The Billionaire's Contract Bride

CHAPTER 2

THE PARTY.

A week after Alexander and Aria’s wedding, Clark threw a lavish party at his mansion, inviting many influential people, including Alexander and Aria. The house was alive with music and laughter, a stark contrast to the tension simmering beneath the surface.

Clark greeted Aria warmly as she arrived with Alexander, his eyes lingering on her a moment longer than necessary. "I'm so glad you could make it," he said, his smile genuine but hiding deeper intentions.

"Thank you for inviting us," Aria replied, her voice polite. Alexander, playing the role of the attentive husband, kept a hand on her back, guiding her through the crowd.

Clark’s cousin Fred, a stepdad to Aria, also invited to the party, had his own agenda. He had always disliked Aria and saw this party as a chance to destroy her marriage with Alexander.

Fred spotted Aria and Alexander, seemingly enjoying the party. His anger flared as he approached Clark. “Clark,” Fred began, his voice seething, “Can you believe Alexander is flaunting that woman around?”

“What are you talking about, isn't she his legal wife?” Clark asked, feigning ignorance.

Fred leaned in, his voice low and venomous. “Aria is actually a daughter to my neighbour. so, I know her to some extent; she’s been with countless men and had multiple abortions. She doesn't love Alexander; She's only after his money. Once she’s drained him, she’ll leave.”

Clark’s heart raced, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Not at Aria, but at Fred’s malicious lies. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, keeping his voice steady.

“Absolutely,” Fred hissed. “I’m going to expose her. Alexander needs to know the truth about her.”

Clark, masking his true feelings, pretended to believe Fred. “Alright, I’ll talk to Alexander. If it’s true, he’ll have no choice but to divorce her.”

Fred’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “Good. She deserves it.”

Clark excused himself, smiling reassuringly. “I’ll handle it. Just give me a moment.”

Out of sight, Clark signalled his security team. “Get Fred out of here, quietly. I don’t want him causing any trouble here.” He instructed. He couldn't let Fred's scheme interfere with his plan for Aria.

The night of the party buzzed with excitement. The lights were dazzling, the music upbeat, and laughter filled the air. Clark navigated through the crowd, eyes occasionally locking onto Aria, who mingled gracefully alongside Alexander. Underneath his charming exterior, Clark was brimming with anticipation, his plan ready to unfold.

Discreetly, he slipped sleeping pills into a glass of wine meant for Aria, ensuring no one noticed. Just as he was about to hand it to her, a sudden commotion erupted among the guests, momentarily diverting his attention and causing him to lose sight of his scheme

Unbeknownst to Clark, a steward had already served the drugged wine to both Aria and Alexander in their private room. As the night wore on, the sleeping pills took effect, rendering them unconscious.

Clark, unaware of this twist, grew increasingly restless. He tried to return to the couple’s room multiple times, to see if he could proceed with his plan only to be intercepted by his friend Jayden who was unaware of Clark's scheme, urging him to let the newly wed have their time alone.

“Let the newlyweds be, Clark. They’re probably having their best intimate moment together,” Jayden said, clapping him on the back with a smile.

Clark regretted hosting the party since he was unable to accomplish his plan.

Clark felt restless but nodded and forced a smile, hiding his frustration. “You’re right bro. They should enjoy their night.”

At dawn, Clark hurried to the room, eager to see how their night went. He knocked and then cautiously entered, finding Aria and Alexander groggy and disoriented, hastily dressing.

“Good morning,” Clark said, trying to sound casual. “How are you two?”

Aria’s eyes flashed with anger. “We’re fine, Clark. Just a bit of a headache.”

Alexander, equally irritated, added, “Yeah, thanks for checking in.”

Clark left, his mind racing. He had no idea they had both consumed the drugged wine, leading to an unintended and intimate encounter.

Back at their shared home, tension between Aria and Alexander was palpable. Aria stood in the kitchen, her hands trembling as she made coffee. Alexander entered, his expression a mix of anger and confusion.

"We need to talk about what happened," he said, his voice firm but not unkind.

