Silent Temptation: When True Love Meets

Ariana Edwards was sitting in a hotel room wearing a white wedding dress and delicate makeup. It was the day of her wedding, but the groom was nowhere to be found.

In her hands were two documents. One was the consent form for artificial insemination, and the other was a non-disclosure agreement. The first document showed that the insemination was going to take place tomorrow. The Anderson family's lawyer was waiting for Ariana to sign the documents after handing them to her a moment ago.

The sperm that was going to be inseminated into Ariana belonged to Theodore Anderson, her groom and the eldest son of the Anderson family.

Their wedding was going to be the wedding of the century. However, the groom was involved in a ghastly car accident three months ago. It was said that he didn't have much time left.

"Miss Edwards, please, you have to sign them immediately," the lawyer urged Ariana, impatience written all over his face.

The Anderson family was one of the most powerful families in this city. The Andersons valued the continuation of their lineage as much as their wealth. Theodore was a childless bachelor before the accident, so his father, Darian, took it upon himself to get his son a wife. He had it all planned out. The sperm that Theodore froze years ago was going to be inseminated into the new bride's womb before he died.

Ariana's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the documents. A glint of imperceptible panic was in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I need to read all the clauses thoroughly. Can I have some time alone?"

The lawyer frowned slightly before he nodded and left.

As soon as the door was shut, Ariana put down the documents and called her boyfriend.

Yes, she had a boyfriend. But it was top secret.

Her boyfriend happened to be Jasper Anderson, the second son of Darian and Theodore's half-brother.

He was in on the whole thing. In fact, the conspiracy was his idea!

A month ago, Ariana's father passed away after a brief illness. Her stepmother, Glenda Edwards, took over all the properties and drove her out of the house. She left Ariana penniless and even collected all that belonged to her late mother.

Ariana was down in the dumps. It was at this time that her boyfriend, Jasper, came up with a plan. He asked her to marry Theodore and sabotage the artificial insemination operation when it was time. Jasper wanted to be the only inheritor of his family's wealth once his half-brother died.

He promised to marry Ariana. To sweeten the deal, he also vowed to help her take back her mother's belongings from the wicked Glenda.

It had taken Jasper a great deal of persuasion to get Ariana to agree. But now, she was starting to have second thoughts. Ariana's conscience was already pricking her. She didn't think she could go through with the plan.

Jasper didn't pick up even after many rings. This made Ariana more anxious. She paced back and forth in the room. Out of desperation, she sneaked out to look for Jasper.

Ariana's heart was in her mouth as she walked down the corridor. She feared that she might bump into someone who knew her in the elevator, so she took off her heels and headed toward the stairs.

Just as she arrived in front of the last suite at the end of the corridor, she halted in her tracks.

The door of this suite was slightly ajar. A familiar giggle came from inside.

"Oh, don't stop, Jasper. Stay with me for a little longer. After all, Ariana doesn't have time for you now."

Ariana's heart sank. Her legs were as heavy as lead at this time. However, she slowly walked closer and looked through the crack of the door.

A young man and woman were lying half-naked on the sofa. The woman who was twisting her body on the man was none other than Ariana's stepsister, Brielle. And the man was Jasper!

"Baby, you know I'd love to stay with you, but I can't now. I'm afraid Ariana would back out of the plan and run away. I need to keep an eye on her," Jasper said with a grunt, trying to push Brielle away.

Brielle didn't take no for an answer. She lowered her head and gave him a hot kiss. "You don't have to worry. That bitch won't run away. She is always obedient to you. Remember that we still have her mother's belongings. She would do anything for those."

"Hmm. You have a point there." With these words, Jasper lay back on the sofa. He wrapped one hand around Brielle's waist and slid the other under her dress. "Ha-ha! She has no one to rely on since her father is dead. She has no choice but to do my bidding."

"Things wouldn't have been this smoothly if you hadn't tampered with her father's medicine," Brielle said with a chuckle. As soon as Jasper's hand slid through her underwear, she moaned. Her body trembled and melted in his arms. "My silly sister thinks you will marry her after everything is said and done. She has no idea that you killed her father. You are a bad boy, Jasper."

"Isn't that why you love me?" Jasper suddenly turned over and pressed Brielle under his body while kissing her. "Not to worry, you will be my bride when everything is over. I only have eyes for you. For now, let me show you how bad I can be..."

The next second, their voices trailed off and were replaced with pleasurable moans.

Ariana's legs turned to jelly. She staggered back and held the wall for support.

