Humble son-in-law in the day, Billionaire at night

5

“I don’t—what? If this is a joke, sir, it’s… it’s creepy as hell.” Wesley laughs nervously, but the sound dies in his throat when he sees Aiden isn’t joking.

Aiden is still. Unbothered. Dead serious.

Wesley straightens, puts his coat back on with a sharp hiss. “You must think this company of yours is made of gold, huh? Everyone’s kissing your ass to get a contract.”

Aiden doesn’t flinch. “Will you leave my office if you’re done ranting?”

Wesley sneers. “Trust me. No one deserves this contract more than me. You’ll come crawling back—mark my words.” He storms out, slamming the door so hard the sound echoes like a punchline.

Outside, Harper stands. Hopeful.

“Wesley?” she asks gently.

But the look on his face stops her cold. He doesn’t even look at her.

“Forget the damn contract,” he mutters as he walks past. “They’re all fools in there.”

Before she can respond, a voice calls out through the intercom:

“Miss Harper, could you please come in?”

Her pulse spikes. Her hands feel like ice. She walks in slowly, as if entering a courtroom—where her fate is sealed and the judge already hates her.

Inside, the room is too cold. The air conditioner hums. The silence hums louder.

She doesn't look at the man behind the desk.

“You can have your seat, Miss Harper,” the man says—his voice warm, almost too warm. If she hadn't seen Wesley’s face seconds ago, she might’ve mistaken it for kindness.

“You care for a coffee?” he asks once she’s seated.

“No, sir. I’m... I’m okay, sir.” Her voice wobbles.

“You don’t have to be scared,” he says gently. “I’m not a monster.”

“Yes, sir... thank you, sir.”

“All I need from you are honest answers.”

Harper’s head jerks. Honest answers?

Panic flickers behind her eyes. Did he find something in the documents? Did she mess something up? Her mind races through every page she submitted, but nothing jumps out.

“Excuse me?” she asks, heart thudding.

“I said…” Aiden leans slightly forward. “All I need are honest answers.”

“I—I’m sorry, sir. I was just—”

“It’s okay,” he says. “Are you sure you’re alright? You look…”

“I’m fine, sir,” she cuts in. “What are the questions?”

Aiden leans back. “Are you married?”

Her heart sinks.

There it is.

Is this what this is about? Is he using this—this interview—as an excuse to proposition her?

She straightens, jaw clenched, voice trembling with emotion she tries to hide. “I might not have changed my last name, sir, but I am married. My husband and I are happily married. We’re… we’re even planning to have a baby soon.”

Her voice grows stronger now. “Probably in the next nine months, we’ll have our first child. And go public with our marriage. That’s if… my husband is finally ready to let the world know about us.”

From where Aiden sits, his throat tightens and his face warms with a sudden, unwelcome blush.

A baby?

What the hell?

He swallows hard, his composure slipping for the first time that day. He isn’t ready for a kid. Hell, he hasn’t even told the world he’s married. And Harper… Harper just sat there and said it like it was the easiest thing in the world.

He clears his throat, struggling to sound casual. “How can I believe you? You’re not even wearing a ring.”

“Oh… you see,” she chuckles softly, eyes twinkling with practiced nonchalance, “my husband is this kind of shy person. Weird, right? We got married without rings.”

She laughs.

And it kills him.

Not because the joke is funny.

But because he knows that laugh. Too well. It’s the one she uses to bury disappointment. The one she lets out when she’s pretending not to care—about birthdays, anniversaries, breakfast in bed, public love, wedding bands.

The sound cracks something in him.

Aiden opens a drawer slowly, not trusting his expression. He pulls out a document, signs it, and slides it across the table.

Harper blinks, confused at first. Then she sees the company stamp. The signature.

Her eyes widen.

She shoots up from her chair, gratitude flooding her face. “Sir, I—”

But Aiden raises a hand, eyes still on the desk.

“Your husband owes you a lot, Miss,” he says quietly, voice almost hoarse. “And I’m not sure he even knows how much he owes you.”

She stares at him.

“I feel like… you’ve done more for that man than you’ll ever truly realize.”

****

Aiden sets the vacuum cleaner to work, then rushes to the bedroom to adjust the heater. How the hell did he forget to regulate it before leaving? The house is freezing—and he knows he’ll get an earful once his in-laws return.

Gloves on, he begins washing the first set of plates when a honk blares from the gate.

He hurries outside and opens it, bowing his head slightly as the car drives in. Once it parks, he shuts the gate behind them.

“Welcome,” Aiden says, moving quickly to carry their bags inside.

“I’m throwing a party for you today,” Harper’s father announces as he steps out. “You’ve really impressed me.”

“What did you do, darling?” her mother asks.

“I didn’t do anything serious. I guess someone put in a word for us,” Harper replies with a light shrug.

“I don’t remember telling anyone I wanted to apply for a contract with the Vicholas Group,” her father says. “Most people we know don’t even dare approach that company.”

“Anyway, let’s get some rest before deciding how to spend the evening,” he adds.

“I’m really proud of you, Harper. You impressed me this morning.”

Aiden exhales quietly and trails behind them into the house. Since they ignored his greeting, the message is clear: act like you don’t exist.

“This stupid boy—why is the house this cold?” his mother-in-law snaps the moment she steps inside.