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Chapter 05
“Sir Kaiden!”
The viscount’s gaze locked onto Kaiden. Then it shifted to Chloe, to the dress she was wearing, and finally to the hands the two of them were holding.
“You arrived sooner than expected, Viscount.”
“Is it true? That Sir Kaiden is really getting married…?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
At Kaiden’s display of a ring, the viscount let out a startled “Hup!” and covered his mouth.
But he was not the only one shocked by this unbelievable news.
“Are you insane? Marriage? No one ever said anything about that.”
Chloe whispered, covering her mouth with her hand so the viscount wouldn’t notice.
“Didn’t you say there are things that can’t be replaced with money?”
“I never agreed that the price would be marriage!”
Today was Melvin and Duer’s wedding. Only two days. In just two days, she was supposed to act as a fake lover—and now this sudden, forced marriage? No matter how she calculated it, the numbers did not add up.
Moreover, she had never even been the one to propose the fake relationship. He had suggested it first, dragged her into this absurd performance, enjoyed the farce thoroughly—and now demanded something this outrageous in return.
Kaiden Verder was truly insane.
No—beyond insane, this was outright fraud.
“Calm down. It’s not a real marriage.”
“Then what, a fake wedding?”
“Something like that. Think of it as a show… a performance.”
“What kind of insane…?”
“Cough, hm.”
The conversation could not continue. The viscount signaled them with a sharp look, annoyed at their whispering. Kaiden turned his face back toward him.
“Anyway, I came to take a look before the ceremony. If I were to hold a wedding, this place would likely be it.”
“A wise decision. Among imperial venues, none are as spacious and luxurious as our Cent Hotel.”
“Especially since my Chloe is already wearing a white dress. It’s perfect for letting one’s imagination run wild.”
So that’s why they made her wear white. So that’s why they even added flowers to her bag.
“Imagining Chloe in a wedding dress makes my heart…!”
Before he could finish, Chloe stomped hard on Kaiden’s foot with her heel. A short groan escaped his lips.
“What was that?”
“…My heart is racing too much.”
Kaiden, smoothly covering it up, looked at Chloe. Her glare looked like it could kill someone.
“Haha, truly wonderful. Very wonderful indeed, but…”
The viscount’s laughter gradually faded. When Kaiden finished speaking, the viscount looked troubled.
“As you may already know… Lord Harn’s wedding is scheduled for next month. Right here.”
Harn Verder. The first son of the Verder Duke family—and Kaiden’s half-brother.
“If you proceed with a ceremony, I recommend giving at least half a year of preparation.”
“I have no intention of waiting that long.”
“Then…?”
“You said my brother’s wedding is next month?”
“Yes, but…”
“When is the completion date for the venue?”
“In about a month… that is, a week before Lord Harn’s wedding.”
The viscount’s expression darkened, as if he were holding a bomb about to explode.
And then Kaiden detonated it.
“Completion date.”
“Pardon?”
“My wedding will be held on the completion date. One week before my brother’s wedding.”
A stunned expression spread across the viscount’s face.
“As you know, Lord Harn already has priority for the venue. I’m sorry, but have you coordinated this with him?”
“Why would I need coordination? I was originally supposed to use this venue first.”
“That may be true, but…”
“And you made a promise to me, didn’t you?”
“Well… calling it a promise is a bit vague…”
The viscount looked deeply troubled, stroking his beard before speaking again.
“Very well. I will review the construction schedule. For today, please return. I also need to consult with the duke.”
“Hmm, unfortunate, but fine.”
Kaiden stepped back without resistance. Chloe, still dazed, followed him out of the venue.
Thud.
Her senses only returned after the sound of the door closing.
She snapped her head toward Kaiden and shouted.
“Hey, Kaiden! What is this supposed to mean? Marriage? Next month?”
“Calm down, Chloe.”
“Calm down? Are you serious right now? I’m about to get trapped in a sudden marriage!”
“I have no intention of actually marrying you. As I said, it’s all a show. The same kind of acting we did in front of your ex-husband and your brother earlier.”
“A show?”
At that word—show, acting—Chloe’s anger surged even higher.
If asked what the most important event in a person’s life was, marriage would undoubtedly be one of them. And her own marriage had already changed her entire life once.
Yet to him, marriage was nothing more than a “show.”
That enraged her.
Even if it was petty, she couldn’t help it.
He had seen firsthand how much trouble she had gone through because of marriage, and still treated it so lightly. How little did he think of her to decide something like this without even asking?
Chloe violently shook off the hand she had been holding.
“No matter what, there are things you can and cannot do. How can you just drag someone into something as serious as marriage without a single word of explanation?”
Even holding his hand had only been part of this ridiculous “marriage act.” If she hadn’t failed her previous marriage, if it weren’t for Melvin and Duer’s wedding, she would never have been involved with Kaiden at all.
“And that Viscount Cent is your family’s retainer! News will spread everywhere that we’re getting married. How do you plan to fix that mess?”
“Chloe.”
“This joke is over. I’m done being played by you. Go explain things to your family yourself.”
If she had to choose between participating in this madness and enduring misunderstandings that she still loved Duer or was a pitiful divorced woman, she would rather go to the wedding alone.
“You can consider everything I received from you as payment for your help earlier in front of Melvin and Duer. That makes things even, right?”
She turned to leave—but then remembered the dress she was wearing was also Kaiden’s doing.
“This too. Take it back. That way everything is clean.”
She threw the bag to the ground. Earrings and a necklace were removed and dropped as well. Her heels were kicked off, sliding across the floor until stopping at Kaiden’s feet.
“Chloe, I bought all of this for you. Don’t do this. You can’t walk barefoot.”
“I don’t want anything related to you.”
She turned sharply and began walking away barefoot.
Without heels, the hem of her dress kept catching under her feet. As she hiked it up irritably, she stepped on it and stumbled.
“Ah!”
She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact—but the expected fall never came.
Kaiden had caught her in his arms.
Now she was practically in his embrace. Her face flushed red. He was too close—his calm, heavy scent overwhelming her senses.
“You should’ve worn them.”
“I don’t need them.”
Embarrassed, she shoved his chest and stepped away. Fortunately, Kaiden didn’t stop her.
Trying to erase the awkwardness, Chloe changed the subject.
“Come to think of it, this outfit is yours too, right?”
“Wait in the lobby. I’ll send someone to collect it. Return the clothes then.”
“Chloe.”
“I’d love to take it off right now, but I can’t exactly walk around naked. Goodbye.”
She stepped back and gave a formal, detached bow.
“I hope we never have to see each other again.”
Without hesitation, she turned away. Hotel guests stared at her walking barefoot, but she didn’t care.
Why were all the men around Chloe Garrett like this? Why did she have such terrible luck with men?
That was all she could think.
But Kaiden was different.
Left alone in the hallway, he watched her shrinking figure and slowly curled his lips into a smile.
“So they said she’s calm.”
“She’s got quite a temper.”
“Thrilling.”
Kaiden licked his slightly dry lips as he murmured.
In his dark eyes, Chloe’s receding figure appeared—and disappeared again.
