Chapter 4: Welcome Davis

Moments later, Tyson returned with a nurse in her mid-twenties. She checked Lyra's vitals and said she was fine. The impact from the accident wasn't fatal, and she just had a few bruises.

After the nurse left, Tyson sat beside Lyra, an awkward silence stretching in the room. Until he broke it. “Sorry about what happened. I didn't see you.”

She nodded. Then after a moment he added, “And sorry about Alex too.” He shrugged. “You've always had poor choices in men, anyway.”

Lyra straightened and gawked at him, brows furrowing. “You said??”

“I'm not wrong, am I? Was it…” Tyson looked up thoughtfully, fingers massaging his chin. “Dylan? From ninth grade?”

“Whoa, I can't believe you'd hold that against me,” she said defensively. “I was young and stupid and naive.”

“‘was’? As in past tense? I mean, you were going to marry Alex—”

“Uncle Tyson.” Lyra frowned. Tyson had hit a spot. Everyone thought she was stupid for clinging onto Alex all this while, including her friend, Daphne. But it was more than that. She leaned back, palm resting on her head. “Please, I need to rest.”

“Yeah, sure.” Tyson stood up and glanced around the room. “I'll be outside.”

As he walked to the door, the playful demeanor he had while teasing Lyra vanished. Replaced by something dark and dangerous, his nephew had gone too far this time. He closed the door behind him and rested on it, scratching his chin.

About half an hour had passed when Lyra noticed Tyson’s silhouette behind the door. “Sir, your contract bride canceled,” Dale, Tyson's assistant, said to him.

“Then find someone else,” came Tyson's sharp voice.

“Already on it. But you need to be married by weekend.” He glanced at his phone briefly. “Which is tomorrow. Or you lose everything.”

“Double the amount,” Tyson said flatly. “Hundred grand a month, as long as she stays married to me.”

Lyra didn't know why, but something inside her twisted with excitement at that. I mean, what if she volunteered as Tyson's bride?

After all, Tyson owned Helixion Energy, which was way bigger than Wilson's. And if she were lucky, working there would make up for what she'd lost.

Without giving herself the chance to think it through, she climbed down from the bed and opened the door. “I'll do it. You can keep the money. Of course, that's if you don't have a problem with marrying your nephew's ex.”

Tyson turned to look at her, brows raised, head tilting with shock. The shock was replaced by a flicker of something that flashed through those gray eyes. He blinked, and it was gone. “Dale, have the lawyer draft up another contract immediately,” he instructed.

Then his gaze narrowed on Lyra, those piercing eyes trying to read her. “Whatever twisted reasons you have for suggesting this, I don't care. But you'll take the money; else this whole thing is off. I don't accept freebies.”

Dale immediately pulled out his phone to relay Tyson's message.

Lyra’s brows furrowed at his words. Freebies? “I didn't say it was for free,” she clarified. “I want something else.”

“Mmmhm…” Tyson's lips twitched slightly, his face an unreadable mask. “I'd say you're more straightforward than I remember.”

“How about innovative director position?” Lyra said instead, her eyes holding his. “I'm great at what I do, so it's a win-win.”

If everything went according to plan, she'd be able to focus on the research with unlimited resources at her disposal. Who knows what she'd accomplish before the year ends. She and Tyson would get a clean break and then go their separate ways.

“Just that?” Tyson let out an exaggerated sigh. “How disappointing.”

“What were you thinking, Uncle Tyson?” Lyra smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Instinctively, her traitorous eyes lowered, noticing the undone first two buttons of his shirt that revealed a peek of his sculpted chest. She inhaled. Not bad…

He crossed his arms and flashed a quick, unconvincing smile. “I don't know… Something else. Maybe half the company?”

Lyra knew that's not what he had in mind, but she just couldn't prove it. His eyes said something different from his mouth. “Yeah, and of course, no physical intimacy,” she blurted out the thought as soon as it came. She had to clarify that—more to herself, than him. “This is just a marriage on paper.” She'd be damned if she became entangled with another Wilson.

“Of course,” Tyson agreed quickly. Too quickly. “You're like a daughter to me, anyways.”

Lyra let out a dry laugh. “Daughter? Oh, please don't flatter yourself, Uncle Tyson. There's only a nine-year gap between us.” She folded her arms and rolled her eyes playfully. “I'm sure you didn't even know about puberty when you were nine.”

He blinked, a flustered look on his face.

She chuckled and patted his shoulders playfully. “Though you could pass for an older brother. We're just like siblings helping each other out.”

He nodded. “We are.” Then turning to Dale, “Don't forget to include that in the contract. And twenty percent of the company's shares.”

Dale, who was still on call with the lawyer, lowered his phone. “Uh, Mr. Wilson?” Surprised Dale, tried to confirm.

“Any problem?” Tyson asked him.

“Uhm, no sir.” Then Dale continued with the call.

“Wait…” Lyra’s eyes lit up. “Just like that?”

“Consider it a welcome gift to the Wilson family, Davis.” He stepped into her space and leaned forward, different emotions swirling in those intense gray eyes. His lips brushed her ear slightly as he whispered, “At least your first great choice with men.” Then he pulled back and pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead. Her heart rate spiked, and the room suddenly felt too hot, too small. Her blood boiled. She swallowed.

And those words, though teasing and innocent as they seemed, sent a shiver down Lyra's spine.

What was she getting herself into?