Chapter 2

Everyone in Silvercrest knew the name Kayden Walker.

If Hunter was the city’s golden boy—charming, polished, and effortlessly courteous—then Kayden was in a league of his own.

However, rumors said his health was poor.

Ever since the car accident that left him hospitalized and unconscious for half a year, his personality became increasingly strange, cold, and ruthless.

But compared to Hunter’s five years of deception, what did any of that matter?

Florentia would rather marry a devil than continue entangling herself with Hunter.

“I accept the condition.”

The next day, Florentia met the lawyer at a café as arranged.

She reviewed the will and documents over and over again.

Only after confirming there were no issues did she sign her name.

Just as she handed the pen back to the lawyer, he spoke again.

“Miss Shaw, the Walker family has already been informed of your decision. Mr. Walker Sr. is very pleased. However, Mr. Walker hasn’t been in good health these past two months.

“Mr. Walker Sr. hopes you can marry into the Walker family within a month and personally take care of Mr. Walker.”

Florentia nearly laughed from anger.

She was about to enter a flash marriage with a man with poor health.

Wasn’t this basically one of those marriages arranged to ward off bad luck and keep him alive?

“Why didn’t you mention this earlier? Is it too late to back out?”

The lawyer looked at her sympathetically.

“I’m afraid not. If you refuse now, the Walker family will consider it a breach of agreement. For the sake of both your career and personal safety, I suggest you reconsider carefully.”

Florentia gritted her teeth.

The Walker family truly had that kind of power.

“Fine. One month, then.”

One month was more than enough for her to deal with the Patel family.

If she didn’t make the Patel family pay for this, then she had wasted twenty-five years of her life.

After the lawyer left, Florentia took out her phone.

There were more than thirty missed calls.

All of them were from the Patel family.

Valda Fletcher called the most.

The moment Florentia picked up her phone, another call came through.

“What kind of wife acts like this? Get to the hospital right now!”

Without even giving Florentia a chance to speak, Valda rattled off the hospital name and room number before hanging up immediately.

Perfect timing.

Florentia also wanted to see exactly how Hunter planned to “explain” himself.

She drove straight to the hospital.

The moment she arrived outside the room, Valda’s voice drifted out from inside the room.

“Whitney, I know you’ve suffered all these years. You and Hunter grew up together. You know he has always loved you.

“But the old man’s completely biased toward Florentia. If he ever finds out about the two of you, there’s no way he’ll hand his shares over to Hunter.

“What happens if Hunter can’t inherit Patel Group then? Besides, you two have already been legally married for five years. You’re the only daughter-in-law I acknowledge.”

Whitney answered obediently, “Mom, I understand. Hunter and I are only enduring this humiliation for our future together.

“If he can pretend to be in love with Florentia all these years, then I can endure it too.”

“You’ve suffered, sweetheart.”

Hunter’s weak voice carried a trace of heartache.

What a joke.

They had been enduring humiliation?

Hunter had been pretending to be in love with her?

So, Whitney had already registered her marriage with Hunter five years ago.

The real Mrs. Patel was Whitney.

The fake one was her.

And yet she gave everything to Hunter, pouring her heart and soul into the Patel family all these years.

Florentia’s gaze turned colder and colder.

She pushed the hospital room door open without warning and caught Whitney leaning against Valda’s shoulder, acting spoiled.

“Mom.”

Florentia called out calmly.

Valda had been facing away from the door.

The moment she heard Florentia’s voice, she jumped in fright and hurriedly shoved Whitney away.

Whitney’s expression darkened instantly, but she quickly returned to her usual graceful and obedient facade.

Valda steadied herself and immediately put on the authority of a mother-in-law as she scolded Florentia.

“Hunter’s already hurt this badly, yet you, as his wife, never came to take care of him. Whitney had to stay here and help in your place.”

Whitney spoke gently, “Mrs. Patel, this is what I should do. Florentia and I are family after all, and Hunter got hurt because of me. Of course I should do my part.”

Florentia watched the two women put on their little act before finally turning her gaze toward Hunter on the hospital bed.

The safety performance of a Rolls-Royce really was impressive.

Aside from the bandage wrapped around his forehead, Hunter didn’t appear injured anywhere else. Still, a trace of displeasure lingered across his handsome face.

“I called you earlier. Why didn’t you answer?”

“I was working yesterday,” Florentia replied.

Hunter’s gaze flickered.

He had already seen Florentia’s report. She knew he and Whitney were in the car together…

A trace of annoyance rose in Hunter’s chest.

If Whitney hadn’t seduced him in the car, he never would have lost control and gotten into an accident.

The expression on Hunter’s face softened slightly as he reached out and took Florentia’s hand.

“Florentia, I know you’re upset. Yesterday was your birthday. I was supposed to leave for a business trip, but I didn’t want you spending your birthday alone, so I came back instead. I just happened to run into Whitney and gave her a ride on the way.”

His explanation sounded so natural.

After five years woven with lies, deception had probably become second nature to him. At this point, he likely even believed his own lies.

A wave of bitterness washed over Florentia as she stared at him silently.

For some reason, unease suddenly crept into Hunter’s heart.

Why was Florentia looking at him like that?

Did she not believe him?

“You don’t trust your husband, hm?”

Hunter pinched her cheek lightly.

Florentia suppressed the nausea churning in her stomach and forced a smile onto her lips.

“Of course I trust you. Things have always been good between us. Whitney wouldn’t stoop so low as to become your mistress, would she?”

The moment those words fell, both Hunter and Whitney’s expressions changed, especially Whitney’s.

She was a famous war correspondent with countless admirers.

Besides, Florentia was the real outsider in this relationship.

But Whitney didn’t dare say it aloud. She was afraid Hunter would get angry.

“As long as you believe me.”

Relief quietly settled inside Hunter’s chest.

“Then delete those reports online. Whitney just returned to the country. These rumors won’t be good for either the company or her reputation.”

Florentia nearly laughed out loud.

Was it bad for Patel Group, or bad for Whitney?

Did they really think she was stupid enough not to tell the difference?

Whitney quickly seized the chance to speak.

“Hunter, as long as Florentia isn’t upset, I don’t mind being criticized.”

“How could it not matter? You’re a public figure!”

Valda shot Florentia a glare.

“Didn’t you hear what Hunter said? Go clear things up later and admit the report was inaccurate. Stop causing trouble for Whitney.”

Florentia knew very well that Valda had never liked her.

Even if she was the true heiress of the Gray family.

Valda had always believed that if Florentia hadn’t suddenly returned to the Gray family, Hunter and Whitney would have married long ago.

But back then, Hunter pursued Florentia relentlessly for an entire year before she finally agreed to marry him.

At this point, Florentia no longer felt heartbroken.

A smile curved across her crimson lips. “Alright. I’ll delete the reports.”

Hunter smiled as well. “That’s my good girl.”

“But I’m still a little upset. My birthday ended so miserably.”

Florentia lowered her lashes, looking slightly unhappy.

“Then let your husband make it up to you. Tell me, what do you want?”

In the past, whenever Florentia was upset, Hunter would let her pick out little gifts to cheer her up.

Every single time before, Florentia hated spending his money and always chose the cheapest things she could find.

But this time, she planned to ask for something big.