His Contract Wife

Chapter 7: Public Display

Three days after the hospital visit, Aria was still barely speaking to Adrian.

The atmosphere in the penthouse had become awkward. Not hostile like before, but not comfortable either. Like there was a thin wall between them that neither dared to touch.

Adrian didn’t force it. He still gave Aria space, still paid all her father’s hospital bills, still took her to see her father every two days. But he didn’t apologize again either. Like he knew the word “sorry” wasn’t enough to cover everything he’d done.

This morning, Elise—Adrian’s assistant—came to Aria’s room with a tablet.

“Mrs. Blackwood, tonight is the annual Blackwood Group gala. Mr. Adrian requests your attendance.”

Aria frowned. “Gala? Isn’t that a really formal event?”

“Yes. 200 invited guests. Investors, media, business families. This is the first time you’ll appear as Mrs. Blackwood in public.”

Aria immediately felt nauseous. “I’m not ready.”

“You’ve been training for three weeks,” Elise said flatly. “You’re ready.”

Aria sighed deeply. She knew she couldn’t refuse. If she refused, Adrian would play the father card again.

That night, Aria stood in front of the dressing room mirror in a long dark red gown that made her skin look pale. Her hair was in a low bun, her makeup subtle but sharp. Elise said the color red was Adrian’s choice.

“No surprise there,” Aria muttered. She still remembered Damian’s message: _I prefer seeing you in red.

When she went downstairs, Adrian was already waiting in the lobby. He wore a black tuxedo, bow tie, hair neatly combed back. His eyes narrowed when he saw Aria.

“You…” he stopped for a second. “Suit you.”

“Thanks,” Aria said flatly. She didn’t want to give more of a reaction.

The ride to the hotel where the gala was held was silent. Adrian opened his mouth a few times, but in the end just sighed and looked back out the window.

When they arrived, the red carpet was already full of reporters and cameras.

The car door opened, and Adrian got out first. He offered his hand to Aria.

Aria stared at that hand. She knew if she refused, it would be tomorrow’s headline: _Trouble in Paradise for Adrian and His Wife.

In the end, she placed her hand in his. Cold. But steady.

Camera flashes went off the moment they stepped out.

“Mrs. Blackwood! Smile a little!”

“Mr. Blackwood, how do you feel seeing your wife tonight?”

“Is it true there are marital problems?”

Aria forced her lips into a smile. She held Adrian’s hand tighter, pretending to be confident. Adrian returned the grip, small, almost imperceptible. But enough to keep Aria from trembling.

They entered the ballroom. Crystal chandeliers, soft classical music, round tables with white flowers. Everyone was dressed expensively and pretending to be friendly.

“Remember,” Adrian whispered in Aria’s ear as they walked to the main table. “Smile. Nod. Don’t answer personal questions.”

Aria nodded. “I’m not new at being an actress.”

Adrian glanced at her. “You’re better than an actress. You’re real.”

Aria didn’t reply. She didn’t know if that was a compliment or a trap.

The event went smoothly until the speech session. Adrian went on stage, talked about the company’s growth, new investments, and the future of Blackwood Group. His voice was calm, authoritative. Everyone listened.

At the end of the speech, he turned to Aria.

“And lastly, I want to thank my wife, Aria Blackwood. She’s the one who reminds me there are things outside of business worth fighting for.”

The ballroom applauded. All eyes turned to Aria.

Aria stood up, smiled stiffly, and nodded. She hadn’t expected Adrian to mention her in public like that. It wasn’t in the script.

When Adrian came down from the stage, he whispered, “Surprised?”

“A little,” Aria answered honestly.

Adrian smiled faintly. “Good.”

The night went normally until Damian showed up.

He came with his father, in a gray suit, hair slicked back, the same sly smile. He walked straight toward Aria the moment he saw her alone near the bar.

“Mrs. Blackwood,” he said, bowing slightly. “Beautiful tonight.”

Aria stepped back. “Don’t come near me, Damian.”

“Why? Afraid your husband will get jealous again?” Damian glanced toward Adrian, who was talking to investors across the room. “He can’t watch you 24/7.”

“I don’t need watching,” Aria said coldly.

Damian stepped closer. Too close. “You’re lying. I saw how you looked at him last night on the balcony. You don’t hate him, Aria.”

Aria slapped him.

The slap was hard and fast. Everyone nearby went silent and turned to look.

Damian held his cheek, eyes narrowing. “You’re crazy.”

“You’re the crazy one,” Aria said quietly. “Stop bothering me.”

Before Damian could reply, Adrian was already between them. His face was dark.

