Chapter 2 Victoria POV

I held my ground and rolled my eyes. "Actually, no. I came to let you all know that I'm officially married."

The room fell silent for a moment. Then, my dad, Richard Branson, stood up, his face a mix of incredulity and anger. "You're lying."

"Am I?" I said, pulling out the marriage certificate and placing it on the table. "Here's the proof."

Clara snatched the document, scanning it with her sharp eyes while my stepsister Sabrina peered over her shoulder. Sabrina's mouth twisted into a cruel smile. "Married already? That's rich. Who's the poor fool you managed to trap?"

I ignored her taunt, standing tall. "That's none of your concern."

“It is my concern,” my father snapped, his voice rising. “You think getting married like this changes anything? You’re still reckless and impulsive! Who is this man? Is he some gold digger looking to leech off your inheritance?”

I swallowed hard, steadying my voice. “His name is Adrian Lioyd. And unlike James, he’s a man of integrity.”

Sabrina laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. “Integrity? We’ll see about that. Let’s meet this so-called husband of yours. If he even exists.”

"He's real, and he's on his way," I said firmly, checking my watch. Adrian had said he was coming straight from the construction site, and I knew that meant he'd be in work clothes. Not great, but I had a feeling he could handle whatever my family tossed his way.

A half hour later, I felt a wave of relief mixed with nervous anticipation surge through me as the sound of Adrian's truck pulled into the driveway. I opened the door just as he stepped out, dressed in a dusty flannel shirt, jeans, and work boots. His face was smudged with dirt and his hair slightly tousled. Despite his rugged appearance, he walked with a confidence I could only find reassuring.

“Victoria,” he greeted with a warm smile, handing me a bouquet of flowers he’d clearly picked up on the way. “I hope I’m not late.”

I smiled back, taking the flowers. “Not at all. Come in.”

The moment Adrian stepped inside, the tension in the room thickened. My family’s judgmental eyes scanned him from head to toe, their disdain practically dripping from their expressions.

This is him?" Sabrina snickered, hardly disguising her laughter. "You married a construction worker? Oh, this is just too good."

Clara smirked, folding her arms over her chest. "Did you even take a look at his bank account before rushing into this? Or were you just desperate to prove a point?"

Adrian seemed unperturbed by their greeting. He turned to my father and held out his hand. "Adrian Miller. Nice to meet you, Mr. Branson.

My father gazed at Adrian's outstretched hand as though it were something foul before finally giving it a short shake. "So, you're the one who married my daughter."

"Yes, sir," Adrian said graciously. "I understand you may have some concerns, but I assure you, my intentions are true."

Sabrina snorted. "True? You mean you truly wanted a free ticket to wealth.

I stepped forward, my voice sharp. "That's enough, Sabrina. Adrian is my husband, and you will treat him with respect."

Sabrina rolled her eyes, but before she could retort, Adrian spoke. "I may not come from wealth, but I work hard, and I care about Victoria's happiness. That's all that should matter."

Clara chuckled, shaking her head. "How noble of you. But let's be honest, a man like you will never fit into our world."

Adrian met her gaze calmly. "That's fine. I'm not interested in fitting into your world. I'm here for Victoria, not your approval.

The room fell silent with those words, and I couldn't feel anything but proud. Adrian was not the son my family had expected, but he did possess something much more important-character.

My father finally broke the silence, his tone cold. "This doesn't change anything, Victoria. You may have a husband now, but that doesn't mean you're ready to handle the responsibility of your grandmother's business. Don't think for a second that I'll let you ruin what she built."

"I'm not asking for your permission," I replied evenly. "Grandma trusted me, and I intend to honor her wishes."

Sabrina sneered. "We'll see how long this sham of a marriage lasts. You can't possibly think this. arrangement will fool everyone."

Adrian turned to Sabrina, his tone even but firm. "Whether you believe in our marriage or not is beside the point. We don't owe you or anybody else an explanation." bully my wife again and am coming for you. consider that as a warning.

Who do you think you are, bottom feeder?! said Clara, my step mother.

With that, I took Adrian's hand and headed for the door. Outside, I let my breath out long and slow, tension easing.

"Don't worry, Dad. I will marry James in Victoria's place," Sabrina said with her voice all sickly sweet and smug.

"Sweetheart," my father said indulgently, "you can do better than James. Let Victoria have that mess of a man. We have bigger plans for you."

"Bigger plans?" Sabrina asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

There was a pause, and then the rustling of paper. "Here," my father said. "An invitation to the Lloyd Corporation banquet this Saturday. It's your chance to meet Theodore Lloyd."

"The Lloyd family heir?" Sabrina sounded genuinely excited. "Theodore Lloyd is taking over the company? He's kept his identity a secret for so long."

"Yes, and he's the youngest billionaire CEO in this country," my father said proudly, as though Theodore's success somehow reflected on him.

"If you become the next Mrs. Lloyd," he continued, "imagine the fame, the power, the wealth. It's all within your grasp."

"Don't worry, Dad," Sabrina said, and her voice was full of determination. "I won't let you down."

As we walked away from my father's house, the air still held the residue of tension. My heart ached from the confrontation, my chest constricting with guilt as I looked Adrian's way; he had taken the brunt of their insults without complaint, manning up beside me like an immovable rock.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, making the silence break.

"For what?" he asked, the tone light, yet genuine in curiosity.

"If I'd known they were going to insult you like that, I would've." I didn't finish it. My voice quivered. "No one's ever stood up for me before."

Adrian halted his stride, swiveling to face me. His eyes, hazel, warmed; his hand touched my shoulder in reassurance. "Hey," he said softly, "I'm your husband now. It's my job to take some bullets for you. That's what we signed up for, remember?"

Without further ado, a shrill, angry voice pierced the air from behind us.

"Hey! Take those filthy hands off of her!

I froze at once, knowing that voice too well. Adrian stiffened, his hand instinctively tightening at my waist. I turned around slowly as James stormed towards us, his face twisted in anger.

"James," I said firmly, my voice full of irritation. "I broke up with you. Why don't you go find your mistress and leave me alone?

James ignored my words, his gaze locked on Adrian like a predator sizing up his prey. “I don’t agree to breaking off our engagement,” he spat. “You’re coming home with me, Victoria.”

Before James could take another step closer, Adrian moved in front of me, his expression calm but dangerous. "Hey," Adrian said, his voice firm and even, "don't touch my wife. And if you even think about laying a finger on her, I'll break your filthy arms."

James froze, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Wife?" he echoed, tone filled with incredulity. "You married this. this construction worker?

Adrian smirked, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist. "That's right. She's my wife now. So, I suggest you back off."

James stared at us, his face contorting with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "You've made a huge mistake, Victoria," he hissed. "You'll regret this.

I took a deep breath, finding every ounce of courage within my body. "The only thing I regret, James, is wasting my time with you. Go crawl back to Sabrina or whoever else will tolerate you, because I'm done."

Adrian tugged me closer, his hand firm yet reassuring on my waist. "Come on, darling," he said, his tone playful yet protective. "Let's go.

Adrian didn't say another word to James but escorted me to his car. I felt a silly sense of relief as we left James standing there, his anger becoming a gray hum as we rode away.

The evening air was cool, but the tension in the apartment was anything but. Adrian stood behind me, his presence warm and steady. My gaze flicked to him briefly, taking in the way his broad shoulders seemed to take up the whole room. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of shorts, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I turned away quickly.