The call ended and Aurora let out a breath. She already knew this was going to happen, but a part of her still felt hurt. Her throat tightened.
She inhaled a scent of breath slowly before lifting her head to look at Slade. His face remains straight as though he didn't just listen to the conversation. But within, he wondered how Aurora ended up with such a jerk.
"See, I can be so sure," Aurora said. Without reading any messages from Jenny, she turned off her phone and returned it to its earlier position.
"Why don't you just end the relationship?"
"I have, Liam just doesn't know it yet."
"Why not just tell him it's over?"
"He is hooking up with my best friend. I can't forgive them," Aurora shook her head pushing the image of them together out of her head. "What fun will it be if this ends without payback?" A small smile crept onto Aurora's face.
Slade was smitten. "I don't hope you'd help me with my revenge, I just want you to protect me." She can't tell him the reason. "And in return, you'd get a wife who wouldn't try to interfere with your personal life and I'd leave quietly after one year is over."
One year should be enough to pay those dickheads back.
She clasped her hands together as she awaited Slade's next words.
Slade stroked his jaw, pondering on her offer. What could go wrong? He wanted a wife, and she was offering herself. Surely, it won't be difficult to protect her.
"Fine. Let's get married." Aurora almost screamed. She let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. "However," he began, pausing, "I must warn you," they locked eyes.
"No love. No matter what, you can't fall in love with me." The last thing he wanted to deal with was an obsessed woman.
This didn't sit well with Aurora who felt he was being arrogant. So what if he had a pretty face? Did she look like one to fall in love with anyone easily?
In fact, after being betrayed by Liam, she simply wanted revenge and nothing more. To hell with men, they were all scums.
"That's my condition to accept your proposal. If that will be a problem, then, we might as well stop now."
"And if you want me first?" Aurora couldn't help but ask. Why didn't he think about that?
Slade scoffed, one side of his lips pulled upwards, "That will never happen!" he sounded so sure.
Wait, was he grinning? Aurora steadied her breath, controlling herself. She can't ruin this simply because she thought he was arrogant.
The most handsome man she had ever met? Scratch that.
As long as he offered her protection, she would play her part as his wife and that was it.
"Let's put this in writing."
"Why? Think I'm going to pull out?"
"I don't particularly trust people, especially men," Aurora said, looking around for something to scribble down on.
"Cheating trauma is real, now she thinks everyone is a scum like her ex. When it's all a reflection of her poor taste." Slade said, standing up to grab a piece of paper and a pen.
He settled it on the bed.
"I'll go first." He said and started scribbling.
He had just two conditions.
You must not fall in love with me.
Even if you go out with other men, you must keep it hidden from the public.
"You don't care if I go out with other men?" Aurora was surprised.
"Why would I care? We may be married to each other but there is no commitment." Slade said without any change in his expression.
"I don't care who you go around with, if it gets out, I'll be compensated with 20billion dollars."
"20 billion dollars?" Where did he expect her to get such an amount from?
"Yes. If you don't have a better don't get caught"
Aurora wanted to tell him she had no desire to fool around with men, but didn't, knowing he'd probably not even care.
It was now her turn to write what she wanted.
Mr. Slade promised to protect Aurora from any threat to her life.
Mr. Slade is not to announce their wedding to anyone until Aurora agrees otherwise.
"You want our wedding to be a secret?"
"Yes. At least until I end things with Liam. I don't think I can ever afford to pay you 20 billion dollars." She calmly explained, then asked, "Is that a problem?"
Slade thought for a while before shaking his head. All his grandpa needed was proof that he was married. He could take her for an introduction whenever he wanted.
"If there are other terms, they will be added," Aurora stated as she signed at the end of the paper. Slade signed too.
After they concluded, Aurora asked, "How about we get married today?"
"I have no problem with that." He rose to his feet, holding their agreement in one hand.
"I'll have a dress and necessary accessories sent over in a while. We'll go get our certificate at noon." He looked to the side of the table where a digital clock was. It was almost 6:30 am. The sun had risen in the sky at this point.
"Alright." Aurora watched Slade leave, her heart swelling with excitement and nervousness.
The first step of her revenge is concluded.
When Slade got to his room, he placed a call across to Nicholas and instructed him to stop searching for a wife. "I found one. But I need you to look into all about her." He texted him a photo of Aurora.
Nicholas' text came in immediately, "I did this yesterday."
"No, that was just the surface. If I am living with her, I would need to know every single thing about her." He texted back and threw his phone on the bed before going into his bathroom.
Later that afternoon, Slade and Aurora left the registry office with a marriage certificate
….
Meanwhile, in a hospital, Jenny sat on the bed with Liam beside her. Her head is resting on his chest while he smooths her back as he tells her about his conversation with Aurora.
"I told you she won't question you. That's how stupidly in love she is with you." Jenny laughed. Her plan was simple: delay Liam and Aurora's wedding for as long as she could.