Cecilia's fingers halted over her phone's screen. She stared at it for a while and asked softly, "Mark, is this for real?"

"Yes. Cecilia, in the future, we can be together openly and honestly. You can tell anyone that you're my wife. When Edwin starts kindergarten, I can accompany you to pick him up and drop him off."

As Mark said these words, his tone was tender, but there was a tinge of sadness in his voice.

These were the simple routines of ordinary people's lives, but for him, it meant a lot.

He held Cecilia's hand and whispered, "Once this project is completed, I will spend all my time accompanying you

Mark embraced Cecilia, and her face rested against his abdomen. Despite his age, he maintained an excellent physique, with a flat and firm stomach, devoid of any signs of middle-aged weight gain.

Cecilia closed her eyes.

They held each other for a long while, and in a soft voice, she said, “Even if... Even if I marry you, I'l. still need to work."

Mark agreed, assuring her that he wouldn't confine her at home.

He recognized how much she had grown and matured, and he had no intention of reverting her to her former self.

Cecilia was content with his response. She playfully extended her finger and glanced at the diamond ring on it.

In a soft voice, she added, “You're getting older now. It doesn't matter even if you are unable to pay a hefty bride price. Waylen and Rena will provide me with plenty of financial support. You won't have to bear the burden of taking care of Edwin and me."

Mark was both amused and a little annoyed.

He playfully pinched Cecilia's cheek, as if to say, he couldn't even afford to provide for his own family?

He then suggested, “Shall we visit the old apartment later?" Cecilia was keen to go shopping.

After years of being with him, they hadn't gone out together openly, and she longed for it.

This feeling was refreshing.

It wasn't that Mark didn't want to accompany her to go shopping. Rather, he preferred to be alone with her.

Besides, he was somewhat turned on by her earlier comment about him getting old.

After leaving the restaurant, Mark drove by himself.

Cecilia wasn't a young girl anymore, and she had more or less guessed Mark's intentions when he mentioned being alone with her in the apartment. However, he didn‘*t explicitly say it, and she was too embarrassed to bring it up.

As the black sports car passed by Fortune Square, Mark recalled that in the past, he had liked Cecilia but had concerns about their age and social status.