Chapter 6 Her Offer Wasn't Enough

In the late afternoon, the few people present at the City Hall made getting the marriage certificate much easier.

Sheila and Shane, with help from the clerks, got their marriage certificate quickly in just one visit.

Looking at the certificate, Sheila's smile didn't reach her eyes, showing she wasn't happy about this surprise marriage.

She never thought she'd marry anyone but Niko; marrying someone she didn't know was completely out of the blue.

She gave the copy of the marriage certificate to Shane, and reminded him, "Do you remember what we agreed upon?"

Before they got married, Sheila had told Shane why they needed to get married fast. She said she didn't want to marry the older man her parents picked out and didn't want to be a traditional wife.

Shane could say no if he didn't agree.

"Yes, I remember," Shane said.

Sheila looked at him and suggested a deal. "Considering that my dad definitely won't accept your profession, I need you to find a decent job in the short term. I'll make up for any shortfall in salary. How about twenty thousand a month?"

Shane thought this was funny, given he was in charge at Luminary Group and dealt with big projects.

Sheila, seeing his smile, felt unsure, wondering if he thought the pay was too low.

"Thirty thousand?" She tried to offer more.

His smile turned to tease, making her increase her offer to forty thousand, saying that was as high as she'd go.

"Deal," he accepted.

She knew Shane thought her first offer wasn't enough.

Luckily, Sheila had money from her late mom's stocks, giving her extra cash every month. She was careful with her money in the past and thought she could support Shane.

She quickly left her contact info, said goodbye, and left in a hurry.

She wanted to tell her dad about the marriage right away, so he couldn't manipulate her.

Watching Sheila go, Shane looked at the copy of the marriage certificate, a small smile on his face. He called Zayd for a ride, telling him about the surprising news.

Surprised, Zayd asked, "Married? Are you serious? You don't need to do this, even if you want to take responsibility."

Sheila got home around six in the evening.

In the living room, her father Rogelio Jones was sitting on the sofa, looking quite upset. Next to him, Paula was trying to calm him down. "Dear, don't be so upset. Sheila probably didn't mean to not answer your calls. Maybe she was just busy with something."

Rogelio, clearly annoyed, let out his frustration. "Rita is always working hard, adding a lot to our company's success. She doesn't stay out late like Sheila does. This is really getting on my nerves!"

Rita, hearing Rogelio scold Sheila, felt a sense of satisfaction.

Rita thought maybe Sheila was overwhelmed with stress and maybe had a breakdown after losing her virginity.

Rita hoped Sheila would never come back, but she had to pretend to be worried about Sheila in front of Rogelio.

"Hey Dad, just chill and have a cuppa. I've told the maids to track her down. We'll have her back in no time."

Rogelio accepted the tea from Rita and sighed. "I wish Sheila would be at least half as thoughtful as you." Then he turned to Paula. "Paula, I'm grateful to you for raising Rita so well. I owe you a lot these years."

When Sheila walked into the living room, she got even angrier, balling her hands into fists at the sight of the family acting so lovingly.

Sheila was furious to hear what Rogelio said. The one who should be pitied the most was her own mother.

Years ago, Paula was good friends with Sheila's mom. After a heartbreak, Sheila's mom focused on her career and built the Lothian Group.

Paula, pretending to help, introduced Rogelio to Sheila's mom and set up many chances for him. Eventually, Sheila's mom fell for Rogelio and let him lead the Lothian Group.

But when Sheila's mom was pregnant, she discovered that Paula and Rogelio had been having an affair. She was shocked to learn that Paula had already had a baby.

The stress caused Sheila's mom to go into labor early, and Sheila was born prematurely.

After giving birth, Sheila's mother's health took a sharp downturn. Rogelio, filled with remorse and desperate for forgiveness, knelt down daily to beg for her understanding. He solemnly vowed to sever all ties with Paula. Despite the immense pain and sense of betrayal, Sheila's mother, mindful of Sheila's well-being, eventually found it in her heart to forgive Rogelio. Sadly, Sheila's mother's health continued to worsen, and she passed away a few years later.

Despite everything, Rogelio had the nerve to bring Paula and Rita into their home.

Paula kept pretending to be there to help Sheila, even with their complicated past.

"Miss Jones, you're finally back. Mr. Jones has been worried..."

A maid's voice cut through the tension, pulling Rogelio back to the moment.

Seeing Sheila at the door made Rogelio angry again.

"So you decide to come home now? Where have you been all this time?" he asked, wanting to know why Sheila was gone.

Rita, with her back to Rogelio, said with fake concern to Sheila, "Sheila, Dad is just upset because he cares. You weren't home last night. What if something bad had happened to you?"

Rogelio, not seeing Rita's smug look, thought she was just worried.

Sheila, realizing Rita's part in her troubles, was so angry that she slapped Rita across the face.