Chapter 5
1398 Words
Aaron kept mute and observed the young lady as she made her way inside the bedroom. Lyra paused in her tracks and tilted her head backward and then to the side, from inside the bedroom, so that only her head could be seen.
“Do you need help coming to the bedroom or…?”
Aaron growled at her and she jolted and moved her head back inside the bedroom.
“Interesting,” a small smile formed on Aaron's lips.
He fished out his phone and dialed Jones's number. The call connected and Aaron spoke first.
“I need to know everything about her and it better be good else,” he groaned.
“Noted, sir,” Jones gave a prompt reply.
The call disconnected and Aaron sighed, he flickered at his wheelchair and a surge of regret flushed through him. He closed his eyes and fell asleep instantly.
****
Lyra's phone buzzed on the bed and she reached for it. She checked the caller ID and jolted.
“s**t! It's Emma. I'm screwed,” her hands trembled slightly as she connected the call, she knew Emma was going to skin her alive.
Lyra cleared her throat and plastered a smile on her face, “Hi, Emma.”
“Don't you dare young lady,” Emma groaned, “Where the hell are you? I went to the hospital thinking you'd be there but no, you just happened to vanish into thin air. And why was your phone disconnected the whole day?”
“Well, you see, Emma,” Lyra stuttered and rubbed the back of her head, even if she lied, Emma was just too smart to notice. They're best friends and roomies. Of course, Emma knew her too well.
“You better not lie to me, young lady. And where are you? Why can't I get your location? Did you turn it off? Don't tell me you're out with a guy without inviting me.”
“Emma, wait,” there was a brief pause, “I think I might just have married Aaron Bale.”
“What?” Emma snapped on the phone and Lyra took the phone away from her ear and scratched it, she placed it on the other ear.
“Are you being serious right now? No...no...no, you're joking right?”
“I'm screwed, I had to do it for Lily. That witch made me do it, that's the only way she can help.”
“Wait, your stepmother made you marry Aaron Bale, like the notorious criminal and vegetative man? Before she can help you,” Emma's eyes widened in shock. “Is she crazy?”
“I had no choice,” Lyra lay on the bed and sighed in distress. “I had to do it for Lily's sake.”
“This is so not good. That witch, you know what just send me your location, and I'll come to visit, okay? Just be safe till then and he better not touch a strand of your hair.”
Lyra chuckled and disconnected the call. She wondered what Aaron was up to and stood up from the bed, she moved closer to the living room on her toes, trying not to make a sound. Aaron was fast asleep like a baby. Everything seemed peaceful and his beauty struck her heart.
Why would a handsome man like him choose a life of crime in the first place? Was it because he was the bastard son who never got any accolades from the Bale family? She ran her fingers through his hair and a spark lit up inside of her.
Lost in her thoughts, Lyra caressed his soft cheeks. Aaron suddenly opened his eyes and held her hand with a hardened expression on his face.
Lyra jolted and their eyes met.
“What do you think you're doing?” His cold gaze sent chills down her spine.
“Uh-Uh,” Lyra stammered and took a step back. “It's getting late, I was worried you'd catch a cold out here,” her voice shook and she averted her gaze.
“Mmm,” Aaron narrowed his brows at her.
“I'll go now,” Lyra ran back inside the bedroom and shut the door. “That was so embarrassing,” she gritted her teeth, trying hard not to scream at the top of her lungs.
A small smile formed on Aarons's lips, the young lady was indeed naive and that amused him. Maybe this whole arrangement wasn't a bad thing after all.
****
The next morning, Lyra woke up feeling exhausted and of course, embarrassed from last night. She moved closer to the kitchen and tried to make breakfast since she was good at cooking. She looked around and couldn't find Aaron anywhere.
Lyra took out her phone and dialed her stepmother's number.
The call connected and the receiver hesitated before saying anything.
“Don't tell me you're this desperate, not even a break to enjoy your honeymoon with your new husband,” Mary's tone was laced with disgust and sarcasm. “So tell me how's your crippled lover?”
“I don't have time for this Mary. You promised to pay Lily's hospital bills if I marry Aaron. I kept my side of the bargain, now's your turn.”
“Wait a minute, don't tell me you believed me,” Mary's cold laugh echoed through the speakers.
“What do you mean? You promised to pay my sister's hospital bills if I marry Aaron in Rose's place,” her hands shook in panic. “You trick me.”
“Now, listen up young lady. Don't you ever call this number again,” Mary disconnected the call.
Oh, no, this can't be happening.
Lyra held her chest tightly and paced the kitchen with a worried expression. She turned her back and saw a familiar figure narrow his brow at her.
“Who's Lily?” Aaron asked with a furrowed brow.
“It's not what you think, I promise.”
“You're still not talking, who are you? And who's Lily? You ain't the Smith heiress are you?”
Lyra knew she was in big trouble, she fell to her knees and fear ran through her. What if he had her killed? goosebumps formed on her body and she could feel her palm sweating.
“Lily is my sister. She needs urgent surgery, so I reached out to my stepmother, Mary but she was only going to help if I marry you in Rose's place,” she fell to the ground with tears streaming down her cheeks. “I didn't mean to deceive you, I'm sorry,” she sobbed even more.
Aaron's phone buzzed in his hands and he steered his wheelchair to the corridor and connected the call.
“Boss, she's the Smith eldest daughter. Recently got fired from her previous job courtesy of her stepmother and I think she might have been pressured to marry you because of her younger sister's medical condition. She was swapped, taking her half-sister's place. One more thing,” Jones gulped down his saliva nervously, ”She got dumped two days back and it seems her half-sister did the snatching.”
“And you're only making your findings now,” Aaron snapped.
“Sorry boss,” Jones apologized and gulped down his saliva.
“Starting tomorrow, I want her to work for the company and make sure her sister gets proper treatment. Seems like my wife has been bullied for a long time, now all that is about to change,” Aaron's cold voice hung in the hair.
He turned to Lyra and smirked at the naive lady trembling on the floor with tears streaming down her cheeks.
In a few minutes, Lyra's phone rang and she picked it up with a trembling hand, her gaze met with Aaron's piercing gaze and she pulled down her saliva.
“H-Hello,” she stuttered, unable to speak with the lump in her throat.
“Hello Miss Lyra, we're calling to confirm the surgery. The hospital has received your payment and will now proceed with the surgery,” the woman on the other end of the line went straight to the point and ended the call.
“But, I don't understand,” Lyra's eyes widened in disbelief.
Could it be that Mary kept her promise? Lyra sobbed in excitement and glanced at her husband.
- Writer
