Chapter Four

 After studying him closely , her feelings began to subside. She was no dummy; she didn't need a map to know better as to play along with his 'out of no where'crazy charade. 

 It was a probably a dangerous gamble, but the potential was insane ! 

 "What's going on here?" her mother demanded, stepping much closer towards the two of them, her hands frantically fluttering by them. 

 The people behind her mother were leaning in, their collective breath held tight looking like they were waiting for a response.

 "Yeah, what's going on, Adrian?" another sharp voice cut in from the side. Someone else from the Harold family stepped forward into the tight circle also.

 Looking at her pinched, judgmental expression, Lydia instantly recognized her—it was his pesky aunt.

 Adrian didn't spare his aunt a glance. 

 He leaned in closer to Lydia Seemingly looking like he was checking to see if she had the spine to confirm it.

 When her dazed state cleared , "Yeah, yes, definitely ....my boyfriend. Yes," the words came out singly and deliberately from her lips.

 There was no turning back now. After all, this chance was a perfect one offered to her on a silver platter right when she needed it the most. 

 It was poetic justice. 

 she saw the immediate effect of her confirmation. Adrian’s lips curled into a satisfied smile,while his brother wore the opposite.

 "Okay?"

 There had to be more to it than that. There was no way the two of them would just randomly pull up on Lydia’s engagement day with Henry to suddenly claim they were a couple out of thin air.

 Henry rubbed his swollen jaw as his eyes tuned onto her with a mixture of disapproval and fury."Are you insane? What has gotten into you, Lydia?" 

 "We’ve been together for ten years! Ten good years! And on one of the most important nights of our lives, you join my brother to be spouting some twisted nonsense?!"

 Henry launched at her again. He was reckless,almost pushing her to the ground ,still trying to tear her away from Adrian.

 "Get away from her!"A commanding voice boomed through the space. 

 Before Henry's fingers could even graze her fabric, Adrian gripped his hand mid-air. 

 With one smooth movement, Adrian stepped forward, blocking Lydia behind his broad back and cutting off Henry's access . His face was tone-cold and held her hand tightly.

 Without another word, he brushed right past a stunned Henry and moved them closer to the rest of the family, acting as an impenetrable shield against the stares.

 He glanced down at her, Adrian's voice dropped into a smooth register. "Babe, are you okay?"

 Lydia nodded slowly, finding it difficult to deal with the looks burning into her from every corner of the room.

 "We’ve been together for five years now, and we’re ready to push things forward," Adrian declaration was clear. "I’ve been hesitant and it allowed this whole mix-up, but everything is cleared now ."

 Henry froze, his eyes bulging as his breath hitched. His brother has really gone mad, hasn't he? 

 Five years?

 The timeline made no sense, yet Adrian stated it with such certainty that it made it sound normal.

 "This explanation won't suffice," a calculating voice said."How do you explain the fact that she’s been with Henry for ten years and with you for five years? Are you trying to say that she seduced you?" 

 The smug, elegant woman turned her sharpened eyes to Lydia, "You immoral child, have you been two-timing my nephews all this while?" 

 ."No... that's not it," Lydia breathed, her lips tightening. 

 The woman's lips tightened with traces of disgust. "No, that's not it," she scoffed.Adrians aunt sneered, "Then what is it?" 

 "Hey, my daughter is not like that!" Lydia's mother defended harshly with her chin high annoyed by the utterance of the woman, though she was curious."Yes, my sister is not like that," Natasha added defensively.

 As the room was about to enter a 'tumultuous era ',Adrian sighed"Well, you spoke about ten years.If I'm correct, they were not really dating until after six years . And also..." 

 "She was only dating my brother because she thought it wouldn't work out between us because of the nature of the alliance. To be honest, it's very complicated."

 Henry sneered. So she indeed have been two-timing them? 

 What a bitch!

 Adrian cleared his throat, unfazed by the reactions rippling through. "Plus, if we both affirm, it shouldn't be a problem, right? The alliance gets fulfilled no matter which of the Harolds... am I correct? I figured most of you guys are worried about that."

 It was a total checkmate.

 Lydia noticed the expression of the cheat pair. Natasha looked surprised, but her face was also drained of colour. Why was she so pale? Is it... Is it...

 Even if it is,it still didn't really make sense.Adrians words weren't swept under the rug. 

Actually, the family were heavily invested in the arrangement—the marriage between Henry and Lydia because it could unlock the viability of a major " money maker" sector. It was the alliance. 

 The primary heirs of the families were typically left free from the alliance it. But the burden was almost bound on the other siblings to provide a solid anchor and further strengthen their empires.

 The fact ,Henry and Lydia have been close since high school was a perfect loophole. She really did fell for him far before he noticed her and long before they became friends—feelings that faded the exact minute she caught him in bed with Natasha.

 "What nonsense!" Henry thundered.

 If he didn't love her to the extent he would be able to bang her sister in her own home without a single shred of remorse. Then why did he care so much now?

 The alliance was originally made to favour the couple more since they were not the direct corporate heirs to the main thrones. 

 If that was it, he could just get married to Natasha.If Lydia wanted to throw away their history, then he could easily swap the sisters and keep the lucrative family alliance alive on his own terms.

 The doors swung back with a hollow thud, the family butler rushed inside, his face pale and his breath catching in his throat as he bypassed the guests and ventured to Lydia’s mother."The cops are here,"

  A group of stern uniformed officers pushed past him.The lead officer went to the center of the space, "Excuse us, ladies and gentlemen," 

 "We are here for Lydia Sinclair."

 "Yes...?"

 The officer narrowed his eyes and pulled out a pair o

f iron handcuffs from his belt.

 "You’re under arrest for the cold-blooded murder of Thorne Gerald."