.

"Is Mr. Hale also there?"

"He is."

Lucas hesitated for a moment but then gritted his teeth, "I’m free."

He wanted to see what that scoundrel was really up to.

He was curious about how the two of them interacted and also wanted to see his sister’s living environment.

---

Elsewhere

Wyatt Hale, who had slept until he woke up naturally, saw the time on his phone and felt as if the sky had fallen.

He had set an alarm for six o’clock but had sleepily turned it off.

Damn!

How was it already 10:30?

This is bad, really bad.

He had promised Old Sir Hale that he would go with him to the Civil Affairs Bureau today. He was definitely late, and he didn’t even know if they had left yet. Wyatt Hale hastily brushed his teeth, splashed water on his face, and, still in his pajamas, sprinted outside.

When he arrived downstairs with his hair a mess, Zoe Bell was arranging roses, "Wyatt, you’re up?"

"Sis, have you and my brother... gotten your certificate?"

"Yeah."

"Ah—" Wyatt Hale let out a loud yell, grabbing his hair.

William Hale walked by and gave him a kick, "What’s the big fuss about?"

"Brother, why didn’t you call me when you were getting the certificate?" Wyatt Hale was almost crying, how was he supposed to explain this to grandpa? Was he supposed to cough up the money he had nearly had in hand?

"Why should we have called you when we were getting our certificate?"

"I’ve never been to the Civil Affairs Bureau, I’m curious."

"You can go when you get married."

"..."

Wyatt Hale felt finished; his grandfather would definitely kill him.

While Zoe Bell was arranging the roses, William Hale returned to the study room. She thought he was just going back to work and didn’t think much of it.

Once the door closed, William Hale opened and reviewed the two marriage certificates multiple times before placing them neatly on the desk. He took several photos and uploaded them to the "Hale Family’s Special Group (Official)."

Younger Uncle of Hale Family: "Congratulations."

Father: "Congratulations."

Second Uncle: "Best wishes."

...

When Wyatt Hale saw the group messages, he nearly went crazy.

Shortly after, Old Sir Hale specifically asked him for photos from the certificate retrieval.

"Grandfather, if I told you that I was so excited when my brother and sister-in-law were getting the certificate that I forgot to take photos, would you believe me?"

"Return the money!"

Wyatt Hale felt like the sky had collapsed.

You’re so wealthy, do you really care about this little money?

This left him in a bad mood all day.

It wasn’t until the sunset that glowed like molten gold and the clouds melded perfectly at dusk that the doorbell rang.

When he opened the door, he saw Lucas Bell standing there, visiting for the first time. He was holding a gift and was dressed reasonably well, in a shirt paired with slacks, quite formal for someone his age.

Wyatt Hale looked down at himself, in a white T-shirt and shorts, with his hair still a mess.

Lucas Bell’s visit was to see what new cunning stunt Wyatt Hale, that scoundrel, was up to.

However, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of someone cooking in the half-open kitchen.

Was he pretending to be a dutiful husband?

"Hello, we’ve met before. I’m Lucas Bell, my sister invited me over," Lucas Bell pressed down his inner doubts and said politely.

Wyatt Hale fiddled with the mess of hair on his head, "Oh, so it was sister-in-law who invited you. Please come in."

As he spoke, he also casually took the gift from his hands.

Lucas Bell was struck as if by lightning, his mouth agape, before he incredulously said, "What did you just call my sister?"

"Sis...sister-in-law?"