Aria set the coffee pot down, her hands shaking. "What’s there to talk about? We were drugged. It was an accident."

"An accident?" Alexander’s eyes flashed. "Someone did this on purpose. And it’s pretty convenient for you, isn’t it? You're such a golddigger, trying to trap me with a pregnancy so you can stay married to a billionaire."

Aria’s face paled with anger. "You think I planned this? I was right about all men being the same. You just want to use me to satisfy your urge.

Alexander glared at Aria, his frustration palpable. "I don’t trust you, Aria. You’ve always been too secretive, too...calculated."

Aria’s eyes flashed with defiance. "Calculated? You think I wanted any of this? You think I enjoy being trapped in a loveless marriage, pretending to be happy for the sake of your public image?"

Alexander crossed his arms, leaning against the counter. "Then why stay? Why go through all of this if you hate it so much?"

Aria took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "I stayed because I had no choice. You offered me a way out of my miserable life, and I took it. But I never signed up for this—being accused, manipulated, and now drugged."

Alexander’s expression softened slightly, but his distrust remained. "You expect me to believe you had nothing to do with this? That you’re just an innocent victim?"

"Yes," Aria snapped. "Because I am. Whoever did this wanted to tear us apart, and they’re succeeding."

Alexander ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Fine. Let’s say I believe you. What do we do now?"

Aria’s eyes filled with tears she refused to shed. "We find out who did this to us. We figure out why. And we continue pretending until this mess is sorted out."

"Agreed," Alexander said, his voice firm. "But don’t think for a second that this changes anything between us. I still don’t trust you."

"Trust?" Aria laughed bitterly. "I’ve never trusted you, Alexander. You’re just like every other man who’s tried to control me."

Alexander’s jaw tightened. "Control you? I’ve given you everything, Aria. A home, security, a life most people would kill for."

"And all I had to do was sell my soul," Aria shot back. "But you know what? I’m done with this charade. I want my settlement, and then I’m out of here."

"You’re not going anywhere," Alexander said, stepping closer. "Not until we figure this out."

"Fine," Aria said, her voice cold. "But don’t think for a second that I’ll ever forgive you for this."

Alexander turned away, his mind racing with the implications of their conversation. "We’ll figure it out," he repeated, more to himself than to her.

Aria watched him go, her heart heavy with anger and despair. She knew their marriage had always been a facade, but now, the cracks were too wide to ignore. They were both trapped in a game neither wanted to play, and the stakes had never been higher.

Despite their anger, they knew they had to maintain appearances. They decided to share the bedroom, dividing it with a curtain to keep their distance.

Aria paced the room, her arms crossed. "We can't keep pretending like this forever, Alexander. We need separate rooms."

Alexander sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You think I want to share a room with you? But if the domestic staff starts noticing, they might suspect something. We can't afford that."

Aria stopped pacing, her eyes narrowing. "So, what do you suggest? We just keep pretending like nothing happened?"

"For now, yes," Alexander said firmly. "We’ll split the bed with a curtain. You take one side, I’ll take the other. No more accidents."

Aria looked at him skeptically. "And you really think this will work?"

"It has to," Alexander replied. "Until we figure out who’s behind this and why, we can’t let our guard down."

Aria sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine. I'll take the right side of the bed, and you take the left. But don't think for a second that this means I trust you."

"I don't expect you to," Alexander said, his voice hard. "This is purely for appearances. Once we figure this out, we can go our separate ways."

Aria nodded, her expression grim. "Agreed. But remember, if you try anything, I'll make sure everyone knows what kind of man you really are."

Alexander's eyes narrowed. "You don't need to remind me, Aria. Just stay on your side of the bed, and we'll be fine."

With that, they silently set up the curtain, creating a physical barrier between them. Aria took the right side, Alexander the left, both of them lying down with their backs to each other.

As they settled in, the tension between them remained thick, but they both knew this arrangement was necessary. They had to keep up appearances for the sake of their fragile alliance and the prying eyes of their domestic staff.