Chapter 2 Nathaniel, What’s Your Excuse For Keeping My Wife Waiting?

Andrea was speechless for a moment before a deep frown settled across her face.

“Excuse me?”

“That’s insane. How could you have gotten married without Marcus?” Olivia chimed in, her grip on his arm loosening.

Marcus immediately realized what was at stake. If Alicia really had gotten married, everything he had been promised could slip away.

He shot to his feet.

“Stop spewing nonsense just because I hurt you. You’re not the first woman to be left at the altar, and you won’t be the last.

“Saying something like this in such a serious situation is childish. Even for you.”

Alicia looked at him.

She had chosen to believe there was a reason he didn’t show up, but seeing Olivia holding him told her everything she needed to know.

Strangely, she didn’t feel hurt.

If anything, she was a little amused.

“You’re not a member of the Hodge family. What right do you have to speak in our family matters?” She brushed him aside and looked at Olivia instead.

Olivia misunderstood her tone completely.

Of course she did.

Alicia had known Marcus for years. Loved him for three. She was supposed to marry him today.

There was simply no way she wasn’t hurting.

“Don’t speak to him like that,” Olivia said, her voice softening like she actually cared. “He may not be marrying you, but he’s with me now. Since you claim to be married, you shouldn’t be this offended with him.”

Alicia’s lips curved slightly and she nodded once.

“Very well. Then until he marries you, I would appreciate it if he doesn’t speak out of turn in our family affairs.”

Marcus’ expression darkened.

That rule existed. He knew it.

The only reason he had ever been allowed to speak before was because Alicia had been the heiress.

Now…

He clenched his jaw.

Before he could respond, Andrea inhaled slowly and looked at Alicia with open disdain.

“I don’t know what kind of upbringing you had with your father, but in the Hodge family, we do not lie simply because the truth is inconvenient.

“True, you may have had a say ten minutes ago, but not anymore. So either you accept what I’m offering while you still can or you return to the countryside with nothing.”

“And since you claim to be married,” Olivia added with a sneer, “where is your marriage certificate?”

Alicia thinned her lips. The registration was still being processed, so there was nothing official she could present yet.

“It seems I-”

“Lost it?” Olivia cut in sharply. “So now that you’ve been caught lying, you suddenly lost it?”

Alicia exhaled softly and lifted her head.

“My deadline already passed. If there was no certificate, I’d only be making a fool of myself by insisting there was one. Don’t you think?”

Before anyone could respond, hurried footsteps echoed from outside.

The family butler rushed in.

“Madam! There’s exciting news!”

Andrea frowned. “What is it?”

“Derek Hayne… he’s gotten married.”

Silence.

Real, heavy silence.

Olivia’s eyes lit up instantly. “Grandmother, I forgot to tell you, but I got close to Debbie Solis. If I can just-”

“The Hayne family has already cut ties with the Solis family.” The butler subtly cut her off, chiming in.

Olivia froze.

Andrea’s eyes gleamed. “Derek Hayne is the most influential man in Dew City. If he hid his wife this well, it means he values her deeply.”

She leaned back slightly. “In that case, whoever finds his wife and gets close to her will gain direct access to him.”

The room stirred as excitement from what she was about to say spread instantly.

“Alicia has already lost her inheritance,” Andrea continued. “So whoever accomplishes this will take her place.”

Alicia’s fingers tightened at her side. She raised her hand slightly.

“And if I find her?”

For a second, the room fell silent. Then Olivia laughed.

“Oh please. You? A woman like that wouldn’t even look in your direction. I, on the other hand, already have connections. I even golf with one of Derek Hayne’s distant cousin.”

Andrea listened to them bicker before she set her teacup down.

“If you want a chance, then prove your worth first. Bring me a piece from Mr. Red.”

Everyone’s eyes widened in both disbelief and pity toward Alicia, but Andrea still continued, “Not something from his store, but a custom piece. If you can do it, you can join. You have three days.”

Olivia let out a soft laugh. “Grandmother, that’s too harsh.”

She then turned to Alicia, her smile mocking.

“Mr. Red hasn’t accepted a new client in years. Even people with connections wait three to five years just to get an appointment. And you don’t even know where to start.”

Andrea didn’t look away and continued almost casually, “If you fail, you will sign the document and leave the Hodge family that same day. Quietly. Without taking a single cent and without ever using the Hodge name again.”

Marcus finally found an opportunity to speak, unable to hide his sneer.

“She can’t even keep a man. Now you expect her to get a private commission from Mr. Red? Just give up and go back to the countryside.”

Alicia said nothing, but her jaw tightened.

…

The next morning, Olivia left early for the golf club.

Alicia didn’t sleep much and was out of the house at seven.

Red Jewelries was larger than she expected and only when ehe arrived did she realise that Nathaniel Red only saw clients by appointment.

Every attempt she made to meet him was turned down politely.

By evening, she gave up. Tired, she stepped outside to get coffee.

That was when she saw it. The card ber husband had given her after their marriage yesterday.

She stared at it for a moment before pulling out her phone

Thirty minutes later, they were seated outside the building with coffee.

“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” Alicia muttered. “Like it’s so hard to find a man to marry.”

She took a sip and continued, That traitor Marcus… once this is over, I’ll make sure he ends up somewhere worse than the countryside.”

Derek nodded slightly. “I’ll look into it.”

“You know, my grandfather left me a letter asking me not to walk away from them too quickly. So I guess I should at least try to build something with them.”

“Your grandfather sounds reasonable.”

“I wouldn’t know, I never met him.”

Across the street, a car slowly rolled out of the gates.

Then, it stopped abruptly and a bulky middle-aged man stepped out, his eyes wide with horror.

He didn’t even close the door before hurrying forward.

“S-sir, I’m Nathaniel Red, I do…”

Alicia only caught the name.

Nathaniel Red.

Her eyes widened and she immediately grabbed Derek’s arm, pulling him up.

Derek stood lazily, his gaze settling on the man. “Nathaniel, you better have a good excuse for keeping my wife outside all day.”