“Damian,” he said quietly. “Leave.”

Damian raised his hands. “Relax, Blackwood. I was just talking to your wife.”

“She told you not to come near her,” Adrian said. “That means leave.”

Damian chuckled softly. “You think you can order me around at my own family’s event?”

“I think you don’t want this becoming tomorrow’s headline,” Adrian shot back.

Damian looked at Aria. “Too bad. I thought she was more honest than you.”

He left, but his gaze still clung to Aria like a leech.

Adrian immediately turned to Aria. “Are you okay?”

Aria nodded, but her hands were shaking. “I hate him.”

“I know,” Adrian said. He glanced around. Reporters were already recording quietly. “We need to shut this down. Now.”

“How?” Aria asked.

Adrian didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled Aria’s waist closer and brought his face near hers.

Aria’s eyes widened. “Adrian, don’t—”

Too late.

Adrian kissed her.

In front of 200 people. In front of cameras. In front of all the reporters already ready to record the scandal.

The kiss was rough, possessive, but brief. When he pulled back, the ballroom was silent for three seconds.

Then applause and camera sounds exploded at once.

Adrian whispered in Aria’s ear, low enough that only she could hear, “Now they won’t write about you and Damian. They’ll write about us.”

Aria shoved him away, her face burning red. “You’re crazy!”

“I know,” Adrian said calmly. He took Aria’s hand and led her out of the ballroom, leaving chaos behind.

When they got to the car, Aria immediately turned on him.

“Why did you kiss me again?!”

“Because that’s the fastest way to change the news,” Adrian said, starting the car. “Tomorrow morning every media outlet will write: _Adrian Blackwood kisses his wife in public. Their relationship is harmonious._ No one will care about Damian anymore.”

“You used me for PR!” Aria said angrily.

“You’re my wife for PR,” Adrian said honestly. “But I wasn’t lying when I kissed you.”

Aria fell silent.

“Adrian…”

“I know you’re mad,” he said. “But I won’t apologize for protecting you.”

The car drove in silence. Aria stared out the window, trying to calm her breathing.

When they got to the penthouse, Aria walked straight to her room without a word.

Adrian didn’t chase her. He just stood in the lobby, staring at her closed bedroom door.

That night, the news of the kiss was trending number one on Twitter.

Netizen comments were split:

_“So sweet! Couple goals!”_

_“So staged. There’s definitely a contract.”_

Aria read them all at 2 AM, unable to sleep.

She was angry. Embarrassed. Confused.

But beneath all that, there was one thought she couldn’t shake:

Adrian didn’t kiss her just for the cameras.

She could feel it.

The next morning, Adrian entered Aria’s room without knocking.

Aria immediately sat up in bed, pulling the blanket to her chest. “Get out.”

Adrian set a cup of coffee on the nightstand. “Drink. You didn’t sleep last night.”

“How do you know?”

“Cameras in the hallway.”

Aria groaned. “You watch me even in my own house?”

“I watch everything that matters,” Adrian said. He sat on the edge of the bed. Far enough away, but close enough to make Aria uncomfortable.

“Why yesterday?” Aria asked directly. “Why kiss me in front of everyone?”

“Because I didn’t like seeing you scared of Damian,” Adrian said honestly. “And because I’m tired of pretending.”

Aria stared at him. “Pretending what?”

“Pretending this is just a contract,” Adrian said. “I’m tired of pretending I don’t care.”

Aria fell silent. Those words were too heavy to hear at 7 AM.

“Adrian…”

“Answer me one thing,” Adrian cut in. “When I kissed you yesterday, did you push me away because you were mad… or because you were scared?”

Aria didn’t answer.

Because she didn’t know the answer herself.

Adrian nodded slowly, as if he’d gotten his answer anyway.

“I’ll wait.”

He stood and walked to the door.

“Adrian.”

He stopped.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll use this to run away?” Aria asked quietly.

Adrian turned, his eyes dark.

“You can try. But you’ll come back.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because out there, no one can protect you from Damian except me,” Adrian said. “And deep down, you know that.”

He left, leaving Aria with cold coffee and a heart beating erratically.

That afternoon, Aria’s phone exploded with notifications.

Photos of their kiss were everywhere. Captions varied:

_“Power Couple: Adrian & Aria Blackwood”_

_“Love or Contract? Public Confused”_

_“Damian Kessler Humiliated at Blackwood Gala”

Aria turned her phone off.

She didn’t know if she should be angry or relieved.

What was clear was that Damian hadn’t shown up since that night.

