Chapter 93 CHAPTER NINETY-THREE: DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
ZARA
“Does this mean that you know the real Aiden now?”
My father’s question lingered longer than it should have in the air. I stared at him, hoping he would explain what he meant, but all he did was return the stare.
“You already knew that the man who came to sign the documents was not real. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“At that time it didn’t matter to me who came.” He took a deep breath and lowered himself into the chair. “I just wanted to save the company, and that was all that mattered to me.”
My mind was spinning. If Rylan was not Aiden and Rylan was the one who called my family a bunch of leeches, then that meant I had been angry with the real Aiden for something he didn’t do.
“Do you have any idea who the real Aiden is?” I asked, lowering myself in front of him. For a moment I tried to understand the expression I saw on his face.
“You will get to know the Knight family at the Knight family gala next week.”
The news of the gala had been looming over our heads, and now the gala was too near to ignore. I had a lot of things to put in place before the gala.
“The Knight family would finally be introducing Aiden as the next chairman, so his face would be out in the open.”
I was supposed to feel relieved on hearing that, but somehow I felt a tinge of pity for him and also a fraction of fear.
“Okay,” I nodded once, my eyes scanning my father.
He didn’t look like his usual bubbly self, and it made me worry a bit. “Are you okay?” I murmured, grabbing his balled-up fist on the table.
“Of course,” he nodded as he got up, adjusting his suit. “I'd better get going; I have a lunch appointment with some of my old friends.”
He was evading the question and obviously hiding something from me, but I was not going to push him. When he was ready, he would tell me.
“Dad?” I called before he could let himself out of the room. He turned to me, and I inhaled, feeling the breath push against the walls of my nostrils.
“Don’t trust Rylan too much; he is a snake.”
He smiled, his glossy eyes dimming just a bit. “Don’t worry, kiddo. I can take care of myself.”
Henry was waiting for me outside the meeting room. He stood in front of me with a wide grin on his face.
“You won, Zara.”
“Don’t I always?” I said smugly. He rolled his eyes and put his hand on my shoulder. “You should know by now that…”
“You won because I played Mr. Stone a little too well.”
“Your acting was over the top.” I pretended to be shocked. “I mean, I was constantly praying that we didn’t get found out.
“You only won because of me,” he said, his voice rising higher than normal. He leaned in, so he was standing beside me as he pulled me closer, hand on my shoulders.
“And so you have to buy me lunch,” he said as he began to walk, dragging me along with him.
“You have money, so spend that.” I tried to wiggle out of his grip, but his hand tightened on me.
“Is this how you plan on repaying me? After all, I gave up to satisfy you.” He began to whine. I pressed my hand to his lips, and my eyes grew wider with embarrassment as people kept staring back at us.
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “I will buy you lunch.”
Henry had ordered the entire menu because he wanted to try it since he had been away for a full year. I didn’t mind. Even with the food in front of me, I couldn’t focus. My mind kept going back to Alexander’s words from earlier.
None of it made sense, and that shouldn’t worry me, but for some reason, it made me ghastly uncomfortable.
After the gala, I was going to plan a trip away from the city for Michael and me. The honeymoon we never got to have. I just needed to go through a week and a half, and all of this would be over.
The quietness of the villa greets me first, and I am happier than ever that Lysandra, who would have been by the door now with a smirk and remarks that made me want to dig my finger into her neck, was gone.
“Mi Reina?” Michael was at the door, taking my bag and jacket from me. I jumped into his arms, my head in his chest as I took in his scent.
“Was today hard?” He asked, holding me, the items he had taken from me falling to the ground.
“All better now that I have seen you.”
I pulled away and stared at his face. I realized that you had been so caught up in conspiracies and the truth that I didn’t enjoy this marriage as much as I should have.
I grabbed his arm and squeezed it gently. He looked at me with expectation as if he already knew what I was going to say.
“We didn’t get to take our honeymoon,” I began, and he shook his head. His eyes carried excitement, as if he were already aware of my intent.
“I think we should go on one after the gala. Just you and I away from the noise of this world.” I paused, and his reaction was the same I would have had if he suggested this to me.
“What do you think?”
He leaned in, too close; my breath hitched, and my stomach growled in yearning. “I think that is a fantastic idea,” he murmured, his breath fanning my face.
I smiled, feeling my cheeks hurt at it. “Okay then, I will plan it,” I said, already trying to make sense of it.
I had never had a reason to plan a trip on my own before. When I was younger, Dad’s people always did it, and when I became independent, Zoey did it.
“You look like you’ve never planned a trip before,” he said, and I puffed up my mouth trying not to pout. “Tell me the country you want to go to, and I will plan everything to the last detail.”
“Are you sure? I suggested the trip; I should be the one to…”
“I want to take care of you, my love.” He tucked the stray hair to the back of my ear, and my body reacted to his touch, leaning in as if it was instinct. “So let me.”
I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded. I was about to ask him to carry me in because my legs hurt, but a staff member stood in front of us.
“Ms. Crawford, a package came for you.”
My eyes fell to the black velvet box she held across her torso. I looked at it with confusion. Who would send me something like this and why?
“The name tag says from Mr. Alexander Knight.”
I wasn’t looking at Michael, but I could sense the immediate change in his body language.
“For me?” I asked, taking the box from her. She bowed slightly before leaving just the two of us by the doorway we had been standing by since I came in.
I stared at the tag. From: Alexander Knight. To: My daughter-in-law Zara Crawford.