MARRIED BY MISTAKE

It never occurred to Aria Hale that her sister's wedding day would end with her own marriage license. Pushing through the glass doors of the New York City Marriage Bureau, she held the manila envelope to her chest. Immediately, chaos erupted: clerks yelling names, couples yelling over paperwork, and phones ringing nonstop. A bride in a discolored white gown was yelling at her groom about his mother while a baby cried close to the fountain.

Aria wanted to disappear-one job. Deliver the documents. Leave. Invisible, like always. "Next!" a clerk barked, waving impatiently from behind the scratched plexiglass. Aria stepped forward. "Hi, I'm here to-" "Name?" "I'm not-" "NAME?" "Aria Hale. I'm just delivering-"Ariana Hale!" Her stomach dropped.

"No, that's my sister. I'm Aria, not-" "You responded to the name. Good enough." The clerk shoved a clipboard through the slot. "Fill this out. Your groom's already twenty minutes late. If he doesn't show in ten, you forfeit your slot."

"But I'm not getting married!" Aria's voice cracked. The clerk finally glanced up, expression neutral. "Everyone's nervous, honey. Just breathe and sign when he arrives." Aria checked her phone. Nothing. No texts. No calls. Just a curt message from her sister: ARIANA: Emergency. Can't make it. Leave the papers. Thanks! No apology. No explanation. Just an order.

She typed and erased responses she would never send while her fingers lingered over the screen. After twenty-four years of being forgotten, invisible, and cleaning up other people's messes, she was rewarded with a room full of strangers who couldn't even pronounce her name correctly. The doors burst open.

Every head turned. A man walked in like a storm given human form. Broad shoulders, dark hair, grey eyes, sharp enough to pierce steel. Leon Mercer. Billionaire. CEO. The man her sister was supposed to marry.

He stopped in front of her. "You're late." Aria opened her mouth. Closed it. Wrong person. Wrong sister. Wrong everything. "Save it. Let's get this over with." He grabbed her elbow. Warm. Firm. Unyielding. Trapped. "Wait, you don't-" "Ariana Hale and Leon Mercer!" The clerk slid the papers across. "Sign now." Her hand shook. She looked down at the certificate. Aria Hale. Not Ariana. Not her sister. Her own name.

She froze. Her heart pounded in her chest. "Sir, I think-" "Think later. Sign now."

His Patek Philippe gleamed in the overhead light as he checked his watch. Aria's mind raced. Run? Scream? Call her parents? But who would believe her? Who would take her side when she had just signed the papers herself? Her hand moved on its own. Aria Hale.

The pen scratched across the page. The clerk stamped it with a heavy thump. "Congratulations. You're married." Time slowed. Every sound dulled. Leon's grey eyes lifted to hers. Cold. Furious. Ice. "You're not Ariana." "I tried to tell you-" "You signed." He held up the certificate. "Aria Hale."

With a low voice that cut like a knife through the chaos, he said, "You trapped me.". "You will regret this every day until I am free of you. Aria had a burning throat. She was on the verge of tears, but she held back.

Not here. Not now. "I didn't trap you. You didn't even look at what you were signing." He ignored her. Shoved the certificate into his jacket. His other hand gripped her wrist-not cruel, not gentle, just possessive. "You're coming with me," he said, phone pressed to his ear. "Lawyer. Meet me now." Outside, a black Mercedes waited.

The driver already held the door. Aria's mind raced. She could run. She could scream. She could call her family-but who would listen? Who would believe her? She looked at Leon. The fury simmered beneath his controlled exterior. The man hated her. And legally, she was now his wife. The door closed.

She felt the smooth, cold leather against her back. She took a sharp breath. "Go. The harsh, blinding sunlight hit her face. She caught a glimpse of herself in the window's tint. Aria Hale. Not Ariana. Nobody's second choice. She had recently unintentionally wed a billionaire who hated her. She also didn't know how she would survive what was about to happen.

