Chapter 2 Welcome to the Family

Ares Langford had survived many wild nights. But nothing...not drugs, not women, not crashing his father's Bentley into the golf fountain had prepared him for this.

He stood in the grand marble foyer of Langford Manor, holding a screaming baby while three more wailed in the arms of stunned maids. Tessa, the girl he'd bribed less than two hours ago, looked like she'd entered the gates of hell disguised as a mansion.

"This one's leaking," he muttered, holding the baby away from his Prada shirt like it was radioactive.

Tessa snatched the baby back. "She's peeing. You hold her upright, genius."

"Right. Okay. Noted."

Bianca Langford swept into the hallway like a queen returning from war. "Oh, the joy in this house!" she cried, dabbing her eyes dramatically. "Ares, darling, I've waited years for this moment. And look at you...already a father of four!"

Tessa gave him a sharp look. Ares cleared his throat.

"Yeah, uh... we went big. Or went home."

"Speaking of home," Bianca said, gesturing to the butler, "set up the East Wing nursery immediately. We'll have the decorators in by noon. These children deserve elegance. Royalty. No...legacy!"

"Wait," Tessa said, stepping forward. "I...uh...I don't think I can stay here."

"Of course you can, sweetheart," Bianca smiled. "You're family now."

Ares leaned in and hissed under his breath, "You're not helping if you blow the cover. Just stay calm. Collect your check. We'll fix this."

Tessa glared. "You signed birth certificates. You made this real."

He paused.

He had, hadn't he?

His name was now legally printed under four tiny humans. Ares Langford. Father. That title hit harder than any hangover.

Bianca turned. "Oh, and darling? I've arranged for the press to do a tasteful front page spread. We'll announce the surprise birth and your beautiful love story."

"What...press?" Ares panicked.

"We must control the narrative. Your father doesn't know yet."

"My father doesn't..." Ares dropped his voice and grabbed Tessa's arm, dragging her into a side hallway.

"Okay. We've got maybe six hours before my dad finds out and rips my throat out with his bare hands."

"You think he'll kill you?" she asked, not even sarcastic.

"He's ex military, hates drama, and he's very allergic to scandal. So yes, I think murder is on the table."

She sighed. "You dragged me into this mess."

"You agreed!"

"For a million dollars, which I have not seen."

"Because the transfer hasn't gone through yet! Besides, it's not like I expected this! My mom just kidnapped your uterus and adopted it."

Tessa crossed her arms. "You want me to keep pretending?"

"Just until I figure something out. I'll double your payment."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Triple."

"Add lifetime diapers and one private nurse per baby."

"Done."

A throat cleared behind them. Ares turned and nearly dropped dead on the spot.

Marcus Langford. Towering, broad shouldered, crisp suit, face carved from stone. The man radiated billionaire rage.

"I got a call from a reporter," his father said coolly. "Imagine my shock. Quadruplets? A secret girlfriend? A whole family?"

Ares fumbled for words. "Dad, I can expla...."

"I don't want explanations," Marcus snapped. "I want results. Where are the babies?"

"Sleeping," Ares lied. Screaming was more accurate.

Marcus's eyes moved to Tessa. "You're the mother?"

Tessa gave a tight smile. "Apparently."

"Hmm." His eyes narrowed. "What do you do?"

"I'm a nursing student. I graduate in six months."

"Hmm. At least she's educated. That's a start."

Ares let out a slow breath.

Then Marcus delivered the bomb.

"You'll marry her. Immediately."

"What?!" Ares and Tessa shouted at the same time.

Marcus folded his arms. "If you want to stay in my will, if you want to run Langford Global, and if you want to keep those babies under this roof then you make this right."

"But..."

"No buts," Marcus growled. "I built this family from dirt. You will not turn it into a circus."

And just like that, he walked away.

Tessa turned to Ares slowly. "What the hell did you drag me into?"

"I think..." Ares swallowed, heart pounding. "I'm not getting married to you...never!"

"Neither do I want to." Tessa scoffed, folding her arms. "Just pay me so I can leave, okay?"

"No!" Ares looked around, then lowered his voice. "You're not going anywhere until I figure this out."