Her beloved Jasper was a betrayer! It dawned on Ariana that his love and promises were all lies! He even killed her father!

Tears suddenly streamed down her cheeks. A painful lump went up her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Ariana clenched her wedding gown tightly. She gritted her teeth in hatred as she listened to the moans coming from the suite.

It turned out that these two were using her as a pawn to carry out their real plan. Now that she found out about it, she decided to work against them.

Ariana wiped her tears and put on her heels again. With her head held up high, she walked back to her room. She took the documents and signed them without hesitation.

She decided to marry Theodore for real and work against Brielle and Jasper secretly. Those two were in for disappointment now that she was one step ahead of them.

*

At night, the Anderson family's residence was brightly lit.

Ariana was sent to Theodore's room as soon as the wedding was over.

This was the first time she was meeting her so-called husband.

According to Jasper, Theodore was so bad-tempered and evil that even Lucifer would give up his throne in hell for him. Jasper had described his half-brother using all the bad words he could think of. He also said that Theodore was as ugly as an ogre.

As a result, Ariana expected to see a hideous man lying on the bed. But her jaw dropped when she saw his face. He was actually good-looking. Even though he was in a coma, the air of dignity and power clung to him.

Ariana's eyes widened in awe as she studied Theodore's chiseled features.

Jasper was such a liar! She regretted believing the words that came out of that betrayer's mouth.

While she was lost in thought, the door was kicked open from the outside. Jasper swaggered in with a bottle in his hand. He belched and said out loud, "Hey, Aria! I'm sorry I missed your call earlier. I was too busy."

Ariana knew that she had to play her cards right if she wanted to come out victorious. So, she hid her real emotions. "It's okay. I understand."

Jasper took a big gulp from the bottle of wine and then smiled confidently. "I knew you would understand. After all, you love me so much."

A spark of fury shone in Ariana's eyes for a split second. Clenching her fists, she said, "It's late. You should leave now. Let's talk tomorrow."

Without uttering a word, Jasper locked the door and then walked to Ariana slowly.

She stepped back warily. "Jasper, what are you doing?"

"The wedding night shouldn't go to waste. Let's make love."

With a mischievous smile on his face, Jasper lunged forward.

It took Ariana by surprise that Jasper was so shameless and bold that he wanted to have sex with her in the presence of his unconscious half-brother. He was nuts!

When Jasper moved closer again, she pushed him away and muttered, "Sober up, Jasper. Don't forget the plan."

Jasper didn't stop. "I have changed my mind. You need to conceive my child before the insemination. That way, my child will become the heir and we can inherit everything."

Ariana was disgusted by him. She was about to go for broke by knocking him down.

Just as she raised her hand to strike him, she saw that Jasper's attention was on something else. He was looking behind her with his eyes widened as if he just saw a ghost.

"Theo... Theodore..."

Jasper immediately took to his heels.

Ariana was confused. What was wrong with him? Did Theodore wake up?

She quickly turned around, but she didn't notice anything odd. Theodore was still lying on the bed, and his breath was as steady and quiet as before.

The only difference was that one of his hands was out of the quilt.

Ariana tilted her head and studied the hand for a while. It looked limp, so she felt that it probably fell out when she bumped into the bedframe while trying to dodge Jasper.

"Theodore?" Ariana called tentatively.

There was no response.

She leaned forward and called out more firmly, "Hey, Theodore!"

Still, she got no response.

Ariana swallowed hard and slowly walked to the bedside. She carefully took hold of his hand and put it back under the quilt. Theodore still didn't move a muscle during the process. This eased her mind greatly. It turned out he was still in a deep coma.

Perhaps Jasper had hallucinated in his drunken state.

Ariana patted her chest as she breathed a sigh of relief.

The room returned to its usual quietness again. Ariana's heart was still beating fast. For some unknown reason, she feared that Theodore would suddenly open his eyes. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at him closely. A while later, she dozed off due to tiredness.

The next day, Ariana woke up to find herself lying on the edge of the bed. She quickly turned her head to look at Theodore. To her relief, he didn't seem to have moved an inch the whole night. Ariana felt the weight of uncertainty drop off her shoulders now.

She finally ruled out the possibility that Jasper had really seen Theodore move last night. It appeared the drunk man was only hallucinating.

Ariana went to the bathroom to wash up. While she was brushing her teeth, her eyes fell on a red mark on her neck. It wasn't there before. It looked like someone had pinched her there recently.

When Ariana remembered the struggle with Jasper last night, she reasoned that the red mark was his doing.

