All Chapters of Married to Mr. Hayes… Again: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The last thing Julia remembered was ordering another drink. Waking up beside a breathtaking stranger definitely wasn't part of the plan. She had opened her eyes to a hotel suite that smelled faintly of expensive cologne, fresh linen, and the remnants of last night's mistakes. She'd had a long, exhausting day the day before and had gone to Saint & Silver for a drink to unwind. She glanced at the rumpled sheets. His shirt hung from the bedside lamp and her pants lay crumpled on the floor. A dull headache throbbed behind her eyes. She stole one last glance at the sleeping stranger. Even in sleep, he looked impossibly handsome. Whatever had happened between them last night would remain exactly where it belonged—in the past.She dressed quietly, slipped on her shoes, grabbed her work bag, and slipped out before Mr. Beautiful Stranger woke.She eased the door shut behind her and headed for the elevator. She heard the soft ping of the elevator arriving on her floor. As the doors swooshed

"What's with all the noise?" a calm, familiar voice drifted from the top of the staircase. Everyone turned. Mrs. Reid stood on the landing in a silk robe, one hand resting on the banister. Despite the fever that had left her looking pale and tired, she carried herself with effortless elegance."Mum, it's Julia. She's being rude and unreasonable." Devon replied, as they turned to face the person who had just spoken. "Theresa, darling, you should be in bed." Mr. Reid said, hurrying to her side to guide her down the stairs. "It's nothing to worry about." "Jonathan, it's only a fever, honestly. Stop fussing over me." she said, coughing slightly into her elbow. "Now, what was all that noise for? You disturbed my sleep." "For starters, Julia has refused to marry Mr. Sterling. She wants to defy father and would rather marry a total stranger." Devon said, pretending to be worried."Julia, dear, you must understand that we're doing this because we love you." Mrs. Reid said, reaching out

The man in front of her frowned. Those eyes... Why did she look so familiar? Before he could place her, another voice cut through his thoughts. "Julia?"She turned toward the voice.A blond man stood from one of the tables near the window, smiling and waving.It was Chris. She recognized him from his profile photos.She waved at him and offered a small smile before turning to face the man in front of her."Sorry," she said quietly.Without a word, he walked around her and left the restaurant.In daylight, he looked even more handsome than she remembered. She pushed the encounter to the back of her mind. She had bigger problems to worry about.She shook her head lightly and walked up to meet her date.Chris stood as she approached, smiling warmly."Good day, Julia," Chris said as he pulled out her chair. Julia blinked in surprise. At least he had manners."Good day, Chris. Sorry I'm late. I was swamped with work," she said, as she took her seat."It's fine. You gotta do what you g

As they made their way to Director Lucas's office, Adrian's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out of his inner pocket and answered. "Good evening, dad," "Where are you?" "Still at the university. I'll be with you shortly." "Don't keep me waiting." The line went dead. Adrian slipped his phone back into his pocket as he walked alongside Director Lucas toward his office."I believe Master Hayes would admire Miss Reid." Director Lucas said with a smile. Adrian remained silent. "Miss Reid continues to exceed our expectations. Your father's investment has been worthwhile." Adrian glanced back toward the lecture hall Julia had just left. Intelligent. Dedicated. Accomplished. She was nothing like the awkward woman he'd bumped into outside the restaurant. An interesting woman… Whether that would matter to his father remained to be seen. "These are the printed copies of the files you requested to see. They're all summaries of our current progress." Director Lucas said, sl

"Excuse me?" Julia couldn't hide her surprise. "Marry me," Adrian repeated firmly. "Is this a joke? Hold on." Julia adjusted in her seat, trying to process what he had just said. He had just asked her to marry him. Completely out of the blue. How had a lunch meeting turned into a marriage proposal? "On your terms," he said flatly. "You want me to marry you? Why? Is this love at first sight?" A flicker of surprise crossed Adrian's otherwise composed face. "Love at first sight? No. Think of it like a business proposal." Julia couldn't deny that this could solve all her problems. But it was almost too convenient. "And why are you offering me this business proposal?" she inquired. "I need a wife. Based on what I've seen, you're the best fit." "Is that your way of saying you like me?" "No. I have my reasons for this proposal.""And may I know these reasons?""You'll know after you read the contract." "Contract?" she asked, her brows knitting together. "I'm afraid that's not