Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 28

Only Contractual
“See? She gets it!” Ronan declared. “Your own reputation will suffer too if we don’t handle this right. Oh wait, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Ronan Sullivan, it’s nice to meet you, Amelia Kentwood. I’m sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”

Amelia shook his outstretched hand. “You already know my name?”

“How could I not, when this man keeps on yapping about―”

Matteo cleared his throat loudly, and Ronan quickly changed tack. “Anyways, I’m back because I’m this man’s best friend and I need to make sure he does not create a bigger PR disaster. I can’t trust him. Blow over. Yeah right. You might as well blow me―”

“This man is right here with ears, and he wants to remind you that he’s your boss,” Matteo grumbled. “And you’re my self-proclaimed best friend.”

“Is there any other candidate for that position?” Ronan raised a challenging eyebrow. “Nevermind, I’m not here to argue with you about this. I’m here to hopefully solve this issue before it turns into a full-blown crisis. The shareholders are going to be pissed since our stocks are falling, and you know that witch is going to come and demand you step down.”

“Witch?” Amelia asked curiously.

“My stepmother.” Matteo sighed, rubbing the furrow between his eyes. “I forgot about her.”

“Sorry for bringing her up,” Ronan said, not sounding apologetic in the least. “But the more you try to let it blow over, the more it will blow up. She will make use of this and twist the story to make you seem like a slimy boss taking advantage of your staff.”

“And what do you propose we do?” Matteo said, raising an eyebrow. He seemed oddly calm in comparison to Ronan, who had a vein throbbing at his forehead, looking ready to combust at any given moment.

“Get rid of the photos,” Ronan said.

He rushed out of the office and grabbed Amelia’s laptop from her desk before charging in. It was his beforehand, anyway, and Matteo hadn’t even done a factory reboot in case there was important information on it.

“I have some contact information here of people who might be able to help. If we pay enough to the tabloids, they might be able to replace the story and take down the photos―”

“But the photo did get taken,” Amelia said. “Once it has gone up, it will be there forever. Even if we claim that there’s nothing going on between us, no one will believe it!”

Her eyes went to the frosted glass of Matteo’s office. She could already see the foggy imprint of several other staff looking their way, standing and not moving at their seats. There was no doubt― even if this was wiped from the headlines, the rumors had already circulated the very office they worked in.

Matteo took a step forward, closing the distance between him and Amelia. Ronan, on the other hand, was treated as though he was nothing more than air.

“I have just the solution to this problem. But I will need you to cooperate with me,” Matteo said. “Are you willing to do as I ask?”

“Yes! Of course!” Amelia nodded frantically.

“Excellent. Then we will be engaged,” Matteo said, pulling out a document from his drawers. “If you sign this now, I can have it sent to the Ministry by tonight. We will be married by tomorrow morning.”

“Excuse me?!” Amelia nearly screeched, before slapping her hands over her lips, looking at the frosted walls in panic. She prayed it was at least somewhat soundproof.

“Are you insane?!” At the same time, Ronan yelled. “Have you gone off the rockers, mad with lust, my friend? Engaged? Just to counter this?!”

“It’s contractual,” Matteo said, his expression unchanging. He handed the document to Amelia, and Ronan immediately scurried over to peer over her shoulder to look at the stated terms. “You will appear as my partner at formal events as my fiancée. Nothing wrong with my fiancée leaving my apartment in the morning, is there?”

“Only that everything is wrong!” Ronan reached up and grabbed at his own hair, and Amelia wondered if he would just go overboard and tear them clean off his scalp. “No offense,” he said, looking at Amelia before turning to Matteo, “but have you forgotten that she is married?!”

Amelia stilled, biting her bottom lip as Caleb’s face flashed through her mind. That’s right. They had signed the papers, but as far as Amelia knew, it wasn’t processed yet. If it was, she would’ve heard from Caleb’s attorney.

“You’re asking a married woman to marry you? Are you trying to clear your name, or add more oil to the fire? At this rate, you will be kicked out of the company even before the next scheduled shareholders’ meeting!”

“I own the majority of the shares,” Matteo said with a roll of his eyes. “Even if everyone banded together, they still wouldn’t have the final say.”

“We are doomed…” Ronan muttered under his breath. He walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows behind Matteo’s desk before he repeatedly knocked his forehead against it. “Doomed…”

“Stop being so dramatic,” Matteo scoffed. “Remember how I told you to look into someone yesterday night? Have you found anything yet?”

That question temporarily stopped Ronan’s banging. He paused and peeped at Matteo.

“I have, actually,” he murmured with a sigh. His gaze then fell on Amelia, and the latter felt her entire body frost over. Chills ran down her spine as a name flitted across her mind.

“It’s not…”

“It is,” Ronan said. “Caleb Walton didn’t even bother hiring someone else― he decided to tail you two on his own.”

Amelia felt faint instantly. She stumbled a little and Matteo came forward, offering his arms as support. She grabbed on without even realizing it, but when she wanted to pull away instinctively, Matteo tightened his grip, holding her hand firmly but delicately.

He didn’t look at her, keeping his line of sight focused on Ronan as he said, “And Kelsie Friescent?”

“She didn’t follow him,” Ronan said. “Caleb Walton left after about half an hour, according to the cameras. He was probably the one who sent the tip to the reporters of Lady Vanity.”

“What does he want from me…” Amelia muttered under her breath.

Her head felt light and the world was starting to spin. She had already lost so much to that jerk of a man, and now, he was still actively trying to ruin her.

It was almost as though he wished her dead; Amelia wondered if he would’ve still done all of this if she had never overheard that conversation Caleb had with his friends that day at the club. Just the thought of her life before all of it went downhill caused an ache to tear through her chest.

At that moment, Amelia’s phone buzzed again, and she pulled it out of her pocket. Her eyes landed on the caller ID, and her blood ran cold.

Caleb.