Perched sixty-three stories above Manhattan, the Mercer Tower exuded intimidation, steel, and glass. Naturally, Aria had seen it before. Everybody had. The way it caught the afternoon sun and threw light across the city like a challenge made it impossible to miss. She never thought she would be in it. I never would have guessed that she would be here as Leon Mercer's unintentional wife.

It felt like an hour, even though the elevator ride took less than a minute. With one hand in his pocket and the other still gripping his phone, Leon stood stiffly next to her. During the drive, he had made three calls. They were all angry, short, and clipped.

Aria tried to breathe normally while keeping her gaze on the increasing floor numbers. The spot on her wrist where he had grabbed her outside the marriage bureau was still tingling. Not because it was painful. Since it didn't.

Because his touch had been firm, warm, and utterly assured-the touch of a man who never questioned his right to take what he desired. The elevator made a chiming sound.

Sixty-third floor. "This way."

Leon didn't wait for her to come along. Aria was carried down a hallway lined with abstract artwork that likely cost more than her childhood home as he strolled. Somehow, her feet moved on their own.

They went by the desk of an assistant. A blond woman glanced up at Leon's face before turning back to her computer right away. Intelligent woman. Leon pushed open double doors into an office that was more of a declaration of war than a place to work.

Windows from floor to ceiling provided views of Central Park. In the middle was a huge desk that was so spotless it appeared as though no real work had ever been done there.

A fully stocked bar was next to an L-shaped arrangement of two leather couches. With his hands in his pockets, a man stood close to the window, observing the city below.

He turned when they entered. "Leon." His voice was warm, where Leon's was ice. "This is the emergency?" He looked at Aria. His eyes widened slightly. "This is not Ariana Hale." "Brilliant observation, Marcus." Leon moved to the bar and poured himself two fingers of scotch.

He didn't offer any to Aria. "Meet my wife. Aria Hale." Marcus blinked. "Your... I'm sorry, you're what?" "Wife." Leon drained half the glass in one swallow. "There was a mix-up at the registry. The wrong sister signed the papers.

I'm now legally bound to a woman I've never met. "Aria's cheeks were burning. He spoke about her as if she weren't there. As if she were an issue that needed to be resolved rather than a human being. Marcus's expression was halfway between amusement and shock as he glanced between them. Ask her, "How does someone marry the wrong person?" Ask her, Leon's eyes were so piercing that they could have drawn blood from Aria. "She seems to know everything, "I tried to tell you, Aria whispered." Compared to how she felt, her voice sounded more steady. "Multiple times. You didn't listen."

"You signed the papers." "You told me to!" "I told Ariana to sign. Not some stranger who decided to. "I am not a stranger!" The words burst out before Aria could stop them. "I'm her sister. Her younger sister. Who was doing her a favour by delivering documents because she couldn't be bothered to show up to her own wedding!" Silence dropped like a curtain. Marcus cleared his throat.

"Where is Ariana, exactly?" Aria pulled out her phone with shaking hands and held up the text message-the one with no explanation. No apology. Just Emergency. Can't make it.

Marcus read it and let out a low whistle. "That's cold, even for a runaway bride." "She didn't run," Leon said. "She sent her replacement." "I am not a replacement!" Aria's control snapped.

I didn't ask for this. This was not my plan. Her voice reverberated off the windows. "I didn't even want to be at that stupid office, but someone had to deliver the papers, and as usual, I'm the one who has to clean up everyone else's mess." The two men looked at her. Aria felt empty as her rage subsided as fast as it had appeared.

She put her arms around herself and turned her head away. "I apologize.". I should not have shouted. "Avoid apologizing. Marcus took a step closer, his face soft. "You are perfectly entitled to feel angry. "She is without rights. With a sharp click, Leon put down his empty glass. "Not in my office.

Not in my life." "Leon-" "We're fixing this. Today." Leon pulled his phone out again.

