Ten minutes later, a convoy of five black Rolls-Royces tore through the rain, stopping precisely where Aria stood shivering.
A man in a black suit stepped out of the lead car, holding a large umbrella. He wasn't the driver; he was an assistant. He opened the rear door respectfully.
"Miss Lin, please."
Aria slid into the car. The interior was warm, smelling of cedarwood and expensive tobacco. Sitting next to her was a man who looked like a king on a throne.
Julian Qin.
He was the youngest uncle of Mark Qin. The illegitimate son who clawed his way back into the family, took over the corporate empire, and was now the undisputed ruler of the business world. In the Qin family hierarchy, Mark and his father had to bow their heads when Julian walked into a room.
"You're wet," Julian said, handing her a pristine handkerchief.
"I just divorced your nephew," Aria said bluntly, wiping her face.
"I know. Mark is an idiot," Julian said, his eyes scanning a document on his tablet. He didn't seem surprised. "So, you want to use me for revenge?"
"I want to marry you," Aria corrected him. "You need a wife to stop your grandmother from setting you up on blind dates. I need a status that places me above Mark. It's a fair trade."
Julian finally looked at her. His eyes were dark and piercing. He reached out and tilted her chin up. "You have guts. Mark never appreciated that."
"Do we have a deal?"
"We do," Julian said. "Driver, to the Civil Affairs Bureau."
"But... I don't have my household registration book," Aria hesitated. "Mark's mother kept it."
Julian smirked. "I am the head of the Qin family. I don't need permission to get a document."
The process was terrifyingly fast. Within an hour, Aria held a red notebook in her hand. She was no longer Mrs. Mark Qin. She was Mrs. Julian Qin.
Technically, she was now Mark's aunt.
"Where to now?" the driver asked.
Julian looked at his watch. "Tonight is the Old Master's birthday banquet, isn't it?"
Aria's heart skipped a beat. Mark had explicitly told her not to come.
Julian saw her hesitation and took her hand. His palm was warm and large. "You are my wife now. You don't enter through the back door anymore. Tonight, we are going to teach my nephew a lesson in hierarchy."
"Assistant Chen," Julian ordered. "Take her to the styling team. Make her look expensive. Very expensive."