Chapter 10 Turning Tables (V)
Aria’s POV
My fingers trembled slightly as I stared at my phone screen, watching the social media storm I’d just unleashed. Within minutes of posting that simple “Married” caption with our marriage certificate, my notifications exploded.
The shift in public sentiment was immediate and overwhelming. Just hours ago, I’d been the pathetic abandoned bride, the object of pity and mockery. Now, comment sections were filled with shocked emojis, congratulations, and-most satisfyingly-biting remarks aimed at Liam and Sophia.
“QUEEN BEHAVIOR!”
“Wait, Aiden Carter??? THE Aiden Carter???”
“Liam White is probably choking on his champagne right now!”
“Talk about an upgrade!”
I couldn’t help the small, vindictive smile that played on my lips. After weeks of humiliation, the tables had finally turned. I hadn’t planned to announce our arrangement so publicly-or at all, really-but seeing those photos of Liam and Sophia shopping for rings on what should have been our anniversary had sparked something primal and wounded in me.
My phone rang, Lillian’s face flashing on the screen. I took a deep breath before answering.
“ARIA JONES!” Her voice blasted through the speaker. “Or should I say, ARIA CARTER? What the actual hell? I’m supposed to be your best friend, and I find out you’re MARRIED from I*******M? Please tell me this is some elaborate Photoshop job!”
“It’s not Photoshopped,” I replied calmly, settling back against my pillows. “It’s real.”
The silence that followed was so profound I checked to see if the call had dropped.
“Lil? Are you still there?”
“When? How? WHY?” she finally exploded. “Last time we talked, you were still in bed nursing a broken heart, and now you’re suddenly married to Aiden Carter? The Aiden Carter? The man who’s been Liam’s biggest rival since forever? Did you hit your head during that gunshot incident harder than we thought?”
I sighed. “Can you come over? I’d rather explain in person.”
Twenty minutes later, Lillian burst through my door, still in her work clothes, her eyes wild with disbelief.
“Start talking. Now,” she demanded, dropping onto my couch.
I poured us both a glass of wine before sitting across from her, “It’s not what you think. It’s a business arrangement.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “A business arrangement that involves legally binding yourself to one of the most eligible bachelors in the country?”
“When Aiden visited me in the hospital after the car accident,” I explained, keeping the details vague, “I proposed the marriage. He gets something he needs, and I get the perfect revenge against Liam-plus a clean break from all the public humiliation.”
For a beat, Lillian just stared at me. Her mouth parted slightly, as if processing what she’d just heard.
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Then her eyes lit up.
“You know what? I think I get it. This is brilliant, actually. You’re not hiding away licking your wounds-you’ve completely flipped the script. The jilted bride becomes the one who moved on first, and with a much bigger catch! “Her voice had risen with excitement. “God, I wish I could see Liam’s face right now. And that manipulative little
“I know,” I agreed with a satisfied smile, raising my glass. “To unexpected alliances.”
“And to your devious mind,” Lillian replied, clinking her glass against mine. After taking a sip, she asked, “And the east side property? You’re really giving it to him?”
I nodded. “Dad left it to me, and honestly, what am I going to do with it? At least this way it serves a purpose.”
“So… you’re not actually together? This is all for show?”
“Exactly. It’s temporary. Once he gets what he needs, we’ll quietly divorce and move on.”
Lillian studied me for a long moment. “Are you sure about this, Aria? I mean, Aiden Carter has quite the reputation. Cold. Calculating. Ruthless in business.”
“He was… surprisingly decent about it all,” I admitted. “Professional.”
A slow, mischievous grin spread across her face. “Well, if you had to fake-marry someone for revenge, at least you picked the hottest possible candidate. Have you seen that man in a suit? Like sin on legs.”
I rolled my eyes, though heat crept into my cheeks. “It’s not like that.”
“Sure, honey.” She took a sip of wine, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “But just in case it ever becomes ‘like that,’ I fully support you riding that revenge marriage all the way to—”
My phone rang, cutting off whatever inappropriate suggestion she was about to make. Aiden’s name flashed on
the screen.
“It’s him,” I whispered, suddenly nervous.
Lillian’s eyes widened. “Answer it!”
I turned away from Lillian’s eager face and answered the call.
“Hello, Mrs. Carter,” Aiden’s deep, steady voice came through the line, amusement lacing his tone. “Quite the social media debut you’ve orchestrated. Care to explain why my phone is now melting with notifications?”
“I, um… might have acted on impulse,” I stammered, wincing at my own lame excuse.
“Indeed.” He paused deliberately. “Our agreement was for discretion, if I recall correctly.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” I apologized quickly, guilt washing over me. “But when I saw those photos of Liam and Sophia today of all days-”
“Breaking rules comes with consequences,” he interrupted smoothly. “You’ll need to make it up to me.”
My spine straightened. “Make it up to you how, exactly?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” His voice dropped lower, sending an unexpected shiver down my back. “I’ll let you know when inspiration strikes.”
“That’s not ominous at all,” I muttered before I could stop myself.
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To my surprise, he chuckled. “Check Carter Enterprises’ official social media.”
I quickly pulled up the company account. Pinned at the top was an official statement:
“Carter Enterprises confirms that CEO Aiden Carter and Ms. Aria Jones were legally married on February 16th. The Carter family requests privacy for the newlyweds as they adjust to married life.” 2
I stared at my phone in shock. “You… you made it official?”
