All Chapters of Surrogate Scam Backfires: I Married the Infertile Tycoon: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Parker only had a place in the company because of Leanne's family's connections, yet here he was, daring to covet the flagship project she was personally in charge of.She knew stealing her design drafts was his true goal.When Leanne didn't answer right away, Parker assumed she was hesitating. He hurried to throw out a second option, one he thought was absolutely perfect."Or… look, Charlotte doesn't have much going on right now. She's always admired you, and she keeps saying she wants to learn from you. How about letting her work in your studio as your assistant? She can help with little tasks, run errands, and bring you coffee or tea. She's very thoughtful, so I'm sure she'll take great care of you."There it was. That was the real reason for this dinner. He wanted to plant his one true love right beside Leanne. That way, they could watch her day and night, waiting for the right moment to pull some dirty trick so Leanne would "accidentally" end up pregnant with Parker's child.

Leanne acted like Charlotte was made of air. That complete disregard hurt more than if she'd yelled in her face.Even Parker felt his pride take a hit. He cleared his throat and tried to smooth things over. "Charlotte just started, so there's a lot she doesn't know yet. I'll teach her."With that, he led Charlotte over to her desk.All morning, a strange tension hung over the design department. Parker practically glued himself to Charlotte's side. One minute, he was teaching her how to use the software. Next, he was helping her sort files and fussing over her, being overly attentive in every way.Charlotte, meanwhile, fully leaned into the role of a weak, helpless newbie, looking up at him every so often with that wide-eyed, worshipful, and dependent gaze.Their blatant familiarity played out like a little office drama, and the surrounding coworkers watched with great interest, trading knowing glances now and then.Leanne's office faced the open work area. The glass wall blocked

What a joke.Leanne sneered inwardly. Before she could say anything, though, Aiden moved first.He simply and naturally took half a step forward. It was such a small movement, yet it put his whole body squarely between her and Parker. In an instant, a powerful, invisible sense of possession and protection radiated from him.Parker's bluster, for no reason at all, diminished a notch.Leanne lifted her eyes and met his accusing glare head-on. The corner of her lips even hooked up in a faint smile. "Parker, fancy running into you here."She greeted him first, then turned slightly to the side and did the introductions with easy poise. "Mr. Aiden and I are discussing a potential collaboration, so we agreed to meet here for dinner.""Mr. Aiden", "collaboration"…Parker's face went pale, then flushed, the color shifting rapidly. A collaboration with Aiden? When did she manage to connect with someone like him? And why was he the last to know?A dozen thoughts flashed through his mind,

Leanne suddenly lost her appetite.Just then, a perfectly peeled prawn, cleaned so thoroughly that not even a trace of the vein remained, landed on her plate. The flesh was plump and translucent, still carrying a hint of warmth.She looked up and met Aiden's deep, unreadable eyes. He was slowly wiping his long fingers with a wet towel, as if what he'd just done was the most casual thing in the world. His voice was low and meant only for the two of them. "This restaurant only uses live shrimp."It was a simple sentence. There were no names mentioned or direct accusations made, but it was like a sharp knife, precisely stabbing toward the two "corpses" at the table who'd been putting on such a lively performance at the table.Leanna paused, then understood. She looked at the clean, glistening shrimp on her plate, then at Parker and Charlotte across from her, their faces flushing red and turning pale by turns. The resentment she'd been holding down all evening inexplicably eased.She

The Bentley merged smoothly into traffic, the ride steady and quiet. Inside the car, it was almost silent, save for the faint hum of the car. Before long, it pulled up in front of the Knight residence.After Leanne got out, she noticed Aiden hadn't moved. A little puzzled, she met his gaze. Before she could open her mouth to ask, his phone started ringing again. This time, he answered. His side profile was sharply defined in the night."Speak." He said just one word, his voice back to carrying its usual cold, hard edge.On the other end, Sean seemed to be reporting something urgent. Aiden's brows furrowed slightly. "Got it."After hanging up, he finally looked back at Leanne, his voice still cool and clipped. "Take your meds and get some rest."But beneath that hardness, there was a faint, almost imperceptible trace of concern.The black Bentley turned around soundlessly and disappeared into the night. Leanne watched the car's taillights vanish, feeling as if something rigid and