The Billionaire's Love Game

Chapter I Is It The End?

"Aria, I'm back. Alaric is mine. If you're willing to quit the game, I'll give you twenty million dollars as compensation."

Aria Havenscorft's lips curled as she looked at the text message on her phone. Alaric Hawthorne' true love, Selene Hart sent the text. Selene left Alaric four years ago for some unknown reason, and it honored Aria to be her substitute. Because the figure of Alaric Hawthorne is a life saver in her life. Although their marriage wasn't based on love, but as long as Aria could get what she wanted, it was enough for her.

Aria grabbed the phone and headed into the bedroom. She stood in the doorway for a while, enraptured by the tall figure standing by the window. She pulled herself out of her stupor after a while, striding over to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She loved that firm, wide back, where she would lean back comfortably.

Then she whispered in his ear. "Mr. Hawthorne, Miss Hart texted me again. Shall I call her and clarify our relationship with her?"

"There's no need." Alaric said lightly, "I have asked the lawyer to draft a divorce agreement and all you have to do is to sign the papers when they are ready."

Faking a sad expression, Aria responded. "What a pity. I wanted to carry the tales to Miss Hart. But congratulations, you can finally be with the one you love."

Even if Alaric couldn't see her expression, he caught her brisk tone. Is Aria looking forward to this divorce too?

If she ever showed any sadness, it would greatly surprise him. Since Aria never showed that sadness in front of him.

Aria was about to pull her arms away when Alaric grabbed a hold of her and pulled her into his chest. Embraced in his arms, she raised her chin and welcomed his kiss.

Their lips met, and they kissed passionately for several seconds. When they parted, Aria leaned back against his arms and sighed.

"Mr. Hawthorne, Miss Hart, the lady you continuously thought about is coming back. Aren't you afraid she'll be jealous seeing us like this?"

"You're still Mrs. Hawthorne," Alaric said, implying that as long as they weren't divorced yet, Aria had to fulfill her obligations as his wife.

Alaric lifted her chin, and their lips met again in a passionate flurry.

To be honest, Alaric liked Aria quite a lot. Apart from looking almost identical to Selene, the woman he loved, Aria had a more filled-out figure. Of course, this was an additional point that made him feel that Aria was quite different from Selene.

Men were visual creatures. Unless they truly loved a woman, a woman with a better physical appearance would be more attractive to them.

Compared to women who were showing signs of aging, men preferred young and beautiful women with perfect figures.

"Mr. Hawthorne, I got back and I'm drenched in sweat. Please, let me take a shower first."

Aria slid out of Alaric's embrace like a charming serpent.

Alaric looked at her with lust in his eyes and asked, "May I join you?"

Aria winked and walked into the bathroom, leaning forward, and said, "I prefer to bathe alone." Then she closed the door.

Alaric's expression changed. He liked when Aria played hard to get, like a temptress, just waiting for him to make the wrong move.

Four years before, Selene left because of a misunderstanding and never showed up for their wedding.

After that, he found a woman who looked just like her to serve as a substitute. What was shocking to the guests was that the bride wasn't the daughter of the Hart family.

Everyone said Selene was the one at fault. Both families knew she was the one who had run away from the wedding. The Harts were ashamed and apologized profusely to him. He didn't retaliate against the Hart family because he loved Selene. Instead, he found a woman who loved money to replace Selene at a critical moment.

And the Cinderella who was brought under the spotlight was none other than Aria Havenscorft.

*

Their love making exhausted Aria and she didn't wake until seven o'clock in the evening.

After taking a shower in the bathroom, she put on a dress she had just bought and dressed up simply before going downstairs.

She walked toward Alaric, who was enjoying his dinner, and gave him a light peck on his cheek before smiling at him.

"Mr. Hawthorne, why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping like the dead. I didn't want to disturb you," Alaric said as he put some food on his plate.

Aria placed another kiss on his cheek and called out. "Mrs. Miriam, I'm hungry."

After a while, a chubby, middle-aged woman with a cheerful face walked out of the kitchen carrying a few dishes.

"Young master just said that young mistress might sleep longer as you seemed tired. So he asked me to reserve some food for you. I hadn't expected you to wake up so soon though."

Aria sat down with a smile. Seeing Mrs. Miriam had made her favorite dishes, her smile grew even wider.