I'll give Jeffrey a call. He'll be able to speed up an annulment. "What doesn't qualify cannot be expedited. Marcus's tone remained cool and collected.

"Both of you signed the certificate. It has been submitted to the state. There are no grounds for an immediate annulment, no fraud, and no coercion. Then we'll get divorced. "In New York, there must be grounds for fault or mutual consent with a separation agreement.

That takes time." "How much time?" Marcus hesitated. "Minimum three months if you both cooperate. Six months is more realistic. And that's assuming no one contests it." Leon's jaw clenched so hard that Aria could see the muscle jump. "Unacceptable."

"I agree it's not ideal, but-" "She planned this." Leon turned on Aria, his eyes blazing. "Her sister disappears at the exact right moment. She shows up with the documents.

On my marriage license, she signs her own name. "I didn't plan anything!" Aria's voice broke. "And now you're telling me I'm stuck with her for six months?" "Why would I want to marry you? I don't even know you!" "Everyone knows who I am." Leon approached, and Aria had to fight the impulse to retreat.

"Everyone is aware of my wealth. My properties. My relationships. Getting married to me is the key to a life that most people can only imagine. "I'm not interested in your life. "Every gold-digger says this.

"The words were like a slap. Something inside Aria became rigid and frigid. She had been ignored, disregarded, and treated as if she were unimportant for her entire life. She had come to terms with it from everyone who ought to have loved her, including her parents and sister.

However, she was not required to take it from him. "You know what?" Aria said in a quiet voice, but it was more potent than all of her yelling. "You can believe anything you want. I am aware of the reality. That's sufficient. "She faced the door. Leon's voice broke like a whip as he asked, "Where are you going?" "At home. Aria didn't turn around. "It's apparent that you don't want me here. I'll handle the annulment on my own.

"You're not leaving. Leon's palm struck the wood above Aria's head, keeping the door shut while her hand was on the handle. She became motionless. She could feel the heat radiating from his body because he was so close behind her. "Let me go. She was certain he could hear the pounding of her heart. "We must talk about terms. "Terms?" Leon's breath ruffled her hair. "On paper, you are my wife.

That comes with consequences. Rules. Expectations."

When Aria finally turned, they were only inches apart, which was a mistake. His eyes were more than grey up close. They resembled broken mirrors with silver flecks. "I'm not following your rules," she declared. "You'll worsen this situation for yourself. You've already concluded that I'm a liar and a gold-digger, so how could it be worse? What else is there?

Something flickered across Leon's face. Surprise, maybe. Or respect. It vanished before Aria could identify it. Marcus spoke from across the room. "Leon. Let her breathe." Leon didn't move. "Do you have somewhere to go? An apartment? Family who'll take you in?" Aria thought of her parents' house.

The one where Ariana got the main suite, and Aria got the room by the garage. Where her mother looked through her instead of at her, her father only noticed her long enough to ask her to help her sister with errands. "I had that thought. Leon's voice became quieter.

"There is nowhere for you to go. Not a dime. No strategy. Like me, you are trapped. "I have a job," Aria declared, though she wasn't sure how long that would last. "I am capable of looking after myself. "Can you?" Leon's gaze scanned her face as if searching for weaknesses in her armour.

"Because you appear to be a woman who unintentionally married a stranger and is unsure of what will happen next. "He was correct. That only made matters worse.

"This is what will take place. At last, Leon moved aside to give her room to breathe. "You will move into my penthouse. While my attorneys work to put an end to this catastrophe, we will put on a united front for the public. You'll abide by my rules.

I won't be embarrassed by you. After all is said and done, you'll have enough money to begin any life you choose. Somewhere far from me. "I don't.

"I don't want your money." "Everyone wants money." "Not everyone is Vanessa." The name came out before Aria could stop it.