Disgust surged inside her at the thought of that betrayer.

Ariana set down her toothbrush and went back into the bedroom. She put on a turtleneck top to cover the mark.

When she was all dressed up, she went downstairs.

She had just gotten to the bottom stair when Jasper appeared out of nowhere and pulled her into a cubicle nearby.

"Did Theodore wake up last night?" he whispered into her ear, fearing that someone would hear them.

Ariana felt sick to her stomach at the sight of Jasper. She took two steps back and replied expressionlessly, "No, he didn't."

"That's good to know. I had too much to drink last night. My eyes tricked me. For a second, I thought Theodore opened his eyes and stared daggers at me. Thank goodness it was just an illusion." Jasper took a deep breath, feeling relieved. He flashed his usual sunny smile.

This smile used to send excitement through Ariana's body in the past. But now, she hated it. She lowered her eyes so he wouldn't see the resentment in her eyes.

Oblivious to the real reason, Jasper felt that she was unhappy because of what happened last night. He apologized softly. "I'm sorry about what happened, Aria. The wine intoxicated me. I didn't mean to be rough with you."

Ariana forced a smile. "Okay, it's fine."

She then made up an excuse so she could leave the cubicle immediately.

When she got to the dining room, she saw that Darian was already seated at the table. He was a stern man who rarely smiled. After Ariana greeted him, he only nodded slightly. He exuded a cold and uncaring aura.

On the other hand, Sharon, Theodore's stepmother, was enthusiastic. She was Jasper's biological mother, so she probably knew about his plan. It was the only logical explanation for her excessive warmth and friendliness.

Ariana felt uncomfortable throughout breakfast.

Once they were done eating, Darian took her to the private hospital owned by the Anderson family.

Jasper came along. When Ariana was being ushered into the operating room, he gave her a knowing look.

Ariana took the hint.

She smiled to assure him that she hadn't forgotten the plan. But the moment she turned around, her smile vanished. She walked into the operating room with a cold face.

Fear slowly crept into her heart at this time. But when she remembered how Jasper was making love to her stepsister and how he had killed her father, she gritted her teeth and balled her fists. She was hell-bent on getting revenge and taking back what rightfully belonged to her.

The insemination took about an hour. Ariana, whose face was pale, was wheeled out in a wheelchair. The doctor took off his mask and said to Darian, "Everything went well, Mr. Anderson. Now, we have to wait for about a month to confirm if it is successful."

Jasper's face darkened as soon as he heard this.

In contrast, Darian's usually cold face lit up with a smile. Even a blind man could see that he was pleased with the news. He looked at Ariana with an expression of satisfaction. Afterward, he ordered one of his drivers to drive her and Jasper back home.

On the way, Jasper's face was red with anger. Several green veins became visible on his forehead and temples, but he didn't utter a word.

Ariana didn't bother speaking to him. She looked out of the window, lost in thought.

Once they got out of the car, Jasper flipped out. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the garden to give her a piece of his mind.

"What the hell, Ariana! I thought we agreed that you would ruin the operation. Why didn't you do so?" Jasper growled.

As far as Ariana was concerned, she didn't owe this backstabber an explanation. He disgusted her. She shook off his hand and said coldly, "Mind the way you speak to me, Jasper. I'm your sister-in-law now!"

Jasper held his head and let out an angry laugh. He kicked the tree nearby. "What did you just say? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Ariana's heart skipped a beat when she saw his bloodshot eyes. She spun on her heels, but Jasper pulled her back.

"Did I tell you to leave? Don't even dare walk out on me, Ariana! I'm not done speaking to you!" Sparks of fury burned in Jasper's eyes.

Ariana was both scared and annoyed. She tried to break free while glaring at him. "Let go of me!"

"Bitch!" Jasper grabbed her with both hands and leaned over. "This wasn't what we agreed on. Are you trying to pull a fast one on me now that you are married to Theodore? Just so you know, you can't get rid of me. There's no telling that you would get pregnant. Even if you do, Theodore won't be able to protect you and that little bastard."

"Bah! How are you so sure about that? Theodore is still alive, isn't he?" Ariana sneered. "No matter what happens, I'm still your sister-in-law. You better come to terms with it now!"

This comment drove Jasper nuts. He raised his hand to slap her.

But before that could happen, a servant rushed out of the house and shouted, "Ma'am! Mr. Theodore Anderson just woke up. He wants to see you!"

What! Theodore was awake!

The news caught Ariana and Jasper off guard.

