7
Author: Tina Maxxy
last update2025-03-31 00:35:12

“He also gave you a contract?” Harper asks, bewildered.

“Well…I don't want to say this, but I actually instructed him to give the contract to Harper because…” he shrugs. “I'm not really in need of the contract. I'm here to settle down, have a family and…things like that.” By the time he's done talking, all the other three people on the table are staring at him in surprise.

“Wait a minute. I want to understand this…” Aiden's father-in-law says, “you gave out your contract to our company? For free?”

Wesley chuckles. “Come on, dad, you're making it too much of a big deal. You're the only family I have if you actually think about it.”

“Oh…my Wesley…” Aiden's mother-in-law cries. “You're too good to be true.”

“Shit. Why would you do that?” Harper asks. “You're making me feel indebted to you.”

“But…” Wesley quickly says. Once he misses this opportunity, he might not be able to get it back. “Actually…” he bites on his lower lip, staring into his plate. “I messed up.”

“What's that?”

Wesley looks at the eyes of the three on the table. They all look so gullible, especially this damn Harper's father. What sort of man falls for lies this easily?

“The man wasn't comfortable giving away the contract to Harper since I was the one he wanted…so…when he wasn't going to trust me, I told him Harper is my wife…like…we've been married secretly for the past two years but have decided not to go public with it due to certain reasons.”

From where Aiden is, he roars in laughter, startling the other people in the room.

“Come on, Wesley, you'll make a good comedian. That was so funny,” Aiden says.

Wesley clenches his fist. Who the fuck is this idiot to talk at a time like this?

“Go inside, Aiden,” Harper's father says.

Aiden frowns. “I—”

“I don't want to hear anything. Get lost before I count to five. You must think everything is a joke because you don't know how hard it is to work for money.”

“Not as if he's worked for money all his whole life anyway,” Harper's mother chips in.

Aiden walks closer to them. “Don't tell me you fell for that bullshit coming out of this man's mouth!”

As the seconds pass, Harper grows more uneasy. Maybe that was the reason why the man asked her about her husband after all…so it was a test all along?

How the hell was she supposed to know what Wesley has put in a word for her?

Feeling weak all of a sudden, she stands up from the table. “I need to go use the restroom,” she says and slips away.

Seconds later, she detects the presence of another person. She looks back and sees Aiden. Without warning, tears came flowing down her face.

“What will I do, Aiden? I'm screwed…” she sobs.

Aiden bites his lower lip. Wesley will pay for this shit he did. He'll pay for making his woman cry like this.

Aiden walks closer to Harper and pulls her in a hug. “I'll sort things out.”

“You don't get it…you really don't…” she pulls away from him and goes inside the restroom.

All of Aiden's attempt to get her in a conversation proves abortive as the seconds goes by. Left with no other choice, he goes back to the dinning room where to his shock, another plan is already going on.

“It's easy if you think about it,” Aiden's mother-in-law says. “They could just get married.”

“Or pretend to get married,” Aiden's mother-in-law says.

Aiden hits his fist on the table to get their attention. A few plates jump out of the table, breaking into pieces in the process.

“Harper is not getting married to this man,” Aiden says.

“I am sorry I have to make you go through all these,” Wesley tells Harper's mother and father, totally ignoring Aiden.

“Oh, no. I appreciate you for helping us out. You have no idea how much we have been yearning for this contract,” Aiden's father-in-law says.

“Actually…” Wesley bites on his lower lip, staring at the floor again. He raises his head seconds later with a totally fake pained expression that really hit those two old fools. “I should have said this since, but I don't know how you'll feel about it.”

“What's that, son?” Aiden's father-in-law asks, a look of respect that he's never given Aiden on his face while gazing at Wesley.

“The owner of the Vicholas group invited us to a party. I guess he wanted to be sure I wasn't lying.”

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  • 71: Epilogue

    Today is the wedding. Aiden stands awkwardly near the entrance of the hall—though he'd never admit it. The place is packed. Every elite name in town is here. Harper's grandfather made sure of that. The only thing keeping Aiden sane is the fact that none of these people actually know who he is. He made Harper’s grandfather promise not to say a word about his true identity. Not yet. Park is darting across the hall like the world’s most chaotic best man, barking into phones and waving at staff. “Sir—Miss Harper sent a message for you,” Park whispers, rushing to Aiden’s side. Aiden’s head snaps up. “Is she okay?” “She’s fine,” Park assures, handing him a folded note. He reads it. > Meet me in the ladies. Aiden freezes. His heart drops. Not this. Not now. He glances at Park, who looks concerned. “Is everything alright, sir?” “I hope so,” Aiden mutters. “I just need a minute.” “A minute? You’re about to get married. You’ll have all eternity!” Park calls after him, but

