Victoria stared at her father's back as he disappeared into the doorway of her study. The sound of Rosalee's crying could still be heard. She turned to stare at the frozen Emberly. She did not feel the slightest compassion for those who had always trampled her, even in their most miserable condition. Victoria was satisfied with the initial success of her revenge. She only needed to take the next step to destroy Alden and Emberly. She left the living room to catch up with her father, who had locked himself in his study. Without hesitation, Victoria knocked gently on the door when she was at the door. "Father, it's Victoria. I have something important to talk to you about. May I come in?" There was no answer from inside for a few seconds. Then, finally, the sound of a key opening was heard, and permission was granted. Victoria opened the door quietly and stepped inside, seeing her father standing facing the window with his back to her. "Father," Victoria called to start the c
"Tori, I told you I wouldn't mind paying the damages to Hurlington. You don't need to marry that guy to take responsibility." Victoria wiped her mouth with a napkin after finishing her breakfast. Another day passed, and all activities were normal except for the situation inside and outside the Agriche family. Now, Emberly was not at the dinner table, confined to her room alone while Rosalee was still present, but as if she was not in her seat. "I've told you, too, Father. I've thought it over well. After all, I am partly responsible for destroying our family image," Victoria replied. "But what will the rumors say about you?" Ah, so this was what her father was worried about. He feared that his name might get worse. Petter's ambition overpowered his love for his daughter to the point of selling her after his other daughter had taken her first daughter's fiancé. That's probably how the news about her father would be if news of her marriage to Maverick broke soon. "Don't w
One month later. The news of the Agriche family scandal was still loudly discussed by every social circle. The media continued to fry it, causing a lot of speculation. Blasphemy has been directed at Alden and Emberly. The two of them are the ones who get the most impact. Because of the despicable acts committed, their image has been completely tarnished. Emberly, who knew about it, hid herself for a while. After a month later, she appeared at her campus again. She thought all the news had been buried for the past few weeks. "Karina!" Emberly called out to the familiar person and walked over to them. Her step was confident, as if the scandal that brought her name down had never happened. She showed no signs of self-reflection or even embarrassment. Her face was still as arrogant as the Emberly Agriche that everyone knew. Karina, who was with some friends, changed their expressions right after Emberly's arrival. The atmosphere, which was initially very cheerful and friendly
"Alden!" Emberly hugged the man when they arrived at the restaurant where they met. A restaurant was so private that Alden needed to rent it overnight to meet Emberly. Alden released their hug roughly and clicked his tongue. "Don't hug me recklessly again! We don't know what will happen amid our chaotic situation!" "Everyone already knows about our relationship. Why hide it, Alden?!" Emberly's face, which had been smiling brightly, became cloudy again. She released her pent-up emotions, "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to get out of touch? Now that I've been out for a month to see you, I'm being bullied on campus!" "You should know why they're acting like that towards you!" Alden exclaimed in annoyance. "Yes, the cause of all this is Victoria. Because of her, we split up and had to endure all this!" Emberly snapped at him. Both of them were silent. Alden did not refute what Emberly said, even though his common sense knew the blame lay with him. His big
Maverick and Victoria's wedding party "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome the newlyweds who are the stars of tonight's reception!" Victoria took Maverick's arm as the host's voice announced their arrival. She breathed her last long breath before stepping inside with Maverick, who had officially become her husband since this morning. They walked amid the spacious ballroom that had become a luxurious and elegant venue for the evening reception. The sound of thunderous applause greeted the two as they walked. The daytime reception, held right after the vows were exchanged at the altar, was exclusively attended by colleagues and business associates of both families. Meanwhile, this evening's reception and closing party were only attended by relatives and family members of both families. Even so, the scale of the event was still quite large. "Your hands are icy," said Maverick, touching the back of her hand. After smiling at the guests since her arrival, Victoria tur
"Don't you feel bad for your grandmother for lying to her just for your ambition to destroy Alden's company?" asked Victoria after the trio left to enjoy their meal. "Then, do you want to return when we're just about to start our next plan?" Maverick asked the question loudly and without hesitation while looking Victoria straight in the eye. Victoria was silent, looking back at Maverick. He should have known she had no other answer. Her signature was already on the contract as a guarantee. So inevitably, she must ultimately complete their plan, no matter what. At first, Victoria was confident that she would not change or violate the terms they had agreed upon, even though her conscience told her that before's plan was enough to avenge Alden's betrayal. However, Victoria's heart began to doubt when she saw Lisa, who was so kind and genuinely happy with this marriage. She even expected this marriage. "Do I have any other options?" asked Victoria after a long daydreaming. T