"Mrs. Miriam, you're the best. You made all my favorites."

"Please eat up, young mistress. It's great to finally have you home again. I expect to see put on some weight. You look thinner now since the last time I saw you. I will prepare delicious food for you every day from now on," Mrs. Miriam replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Mrs. Miriam."

Alaric had almost finished eating when Mrs. Miriam went back to her work.

He wiped his mouth and cleared his throat. "Dad is on a business trip for a few days and Mom must be bored at home alone. I'd like you to go over and see her tomorrow"

"Okay," Aria said, smiling sweetly.

Alaric looked at her smile in a trance. He knew she looked a lot like Selene, but he always forgot she appeared even more similar when she smiled. Compared to Selene, Aria had her own unique characteristics.

"Remember to listen to Mom's words."

"Yes, Mr. Hawthorne."

When she saw Alaric getting up from his seat, Aria got up as well. Then, she pointed at her cheek Playfully and smiled at him, "Mr. Hawthorne, I want an evening kiss."

Alaric glanced at her before walking over and placed a light peck on her cheek.

"You'll have to eat alone. I still have some unfinished work to attend to."

"Okay."

They were like an old married couple who'd been together for many years; a couple who knew each other's living habits inside and out.

Although there were no pretty flowes or fancy accessories to prove it, one could feel their silent understanding through their way of getting along with each other.

Though who would have thought their marriage was on the verge of divorce?

Chapter 2 Back to Hawthorne Mansion

The next day, Aria drove to the Hawthorne Mansion after seeing Alaric off to work. However, before getting out of the car, Alaric held back her hand, which made her turned to him directly.

"What's wrong?"

Alaric was silent for a moment before starting to speak. "Thalia just got back from Paris. If you see her, you should avoid what she says as much as possible."

For a moment Aria was silent, it was unusual for Alaric to say something like this to her. "I know how to handle it."

After that Aria actually got out of the car. In front, a middle-aged man stood waiting for her. The butler, Mr. Harley Jordan, greeted her with a smile.

"You're finally back, young madam. Madam has been asking about you these days."

Aria got out of the car and responded with a smile. "How is she? I miss Mom's cooking a lot as I've been away for a month. That's why I'm rushing back."

Mr. Jordan chuckled. "She's in good health. She's bored sometimes, as both master and young master are busy with work."

"Mom won't be bored now that I'm back."

Aria stepped into the house, with stiletto heels clicking with every step. Located halfway up the hillside, the Hawthorne' mansion villa covered a vast area of over a thousand hectares. As for the Hawthorne family members, it was quite simple. Mrs. Elowen Hawthorne had a son and a daughter. Her son was Alaric and her daughter was Thalia. Mrs. Hawthorne was in her sixties, but thanks to her extensive skincare routine, she resembled a woman in her early forties.

Apart from Thalia's prejudice against Aria, the Hawthorne' family was wonderful to her, especially Elowen. She treated Aria as she did her daughter. However, she didn't know that her son and Aria's marriage was based on a contract. Because when Alaric brought Aria into his family, Aria was introduced as the woman he officially married without any contractual reasons.

Aria loathed parting with Elowen even after the divorce. Elowen didn't have the usual arrogance often seen in wealthy women. She was easy-going, dignified, and magnanimous. Talking to her was as natural as breathing fresh air. It seemed a pity that she would part with the woman she had come to regard as her own mother. Because in the Hawthorne family, Elowen was the only one who considered her to exist.

"Mom," Aria called out sweetly to the woman sitting on the sofa.

The woman wore delicate makeup and a simple yet elegant dress.

Seeing that it was Aria, Elowen smiled courteously and said, "You're back, Aria dear! Come and sit beside me."

Aria walked over and snuggled next to Elowen on the sofa.

Elowen looked at her from head to toe and said, "Why are you getting thinner?"

"That's because I didn't get to eat your cooking and was starved."

Delighted by her sweet words, Elowen laughed. "I'll cook some of your favorite dishes later for you to make up for the weight loss."

"You're the best, Mom," Aria said pleasantly, as if she were Elowen's biological daughter.

"You're far beyond the age of kissing up. You make me sick," a sickly sweet female voice called, and Aria knew who it was without turning her head.

