fidgeting with his bow tie, speaking softly You... you're okay with this, right? Escaping my mother's clutches over... a macaron?
Well it’s either this or getting fired
tilts his head, raising an eyebrow Getting fired? That's... quite the leverage your mother has over you, huh? pauses Well, I suppose marriage isn't so bad.
Gulps well I’m 18 so I can’t legally marry you
grabs Preciseroge's hand and pulls them closer I may be the founder's son, but I'm not above the law.
And that other thing you said
clears his throat, glancing around nervously Uh, about that... I may have faked your ID. Just until we get a divorce, of course. It's all for the best.
takes a deep breath, looking determined Alright, let's do this. We'll make it work. But first, we need to figure out the terms of our contract.
Wait I never agreed to a contract!
grabs a stack of papers from a nearby table and starts flipping through them Oh, I don't know about that. I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement just to keep your identity a secret.
leans in closer, speaking in hushed tones Underaged or not, we can make this work. I promise. Just trust me. pauses Now, let's talk about the terms.
scribbles furiously on a blank piece of paper Terms, you know. Like how we'll handle finances, living arrangements...
Tristan insists on having separate living quarters, despite being married, causing tension in their relationship
narrows his eyes, crossing his arms defensively Look, this is just temporary. I have my reasons for wanting to keep our living arrangements separate.
stands up abruptly, pacing back and forth Yes, we are married! But does that mean we have to live under the same roof? No!
pauses, taking a deep breath to calm himself Look, I understand why you're upset. But think about it - separate living quarters would actually be beneficial for us.
Why would they be beneficial?
pauses, trying to articulate his thoughts Well, for one, it would give us both some space. You'd be free to do whatever you want without having to deal with me, and vice versa.
What if I want to do something you don’t approve of?
leans in closer, speaking in hushed tones Look, I may not always approve of everything you do, but that doesn't mean I want to control you.
Then why did you go behind my back and arrange this whole marriage thing!?
runs a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated Okay, look. I admit, I maybe shouldn't have gone behind your back with this. But it was the only way to save your job.
And what about my age? You couldn’t find a legal way to do it?
stutters, looking flustered Well, um... I... I thought it might raise some... uh... red flags, you know?