"So exhausting ..." Victoria sighed after sitting on the edge of the hotel bed. The very long event ended at midnight. At least for the two who were left to rest while her parents and Maverick's grandmother cared for the guests until the end. It was not easy wearing three dresses and a face full of makeup for almost 24 hours, only for a wedding that would end after a year. The hotel room door opened, and a man walked in. Victoria turned to the door, frowned as she saw him enter, and asked, "Why are you here?" "This is my room," he replied casually as he approached Victoria. Once before her, he added, "What do you think your parents and my grandmother would say if we, married coupled, used different rooms?" For a moment, Victoria was silent. Then, after a while, she realized something. "I forgot that they don't know we're just contract marriages," she muttered, leaned back, and closed her eyes. Victoria ignored Maverick, who was in the same room as her, because she was t
Victoria woke up to a lot of noise. She blinked before looking around the room for the source of the noise. She felt a sense of Deja Vu, waking up in an unfamiliar room with sounds and atmosphere. As she recalled, she was in the car after a flight of more than 10 hours with two transits with her husband. Then, she unconsciously fell asleep from exhaustion. Now Victoria woke up in a luxurious room with the sound of crashing waves waking her up. "Verick?" called Victoria to confirm his whereabouts. Victoria got up from her bed to look for her husband. She was quite wary of being in an unknown place by herself. She looked around every room in the villa but still couldn't find Maverick, which made her even more anxious. "Verick?!" Victoria called out once again. Only when she looked outside, to the backyard, she found him. He had just turned around, about to go her, when he heard his name being called. Victoria stepped out with a look of relief. "You had a nightmare and so
"Thank you for allowing your hotel to be the venue for my birthday party," she said after signing the documents Victoria brought. They shook hands warmly while exchanging friendly smiles. "No, it is I who should thank you for accepting my proposal." Victoria and the actress chatted intimately about a few things while eating the menu that had arrived. She tried her best to balance the topic of conversation with the knowledge her secretary had given her about the actress. "By the way, I have to leave now as I have another appointment. Sorry, Mrs. Hurlington. I will send invitations to both of you. Let's chat another time." She stood up after looking at her watch. Meanwhile, her manager quickly brought the actress' belongings. Victoria also stood up and nodded, "Of course, thank you for your time, Miss Angel." "It was nice spending time with you, but it's a shame it has to end." They hugged briefly in farewell. Angel put her glasses and mask back on before exiting the priva
"Verick, are you trying to get us into trouble?!" Victoria ignored her husband's question and turned to scold him for nearly hurting her head. Just like his wife, as if he didn't care about her anger, Maverick ignored her as well and kept demanding answers. "What are your plans for meeting him?!" "What's wrong with you? Just because I met him, what are you angry about?! We're only on contract, in case you forgot!" In a fit of rage, Victoria didn't think about her words and raised her tone of voice while pointing at Maverick. It was then that Maverick fell silent, no longer replying to her argument as if he had woken up. A few seconds of silence filled inside the car. Although they were quiet with each other, the atmosphere was still so intense due to the emotions of their respective egos. The eyes that stared intently at Victoria still hadn't changed. He then got out of the car without saying anything and slammed the door. After Maverick's departure, Victoria sighed deeply. She
"Victoria, who is he?" asked James, who was just watching while holding Maverick."Mr. Benedict." Maverick stared intently at the man in front of him as if he were ready to beat him up at any moment.Before Victoria could speak up to answer, Nadine spoke first. "Wait, wait, isn't he that very famous person? A shameless cheater? He's your ex-fiancé, right, Victoria?"Victoria nodded once in response, which made Nadine turn her attention to Alden. The woman also put her body in front of Victoria, just like Maverick, who was ready to hit him at any time."What business do you have with Victoria? As Verick said, you guys are no longer related to each other!""Babe..." James pulled his fiancée, making her shut up to let Victoria speak and end this situation."I have something to tell you, Victoria." Alden's words suddenly made Maverick look even more furious. He looked like he couldn't control himself and could have hit Alden anytime without Victoria holding him back. "There's no need to t