She had seen the tabloid pictures and heard the stories. The former fiancée of Leon, who had cheated on him with his business partner, attempted to claim half of his company as part of the settlement. Leon's expression froze. Aria raised her chin and asked, "What did you say?" I said I'm not Vanessa. I didn't trap you. I did not plan this. And the only thing I want from you is to correct this error so I can go back to my life.

"Your life." Leon's laugh was bitter. "The life where you run errands for your sister and let your family treat you like hired help? That life?" The observation was too accurate, too sharp. After less than an hour of getting to know her, how did he notice that? "My life is none of your business. "As soon as you signed that certificate, it became my business. Leon returned to his desk and took out a notepad. "We are putting this in writing.

A contract. Terms we both agree to follow." "You can't contract your way out of a marriage." "Watch me." Leon clicked a pen and started writing. "Rule one: Separate bedrooms. We may be married on paper, but this is purely transactional." Aria's stomach twisted. Transactional. Like she was a business deal gone wrong. "Rule two," Leon continued. "No physical contact unless necessary for public appearances.

I don't want there to be any confusion about what this is."

"Believe me, there's no confusion." Her legs felt unsteady, so Aria went to the couch and sat down.

"What else?" "You'll attend events with me when required. Smile. Play the role of devoted wife. Make this look real to anyone watching."

Leon looked at her as if she had proposed burning money for amusement. "Why not just tell people the truth?" he asked. "Because I'm currently closing the biggest deal of my professional life. My investors must think I'm married, stable, and settled. Everything I've built would be destroyed by a public scandal about marrying the wrong woman.

"So, to preserve your reputation, I should lie. When you signed those documents, you created an obligation that you are expected to fulfil. "You are just as much to blame for this entire mess as I am! I did not create anything.

You signed without even looking at the document. "I checked the name. Ariana Hale. "Maybe if you'd listened when I tried to explain-" "Maybe if you'd been clearer-" "How was I supposed to know there would be two of you?"

"I said 'I'm not Ariana' three separate times!" "And then you signed anyway!"

Now they were both standing, their faces flushed and their voices raised. Marcus's expression was torn between amusement and worry as he observed them like he was watching a tennis match. Marcus remarked, "You're both right," into the deafening silence. "This situation is chaotic.

Both of you had a part in it. You both now have to deal with the fallout. "Leon ruined his flawlessly styled hair by running a hand through it. "All right. We'll split the blame. However, that doesn't change the situation.

"What situation?" Aria asked. "You're moving in with me tonight." "Excuse me?" "We're married. Married couples live together. If we don't, it looks suspicious. And if my investors get suspicious-" Your deal tanks. Yes, you mentioned that." Aria's head spun. "I can't just move in with you. I have things-a life.

"Bring what you need. My assistant will make arrangements for the remaining items to be relocated tomorrow. "You can't just tell me what to do!" "When you live with me, I can." Leon had hard eyes. "Aria, this cannot be negotiated.

If you want me to think you didn't plan this, show me. Obey the rules. Act out the part. Please help me keep my deal. We'll both leave as if nothing had happened when the six months are up. "And if I refuse?" Leon asked with a cold smile. "After that, I'll make sure that everyone in this city is aware of how you forced me into marriage.

Your name will be poisonous. The reputation of your family will be ruined. You'll be remembered for the rest of your life as the girl who tricked Leon Mercer into a marriage. "There was a sense of impending danger between them.

The walls began to close in on Aria. He was accurate. There was nowhere for her. You can't fight him. No resources to match his wealth, power, and legal team. She was confined. "Okay," she muttered. "Yes, I will do it.

"Louder." Aria looked him in the eye. "I said fine. I'll move in. I'll follow your rules. I'll play the devoted wife." "And?"

"And I don't want to see you again after this is over. Leon extended his hand. "Then, we have an agreement. "Aria gazed at his extended hand. Her entire being cried out that she couldn't handle it.

