Her Accidental Husband

Chapter 12 Unexpected Test

The drive up to the Villa felt so much longer to Lily than it should have. She noticed that Adam kept glancing at her whenever they stopped at a red light. She bit her bottom lip and rested her hands on her thighs, staring ahead and trying not to let the nerves overwhelm her any more than they already had.

Finally, Adam parked outside the silver gates of the private estate.

Ocean Crest Luxury Living.

Adam turned the engine off and turned to Lily. He noticed how she twisted her fingers nervously; he hated seeing her so uncomfortable. Of course, he knew why she was feeling that way.

“Hey, we are going to be fine. I am here with you.” He reached over to place his hand on hers. Lily glanced up and nodded; a small smile formed on her face.

“This is just, well, you know it is huge for me.” She managed to breathe out.

Adam pursed his lips together, not taking his eyes off Lily.

“I know, I get that, and that is why I am here for you. I won’t leave your side. This is the fresh start you wanted, you needed. Let’s get inside and have a look around, shall we, Mrs Carter?” Adam smiled and got out of the car so that he could press the intercom and announce their arrival.

Minutes later, the gates slid open with a soft hum, as if welcoming them into a new world. A world without Leon breathing down her neck.

The Villa stood proudly at the end of the stone driveway.

It was beautiful.

Like something out of a magazine.

Six months.

Just six whole months of this and everything would fall into place, Lily kept reminding herself.

Before Lily could speak, her phone buzzed in her pocket, bringing her back to reality.

Unknown number.

She swallowed hard, not needing to guess who it could be.

Leon.

Of course, he did not play stupid. Lily knew that he would not give up so easily.

But, she did not want to see him.

She did not want to talk to him either.

Adam slipped an arm around her shoulders, offering her some support.

“Block him, Lily. You do not need to let him rule your mind or your emotions any longer. You are your own person.” Adam told Lily gently.

Lily wondered if Adam could hear the loud thump of her heart beating in her chest. Her throat felt tight as she nodded. He was right.

“Block him, Lily,” Adam repeated. “You cannot let him keep upsetting you like this. If we are going to make this look real, then we need to act like it.” He reminded her in a low voice as a couple holding hands walked past and waved happily at them.

One single tap. That was all it would take for her to stop Leon calling her.

Just one tap.

Then came another buzz.

Lily sighed and opened her messages. She scrolled down, and a knife of guilt stabbed at her.

So many messages, her mother in particular.

“Lily, please respond to me. Where are you? The wedding is in a matter of days, and you have disappeared with no word. I am concerned. I will call the police if I hear nothing more.”

Lily hesitated a moment and then quickly typed her mother a message—just three simple words.

“I am fine.”

Then she hit the send button.

Adam was right, she needed to act like they were happy, a married couple.

He walked to the windows and opened them, letting light flood the room. “You always did hate dim places.” He said.

Lily stopped in her tracks, and she blinked a couple of times. “You remember that? After all this time?”

Adam shrugged, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “I remember a lot about you, Lily. How could I forget someone who got me through my uni days?”

Lily found herself smiling for the first time in ages, a genuine smile. They did have a lot of history, not the suffocating type that she had with Leon.

Her mind replayed things she had forgotten about.

The late-night study sessions, the laughing in cheap cafes and most of all, she remembered how Adam had always listened to her, no matter what. He had been there for her, a true friend.

How had she allowed herself to become so drifted from someone who really genuinely cared about her?

Lily was about to thank him when a loud knock sounded, causing her to flinch.

Who the hell was that?

It could not be Leon.

Already?

Had he found her?

Adam sensed her fear. He stepped beside her, bringing her close to his chest, and assured her that it was ok. Nothing was going to happen.

“Just chill, I am here.” He promised Lily as he walked to the door to open it.

As the door opened, Lily’s eyes widened in shock and then relief.

Claudia.

She stood there, clipboard in one hand and handbag in the other. That same unreadable expression she had had when they first met.

“Oh, hello. What brings you here?” Lily stuttered as she stumbled over her own two feet.

“Well, Mr and Mrs Carter. As stated in the agreement, we will conduct our random checks to ensure everything is as it should be.” She glared at Lily and Adam as if she knew what was going on. Adam immediately grinned. He snaked an arm around Lily’s waist and pulled her close to him. He rested his head on her shoulder, not taking his eyes off of Claudia. To anyone else, they looked like the happy couple.

“Well then, come on in,” Adam suddenly stepped aside, allowing Claudia to enter. Lily struggled to hide her panic; she felt cornered, as if it were a trap. Why was Claudia there so soon? They had barely even taken their coats off. They had not even had a chance to unpack, to rehearse their next move. But seeing the confidence in Adam’s eyes gave her a sense of security; she knew that she could trust him. He would not let them fail.

Claudia grumbled as she walked in, taking notes on her clipboard as she went from room to room. Lily plastered a smile on her face and nodded as Claudia came bounding back into the room. She paused for a moment, as if studying Lily and Adam.

“Your details are correct, everything seems in order, we shall return in a few days. Have a good evening.” Claudia said loudly as she turned to leave.

“Thank you for your time, have a lovely evening, won’t you?” Lily finally breathed, trying not to sound so sarcastic.