"Thalia, she's your sister-in-law. How can you say that?" Elowen asked with a frown.

Thalia snorted coldly, and said, "How is she my sister-in-law? She's just a woman bought by my brother."

Elowen's expression darkened visibly as she frowned. "Thalia, stop talking like that or you will regret it."

Thalia sat down and crossed her arms with a huff.

Rather than get angry, Aria smiled at her sister-in-law. "Thalia, I heard from Alaric that you went to Paris. When did you get back?"

To avoid Elowen's wrath, Thalia replied reluctantly. "The day before yesterday." She smiled as if thinking of something pleasant, gloated, and continued in a sadistic tone. "Sister-in-law, do you know who I saw in Paris?"

Aria became instantly alert. Thalia only addressed her as "sister-in-law" when she had wicked ideas brewing in her mind.

"Your friend?" Aria asked tentatively.

"I bumped into Selene. Sister-in-law, you know who she is, right?" Thalia asked excitedly. "No, of course you don't know her. She is no other than the ex-"

Throwing her a deadly stare, Elowen interrupted. "Thalia, what on earth are you talking about?"

Shrugging, Thalia responded, "Mom, I'll be outside taking a walk. The air here is too stale because of someone's presence."

Before anyone could respond, Thalia walked out as if there was no one else in the room.

Elowen sighed and turned to Aria. "Aria, don t mind her. Thalia was just too spoiled by us."

Aria smiled. "Thalia is only in her early twenties. It's normal for women to be rebellious at that age."

Elowen patted Aria's hand, feeling more affectionate toward her. "Aria, you're far too kind. Please don't take what Thalia said to hear. As for Selene, you can act as if she doesn't exist."

Aria wasn't stupid enough to ask who Selene was and thought it best to avoid the subject. "We are a family, Mom. I won't let Thalia's words bother me." Aria said, even though she knew the so-called "family" would soon fall apart.

"I always knew you were a sweet girl," Elowen said, growing even more fond of Aria after hearing her reply.

Aria chatted with Elowen for the entire morning and joined her for lunch. Elowen was a little tired in the afternoon and went to take a naр. So Aria took the opportunity to go outside for a walk, and Thalia followed her.

"Aria, don t assume that just because my mother likes you, you can become my sister-in-law forever. My brother always has Selene on his mind. Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Thalia mocked her.

Aria shot her an elegant glance and replied with a smile. "Thalia, I don't know who you are talking about. Don't forget, I'm still your brother's wife. As long as we're together, I'm still your sister-in-law. I suggest you mind your words."

Thalia looked at Aria mockingly and sneered. "My sister-in-law? I dont think you'll hold that title for much longer. Only my mother is kind enough to treat someone like you as a daughter-in-law. You have nothing at all."

After a parse, Thalia continued. "A Cinderella like you shouldn't dream of marrying into a wealthy family. If you divorce my brother now, you may still get considerable compensation. If you wait too long, you'll end up with nothing."

Aria's smile deepened as Thalia spoke. "Thank you for your reminder. I considered divorcing your brother at first. But now. I believe i've changed my mind."

Aria turned to walk back to the house, her steps light.

Chapter 3 Meet at the Usual Place

"You..." Thalia was so mad that she was speechless for a few moments before responding. Aria's words made her furious, she felt like slapping her sister-in-law's face. But she had to hold back because they were currently in a mansion. If her mother saw the slap marks on Aria's face, she was sure her mother would judge her immediately. "You'll regret what you said today."

Aria only gave a lopsided smile when she saw the obvious anger on her sister-in-law's face. She folded her arms across her chest. "Don't worry, I won't regret it."

Without looking back, Aria returned to the house. As soon as she entered the guest room the Hawthorne family prepared for her and Alaric, her expression darkened visibly. She felt like her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand, leaving her in a great deal of pain. It would be a lie if she wasn't affected by Thalia's words. But Aria couldn't show her anger and dislike for what Thalia had said. Because after all, what Thalia said was a bitter fact that she had to accept.

Aria hugged the doll on the bed and breathed in the familiar scent, a wave of calm rushing over her. It was the body scent of Alaric that had always been her favorite.

She took out her phone and made a call.

When the person on the other end spoke in a flirtatious tone. "Dear, I miss you."