"For someone coming to a place like this for the first time, I think they will like it. Just like me. The aquarium is wonderful and interesting, James," Victoria commented while talking about her opinion.Victoria didn't mean to curry favor or anything. She just liked the aesthetics and the efficient and sophisticated system. After all, neither James nor Nadine would think so since they knew how much richer the Agriche and Hurlington families were compared to them."Thank you, Victoria. I heard that the name of the hotel you lead is also experiencing a lot of progress and development." Victoria smiled a little at the news already reaching their fellow businessmen."I added some buildings without changing the concept. It was my mother's hotel, and my father didn't want any changes.""That's a great achievement in such a short time that an A-lister like Angel would hold a party at your hotel. I heard a while ago that the hotel was going bankrupt." Nadine chimed in, only to be responded
"Come on, Tori," said Maverick, who had unknowingly opened the car door for Victoria, who was still silent.Her eyes took in the surroundings of the place where they were now. Victoria followed where Maverick took her and waited obediently like a puppy when her husband left her to buy two entrance tickets."Well, now, let's go in." Maverick showed the tickets and again took her by the hand to enter the building.From the outside, the building was bright blue. When the two entered the building, the blue color became natural due to the reflection of the large glass filled with seawater. Maverick was right. Victoria loved this place. She stared in amazement at this place she was visiting for the first time. It was a large aquarium and a museum displaying various sea creatures."Do you like it?" asked Maverick, quietly watching his wife.Victoria turned to him and nodded with a smile. "Thank you for bringing me here.""Thankfully, my intention to entertain you did not fail," he said.His
"Hey, by the way, isn't this where I proposed to you?" Maverick released their embrace and stared at the surroundings.Victoria blinked her eyes a few times while looking at Maverick with furrowed brows in confusion. She tried to dig into her memory to recall what her husband had said. However, no matter how much Victoria tried, she never felt that she was proposed to by the man other than having a conversation before they got married. Right after the plan to expose Alden and Emberly's affair succeeded."If you're talking about the day our first plan succeeded, I don't think it was a proposal," Victoria said with a chuckle.She stepped into the gazebo first, followed by her husband. He matched her slow pace until they sat on the same chair where they had chatted before they got married a few months ago. Time had unknowingly passed quite a while since the day they got married."You never proposed to me, but we'll talk about the same thing again in this place. So, is there a plan to expo
"How are you feeling, Victoria?" Victoria felt a cold sweat starting to break out on her back. Without answering, she only stared straight at the couple as they entered the car and drove away. She thought the question indicated Maverick's desire to know her true feelings for him. 'Does he already know?' She continued to question in her head in desperate fear. 'Then what will happen afterwards?' "Tori..." His soft voice broke the silence in the car. Maverick turned off the car engine that had been running. He pulled Victoria's face suddenly, making her put on a surprised expression so she couldn't resist. "Verick, I..." Her words only reached her throat. She could not express her feelings right now, which could break their contract. "Look at me and answer the question," he said in a commanding tone as if reluctant to be contradicted. "I don't know, Verick." Slowly, she said it without looking at the pair of eyes before her. A long silence followed again, and out of curiosity, V
After Victoria's departure, Gustav had not yet risen from his seat. He watched his best friend's husband sharply and cautiously as if he were very wary of him. Likewise, Maverick did not let Gustav go for a second, as if they were in a staring contest. No one wanted to give in first. "I warned you not to overreact, Hurlington! You're nothing more than a contract husband written on paper." Gustav attacked him first with his sharp words. "I know what I'm doing, Alessandro. We did it for both of our businesses. Instead of warning me, you should have supported her if you were her friend." Maverick replied indifferently to the warning. "I know your business, and that's more than enough!" he exclaimed. "Are you jealous of me and Victoria?" Maverick asked back while furrowing his eyebrows. "Ha!" Gustav snorted harshly and looked away. He looked back at Maverick with both hands, intent on grabbing his shirt collar. However, he decided against it. "I already think of her as my own
"So, may I dance with you, My lady?" Victoria smiled amusedly but couldn't resist accepting her husband's hand. Maverick pulled her hand until they joined the other couples on the dance floor. He swung around her waist and danced in time with the soft music. "You're gorgeous tonight," Maverick complimented, which inevitably caused a reaction on Victoria's cheeks. Luckily, her cheeks were covered with enough blush color to look natural. "Thank you for telling me, husband," she replied confidently. Victoria was again trying to control her heart rate, which had been going crazy since the dance started, with their bodies pressed together. She also had to keep reminding herself that his every gesture, compliment, and treatment of her was just an act. The feelings that shouldn't be there grew with each passing day due to this charade. No wonder Maverick's treatment seemed so natural, even when it was just the two. Until now, when they were attending Agriche's company birthday