His Contract Wife

Chapter 6: Lies in His Eyes

Morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, but Aria didn’t move from the bed.

Her head was still full of what happened last night on the balcony. Adrian’s gaze. His words: _“To me, you’ve belonged to me from the beginning.”_

It didn’t make sense. It was insane.

But why was her chest still racing whenever she remembered it?

“You’re up late, Mrs. Blackwood.”

The maid’s voice made Aria jolt upright, running her fingers through her messy hair.

“What time is it?”

“Just past eight fifteen. Mr. Adrian said you have a meeting with the designer at nine.”

Aria groaned. “Again?”

Ever since “wife training” started, her schedule had been packed like a CEO’s. The only difference was, she wasn’t getting paid for it.

She showered quickly, put on the light blue dress the maid picked out, and went down to the dining room. Adrian was already there, reading documents while drinking black coffee. No greeting. No strange look like last night. He acted normal, as if nothing had happened on the balcony.

That annoyed Aria more than anything.

“Morning,” she said flatly, sitting down.

Adrian glanced up briefly, his eyes sweeping over her face.

“Morning. You look like you didn’t sleep well.”

“None of your business.”

Adrian just shrugged and went back to his documents. “The designer’s coming today for the gala dress fitting next week. Be polite.”

“What if I’m not?”

“Then I’ll cancel the transfer to your father’s hospital.”

Aria clenched her hands under the table. The same old threat that always worked.

“Bastard.”

Adrian smiled faintly. “You’ve said that a thousand times, but you still obey.”

The meeting with the designer went smoothly. Aria sat quietly, being fitted, turned around, commented on. She only answered when necessary. Her mind wasn’t there. It was stuck on her father. On the debt. On Adrian.

That afternoon, while Aria sat in the small study in the penthouse, her phone vibrated. A message from the hospital.

_“Mrs. Aria, Mr. Richard’s condition is stable. But there are some bills that need to be settled immediately.”_

Aria frowned. Hadn’t Adrian paid everything?

She immediately went to find Adrian. She found him on the 40th floor in his office, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the city.

“Adrian,” she said without knocking.

Adrian turned. “What is it?”

“Your hospital bills for my father aren’t fully paid,” she said directly. “They said there are arrears. They said you told me you paid everything.”

Adrian’s face was calm. “I paid what matters. Surgery, ICU, medication. The rest can wait.”

“Wait?!” Aria’s voice rose. “He’s my father! If anything happens—”

“Aria,” Adrian cut her off, his voice low. “I’m not stupid. I won’t let him die. But I also don’t want you feeling too safe.”

Aria fell silent. His words stung.

“You’re deliberately holding back the money so I’ll keep obeying you?” she asked quietly.

Adrian didn’t deny it.

“I’m just making sure you remember this contract is serious.”

Aria laughed hollowly. “Serious? You’re insane. You think torturing me like this will make me love you?”

“I don’t need love,” Adrian said. “I need obedience.”

Those words broke something inside Aria.

She left the room without another word.

---

That night, Aria couldn’t sleep.

She opened the old laptop Adrian had allowed her to use. No free internet, just access to a few news sites and email. But it was enough.

She started searching her father’s name. _Richard Hartono._

Old news articles appeared. Three years ago, his company went bankrupt after a failed investment. Debt of 2 billion rupiah. That was what Adrian told her.

But when Aria scrolled deeper, she found a small article from an inactive economics blog. Title: _“Blackwood Group Acquires Hartono Corp Assets at Low Price.”_

Aria’s heart stopped.

She read quickly. It said Blackwood Group bought several assets from her father’s company for far below market value, weeks after the bankruptcy was announced.

“What the hell is this?” she muttered.

She clicked another link. Her father’s debt records. That 2 billion figure… didn’t match. In court documents, the total debt was only 800 million. The rest had vanished. Altered.

Aria felt sick.

Adrian had lied.

He didn’t just save her father. He was the one who destroyed him first, then came as the savior.

“A lie,” she whispered. “All of this is a lie.”

Aria’s hands trembled as she closed the laptop.

She needed to be sure. She needed to confront Adrian.

---

The next morning, Aria waited for Adrian in the dining room.

He arrived on time, as usual. Sharp suit, emotionless face.

Aria placed the laptop on the table. “Explain this.”

Adrian glanced at the screen. His eyes darkened when he saw the article.

“Where did you get this?”

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is you lied to me.”

Adrian sat down. He wasn’t panicked. Not surprised. As if he knew this day would come.

“I didn’t lie. I just… simplified it.”