“If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly,” he replied, his deep voice making the simple statement sound almost intimate. “Half-measures only invite speculation and scrutiny.”
“You put out an official corporate statement about your personal life,” I said, still processing. “That doesn’t seem like the Aiden Carter the business world knows.”
“Perhaps you’re already having an influence on me,” he replied dryly. “By the way, your little impulse provided an unexpected benefit. White Industries’ stock dropped 7 points in the last hour.””Does that mean my debt is paid?” I asked hopefully. “For breaking the discretion agreement?”
“Not even close,” he replied without hesitation. “That was business. This is personal.”
You ruthless bastard, I thought to myself.
“I can hear you thinking unflattering things about me,” he said, sounding almost entertained.”Better keep those thoughts to yourself, Mrs. Carter.”
I nearly dropped the phone. “I didn’t say anything!”
“You didn’t have to. Your silence speaks volumes.” he replied smoothly. “Now, do you remember our appointment next week?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“My grandmother wants to meet you next week,” he continued smoothly. “She’s… particularly invested in my marital status.” Something in his tone suggested there was more to the story. “She needs to believe this marriage is real.” 1
“Of course,” I responded quickly. “I’ll play my part. Whatever you need me to do.”
“Good. My driver will pick you up next Friday at 11 AM.”
I nodded, then realized he couldn’t see me. “I’ll be ready.”
After hanging up, Lillian pounced on me like an excited puppy.
“OH. MY. GOD. You’re moving in with Aiden Carter!” she squealed.
I corrected her. “Just… for appearances.”
She gave me a knowing smirk. “Sure, and I’m secretly dating Brad Pitt.”
She leaned in, her voice dropping conspiratorially. “You know what you should do? Seduce him.”
“What?” I nearly choked on my wine. “Are you insane?”
“Hear me out,” she insisted, eyes gleaming. “You’re legally married to one of the sexiest, richest men in the country. Why not enjoy all the… benefits of that arrangement?”
“Lillian!”
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“I’m serious! The best revenge isn’t just showing Liam you’ve moved on-it’s actually moving on. With someone better. In every way.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “And I bet Carter is fantastic in bed. All that intensity has to go somewhere.”
I couldn’t help but remember how it felt when he carried me, the hard muscles of his chest against my side, the strength in his arms. My mind wandered further, imagining what those powerful hands might feel like on my bare skin, what he might look like without his perfectly tailored suits…
Heat rushed to my face. “This is strictly business.”
“For now,” she said with a wink. “But business arrangements can always be… renegotiated.”
I threw a couch pillow at her, but couldn’t help laughing. “You’re terrible.”
“I’m practical,” she corrected, refilling our glasses. “Now, let’s talk about what you’re going to wear when you move into the Carter penthouse. You need lace lingerie and a dress that says, “I’m sexy, dangerous, and ready to be unwrapped.'”‘
I rolled my eyes but clinked my glass against hers anyway.
Liam’s POV:
Beside me on the sofa, Sophia dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “I don’t understand why people are being so cruel, ” she whispered brokenly. “Those pictures of us at the jewelry store-we were just looking! How was I supposed to know someone would photograph us and twist it into something it wasn’t?”
I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Someone’s trying to make us look bad, that’s all.”
She looked up at me with those wide, vulnerable eyes that always made my heart constrict. “You believe me, don’t you? That I didn’t know we were being followed?”
“Of course I do,” I assured her, kissing her forehead. “You need to rest. All this stress isn’t good for your condition.
Sophia nodded weakly and retreated to the bedroom while I continued scrolling through the comments. The public backlash was getting worse. I had to talk to Aria, explain that the jewelry store visit was just a misunderstanding. I grabbed my keys, determined to drive over to her place and clear things up.
As I pulled out of my driveway, my phone rang. It was Xander.
“What the hell are you doing, man?” he demanded without preamble.
“I’m going to talk to Aria,” I replied, navigating through evening traffic. “Those pictures with Sophia at the jewelry store–it wasn’t what it looked like. I was actually looking at rings to give to Aria as an apology gift.”
“Are you serious right now?” Xander’s voice was incredulous. “First of all, that’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard. And second, you’re way too late.”
“What do you mean?”
“Check your messages. I just sent you something you need to see.”
I pulled over to the side of the road and opened Xander’s text. There, staring back at me, was a marriage certificate with Aria’s name next to Aiden Carter’s, along with an official statement from Carter Enterprises confirming their
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marriage.
“This can’t be real,” I muttered, feeling the blood drain from my face.
“It’s very real,” Xander replied coldly. “So whatever half-baked apology you were planning can wait. Or better yet, don’t bother at all.” He hung up without another word.
I stared at my phone, my mind racing back to two week ago—our wedding day–when she was nearly hit by a car. I’d assumed she was playing some game, trying to make me choose between her and Sophia one last time. 1
Now, looking at the marriage certificate with her and Aiden’s names neatly printed side by side, a cold wave of panic washed over me. This wasn’t a game. She hadn’t been waiting for me to come back.
She’d moved on-to my biggest business rival.
And something told me I’d lost far more than I’d ever realized. 1
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