Desire Debt: The Billionaire's Contract Bride

Chapter 20

At 5:30 p.m., Adrian arrived punctually at Melina’s company, waiting for her to finish work. Just as he was about to call her, he spotted her emerging with the crowd. He got out of the car and walked toward her, and Melina greeted him with a radiant smile.

However, before Adrian could reach her, a man suddenly rushed over, scooped Melina into his arms, and spun her around joyfully. “Melina, I finally get to see you! Did you miss me?”

Melina exclaimed in surprise, “Oh my god, Thomas, you… you’re here!”

The two friends, who hadn’t seen each other in ages, were so caught up in their reunion that they completely ignored Adrian. His expression darkened, his eyes cold and threatening. How dare she hug another man right in front of him? Unable to control his jealousy, Adrian grabbed Melina’s hand and ordered icily, “Get down.”

Melina snapped back to reality, and Thomas set her down. Before she could steady herself, Adrian pulled her to his side with a possessive grip that even he didn’t realize he had.

“Who is he?” Adrian demanded.

“Who is he?” Thomas asked simultaneously.

The two men stared at each other—one confused, the other icy. Melina, caught up in the excitement, suddenly realized the awkward situation.

Thomas was one of her best friends since childhood, but after graduating, he had moved to another city, F City. Why was he here now? Worse, her friends didn’t know she was married, and she had no plans to tell them. Their marriage was bound by a contract that would eventually end, so she didn’t want to worry her friends. With Thomas’s sudden appearance, how could she explain her relationship with Adrian?

“This is Thomas, my childhood friend. This is… this is…” Melina stammered, unsure how to introduce them.

Adrian interrupted coldly, “I’m Melina’s husband, Adrian.”

Melina was stunned by Adrian’s declaration. How could he tell Thomas he was her husband? Seeing the shock and confusion in Thomas’s eyes, Melina quickly tried to explain, “No, no, Thomas, it’s not like that… he’s not my husband… mmph…”

Adrian silenced her with a harsh kiss. His sudden move left Melina shocked, the kiss devoid of any tenderness, more of a claim and possession.

Adrian, what the hell are you doing? Melina Harper felt like she was about to faint. Here on the street, in front of Thomas—how could she show her face again? She struggled to push him away, and he finally released her. Melina’s face was flushed with embarrassment. She wanted to say something, but Adrian growled, “Don’t you dare deny it.”

“What’s going on, Melina? Is what he said true?” Thomas’s eyes were filled with a mix of worry and shock.

It was clear she couldn’t hide the truth any longer. What was Adrian thinking? Had he lost his mind? With a sigh, Melina resigned herself to the truth. “Thomas, what he said is true. We got married, but I need you to keep it a secret. Please don’t tell any of our friends. I’ll tell them when the time is right.”

Thomas’s hand clenched into a fist. He glanced at Adrian, then back at Melina. “You have my number. Call me when you’re ready to talk. I have to go now.”

Thomas was furious, truly furious. Melina watched him walk away before Adrian dragged her into the car parked outside her office. Once the car door closed, Melina finally exploded.

“Adrian, what the hell was that? Why did you say you’re my husband?”

He gave her a cold look, unapologetic. “Why shouldn’t I say it?”

Melina was exasperated. “My friends don’t know about our marriage, and I don’t want them to know. Do you realize how worried they’ll be, how much trouble you’ve caused me by saying that?”

Adrian remained unmoved, his expression icy. “How is that my problem?”

His words hit Melina hard. How could she forget that their marriage was nothing more than a contract? He had no reason to care about her feelings or the trouble it might cause her. She realized how foolish her complaints had been. Since the mess was already made, she would have to clean it up herself. What was the point of saying more?

The next day, during her lunch break, Melina met with Thomas at a restaurant near her company. They sat across from each other in silence, the tension palpable. Thomas stared at Melina, making her feel like a criminal being interrogated. She couldn’t bring herself to look up.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, Melina finally mustered the courage to look up and meet Thomas’s gaze. “You wanted to talk. If you have nothing to say, I’m leaving. I have work to do.”

“Sit down,” Thomas said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back into her seat. His eyes were filled with displeasure. “Tell me, what’s going on with you and that man? Are you really married? When did this happen, and why didn’t you tell us? Are we not your closest friends anymore?”

Melina felt a wave of frustration and guilt. “Yes, we’re really married. It happened a month ago. I didn’t tell you because it’s complicated. For now, I can’t explain everything.”

“Are you in trouble? Did he force you into this? What did he do to you?”

Melina forced a smile and softened her voice. “No, he didn’t force me. I just need time. I promise I’ll explain everything and introduce him to you all when the time is right.”