  • 70

    That same evening, Aiden sits in the living room, phone in hand.A message comes in from Harper.“I miss you already.”“Me too,” he replies.“One weeks isn’t a lot of time, right?”“Yeah. It isn’t.”He looks up—and sees his mother-in-law awkwardly standing by the dining table.She’d cooked dinner. Probably because her husband already told her what went down. But Aiden isn’t in the mood for performance.“T-the fo-food is ready,” she stammers.Stammers. The same woman who once treated him like dirt.Aiden rises and walks over. He stares down at the food—then slowly at her.“You call this food?” he says quietly. “Would you eat this if I made it?”Her eyes flick to the chaotic dish. Every ingredient fighting to be the main character.“I’ll be handling the meals for the next one week,” Aiden says flatly. “When Harper returns, we’re moving out. Into our own place.”He turns to leave. Then stops.“If you ever give Harper a reason to suspect you’re not her real mother…” He meets her eyes. “Yo

  • 69

    The next morning, Aiden is at the airport with Harper.Everything has been arranged. Her flight to London for the business conference is boarding soon.This was the best plan they had to keep her away from Wesley. A week — just one — was more than enough for Aiden to finish what he started.“By the time I come back,” Harper says as she’s about to check in, “I want to see a lot of changes.”“I won’t disappoint you.”She hugs him tightly, heart steady now that her grandfather had given his blessing. Aiden watches her walk off with her assistant dragging her suitcase behind her, unaware that she’s walking into temporary safety.Once he confirms she’s boarded without issue, Aiden heads outside.The cars are already waiting.“Nice to see you again, sir,” Park greets from the passenger seat.“Park, skip the pleasantries. What do you have?”Park chuckles. “Straight to it, as always. We ran the background check on Mrs. Lincoln like you asked.” He pauses, then adds, “I’m afraid she’s not your

  • 68

    Back in the sitting room, Mrs. Lincoln offers her father-in-law a drink, but he doesn’t touch it. He hasn’t said much—just the cold, half-hearted greeting he always gives her when he walks in.“You must still remember Harper's childhood friend?” she asks lightly, trying to steer the air into something casual.The old man lifts his eyes, calm but laced with venom. “You mean the only friend you left her with? After making her lose her memory?”“If you put it that way, it’ll hurt my feelings,” she says, smiling like she’s still in control.“Oh. So you’ve got a heart? That’s news to me,” he replies smoothly.“I know you loved your former daughter-in-law, but it’s unfair to keep treating me like this just because she’s gone. I wasn’t the one—”“But you were the one who gave her the last drink she ever had.”“I had no idea it was poisoned!” Mrs. Lincoln snaps.The old man leans forward slightly, eyes narrowing. “Just listen to yourself. You handed your best friend a drink, she died the next

  • 67

    “What’s going on?” she asks, concern creasing her forehead. “If Dad’s pushing you again, we can move out. I mean it.”“Actually…” Aiden exhales, pausing. “I was the one who offended him. I said and did some things I shouldn't have.”Her face tightens. She doesn’t buy it.“I should’ve moved us out right after the wedding,” she says. “Now he treats you like that and walks away with it because you're soft and always take the blame.”“I’m not letting you take the fall this time,” she says, crossing her arms. “Don’t even try to flip it on yourself.”Her voice is sharp now—defensive, protective. And Aiden, for a second, just watches her.It’s one of those moments that reminds him exactly why he fell in love with her.“Listen to me for just a second, babe,” Aiden says. “I can take care of myself.”“Exactly, Aiden. And it starts with standing up for yourself when people treat you like trash.”“Babe…” Aiden exhales. “We can’t fight your father head-on. That’s why I came up with a plan.”Her ey

  • 66

    Aiden opens his mouth to assure her that he is okay but he closes it. It's too late to assure her now. “What do you plan to do?” He asks instead. “Let's get another house away from here.” She turns to face him. “In another city.” Aiden nods. “That sounds nice.” “I'm sorry for what my father did,” she adds quietly. “You're talking as if you have a control over how he behaves.” “He must be having a time with the company.” “I understand. Now, come to bed. It's too late to be up.” Aiden arranges the pillows. “You will be going to work later today.” She turns of the light and got in the bed. Aiden pulls the duvet of her. “Grandfather will be visiting,” she says quietly into his chest some moment later. “He'd ask me to get married.” “Okay.” “Mom said to go on a blind date. Grandfather won't approve of you.” “Don't go.” “What?” “Don't go on the blind date.” She pulls away from him. He can't see her but he is sure she is staring at his face. “You mean it?” She asks, an edge o

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