Chapter 3: He wants a contract marriage

Aria’s POV

My heart pounded hard in my ears.

No. No. No.

This can’t be happening.

My knees weakened beneath me, and a dizzy wave of nausea hit my stomach. My entire body trembled as my gaze locked with the man standing before me.

Kian Xavier.

Of all people in the world…why did it have to be him?

The icy, emotionless twin of my ex-husband, and the most powerful and feared billionaire in Oceania City.

My pulse roared in my ears. I staggered back a step, shaking my head.

“Y-You,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“You—you’re saying it’s your embryo?”

His eyes flicked briefly toward the doctor, then back to me. “Apparently, yes,” he said flatly. “You’re carrying my child.”

My breath hitched. The words didn’t register at first, they hung in the air like thunder waiting to strike.

I turned to Dr. Hayes, fury and disbelief flooding my veins. “How could you mix something like this up?!”

Dr. Hayes shrank under my stare, adjusting his glasses nervously. “I-It was a mistake,” he muttered, his voice shaking. “I recognized you immediately Mr. Xavier brought you in after the incident. I’m really sorry, ma’am.”

“You—” I instinctively jerked forward, my arms half-stretched like I was ready to strangle him on the spot. He jerked back in his seat, eyes wide, both hands rising in defense.

But I stopped myself, my hand curling into a fist before folding tightly across my chest.

I sucked in a sharp breath and turned slowly towards Kian.

“So… What are we going to do now?” I asked, my eyes locked in his. “How do we fix this mess?”

Kian exhaled slowly, then he turned towards the doctor. “Give us a moment.”

Without another word, he gestured towards the hallway.

For a second, I didn’t move. I stood there staring at him, unsure of whether or not I should follow him.

My mind screamed at me to walk away, but my feet moved anyway.

I trailed behind him, crossing my arms, my palms growing damp with each step I took.

What is he going to say now?

Is he going to blame me too?

Offer me money?

Tell me to get rid of the baby?

No-no-no. I’m definitely not aborting it. I don’t care what it’s going to cost me.

We stopped outside beside a sleek black Bentley parked at the edge of the hospital lot.

We both stood there for some seconds, staring at each other, neither of us knowing how to break the silence between us.

My heart thudded wildly in my chest, but my throat felt tight and dry. Kian’s eyes were fixed on me, cold and unreadable.

‘Why is he not speaking? Or should I start the conversation first?’ I thought.

Finally, his lips parted slightly to speak, his voice low.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice coming out softer than I expected.

I looked up at him, blinking. I hadn’t expected an apology from someone like him.

“Truly. I didn’t know it was you that was injected with my embryo by mistake. I only found out after I brought you in…when I almost hit you with my car. Doctor Hayes had told me then.”

I nodded slowly, my throat dry. “Okay…but what now?”

He looked straight into my eyes. “Maybe this happened for a reason.”

My brows drew together. “What do you mean?”

Kian exhaled, fogging briefly between them.

“I’ve been waiting for a long time to get back at Ryan.”

At the mention of his name, a bitter taste crept up my throat.

“What? I don’t understand,” I murmured.

Kian’s gaze dropped to the pavement, his voice low and rougher. “Ryan has always been jealous of me,” he began slowly, his jaw clenched. For a moment, his ruthless aura dimmed, it was as if he was holding back something heavy, and trying not to break.

“I didn’t want to believe it at first, he was my twin brother and I loved him a lot. I protected him, and gave him things before he even asked. But it was never enough for him. Out of jealousy, he did something unforgivable.”

He paused, eyes flicking up to mine briefly before looking away again.

“Five years ago…I was engaged to someone named Patricia.” His voice dropped. “We’ve been dating for good 3 years, and I loved her deeply, and was willing to sacrifice everything for her.”

I stayed silent, afraid to breathe.

“And then on the morning of our wedding…I found out Patricia has been secretly dating Ryan,” his eyes glinted with pain. “She never loved me, she only wanted to marry me for my wealth. Then that morning, she disappeared and eloped with Ryan.”

My mouth fell open. “Ryan… did that to you?”

Kian gave a hollow laugh. “Yes. Ryan lured her into running away with him. He humiliated me in front of the world. My name was dragged through the mud. My business suffered. And then?” He paused.

“A-and then?” I stammered, my palms sweating, desperate to hear the rest.

“As if that wasn’t enough, they got married in secret, and he abandoned Patricia a month later. He said he only married her to hurt me, and Patricia committed suicide from the pain of being rejected.”

My hand flew to my mouth. I felt my stomach knot painfully.

Ryan… what kind of monster had I married?

How could someone survive that kind of betrayal from their blood brother?

He hated Kian a lot, not only did he hurt Kian, he also hurt me too. Just because of his stupid pride and negligence, my mom had died in agony.

Kian’s voice cut through my thoughts, rough and controlled. “He’s hurt me in ways you can’t imagine. I want him to feel that same pain.”