Avoid touching him and refuse to accept this absurd arrangement. She put her hand in his, but what other option did she have? Warm, consequential, and utterly certain, his fingers closed around hers. "Welcome home, wife," Leon said. And Aria was absolutely sure that she had just struck a bargain with the devil.

Aria only had one suitcase. In the apartment she shared with two roommates, she sat on her small bed and gazed at the open luggage as if it could provide answers. Her phone buzzed. What did you bring when you moved into your unintentional husband's penthouse? Business casual, pajamas, a weapon? An unknown number sent a text. In twenty minutes, the car will arrive.

Be ready 2PM, type yes if you are seeing this." Just an order.

Without checking, Aria tossed clothes into the suitcase. Pants. Sweaters. The lovely blouse she wore during her job interview. Underwear that was undoubtedly intended only for her eyes. She reached for her phone charger, laptop, and the little wooden box containing her grandmother's only pictures.

After nineteen minutes, she watched a black Mercedes pull up to the curb while holding her pitiful suitcase on the sidewalk. Another vehicle. Same motorist. He gave her a nod, picked up her bag as if it were light, and held the door open.

"Miss Hale." Apparently, it's now Mrs Mercer. She didn't like the taste of the words. The driver's face remained the same. Naturally, ma'am. "It seemed strange to drive through Manhattan. The streets were clogged with evening traffic, but the Mercedes managed to get through every time.

They went by eateries that Aria had never been able to afford, shops that she had only perused from the window, and a lifestyle that existed in parallel to hers but never came into contact with.

Until now.

Aria recognized the building from architecture magazines as the car pulled into an underground garage. The highest point. Starting at fifteen million dollars, luxury condos are available. She had once estimated that to pay the down payment, she would need to work for 200 years.

"This way, ma'am. The driver guided her to a private elevator that required a key card. He swiped his, hit the penthouse button, and took a step back.

"Mr Mercer is expecting you. Before Aria could inquire as to whether that was a warning or just basic information, the doors closed. The elevator ascended. Aria attempted to slow her heartbeat as she watched the numbers rise.

This was temporary. For six months, she could survive anything. The penthouse was directly accessible from the elevator. When Aria went outside, she lost her breath. Three sides of the room were filled with floor-to-ceiling windows that provided movie-quality views of Manhattan.

As the sunset painted the sky pink and orange, lights started to twinkle in the sprawling city below. White marble floors, contemporary furniture in grey and black tones, and artwork that was likely worth more than her college degree were all part of the interior's elegant design.

It was lovely. It was chilly. It didn't feel like home at all. "You're late. "Aria whirled around. Still wearing his earlier suit, but with his sleeves rolled up and his tie loosened, Leon stood in the doorway of what appeared to be the kitchen. He seemed to belong in a magazine spread about strong men and their ideal lives, even in casual settings.

"The text said twenty minutes. I was ready at nineteen."

Traffic isn't an excuse. He didn't even look at her suitcase as he walked past her and toward the windows. "Down that hallway is your room. On the right, the third door. The last door is my room. Keep out of it. "I had no intention of going to your bedroom.

"Okay. He used the bar cart by the windows to pour himself a drink. Didn't give her one, though. "There is food in the kitchen. Give yourself anything you desire. Tuesdays and Fridays are when my housekeeper comes. If you put your laundry in the hamper, she will take care of it. Aria blinked.

"You have someone do your laundry?" "You don't?" "I use a washing machine like a normal person." Leon's eyes cut to her. "You're not a normal person anymore. You're married to me. That comes with certain... adjustments."

The way he said "married" made it sound like a prison sentence. "What else do I need to know?" Aria asked. "Any other rules? Curfews? Off-limits areas?" "Don't touch anything in my office. Don't answer the door without checking with me first. Don't bring anyone here without permission." "Anyone?" "Friends. Family. Lovers. Whatever."

He had a long sip. "I own this house. You're not a roommate; you're here as a necessity. "Every word fell like a tiny cut. Aria silently took them in, just as she had learned to take in her sister's casual cruelty and her mother's criticisms. "I see. I'm unwelcome cargo occupying space. "At last, we understand one another.