And Adrian… Adrian became more careful. Softer. But still possessive.

That night, as Aria was about to sleep, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” she said quietly.

Adrian entered holding a brown folder.

“This is the final transfer document for your father’s hospital. All paid off.”

Aria took the folder, her hands trembling.

“Thank you.”

Adrian nodded. “Sleep well, Aria.”

He was about to leave, but Aria called him.

“Adrian.”

“Yes?”

“Tomorrow… I want to see my father alone. Without you.”

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

“10 AM. I’ll send a car and guards. But I won’t come.”

Aria nodded. That was enough.

After the door closed, Aria stared at the folder in her hands.

She didn’t know if she could trust Adrian again.

But one thing was certain:

That kiss changed everything.

The public now saw them as a couple.

And Aria… was starting to be unsure if she hated that.

The next day, Aria went to the hospital alone.

Adrian had kept his word. No Adrian. Just a driver and two guards waiting outside.

When she entered her father’s room, Richard looked better than before. More color in his face.

“Aria, sweetheart!” he said, opening his arms.

Aria hugged him tightly, holding back tears.

“How are you feeling, Dad?”

“Much better. Thanks to that young man,” Richard said, glancing toward the door. “Adrian Blackwood. He’s good to you, right?”

Aria hesitated. “He… takes care of me, Dad.”

Richard studied her face. “I know you didn’t choose this marriage, Aria. But if he treats you well, give him a chance. A man who pays off a stranger’s debt like that… he’s not all bad.”

Aria swallowed hard. “It’s complicated, Dad.”

“I’m sure it is,” Richard said softly. “Just don’t let anger blind you to the good things. I don’t have much time left. I want to see you happy.”

Aria’s throat tightened. “I want that too, Dad.”

They talked for an hour. About old memories, about Aria’s childhood, about the small flower shop Richard used to dream of opening after retirement. For the first time in weeks, Aria felt normal. Like she was just a daughter visiting her father, not a pawn in a contract.

When she left, her heart felt lighter. And heavier at the same time.

Back at the penthouse, Adrian was waiting in the living room.

“How was he?” Adrian asked immediately.

“Better,” Aria said. She sat across from him, keeping distance. “Thank you. For paying everything.”

Adrian nodded. “I told you I wouldn’t lie again.”

Aria looked down at her hands. “Dad said I should give you a chance.”

Adrian didn’t respond right away. His jaw tightened slightly.

“A chance for what?”

“I don’t know yet,” Aria admitted. “But I’m tired of hating you all the time.”

Adrian’s eyes flickered. It was small, but Aria caught it. Hope.

“Then don’t hate me,” he said quietly. “Let me prove I’m worth more than that.”

Aria didn’t answer. She stood up.

“I’m tired. I’m going to rest.”

Adrian watched her leave, his expression unreadable.

That night, Aria lay in bed staring at the ceiling again.

The kiss was all over the internet. People were talking. Shipping them. Calling them “Adria.”

It should have made her angry.

And part of her was.

But another part… felt seen.

For the first time since this nightmare started, people weren’t looking at her with pity. They were looking at her like she belonged.

Like she belonged with Adrian.

Aria closed her eyes, trying to shut the thought out.

It didn’t work.

Two days later, Adrian called her to his office.

When Aria walked in, he was standing by the window, holding two tickets.

“Gala was too public,” he said without preamble. “This is private. Charity auction for children’s hospital. Just us. Saturday night.”

Aria frowned. “Why?”

“Because I want to see if you can be with me without an audience,” Adrian said. “No cameras. No performance. Just you and me.”

Aria stared at the tickets.

“Are you asking me on a date, Adrian Blackwood?”

Adrian’s lips twitched.

“Call it what you want.”

Aria took the tickets.

“I’ll think about it.”

Adrian nodded.

“That’s more than I expected.”

Aria left the office, her heart beating faster than it should.

She didn’t know what she was doing.

But for the first time, she wasn’t running.

She was thinking.

That evening, Aria found herself scrolling through photos of the gala again.

Photo after photo of her and Adrian. His hand on her waist. Their kiss. The way he looked at her when he thought no one was watching.

Her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.

_“You can’t escape me, Mrs. Blackwood. Not forever. -D”

Aria’s blood ran cold.

Damian.

She deleted the message and locked her phone.

But the feeling didn’t go away.

She wasn’t safe yet.

And deep down, she knew only one person could keep her safe.

Adrian.

Aria set her phone down, her mind racing.

Saturday night. The charity auction. Just her and Adrian.

No cameras. No act.

Just the truth.

Whatever that was.