My breath caught. “You mean… revenge?”

He nodded. “Ryan is infertile, and that’s his greatest insecurity. I planned to have a child with my girlfriend to show him I could have everything he couldn’t and mock him in every possible way.” He paused, exhaling deeply.

“But my girlfriend—Ava—refused to have a child, she said it’ll ruin her body figure, so I ended our relationship and turned to surrogacy, which you mistakenly ended up with my embryo.”

My hand unconsciously rested on my stomach. “So…what do you want me to do now?” I asked.

“I don’t want to complicate your life anymore than it already is,” he said quietly. “But also know that if Ryan finds out about this, he’ll come after you and make your life a living hell.”

My voice trembled. “What are you trying to say?”

“So… I’ve been thinking, there’s a way to protect you and the baby. A contract marriage.”

My heart dropped, my eyes widened, disbelief washing over me. “WHAT?!”

My heart thundered in my chest, my mind struggling to grasp what I’d just heard.

“A…a contract marriage?” I stammered, blinking my eyes. “Have you lost your mind?

You’re not being serious, right?”

Kian remained unfazed, he just stood there staring at me, calm and composed, like he’d just said a casual thing.

First Ryan divorced me.

And now this?

Am I cursed never to be loved? Only to be used?

“Say something, Kian,” I snapped, the silence stretching too long. “I’m already pregnant with your child by accident, and now you want me to enter a fake marriage with you? My ex-husband’s twin brother? Isn’t that insane?”

Kian’s gaze softened. “Aria,” he said gently. “Just…calm down.”

I sucked in a shaky breath.

“How do you expect me to calm down?” I shot back.

“This doesn’t have to be romantic,” he continued. “It’s just a façade for Ryan. We both know Ryan’s biggest insecurity is his infertility. If he finds out you’re carrying my child…it’ll crush him and hurt him deeply. His ego won’t be able to take it.”

He stepped closer, his gaze locked on mine. “You were a perfect and loyal wife. He threw you away. You don’t owe him anything. Let him see what it feels like to lose everything—watching the brother he despises with his wife and with you carrying my child, he'll suffer, and it’ll kill him inside.”

Silence fell between us, I stared at him, words caught in my throat.

His words rang loud in my ear. A part of me screamed that this is madness, but another part of me—the wounded and the vengeful part leaned in closer.

He’s kind of right, but still—

He’s my ex-brother-in-law.

I know Ryan has mistreated me, let my mother die, and hurt me in ways I can’t forget. Ryan deserved to suffer just like he made me suffer.

But still…a fake marriage?

I swallowed hard, torn. “I’ll think about it,” I finally whispered.

“Take your time. But know this, Ryan will come for you again, and you can’t let him win.”

*********

Ryan’s POV

I don’t know why, but I can’t sit still.

I’ve been pacing the living room like a damned lunatic, back and forth, back and forth the whole day. My jaw aches from clenching, and my fingers have gripped my phone so tight that I’m surprised it hasn’t cracked.

Where the fuck is he? Why hasn’t he called yet?

I glanced at the screen again, for the umpteenth time. Still nothing.

No message or missed call, just that smug wallpaper, staring at me.

“Useless bastard,” I cursed, dragging a frustrated hand through my hair.

It’s been hours since I ordered Jake to trail Aria. I’d paid him to secretly follow her so he could find out who the father of her child was. She’s hiding something, and I need to find out.

I dialed his number again, but still, no response. My patience snapped. “Pick up the damn phone!”

“Arrrghh,” I growled in frustration, my foot tapping restlessly against the tiles.

He doesn’t take this long. Why hasn’t he called?

Just as I was about to throw it across the room, it buzzed in my hand.

Spy Jake.

My heart skipped a beat. I swiped to answer

and pressed the phone to my ear.

“Talk.”

The voice on the other end was low and cautious. “I found out who the father of the baby is.”

I stopped pacing, my heart pounding loud in my chest.

“Who?” I demanded.

There was a little pause on the other hand, then he spoke.

“It’s Kian Xavier, your twin brother.”

“WHAT?!” I screamed, my eyes widening in disbelief.

“K-Kian?” I asked again.

“Yes boss, you heard me right,” he confirmed.

“And that’s not all…he offered her a contract marriage.”

A cold dread seeped into my bones as the words echoed in my mind.

C-contract marriage?

My knees nearly gave out. I staggered back, barely catching myself on the edge of the couch.

No. That's not possible.

My brother…my brother is trying to snatch my wife, my woman.

That snake.

That bastard.

He has always snatched everything from me, and now, my wife?

“NO!” I screamed, slamming my phone to the ground, watching it shatter into pieces, my chest burning with rage. I ran both hands through my hair, pacing in agitation.

“She’s mine!” I seethed. “I don’t care what it takes. I won’t let him have her.”

I need to see Kian.