Chapter 7 “Two Months”

In a lavish mansion, the Shawn family came together for lunch.

“Mom, what are you planning to do with the property Mr. Chain gave you?” Adyta Shawn asked her mother, Margaret Shawn.

“I’m considering building a vacation home,” the elderly woman replied.

“That's awesome! Mr. Chain is really something, isn’t he?” Mark Shawn chimed in.

Margaret set her utensils down and said, “Yes, unlike some husbands who only bring me shame and disappointment.”

Everyone turned to Lea, who had been quiet the entire meal.

“Lea,” Margaret called out.

“Yes, Grandma?”

“Didn’t I ask you to bring your husband? Where is he?”

Lea couldn’t find the words. It had been a week since she last saw her husband. ‘Is he really serious about divorcing me?’ she thought.

She realized she had to keep the divorce talk away from her family. If she wanted to avoid being kicked out, she had to act like her husband was still under her control.

“You know how Arthur is. Always busy,” Lea said, trying to deflect.

“Busy delivering pizza, you mean? Ha!” her brother Andrew chuckled.

“Andrew,” their mom, Adyta, interjected, trying to quiet him down.

“Why not? I’m just stating the truth. My brother-in-law should be working harder. He can’t even get my sister a designer bag,” Andrew shot back.

“Let’s drop this ridiculous conversation,” the family head complained. “I’ve lost my appetite. Lea, make sure to bring Arthur next time.”

“Sure thing, Grandma,” Lea replied.

Just as she was about to head out, her mom called her back.

“Lea, we need to chat,” Adyta said.

They headed to a private room, and once the door was closed, Adyta started venting, “You had one straightforward job as Arthur’s wife. And what do I get in return?”

“It’s not my fault! This is all my brother’s doing! Plus, Arthur promised Grandma a surprise. I thought he’d finally come through for me!” Lea shot back.

“Or maybe charming that clueless idiot to pull it off was too much to hope for. If I had known you’d mess this up, I would’ve sent your cousin instead.”

“Ha! Right. You should’ve done that. You married me off to that useless Arthur, who can’t do anything but deliver pizza! Honestly, marrying a dog would be an upgrade from that garbage!”

Lea fell silent when her mother slapped her.

“Don’t push me, Lea,” Adyta warned. “I can kick you out anytime I want.”

Lea bit her lip and looked at her mom.

"You need to stick with Arthur as his wife. Once we get what we need from him, you can just toss him aside and marry Mr. Chain. Don’t forget, Arthur is our ticket to getting the inheritance from your grandmother. Got it?"

With her head down, Lea tightened her fists. She was counting down the days until she could ditch her useless husband and live like a queen.

** **

“Grandpa! This is so unfair! Why didn’t the police look into that woman?!” Sharmaine stormed into her Grandpa’s office to vent her frustration.

Mr. Jules Chain, the Chairman of Cher Corporation, let out a sigh as he turned to Sharmaine. “Sweetheart, your brother insists she’s innocent. We don’t have any proof against her.”

“And what about my brother? Are you really okay with him dating that gold digger?!”

“I can’t stand that Harry is involved with a married woman. I told him that if he doesn’t end things with her, he can forget about inheriting my corporation!”

Hearing that made Sharmaine feel a bit better. She was well aware that her brother’s girlfriend was just after their family’s wealth and influence.

“Now, why don’t you take a breather, my dear? Grandpa will handle everything,” Jules reassured her.

Sharmaine took a deep breath and plopped down on the couch. “Thanks, Grandpa. Actually, I came to see you for a different reason. I haven’t had the chance to thank my hero.”

“Oh, you mean Mr. Arthur, the delivery guy?”

“Isn’t he a General?”

“That’s a bit of a mix-up, sweetheart. He’s just a regular guy who puts in a lot of effort. I know you’re eager to see him, but I’m afraid that’s not going to happen.”

“Why not?”

“He’s gone off somewhere far. I can’t share the details because it’s part of our agreement.”

“Doesn’t he want to see me at all?”

The old man squinted at her. “I can tell that young man is quite the looker. Have you developed a crush on him?”

“Absolutely not! Why would I…?! I’m your granddaughter! I’m not interested in marrying someone who doesn’t have anything to offer!” Sharmaine replied, though her cheeks were turning red.

Truth is, Arthur is definitely good-looking. And he did save her. But Sharmaine isn’t looking for someone without any influence.

Jules laughed lightly, “Okay, okay. Just hang tight, sweetheart. That guy said he’d be back in two months. But I need you to promise me something in the meantime. You shouldn’t tell anyone about him. I promised to keep his identity a secret.”

“Doesn’t that seem a bit sketchy? Why would he want to stay anonymous?”

“Who knows? But it’s only polite to honor a request from your hero, right?”

Sharmaine could only let out a sigh. Arthur was such an enigma, so she was really looking forward to seeing him again.

In the blink of an eye, two months flew by.

In a vast hall out in the middle of nowhere, a big guy was busy doing push-ups.

“1001, 1002, 1003, 1004,” he counted, sweat dripping from his chin. “1005. Alright, that’s enough for now.”

He got up, and the sunlight streaming through the window highlighted his impressive physique, casting a perfect shadow of his well-toned body.

This fit guy was none other than Arthur Dwight.

After a grueling workout, Arthur jumped in the shower. Staring at his reflection, he marveled at how much he had transformed over the past two months.

His once slim frame had bulked up, and his face looked sharper than ever.

“This kid’s pretty good-looking,” General Arthur remarked.

The soldiers in his barracks often said he had a fierce and intimidating face. But with his new physique, he had a more attractive look. Still, being the General, his intense gaze and commanding voice kept that intimidating vibe intact.

Arthur managed to get his strength back, no doubt about it.

“I honestly thought two months would be impossible. But that brutal training really paid off,” he said with a grin.

Back in the day, he was known as the tough trainer. Luckily, he had a knack for turning average folks into top-notch fighters!

“Mr. Arthur! Mr. Arthur!”

There was a hurried knock at the door.

Stepping out of the bathroom in just his bathrobe, Arthur took a peek to see who it was. Recognizing the visitor, he approached the door and unlocked the ten locks he had installed for safety.

When he opened the door, he found Dominic, the Chairman’s secretary, standing there.

“Mr. Arthur! I’ve got some fantastic news for you!” Dominic exclaimed. “We’ve located the place you’ve been searching for!”

Arthur couldn't help but smile when he heard that. At last, he was about to get his hands on the gold and treasures he had been waiting for!