Alaric parsed and finally replied. "Knock it off. I'm in a meeting. I'll see you at nine o'clock tonight in our usual place." Then he hung up without another word.

Aria stared at the phone in a daze. Although they'd been married for four years, they rarely said more than a few words to each other, and never anything meaningful.

Alaric always regarded her as a woman who was driven by money and nothing more. Although there was more to it than that, the fact that she married Alaric was based on the money he gave her.

*

Aria spent an entire day in the Hawthorne' mansion. After having dinner with Elowen, she drove back to the apartment she and Alaric shared downtown.

As soon as she got home, she put down her bag and handpicked the outfit for her date that evening. The usual place Alaric mentioned was nothing more than a five-star hotel they visited frequently.

Even if she knew Alaric didn't love her, she didn't want him to treat her like a drowned rat. Because tonight she was going to look perfect in front of him. Showing that she was worthy enough to be next to him.

*

At nine o'clock that evening, Aria arrived at the hotel and unlocked the door to the presidential swite. Before she knew what was happening, she was pushed against the wall by a powerful force. A broad chest pressed against her and held her in place. She certainly knew who was holding her body against the wall right now.

She smelled the familiar breath and couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Mr. Hawthorne, aren't you going to ask me if I made your mother angry at the villa first?"

Looking at her, Alaric just shrugged indifferently. "Mom did always have a thing for you and she just called me and asked me to treat you better."

"Really? Since she said so, why are you still bullying me like this, Mr. Hawthorne?" Aria asked with a smile. Elowen's gentleness was very warming. Her mother-in-law always prioritized her over Alaric, who was her own biological son.

Staring into her eyes, Alaric lowered his head and kissed her affectionately on the lips. Unlike usual, this time the kiss the man gave her was quite gentle and intoxicating.

After the kiss, she gently pushed him away, keeping a specific distance between them. Looking at him with wide eyes, she responded.

"You really are a master of love, Mr. Hawthorne. You keep saying you love Miss Fletcher, but you're still messing around with me. Do you enjoy the excitement of sitting on the proverbial love fence?"

"I'll cut ties with you after the divorce."

Upon hearing his remark, there was a sharp pain in her chest. However, the fake smile on her face never faltered, and she continued. As always, she would never show that sad expression to her soon-to-be ex-husband. "Mr. Hawthorne, are you reminding me our relationship is about to end?"

She raised her hand, drawing circles on his chest seductively, and continued. "In that case, I think you shouldn't touch me tonight. After all, we will have nothing to do with each other soon."

"As long as we aren't divorced, you're still Mrs. Hawthorne and you must fulfill my physical needs." Alaric said, leaning forward to get closer to Aria.

Lowering her head, Aria smiled bitterly, but when she looked up again, her face was wreathed with smiles, and her adoring eyes were particularly attractive. Does Alaric mean that her function here is more of a lustful one, not a wife?

Alaric couldn t help but get distracted for a moment when he met Aria's alluring gaze.

"You really do look like Selene," murmured Alaric who gently stroked Aria's lips.

Aria's body stiffened at the mention of Selene, but she relaxed a moment later, caswally drawing circles on his chest again. "Mr. Hawthorne, mentioning another woman to me doesn't please me, you know this. It makes me think I've lost all my charm in your eyes, and I don't like that."

After that, she pulled Alaric closer and kissed him on his lips.

Alaric soon regained his composure and took the lead. Their tongues tangled together and refused to separate.

Just when Alaric moved to kiss her deeper, Aria pushed him away like a wicked flirt and looked at him with a carefree expression. "Mr. Hawthorne, how about having a glass of wine with me to add to the fun?"

Alaric's eyes fixed on her body like a wolf staring at a sheep before replying in a deep voice. "Sure!"

Alaric walked away and returned with a bottle of wine from 1982 and a couple of wine glasses in his hands.

He poured Aria half a glass of wine and handed it to her before pouring a glass for himself.

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

Aria clinked glasses with him, then swirled the glass gently so the wine could better mix with the air to increase its aroma.

"Do you know why I've maintained a marriage as long as this with you?" Alaric asked, staring at her through the glass.

"Isn t it because I'm your token wife?" Aria asked rhetorically, a smile playing on her lips.

"There's another reason." Alaric paused, his eyes squinted, and his thin lips slightly opened. "Because..."