Chapter 5
The building.
Due to her hangover, Ella's head felt a bit fuzzy, like smearing dirt on a glass, the more she tried to clear it, the murkier it became.
Ella sat in the seat of the aircraft, her head resting against the window, eyes half-closed, as if in a half-sleeping state.
It wasn't until she saw the vast expanse of green below the aircraft that Ella's eyes widened.
Wow, the Yize family is incredibly wealthy. This extensive forest and mountains could be worth several small planets.
Ella's heart rate suddenly accelerated, and she touched her nose. Oh my, even in this situation, she's thinking about work.
The soldier who was piloting the aircraft seemed quite simple and hearty. He smiled and said, "Hehe, impressive, right? The first time I saw it, I thought I'd died."
"Why would you think you'd died?"
"Because it looked like heaven."
Ella also laughed, but as she was laughing, her smile faded, and she asked the soldier, "Do you believe in heaven?"
The soldier chuckled, "Believe in what? I'm a soldier with a gun. Even if there is a heaven, I doubt I'd get in."
"In that case, it's unlikely for me either." Ella smiled, and her gaze seemed unusually calm.
The soldier glanced at Ella, then, grinning, said, "Sister, that outfit of yours is pretty cool."
Ella smirked, "Isn't it? I think so too."
The soldier burst into a hearty laugh.
"Seeing you so cheerful, your general must be a good person," Ella asked.
The soldier chuckled and said, "Absolutely, our general is great."
Ella asked again, "Why is he so great?"
The soldier glanced at Ella, grinning mischievously, "It's a secret. I can't tell you."
Well, look at you, quite clever.
Ella smiled and closed her eyes.
In his study, Yize was reading military documents that his aide had brought. During this period of ceasefire, there was relatively little work. Yize stood by the window, looking at the distant mountains. His expression was enigmatic, as the temperate environment of the capital star was not what he truly preferred. The distant frontier was where he truly belonged.
On the capital star, there was nothing to hold him.
Yize observed a flying craft landing outside, piloted by a dark-skinned young man who was part of his personal guard.
At the same time, his aide knocked on the door. "General, the person has arrived."
Yize diverted his gaze and followed his aide downstairs.
When Yize saw the woman standing in the middle of the hall, he, who could remain unfazed in the face of the insectoid army, stumbled for a moment.
She was dressed in a white tank top, floral shorts, and red plastic sandals. Ella appeared before Yize in this outfit.
Yize was left somewhat speechless as he looked at her. He couldn't comprehend how the scene had changed so drastically in just one day. It left Yize somewhat unprepared.
Ella had been looking around the opulent hall with a strong scent of wealth before hearing footsteps and turning her gaze toward the direction of the stairs. Yize, however, remained in his deep gray military uniform, collar buttoned up, meticulously put together, calm and serious.
Ella lowered her gaze to her own outfit, which she had borrowed from Ahong, and awkwardly scratched her nose.
"Sorry about that; I lost the clothes from yesterday..." Ella spoke first.
Yize: ...
"But thank you for that outfit! It's expensive and looks great!" Ella quickly tried to save the situation.
Yize remained silent and gestured to his aide.
A female Beta servant emerged from the side and greeted Yize before turning to Ella, speaking gently, "Please follow me, Miss."
Ella cast a glance at the expressionless Yize and then followed the servant.
The servant led her through quite a long corridor, and Ella couldn't help but think, "This house is really huge..."
The servant brought Ella to a very spacious bedroom on the third floor. The room was exquisitely decorated. In the center of the bedroom was a massive bed, adorned with beautiful rose-colored curtains.
"This is your room, Miss." After passing through the bedroom, the servant led Ella into an adjacent room, revealing a massive walk-in closet filled with various styles of clothing for all seasons. It was complemented by a wide array of handbags and shoes.
Ella's face was full of pleasant surprise, and in her mind, she was exclaiming, "Wow! Is this a dream?"
"Miss, please change into different clothing; the Master is waiting for you."
The servant instructed and then stood in place, looking at Ella.
Ella: ???
The servant explained, "The steward was afraid you might not be used to it, so he asked me to help you change your clothes."
In Ella's mind, she thought the steward must be worried that she'd create another unusual fashion statement. It wasn't her fault that Ahong was so attached to that outfit; she had tried to get him to let go of it.
Ten minutes later, Ella reappeared in front of Yize, wearing a plain and faultless beige dress.
Even Yize's aide visibly relaxed.
"Please, have a seat," Yize spoke in a calm tone.
He focused his gaze on Ella, yet there was nothing else in his look. It was cold and distant, as if he were observing a complete stranger, rather than an Alpha with whom he had developed a special relationship.