Leon ignored her and turned back to the windows.

Grabbing her suitcase, Aria wheeled it down the corridor he had pointed out. It was a huge penthouse. Before reaching her designated bedroom, she passed a home gym, an office with more books than her neighbourhood library, and what appeared to be a media room. She stopped after pushing open the door.

The space was larger than her whole present apartment. The room was dominated by a king-size bed with white linens that most likely cost more than her rent each month. Views of Central Park were provided by additional floor-to-ceiling windows. A whole wall of built-in closets was vacant and unoccupied.

The attached bathroom featured a glass-enclosed shower with roughly seventeen shower heads in addition to a soaking tub. It was flawless. It was isolating. Aria unzipped her suitcase after placing it on the bed. Spread across all that pricey white fabric, her meagre possessions appeared pitiful. Three pairs of jeans. Five sweaters.

Two sets of shoes. A strip of duct tape held her three-year-old laptop together.

Her life was like this. Tiny. Unforgettable. Simple to fit into a single suitcase. She had always told herself that she didn't give a damn about things, money, or status. However, Aria felt the distance between her world and Leon's world yawn open like a chasm as she stood in this room that cost more than all of her possessions put together.

It makes sense why he believed she was after his money.

She jumped when she heard a knock on the doorframe. What more could someone like her want from someone like him? Leon was standing there with an unreadable expression. "I'm placing a dinner order. In response, Aria's stomach growled, "What do you want?" Since breakfast, she had not eaten. "I don't have any preferences. That is not an answer.

"Whatever you're eating is acceptable. Leon's jaw clenched. I am having sushi masa. The cost of the omakase is approximately $400 per person.

"Are you still okay?" Aria's face heated up. "I'll prepare a sandwich. "Stop being absurd. "I'm not being unreasonable. I'm being realistic. Four hundred dollars' worth of sushi is beyond my means. You don't have to pay for it. Yes, I am. "I'm not interested in your charity. It's not charity. It's dinner.

Leon studied her with those piercing grey eyes as he leaned against the doorframe. "Aria, you'll need to adjust to this. You'll eat what I eat, dress appropriately for someone in my social circle, and go to events that I go to while you're here. That's the agreement.

"I was supposed to pretend to be a loyal wife in public. You made no mention of altering my private identity. "Your public persona is influenced by your private identity. He moved away from the doorframe. "My assistant will take you shopping tomorrow. You will require the proper clothing for the benefit gala next week."

"I have clothes." "You have..."

Something flickered across Leon's face as his gaze swept over her open suitcase. Surprise? Pity? Before she could recognise it, it disappeared. "You'll need something suitable. "I am not your dress-up doll. "No. You are my wife. Additionally, my spouse must appear as though she is a part of my family rather than as if she came in from a thrift store at college.

"He delivered the insult as intended. To keep him from seeing how much it hurt, Aria turned away and busied herself with unpacking. "I'll dress in what I own. Perhaps you shouldn't invite me to your fancy parties if that makes you feel uncomfortable. "Quiet. Then footsteps, getting closer rather than farther away.

Leon stopped right behind her.

She was close enough to smell his expensive, woodsy cologne once more, which most likely had a pretentious name like "Midnight in the Alps" or something equally absurd. "Look at me. "Aria continued to watch her suitcase. "I'm busy. Aria. "He lowered his voice.

Not quite gentle, but less sharp. "Look at me." She turned. Mistake.

This room felt much smaller than it had just moments before, and he was too close. "I'm not trying to insult you," Leon stated. "I'm attempting to get you ready for what you're about to walk into. These individuals-the ones at dinner parties, galas, and benefits-are sharks.