Once Jasper recovered from the shock, his face darkened. He tightened his grip on Ariana's arm and scolded her, "You lied to me, didn't you? What I saw last night wasn't an illusion. Theodore truly regained consciousness last night, right? Oh, I get it now. That's why you suddenly went against me!"

Since Jasper had already drawn a conclusion, Ariana didn't bother to explain. She got rid of his grip and walked away with the servant.

Jasper was pissed off. He wanted to hit Ariana, but he didn't dare. Standing in the garden, he watched her receding figure until she went out of sight. Then he turned around and kicked a flowerpot in anger.

The Anderson family's residence was a manor which had different buildings that were surrounded by flowers and trees. Theodore lived in a small detached house behind the garden. Not only was the air fresh here, but it was also brightly lit and quiet. There were many bamboos planted around the house. It was just perfect for a sick person to recuperate.

However, the beauty of the surroundings was the least of Ariana's concerns now. Her mind was in a muddle.

She wondered if Theodore had woken up since last night. Did he hear the conversation between her and Jasper?

What would happen if he did?

Ariana's heart began to pound. Her face turned pale as several thoughts swept through her mind.

To the best of her knowledge, Theodore wasn't an angel. She had been told that he was a ruthless man who even had strong connections with people from the underworld. It was said that those who offended him in the past were thoroughly dealt with. Would he do the same to her?

"Here we are!" The servant's voice brought Ariana back to her senses.

After taking a deep breath, she pushed it open and walked in. She had just walked into the house when Darian came in panting heavily.

Ariana bowed her head and greeted him. Darian gave her a curt nod and then they entered Theodore's room together.

Standing beside the bed were a group of doctors. They were examining Theodore.

Theodore was sitting up with his back against the headboard, his eyes emotionless and his handsome face as cold as a winter frost.

When he heard the footsteps at the door, he turned his head to look at who came in. His sharp eyes swept over Ariana and fell on Darian. "Who is she?"

It was a simple question. But Ariana found herself in a flap.

Hadn't he sent for her? Anyway, she didn't know how to face him now, let alone introduce herself.

Theodore could terminate the marriage at any time.

If that happened, her revenge plan would be ruined.

"She is your wife," Darian piped up before Ariana could think of a response.

"My wife? Why don't I remember getting married to any woman?"

"Well, I've arranged the marriage for you. The wedding was held yesterday. Everyone knows about it."

Darian looked quite calm as if he had expected that his son would wake up.

The lead doctor was done examining Theodore at this time. But due to the situation, he stood there with his subordinates hesitantly.

Darian coughed to clear his throat, his face inscrutable. "How is he?"

The lead doctor replied, "Although he regained consciousness, he hasn't recovered fully. His legs are still in a bad condition. I hate to break it to you, but he might never be able to stand or walk again."

"Are you trying to say that he's now crippled?" Darian asked in disbelief.

Ariana frowned when she saw the hint of relief on Darian's face.

"Sadly, yes, Mr. Anderson." The lead doctor sighed with pity. "However, a series of physiotherapy may help."

"I see. Thanks for your help. You can leave now."

Darian waved his hand to dismiss the doctors. Once they left, he turned to Theodore and flashed a rare, genial smile. "Son, thank goodness you are back. You need to rest well now. Don't think too much about what the doctor said. I'll get the best physiotherapist to treat you. Just leave it to me."

With these words, he beckoned Ariana to the bedside. "This is your wife, Ariana. She's the daughter of the Edwards family. She will take care of you from now on. You are in good hands."

"I don't have a wife! Since I didn't consent to the marriage, it doesn't count. I'll ask my lawyer to start the divorce procedures immediately!" Theodore declared, his deep voice filled with contempt.

Darian's face twitched as if he was restraining his anger. "You will do no such thing, Theodore! Divorce is out of the question."

Theodore sneered with disdain. "What makes you think you have the right to make decisions for me?"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

It dawned on Ariana that these two didn't see eye to eye. She fiddled with her fingers awkwardly, not daring to utter a word.

Darian was so angry that his body trembled. He roared, "You are married. And that's final! For your information, your sperm has been inseminated into Ariana's womb already. She must have conceived your child by now. I won't consent to your divorce!"

"What! You put my sperm into this woman?" For the first time, Theodore gave Ariana a good look. His piercing eyes examined her from head to toe. The corners of his lips suddenly upturned with disgust.

After sucking his teeth, he inquired straightforwardly, "Miss Edwards, which do you prefer, surgical abortion or medication abortion?"