Married to the Secret Stanger

It was late afternoon when Frederick, Alexander's trusted assistant, entered the luxurious office with a thick file in his hands. He had been tasked with. Investigating Joanne Baker and her family—a request that had come directly from Alexander himself.

Frederick set the file on Alexander's desk, carefully removing his glasses as he glanced up.

"It's done."

Alexander barely looked up from his laptop, his face shadowed by the dim light of his office. He had been absorbed in business, but his mind was always on Joanne.

He gave a single nod. "What did you find?"

Frederick took a seat, flipping open the file and beginning to summarize.

"Joanne Baker, the illegitimate daughter of the Baker family. Her father, Charles Baker, is a wealthy businessman, but her relationship with him is strained. She's mostly supported by her mother, who has been ill for quite some time." Frederick paused, scanning his notes. "Her financial situation is… not ideal. Her mother's medical bills are piling up, and her father cut her off after her failed engagement."

Alexander's lips tightened. He had already known some of this, but hearing it again struck a chord. Joanne's situation was far more complicated than he had anticipated.

"And the other details?" Alexander asked, his voice a bit colder now.

Frederick glanced at the report and continued. "Joanne seems to be making it on her own at Indigo Design, but there are signs that she's under a great deal of stress. She's constantly trying to juggle her mother's treatment with the financial pressure of maintaining her independence. And, sir, her ex-fiancé's family seems to be involved in this as well—they're connected to the Baker family, which could be trouble."

Frederick paused, watching Alexander's reaction.

"Anything about her… relationship with me?"

Frederick hesitated. "There's no direct connection yet. She's kept the marriage under wraps to most people—besides a few close friends, no one seems to know about the contract. It's unclear how much she actually knows about you, but she's cautious, which means she's likely unaware of your full identity."

Alexander's expression darkened. He had expected Joanne to be cautious, especially considering the way they had entered into this marriage. But something about her… something about her independence made him want to protect her from the dangers he had brought into her life.

Frederick glanced up from his notes. "Is there anything else I should dig into?"

Alexander leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold yet thoughtful.

"No. Not yet."

Frederick left the office, leaving Alexander to brood over the files.

Joanne Baker.

Her resilience, her independent nature—everything about her had drawn his attention. Yet, the more he learned, the more he realized that protecting her would be far more complicated than he had first imagined.

The night of the gala had been a test, but now, the true challenge was beginning.