Anyone who exhibits weakness will be torn apart by them. And wearing a fifty-dollar dress when everyone else is dressed in designer gowns? That's a sign of weakness. "I should therefore act like someone I'm not. "You ought to defend yourself. His gaze swept over her face. "I don't want to see you humiliated, whether you believe me or not.

"Just controlled." "Guided," he corrected.

"There's a difference." "Not from where I'm standing." Leon exhaled, a sound caught between frustration and something else. "You're stubborn." "You're arrogant." "I'm realistic." "You're impossible." A smile touched his lips. Just a flicker, gone so fast, Aria wondered if she'd imagined it. "Get settled. Dinner will be here in forty minutes. We'll eat in the dining room.

Try to look..." He trailed off. "Like I belong here?" Aria finished. "Like I'm not an unwanted accident you're stuck with?" The smile vanished completely. "Like my wife." He left, and Aria sank onto the bed, her legs suddenly shaky. This was going to be impossible.

Forty minutes later, Aria was standing in the doorway of the dining room, wearing a clean sweater and her finest jeans after taking a shower. Her hair hung in waves past her shoulders, still damp. She had been too shaken to bother applying makeup.

A table that could easily accommodate twelve people already had Leon seated at its head. He had changed into a charcoal cashmere sweater that likely cost more than her entire closet, along with dark slacks. His hair remained wet as well. To get ready for this weird, forced domesticity, they had both taken showers in their separate bathrooms. "Take a seat. He pointed to the chair on his right, not the opposite end of the table.

Close enough to talk. Aria sat.

The sushi was already arranged on exquisite ceramic dishes with flawless, artistic-looking fish. She was at a loss for what to do. Leon noticed her hesitation. "Have you had omakase before?" "I've had sushi from the grocery store. It's not sushi.

That is not sushi. He picked up his chopsticks with ease, the result of practice. "Work your way up to the richer flavours, starting with the lighter fish, like this. He gave an example, and Aria attempted to imitate him. At best, she had mediocre chopstick skills.

She carefully lifted a piece of what appeared to be tuna that she had managed to grab. and- It fell, right onto the white tablecloth. Aria's face burned. "Sorry. I'll clean-"Leave it." Leon's voice was firm but not harsh. "Try again." "I'm terrible with chopsticks." "Then practice." He slid a piece onto her plate using his own chopsticks.

"Use your fingers if necessary. It isn't a crime. "Aria used her fingers to pick up the sushi, feeling like a savage. However, as soon as she bit into it, a buttery, fresh flavour that was unlike anything she had ever tasted exploded across her tongue. "Yes.

She didn't have time to stop the sound. Leon's expression changed. "Excellent?" "Yes. Aria was having trouble speaking. "It's perfect. "Better than a sandwich?" she asked, glaring at him. Don't be arrogant. "I'm not being smug. I'm telling the truth. There's a difference. "Aria's mouth twitched despite everything. "You are still impossible. You're still stubborn. "He took another piece. "But you were right about one thing.

"What?"

"I'm just as much to blame as you are. Across the table, Leon's eyes locked with hers. "I ought to have examined the documents. When you attempted to explain, I ought to have paid attention. I took it out on you because I was rushing and upset about the entire arrangement. Halfway to her mouth, Aria's chopsticks froze. Did Leon Mercer truly offer an apology? "That doesn't mean I think you're innocent in all this," he went on.

However, I'm prepared to acknowledge that I also made mistakes. "The apology wasn't flawless. It came with qualifications and conditions.

However, it went beyond what Aria had anticipated from him. "Thank you," she murmured. "For saying that. Leon gave a single nod before returning to his meal. For a few minutes, they ate in silence. It should have been uncomfortable, but for some reason it wasn't. The food was too delicious.

The view outside the windows is simply breathtaking. Even if the other person was a stranger she had unintentionally married, there was something almost serene about eating with them. Aria put down her chopsticks and said, "Can I ask you something?" "It depends on the question. "I believe you didn't even know Ariana, so why did you consent to marry her? "Leon's face tightened.

