Adam’s expression turned to one of disbelief. “Married? Just like that?”“Why not? It’s simple. You need a way out of your current life, and I need to secure my future. Plus, you’ll be the father of my child,” Tessa said, her tone matter-of-fact.Adam smirked, intrigued by her boldness. “So, I’m just a tool for you to avoid a scandal?”“Pretty much,” she replied, unfazed. “But think about it, Adam. You wouldn’t have to struggle anymore. You’d have everything—a wife, a family, a comfortable life. I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”He leaned forward, a mix of amusement and contemplation in his eyes. “And why would I accept such an offer? What’s in it for me?”Tessa rolled her eyes, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “You’re not as stupid as you look. I’m not some damsel in distress. I know what I want, and I know how to get it. Marrying me is your best option.”“Are you sure you want to marry a ‘poor man’?” Adam teased, leaning back again.Her eyes narrowed. “I see potent
They made their way to Tessa’s luxurious mansion, pulling up in front of the grand entrance.“Honey, is this your house?” Adam asked, looking around in awe.Tessa nodded. “I haven’t stayed here much since buying it, but I’ll be living here more often now.”“Where’s the bedroom?” he asked, glancing at the expansive layout.Tessa sat down on a plush couch, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. Even with a marriage certificate in hand, she knew her family would not accept this arrangement easily. Trouble was surely on the horizon.Adam wandered through the house, checking the two bedrooms on the first floor. After confirming they were empty, he returned. “Tessa, where’s your room?”Tessa’s guard shot up. “Why do you want to know?”“Come on, now that we’re married, we’ll be sharing a space. You won’t have to be alone anymore,” Adam said with a charming grin.“You’re overthinking this,” Tessa said, her tone even. “I married you out of necessity, so we need to establish a clear
Tessa glared at him, her anger sharp. But there was also frustration—this wasn’t going how she planned.After a moment, her shoulders slumped slightly as she muttered, “Today was supposed to be my wedding day with someone else. I just wanted to avoid that marriage.”Adam’s eyes darkened with suspicion, his grip tightening slightly. “So that’s why you ran off to marry me,” he said slowly, a thought forming. “You must have gotten pregnant by another man, and now you’re using me to cover it up.”Tessa’s fury erupted. “Don’t be ridiculous! You’re the only one I’ve ever been with,” she snapped, shoving him off with all her strength.Adam’s gaze softened, though skepticism lingered. “Fine. Give me your hand,” he said.Tessa narrowed her eyes, but extended her arm without hesitation. She knew Adam’s abilities were no joke, and there was no hiding from his skill.He pressed his fingers to her wrist, closing his eyes as he focused. After a moment, Adam smirked. “You’re not pregnant.”Tessa bli
A stunned silence followed.Eleanor’s face turned scarlet with fury. “Married? You can’t be serious!” She whirled toward Ethan’s family. “Please forgive us—this is nothing but a childish act of rebellion!”Cassandra, Ethan’s mother, offered a tight smile, her voice cool. “We understand wedding nerves, Tessa. But this stunt? It’s disrespectful.”Tessa met their gazes without flinching. “This isn’t a stunt. The marriage is real.”Ethan’s face twisted in rage. “Why would you do this, Tessa? Why him?”Her grip on Adam’s arm tightened. “Because I chose him. And there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”Adam’s grin widened as he leaned in slightly, locking eyes with Ethan. “Don’t worry, Ethan. I’ll take good care of her.”“We're not acting. We just got married,” Tessa said, her voice unwavering despite the chaos unfolding.“Do you expect us to believe that nonsense?” Eleanor scoffed, her eyes narrowing with disbelief.Tessa, clearly done with the back-and-forth, pulled the marriage certifica
Tessa’s lips quivered, but she fought back her tears. Her gaze swept the room, filled with the faces of those who had shaped her life—now distorted by anger and betrayal.Taking a deep breath, she made her stand. “Grandpa, Dad, Mom… please, I’m begging you. I can’t divorce him. Not now. Not when I’m already carrying his child.”The room went completely still, as if her words had drained the air from the space.“What?” Eleanor whispered in disbelief, her hand flying to her chest as if her heart might give out.“No… No! This can’t be true!” Ethan’s voice cracked with rage, his body trembling with the intensity of his emotions.He stared at Tessa as if she had betrayed him on the deepest level. “You’ve been with him all along?” Ethan’s fury boiled over, his fists clenching by his sides. “How could you do this to me, Tessa?”Eleanor's voice trembled with disbelief. “How could you say such a thing? You’re not that kind of girl. How could you ruin yourself like this?”“You’re lying,” Tessa’
The Darkclaw CEO, Mr. Wilfred was a ruthless man, he's the king of the underworld in Storm City, he gets whatever he wants. The Armands have been trying to close a deal with him, but he requested sleeping with Tessa before he would grant them the deal. On one occasion he even tried to forcefully sleep with Tessa, but she escaped. If it was left to her, she wanted to forget about the deal with such a cruel organization."That’s not my problem," Eleanor said dismissively. "If he’s truly capable, he’ll survive. If not, I won’t tolerate him—or the child."Adam gave a small laugh. "I accept your challenge."Tessa turned to him, disbelief etched on her face. "Why are you agreeing to this? You know how dangerous this is!"Adam’s expression softened as he looked at her. "I don’t lose, Tessa. And I won’t lose you or our child."Though fear churned in her heart, Tessa found a sliver of comfort in Adam’s confidence.Eleanor crossed her arms. "Five days, Adam. If you fail, the marriage ends—and s
Meanwhile, Tessa found herself at the hospital for a prenatal check-up, all under her mother’s insistence."What? I'm not pregnant?"When Tessa heard the doctor declare she wasn't pregnant, she was utterly flabbergasted."No, that's impossible! I've slept with Adam! You must be mistaken," Tessa exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief."I assure you, there is no error in my examination. But if you have doubts, you're welcome to seek a second opinion elsewhere. I stand by the accuracy of my assessment," the doctor said, radiating confidence."But I've taken multiple pregnancy tests before," Tessa protested, still bewildered."Home pregnancy tests can yield false results. Moreover, my recent gynecological examination confirms that you are still a virgin. What made you believe you were pregnant?" the doctor inquired, concern etching his features."Doctor, are you certain she's still a virgin?" Eleanor interjected anxiously, her eyes darting between her daughter and the physician."I am a
Eleanor raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in her tone. "Tessa has tried several times and failed to secure that deal. Are you confident?""Of course," Ethan replied, brimming with self-assurance. "I'm good friends with Mr. Wilfred's son, Kelvin. I’ll personally speak to him on the day of the bidding event and make sure we succeed."Ethan was optimistic. He often indulged in wild nights with Kelvin and had recently gifted him his favorite secretary. He was certain Kelvin would return the favor in kind.---After leaving the hospital, Tessa didn’t head home but instead called Adam. "Where are you?" she asked, urgency lacing her tone."I'm at work. What's going on?" Adam replied, his voice steady."Come home after work; I need to talk to you," Tessa said before abruptly ending the call.Adam had initially planned to head home immediately. But recalling Tessa’s urgency, he chose to stay busy until it was nearly time to leave before finally driving back.Despite the range of luxury car