Husband With Benefits

"I think it’s the fate of us sisters to get married in a civil affairs bureau," Arabelle murmured as she signed the marriage papers, her tone carrying a mix of resignation and humor.

Rafe grinned, watching her with amusement before leaning in to add his signature with a flourish. "Well, you were the one who insisted on keeping it simple. If you want, I can still organize a grand celebration," he teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Arabelle shook her head firmly. "No, thank you. This is better—straightforward and fuss-free. Besides, now that we’re officially married, we can finally go home and rest."

Rafe chuckled, shaking his head. "Not so fast. We still need to go to the other venue for the bridal photo session. After that, the publicity team will want a few shots to go with the official announcement. It’s part of the package, remember?"

Arabelle rolled her eyes dramatically. "Seriously? Haven’t I posed for enough pictures already? We’ve been ’engaged’ for barely a month, and I swear I’ve taken more photos during this time than I have in my entire life!"

"Not my fault everyone thinks you’re photogenic," Rafe countered with a grin.

"Photogenic?" Arabelle groaned, throwing her hands in the air. "I’m traumatized, Rafe. Every morning, I wake up with this irrational fear that someone’s caught me in some embarrassing moment—like scratching my nose or yawning. Imagine the headlines!"

Rafe laughed as they walked towards the next room, his steps light with amusement. "You really should’ve brought this up earlier. For what it’s worth, the local media follows strict guidelines. They can’t release any pictures of you without clearance from the royal office. So, even if someone does manage to snap something unflattering, it’s never going to see the light of day."

Arabelle’s eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, really? Why didn’t you tell me this before? That changes everything!" She smirked, a mischievous glint lighting up her face. "Just you watch—every time I spot a paparazzo now, I’m going to scratch my nose or make the weirdest face possible. Let’s see them try to work with that! And you better instruct your office to not give them clearance to publish the pictures."

Rafe burst out laughing, shaking his head. "You’re unbelievable, Arabelle. But honestly, I think even your ’weird faces’ would probably end up looking charming. The paparazzi would probably label them as ’quirky’ and ’adorable and beg my staff for permission’"

She rolled her eyes again, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "If that happens, I’m blaming you."