“Simplified it?” Aria almost shouted. “You told me my father had 2 billion in debt! The truth is only 800 million! And you bought his company’s assets for cheap! You’re the one who destroyed him!”

The room went silent.

Adrian stared at her for a long time. Then he sighed.

“Yes. I did it.”

Aria felt her blood boil. “Why?! Why would you do that?”

“Because I needed a reason to see you again,” Adrian said quietly.

Aria froze.

“What?”

“At the gala three years ago,” Adrian said. “I saw you. You were funny, drunk, complaining to a wine glass. I couldn’t forget you. But I knew you’d never look at someone like me.”

“So you destroyed my father’s life so I’d want you?” Aria whispered, in disbelief.

“I didn’t destroy his life,” Adrian said quickly. “I saved him. If I hadn’t stepped in, he would’ve truly gone bankrupt and gone to prison. I bought his debt, paid part of it, kept him in the best hospital. I did all of it for you.”

“For me?!” Aria stood up, her chair scraping loudly. “You’re insane!”

“I know this sounds crazy,” Adrian said. His voice was quiet, almost desperate. “But I couldn’t lose a second chance. Not with you.”

Aria stared at him. In Adrian’s eyes, she saw something she’d never seen before.

Fear.

Guilt.

And a painful kind of love.

“I hate you,” she said quietly. But her voice trembled.

“I know,” Adrian said.

Aria stepped back. “Get out of my sight.”

Adrian didn’t move. “Aria—”

“Get out!”

This time Adrian stood up. He looked at Aria one last time, then left without arguing.

The door closed softly. But it felt like an explosion.

Aria collapsed into the chair, breathing unevenly.

Everything she thought she knew… was wrong.

Adrian wasn’t just a monster who kidnapped her. He was the one who planned all of this from the start.

And the scariest part…

Part of her understood why he did it.

---

That afternoon, Aria didn’t leave her room.

She didn’t want to see Adrian. Didn’t want to talk.

The maid brought food, she refused it.

Adrian sent messages, she ignored them.

She just sat on the edge of the bed, staring at an old photo of her father on her phone.

“Dad,” she whispered. “What have I done?”

At 7 PM, there was a knock on the door.

“Aria,” Adrian’s voice came from outside. “I know you’re angry. I deserve it. But listen to me. I won’t force you to talk. I just want to say… I won’t lie again.”

No answer from inside.

“I’ll make sure the hospital bills are paid tonight,” Adrian continued. “And I’ll take you to see your father tomorrow. No guards. Just the two of us.”

Still silence.

“I love you, Aria,” he said softly. “Even if you hate me for it.”

Footsteps moved away.

Aria covered her face with both hands.

The tears she’d held back all day finally fell.

---

The next morning, Adrian’s car stopped in front of the hospital.

Aria sat in the passenger seat, silent the whole ride. She didn’t look at Adrian once.

Adrian was silent too. But this time, he didn’t force her to talk.

When they reached her father’s room, Aria’s heart pounded hard.

Richard Hartono looked older. Thinner. But his eyes were the same.

“Aria?” his voice was weak.

Aria ran and hugged him.

“Dad…”

Richard patted her back. “Are you okay, sweetheart? This man… he’s the one who helped me?”

Aria turned to Adrian, who stood at the door.

Adrian nodded slightly.

Aria didn’t know what to say.

She couldn’t forgive Adrian now.

But she also couldn’t lie to her father.

“He… paid all the hospital bills, Dad,” she said quietly.

Richard nodded, understanding. “Thank you, Mr. Blackwood.”

Adrian just nodded back.

The moment was awkward. Painful. But real.

When they left the room, Aria stopped in the hallway.

“Why did you bring me here?” she asked.

“Because I said I wouldn’t lie again,” Adrian said. “And because I wanted you to see for yourself. Your father is okay. Because of me.”

Aria looked at him.

“And after this?”

“After this, you decide,” Adrian said. “You can hate me. You can leave. You can stay here. I won’t force you anymore.”

Aria was silent.

This was the first time Adrian had given her a choice.

Not a threat. Not a contract.

A choice.

Aria didn’t answer. She just walked past Adrian toward the elevator.

Adrian followed behind her, keeping his distance.

They didn’t speak the whole ride home.

But for the first time, it didn’t feel suffocating.

---

That night, Aria sat on the balcony alone.

Adrian didn’t come. He gave her space.

Aria stared at the sky.

She hated Adrian. She was angry. She was hurt.

But she also knew… if Adrian hadn’t done this, her father might already be dead.

She didn’t know what to feel.

What she knew was that something between them had changed tonight.

The lie had been exposed.

Now only the truth remained.

And that truth… was terrifying.