"It was a business arrangement. Her father's company needed capital. My company needed the merger.

The easiest way to ensure both was through marriage. "I've never heard anything so unromantic." Romance is reserved for those who can afford to act foolishly. "His tone became icy.

"I tried romance once. It nearly destroyed everything I built." Vanessa. He was talking about Vanessa. "Not everyone is like her," Aria said softly. "No. Some people are worse." Leon's eyes found hers. "They pretend to be innocent. They make you think they're different. And then they take everything." The accusation hung between them.

"I'm not taking anything from you," Aria declared. "All I want is to make it through the next six months and regain my life. Leon reclined in his chair and asked, "What life?" "The one where you run errands for a sister who doesn't appreciate you, wear clothes from thrift stores, and share an apartment with roommates?"

"That's my life." It's real. It is genuine. It's small. "Compared to his previous insults, this one struck her more forcefully. Because there was a part of her that, despite her best efforts to ignore it, agreed with him.

Her life was small. Safe. Invisible.

As she had always been. According to Aria, "not everyone needs a penthouse and a seven-figure bank account to be happy." "No. However, everyone has the right to be more than a doormat. She was immobilized by Leon's stare. "You are treated as though you are invisible by your family.

Your sister abandons you to deal with her messes. And you just... accept it. Why?" "You don't know anything about my family." "I know you came alone to deliver wedding documents for a sister who didn't bother to show up. I know you have one suitcase of belongings. I know you apologize for existing." He leaned forward. "I know someone taught you that you don't matter. And I want to know why you believed them." Aria's throat tightened. How did he see so much?

"Because it was easier than fighting," she muttered. "How did he look at her for one day and understand things she'd spent years trying to hide?" "Because perhaps they would love me at last if I made myself small enough. "The admission lingered between them. Leon's face softened.

Just barely. Just enough. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he said. But his voice was gentle. "People don't love you more when you're small. They just take up more space." Aria blinked back tears she refused to let fall. "Then what do you suggest?" "Take up space." Leon picked up his glass. "Be loud. Be inconvenient. It would be impossible to ignore." "Like you?" "Like someone who knows her worth."

He drank. "Even if that person is now unintentionally married to a man who finds her intolerable. "Aria laughed despite everything, including the terrible day and the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Unexpected and somewhat hysterical, it exploded out of her. Leon gazed at her as if she had gone insane. Which increased her laughter.

"What's funny?" "This." Aria wiped her eyes. "All of this. We're complete strangers having marriage counseling over four-hundred-dollar sushi in a penthouse that costs more than my hometown. It's absurd." Leon's lips twitched. "It's definitely not how I planned to spend my evening." "Me neither."

Unashamed, Aria picked up another piece of sushi with her fingers. However, I must say that the food makes it a little less awful. Highly commendable. Keep it from getting to your head. "When they were done eating, Leon didn't make her feel bad about using her fingers, or choosing the incorrect pieces, or not knowing how to eat ginger correctly. They stood awkwardly in the dining room after he called his housekeeper to clean up. "Well," replied Aria.

"Thanks for dinner. It was... educational."

Marcus will deliver documents for you to sign tomorrow morning. Confidentiality clauses, prenuptial agreements, the usual.

Right. Back to business. Back to reality. "Of course," replied Aria. "I don't want anyone to believe that this is true. Leon's face flickered with something. It has nothing to do with that. It's about keeping us both safe. Yes. Aria made her way to her room. "Goodnight, Leon." "Aria."

She paused and turned around. "For what it's worth. Leon stuffed his hands into his pockets. "You made it through today. Strength is required for that. It was the closest thing to a compliment he had offered her. Like a lifeline, Aria clung to it. "See you in the morning," she said. She shut herself off in her lovely, solitary room and allowed herself to cry at last.

Not because Leon was cruel. But because, for just a moment at dinner, he'd been kind. And somehow, that was so much worse.