Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ

Drinking aftermath “Are you worried, Cora?” Jack couldn't hide his amusement. “I can almost smell jealousy coming from you!” “It might sound irrational to you, but there's something like a female instinct, and it screams that | shouldn't underestimate the fact that Aren’s ex-girlfriend suddenly appeared in the city, ” | said. “I'm aware that it is quite shallow ofto worry about his ex while he is still unconscious. Nonetheless, it bothersmore now that I've just heard how Aren couldn’t cope with her leaving him. What if someone brought her here on purpose? What if it was someone who knew how much she meant to Aren and wanted to mess him up?” “Don’t you think that you are a little bit paranoid, Cora?” Chris mocked. “Aren seemed to be happy with you. | doubt that he would take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about schick that double-crossed him.” | frowned and clenched my fist. “He already did! He had nightmares the night after someone sent him pictures of her, walking around the streets of New York! And you seriously think that | have nothing to worry about?!” They both stayed silent for more than a minute. | could see the mocking grins disappear from their expressions and give way to hesitation and concern. Nonetheless, they didn’t want to admit that it was something that | should worry about. “Let's just focus on Aren’s health right now, OK?” Jack tossed before getting up to refill our drinks.

Their avoiding the subject was like they were admitting that | was right. Yet, of course, my main concern was Aren and his condition. The doctor said that all of his parameters returned to normal, and there was no reason for him to stay in a coma, and yet, he didn’t wake up...

| felt lonely and weak without him. Perhaps the main reason why | kept drowning myself in work was that | had trouble facing my helplessness.

“I'm tired...” | mumbled, sipping another glass of whiskey. “What did you say?” Chris's words maderealize that my thoughts becaudible. It was no sense in denying what I'd just said. “I said that | am tired,” | repeated with a bitter sinile.

Chris straightened up in his seat. “Are you sleepy? | have a guestroom upstairs. There's a quite comfortable bed, 50 you can just “No, I'm not sleepy...” | chuckled softly. “I think I'm just tired of being so weak.” “You are not weak!” Jack and Chris protested almost simultaneously, makingburst out into sour laughter.

“Thanks, guys, but | really mean it... If that Lanfen even showed up, | wouldn't even know how to punch her! Not to mention that I've already stepped into Aren’s world where people have real guns, and | do not even know where to look for a trigger!” | whined.

“I can teach you!” Jack declared, painting a smug grin on his face. | blinked my eyes at him, processing. “Teach me... what?” “I can teach you how to shoot,” he said confidently. “That's not a bad idea, Cora. Jack is an excellent sniper... He managed to shootand I'm not an easy target.” Chris snorted, makingwonder if he actually meant what he said, or if he was joking “Are you guys serious or not?” | smiled nervously, trying to read their expression.

“We're serious!” they responded immediately, and then Chis added, “And | will teach you how to fight.” A peal of hysteric laughter escaped my throat as | watched them, determined to trainin shooting and combat. Even in my mind, this sounded like the worst idea ever. Nonetheless, | said, “All right, let's do it,” and then quickly drank what was left in my glass.

ork | ended up sleeping in Chris's guestroom. Of course, | wanted to take a taxi, but Jack and Chris both objected, convincingthat Aren Lan’s wife should not go anywhere by herself in the middle of the night. When I tried to tell them that they were acting all-paranoic, they remindedof my recent kidnapping and the fact that | was currently running a multibillion dollar company. Finally, | was forced to surrender since my alcohol-soaked brain was unable to produce any more logical arguments.

| woke up with the worst hangover | had felt in years. | crawled out of the bed, trying to keep my head in a steady position, but frankly, doing it was like a mission impossible. Thankfully, Chris was sober enough to send a message to Benjamin so that he could bring my bag with clothes and my phone from the clinic. Once | took a shower and changed, Chris calleddown for breakfast. | knew that | was already late, but somehow | couldn't refuse the smell of freshly ground coffee.

“Good morning!” Chris sang as if yesterday's alcohol had had zero effect on him. “Morning,” | said hoarsely, my gaze fixed on the cup of coffee on the table. “Chocolate croissants coming right up,” Chris called out while bending down to take the plate out of the oven.

My eyes widened in shock. “You can bake?!” He smirked, “I make excellent pizza as well.” “If | wasn’t already married, | would propose to you this instant,” | said, inhaling the amazing coffee scent. Chris leaned closer, locking his eyes on me. “You shouldn't say that. Otherwise, | will start to think of a way to steal you from Aren.” A nervous chuckle escaped my throat. “Sorry, Chris, | don’t think that anyone could ever compete with my husband... even if he makesdelicious croissants.” from me. “Besides, you already said that I'm not your type.” Chris looked at me, a frown forming on his forehead. “I've never said anything like that!” | crossed my arms over my chest. “Yes, you did. When you were talking about that one girl whom you found perfect.” “She was like encyclopedic kind of perfect, and | was talking about her body... but that doesn’t change the fact that you are hot. | have far too much respect for Aren to make a move on you. Nonetheless, if you've decided to leave him, or if he’s disrespected you in any way, that would have made a whole different case,” he declared, keeping a dangerously serious expression.

| swallowed hard and quickly covered my flusteredness with a smile. | would lie if | said that | didn’t think that Chris was handsome. He was a perfect guy in many ways, and maybe | would have spared more than one glance at him seeing him on the street... if Aren had never existed. Looking at Chris, | realized that | was completely incapable of cheating on Aren.

| gave him a sympathetic smile. “I will never leave my husband willingly, and truthfully, if he decides to leave me, I'm not sure if | will ever be able to fall in love again.” My words tasted bitter in my mouth, yet they were true. Day by day, | becmore certain that my heart had already chosen its path, even though it was a risky one. After | delivered caffeine and carbs into my system, | becaware enough to go through the messages on my phone. | froze, seeing over twenty missed calls from Neil. | called him back in a panic. “What is it? Is it something about Aren? | spent the night away from the clinic...

Oh, God! I'm sorry... Just tellthat he is OK... please?” Tears started flowing down my cheeks before | even heard Neil's voice.

“Mr. Lan’s condition hasn't changed. That wasn’t the reason | called you, Mrs. Lan. | need you to cto the company... We are dealing with a crisis here...” he said, lowering his voice at the end.

| gulped. “A crisis? What kind of a crisis?” “Someone started to spread rumors that Mr. Lan is about to die and that you are incapable of running a company. A few executives cto Mr. Lan’s office, and they are threatening us to make this issue public,” he whispered to the phone.

“Shit...” My temple vein started throbbing, and | started to feel even worse than the moment | woke up. “Neil, sendthe list of their names and positions in the company. I'll be in the company in thirty minutes.” | ended the phone, clenching my fist. The anger buzzed in my veins. How dare those executives to start a riot when their boss is in a coma?! The company wasn’t facing any difficulties, for God's sake! “I had to go,” | tossed, getting up from Chris's kitchen table and rushing to the door.

“Cora!” Chris called out as | was about to leave.

| turned around, frowning. | needed to get to the company as fast as | could, and | couldn't allow myself to waste even a second.

Chris chuckled. “Good luck, Mrs. CEO! Bring them down to their knees!” His words unknowingly made the corners of my lips curl. “I will,” | said as a mischievous grin crossed my face.