Ella sat tentatively on the sofa opposite Yize, unconsciously clutching her dress on her knees.
Yize looked at Ella's hands without any noticeable expression and continued speaking, "This is the ancestral mansion of the Yize family, and this house is prepared for you. You may need to stay here for quite some time."
Ella lowered her gaze and nodded.
Yize went on, "If you have any needs, you can always communicate them with the housekeeper."
Ella continued nodding.
Yize paused slightly and continued, "The wedding is planned to take place in three days, not far from here. Someone will guide you there on the day."
Ella nodded once more.
Yize arched an eyebrow slightly and inquired, "Do you have any requests?"
Ella shook her head.
Yize furrowed his brow slightly and said, "After we are married, I will fulfill all the duties of a husband and provide you with a comfortable life. You can rest assured about this. However, I hope that in many other matters, you will also cooperate with me as much as possible."
Ella nodded in agreement. From the moment she learned that she had unexpectedly marked Yize, an Omega, she knew she had no room for choice. Yize would undoubtedly arrange everything efficiently and swiftly, like in a military operation - decisively, calmly, rigorously, and sometimes boldly. However, Yize couldn't quite figure out the overly obedient and quiet Ella. According to his expectations, she should seize this opportunity to negotiate various practical conditions and pursue her own interests. But the girl sitting quietly across from him didn't act like an Alpha, just sitting there in her beige dress, her slender waist looking even more delicate. His chest seemed to have suddenly loosened a bit.
Yize stood up and spoke in a gentler tone, "Since we've reached an agreement, I won't disturb your rest."
Ella stood up as well and uttered the only sentence she said during this conversation, "Alright."
After Yize left, he left Ella in the grand house. She was not alone, though. There was a steward, five maids, and a chef. Ella curiously roamed the house, but the steward was constantly with her, ostensibly providing her with a tour, but in reality, supervising her. Most of the doors were locked, and there was no intention of letting Ella inside to explore.
During dinner, Ella found herself sitting alone at the massive dining table. The meticulously prepared dishes were laid out in front of her, and the maids, dressed in uniforms, stood straight beside her.
Feeling somewhat awkward, Ella wiggled in her seat and discreetly snapped a photo of the elaborately presented dishes to send to Ahong.
Ahong immediately replied, "Wow, so exquisite. The rich are really something!"
Ella responded with a shivering expression: "I'm the only one eating here, it's so lonely. Sob."
Afterward, Ella received a photo from Ahong, a bucket of instant noodles, with the word "Scram" attached.
Ella laughed and tucked her terminal away, feeling satisfied. She savored every bite and managed to finish everything on the table.
The steward watched her clear the table of all the dishes, his brow twitching in disbelief. He didn't expect this slim individual to have such a... hearty appetite.
Having eaten her fill, Ella let out a satisfied belch, then planned to go for a walk. However, she was politely stopped at the door by the steward.
"I'm very sorry, Miss Ella. The young master has ordered that, apart from special circumstances, you cannot leave here until the wedding," he explained.
Ella blinked and decided not to insist on going out. She turned and headed upstairs to her room.
Ella lay flat on the large bed, staring at the ceiling, digesting her meal.
She hadn't expected to play the role of someone else's "canary" in her lifetime. Food, clothing, and shelter were all good, she thought.
At the same time, Yize, who was working late at the military headquarters, received a report from the steward detailing Ella's every move throughout the afternoon and evening. In summary, she was very obedient.
In the following three days, Ella remained obedient, eating her meals diligently, not wasting any food, and living up to the expectations. She had initially thought this would be a leisurely lifestyle, but it turned out to be quite hectic.
During these three days, she had a fashion designer fitting her wedding gown, a makeup artist trying out different looks, an etiquette teacher explaining protocol standards, and even a dance instructor teaching her social dancing.
Ella was somewhat overwhelmed, but she remained cooperative.
However, Yize had not appeared during this time.
Ella was quite content with Yize's absence, knowing that he must be busy as the General of the First Legion of the Galactic Empire. More importantly, she wanted to maintain some distance from him. If she saw him every day, she wasn't sure how she should interact with him.
Three days later, Ella was woken up early in the morning, and after going through the ritual of dressing and grooming, she finally stepped out of the house.
Outside the door, Yize was dressed in a white suit with a blooming red rose pinned to his chest. He was standing next to a waiting vehicle.
Ella couldn't help but feel that he looked very handsome and commanding, even more so in his military uniform.
"Good morning," he greeted Ella when he saw her.
Ella cleared her throat and replied with a polite smile, "Good morning, General."
Yize extended his hand, gesturing towards the vehicle. "Shall we?"
Ella nodded and followed him into the vehicle. As it took off, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension about the upcoming wedding ceremony and her new life in the Empire.