Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Cancel The Wedding

Xander took Aurora’s hand, guiding her to the sit-out where Nene and the butler stood with the other staff, all waiting in eager anticipation.

“Welcome back, Mr. Scott,” they greeted, bowing respectfully.

“Thank you,” Xander replied with a nod, his gaze warm. The servants lifted their heads and stepped aside, allowing the couple to pass as they made their way into the house, settling into the cozy living area.

Aurora was quick to ask, “How was your mission?”

“Successful,” Xander replied smoothly.

“And your arm?” she pressed, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s nothing serious, just a graze,” he answered lightly.

Aurora fixed him with a look, her gaze refusing to waver, clearly unsatisfied with his casual response. Realizing she wasn’t letting it go, Xander sighed, offering, “Fine. The doctor put it in a cast to keep me from moving it too much—just to speed up healing.”

Aurora’s expression softened, but she wasn’t done. “What exactly grazed you?”

Xander’s expression shifted to one of mock pleading. “I’m starving,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. Right then, Nene entered the room, announcing that dinner was ready, and Xander took the opportunity to stand, pulling Aurora up with him.

“You’ll give me the full story after dinner,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze.

“Of course,” he replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

As they sat down to dinner, Aurora couldn’t help but keep stealing glances at his cast, carefully spooning food onto his plate as if he were helpless. Xander tried to suppress a grin, amused by her fussing over him, but secretly he savoured it. The quiet joy of returning to someone who waited for him, fussed over him, warmed him in a way he hadn’t expected.

Xander looked at Aurora intently. “You’ve lost weight,” he observed softly, his gaze unwavering. “Tell me, who or what’s been troubling you?”

Aurora blinked, a little taken aback by his perceptiveness. She thought she had fully recovered in the past few days Nene took care of her, but his steady gaze made it impossible to deny.

“You are the cause!” She shot back as she leaned back into her seat. “Why did you disappear for so long without communication and make me worried?” She finished, picking up her cutlery.

“So, you’re saying you lost weight just from missing me?” Xander teased, leaning in.

She cut a mushroom stalk on her plate, keeping her gaze down. “Of course,” she replied nonchalantly, as if that were entirely normal.

Xander gave a low chuckle. “I had no idea you loved me this much.”

Her eyes widened. “W-Who said I love you?” she stammered, glancing up sharply.

“Then what other reason could there be?” he countered, his gaze daring her to explain. Aurora’s eyes flickered before she looked away, choosing silence over an answer. She had no intention of telling him about her lost memories or the mysteries she’d discovered until she has gotten answers to her questions.

Satisfied, Xander leaned back, a knowing smile on his face. “I’ll take your silence as a confirmation,” he murmured.

—

Meanwhile, Olivia, fraught with anguish, returned home and sought solace in her mother’s presence. As she recounted the night’s humiliations, her voice thick with tears, she broke down entirely, her makeup smudged, her face streaked with betrayal.

“It must be karma for taking my sister’s man,” she sobbed bitterly.

“Shh,” Stella admonished sharply. “Never regret your choices. Embrace them and move forward with pride.”

Through her tears, Olivia’s gaze lifted, stunned by her mother’s response. “Mum, I don’t want to marry Owen anymore. I want to cancel the wedding.”

Stella’s gaze turned steely. “You’ll do no such thing. You will go through with this marriage as planned. I refuse to believe you would even consider disgracing our family like this.”

Olivia’s sobs halted, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Mum, did you even hear me? Owen was with my friend at our own bachelorette party! How can I marry him?”

Stella sighed and sat beside her, taking Olivia’s hand. “Listen to me, Olivia. Your purpose here is greater than a momentary slip by Owen. You are marrying into the Scott family, aligning with power. Befriend Xander’s wife, turn her against Aurora—that’s the path to reclaiming what’s yours.”

“Mum?” Olivia pulled her hand free, visibly shaken.

“You can divorce Owen later if you must. And I’ll ensure you find someone even better afterward. I will find you the best husband if I have to search through the ends of the world.”

Aghast, Olivia stood up, her face contorted with frustration. “Why don’t you ever ask me what I want? Or care about my happiness?”

“I care about your happiness, which is why I’m doing this,” Stella replied firmly. “You need to think of the bigger picture. Living better than Aurora should be your focus.”

“You’re asking me to go through with this marriage, knowing Owen cheated on me and will probably continue,” Olivia whispered, still processing her mother’s words.

“You will do what you must,” Stella replied coolly. “Imagine the fallout if you call it off now—the scandal, the disgrace. People already remember you as the sister who stole her sibling’s boyfriend. Imagine what they would say if you call off the wedding two days to it.”

Tears filled Olivia’s eyes again as the reality of the situation overwhelmed her, the betrayal cutting deeper than ever.

“You know what to do,” Stella pressed, her gaze unrelenting. “Wipe those tears, and finish what you’ve started.”

A sudden knock broke the tension, and the servant from the other day entered, her face drawn with tension, clutching a tablet.

“What is it now?” Stella snapped, narrowing her eyes.

“Ma’am, you need to see this. Tea Time Gossip has struck again, along with a dozen other bloggers. The internet is blowing up.”

Stella took the tablet, her face darkening as she scrolled through the article, her fury growing with each line. She turned a fierce gaze back to Olivia. “You didn’t tell me about the livestream.”

“I… I forgot,” Olivia stammered, realizing what this meant. The scandal of Owen’s betrayal had hit the headlines.

Stella clenched her jaw, a menacing glint in her eyes. “Olivia, your father will kill us both if he sees this.”