The Cold Heir's Contract Wife

008

Jesslyn was already standing near the main entrance, her face radiating joy and excitement. Her little dress swished as she bounced happily. "Mom! Are we really going out today?"

Harper could not hold back a smile seeing the sparkle of happiness in her daughter's eyes. "Yes, sweetheart. We're leaving now."

Jesslyn immediately hugged her beloved tattered teddy bear tightly to her chest. "I want to see a big toy store!"

"You may, but we shouldn't overdo it, okay?" Harper teased softly.

Jesslyn giggled, showing off her row of neat little teeth. However, just as Harper was about to reach for the door handle to step outside, the smooth purr of a car engine sounded, stopping right in front of the Vane mansion terrace.

Harper’s steps instinctively halted. Through the slightly open door, she saw a limited-edition luxury sedan pull up with elegance.

The rear passenger door opened. A woman stepped out, moving with an aura of grace and sophistication. She was draped in a renowned designer gown that clung perfectly to her figure, her hair was styled flawlessly, and her beautiful face radiated an air of superiority that immediately captured the attention of anyone who saw her.

The woman’s gaze swept across the terrace, and within seconds, her beautiful eyes locked onto Harper standing in the doorway. Her gaze then dropped, shifting to stare at Jesslyn standing beside her mother.

A thin smile blossomed on the woman’s lips. It was a smile that appeared friendly, but the icy glint in her eyes could not deceive Harper’s intuition. It was chilling and full of scrutiny.

The woman walked closer, the rhythmic click of her high heels sounding against the terrace's marble floor. She stopped just a few paces in front of Harper, closing the distance between them.

"So..." the woman spoke, her voice melodious yet laden with emphasis. "You are the one named Harper Collins."

Harper did not answer immediately. She studied the strange woman before her for a few seconds, attempting to maintain her composure under the weight of that invisible intimidation. "And you are?"

The woman smiled even wider, as if enjoying Harper’s ignorance. "Victoria Averil."

The name instantly caused the atmosphere around them to freeze. The air felt as though it had suddenly thinned.

Victoria’s gaze fell back upon Jesslyn, who had reflexively shifted slightly behind Harper’s body. This time, Victoria stared at the little child for much longer, with a sharp look that seemed to be assessing and stripping away the secrets hidden within.

And for some reason, for the first time since setting foot in the magnificent Vane family mansion... Harper felt a powerful, foreboding sense of dread. The beautiful woman before her had certainly not come with good intentions.

The atmosphere in the mansion tensed, particularly with Victoria staring at Harper with a look of disgust and bewilderment.

She was so starkly different from Harper—who wore no makeup and dressed in simple clothing—that Victoria genuinely could not fathom how Darian could have chosen Harper to be his wife.

"I am truly curious," Victoria finally said, breaking the silence.

Harper raised her gaze, looking directly at the woman before her. "Curious about what?"

Victoria offered a thin smile, the kind that never reached her eyes. "How Darian could choose you over me?"

The room fell deathly silent. However, Harper had no intention of satisfying Victoria's curiosity.

"The Collins family is wealthy enough, I suppose. But still..." She shook her head slowly. "You and Darian are truly ill-suited for each other."