The Girl He Craves

86

Sophie’s pov

The old man, who now I know was Aiden’s grandfather, swirled in his chair so he can get a better look

at me.

His eyes are cold. Dead. And annoyed.

Aiden’s words had rendered me speechless so much so that I had completely turned a blind eye to the

two bulky men standing in the far corner.

Must be Aiden’s grandfather’s bodyguards.

They stood with their hands tightly clamped together at their front, their posture stock.

I looked at Aiden, muted, confused, and stunned.

Did I really hear him right?

Did he just call me his fiance?

My fingers clutching the door handle tremble.

I have no idea what to say. How to react.

I’m lost.

“A fiance with no ring?” Aiden’s grandfather grumbles tightly, eyes sweeping down to stare at my hand.

My hand that’s bared of any ring.

My heart slams. Maybe this wasn’t a dream. Maybe this was actually happening and Aiden had just

called me his fi-

ance.

“I’m still searching for that perfect ring. My woman de- serves the best after all.” Aiden answers bluntly

and walks around his desk and approaches me with a look that told me to play along.

But what the hell was he playing at?

Aiden comes to stand beside me, his arm rooting around my waist. “Sergio meet Sophie, my fiance,

Sophie meet Ser- gio, my grandfather and chairman of Harrington.co.”

My eyes widen.

Chairman!

Aiden’s grip around my waist gets more firm, as if warn- ng me to not screw up.

I forced out a smile, unsure if I really wanted to play this game or not. Especially when I had no clue

why we were play- ng it.

This was the chairman of Harrington.co, this man was >owerful.

Do I really want to lie to his face?

Aiden squeezed me closer, another warning.

Sergio was indeed powerful, that you can notice on his ace, but his grandson was not far behind.

I was forced into a small box, unsure of how I’ll get out.

“Sophie,” Aiden grits lowly in warning, low for me alone to

hear.

I sweep my gaze over to the side of his face. He’s wearing a grin on his handsome face but I was not

fooled by it.

This was a forced grin and for whatever reason, he need- ed me to lie with him.

I sighed.

This was trouble.

I turn back to Sergio, smiling faintly. “Nice to meet you Mr. Xavier.”

Sergio’s features darkened. “It’s Harrington. Aiden’s fa- ther is not my son, his mother is my daughter.

Hence, he doesn’t have my last name.” He responded bitterly.

I reddened. Embarrassed beyond belief.

“I’m so so-rry Mr. Harring-ton. Please forgive my mis- take.” I stuttered.

Sergio’s eyes sweep over to Aiden and he asked tightly. “Does your fiance have a speech issue?”

This time I really did want the floor to open up and swal- low me whole. I made a fool out of myself and

clearly, Sergio didn’t like me.

Aiden’s arms tighten around my waist like steel as he an- swers Sergio with blunt irritation.

“Sophie has no speech issues. She’s a very intelligent woman and would be your future

granddaughter-in-law. Please respect her.””

Him coming to my defense was both shocking and con- fusing. But then I remembered that we were

playing a role. And that role made him commit to defending me. If he want- ed Sergio to be convinced

that is.

Sergio looks at the both of us, his eyes showing that he did not believe us.

Perhaps it was my stiff posture as Aiden kept me close. You couldn’t blame me, Aiden being close to

me did things to my body I didn’t want to admit.

And surely I did not want to feel these things with an au- dience, one being his grandfather in the same

room.

Sergio’s eyes narrowed on my face and I can almost see all those bad things he thought about me.

I squirmed under his stare, feeling violated by the furious displeasure and disgust swimming through

his eyes as they pinned me down.

“When did you two get engaged?” His eyes swang over to Aiden who grows stiff beside me.

“Sergio, I did not know this was twenty questions about my relationship,” Aiden says stiffly.

I can literally feel the irritation rolling off his pores.

Sergio’s brows lift and he regarded Aiden with a cool ex- pression.

Seriously….what have I gotten myself into?

“I’m your grandfather. Don’t you think I deserve to know when my grandson gets engaged?”

I swore I could literally hear the gritting of Aiden’s teeth as he answered. “I only got engaged last night.

Must’ve slipped my mind to tell you Sergio.”

Sergio does not look convinced. In fact he looked like Aiden’s words had left a bad taste in his mouth.

His face wrings with displeasure and soon he voiced it. “It must’ve slipped your mind when I told you

last night that I’ve found you a bride? Wait. Oh yes.” His eyes narrowed on Aiden. “You disconnected

the call.”

ry?

A bride?

My heart slams in my chest harshly.

Was this the reason Aiden forced me into this lie?

His grandfather had found him a bride? Someone, to mar-

My heartbeat quickens.

I feel……angry. Jealous.

A bitterness crawled into my being.

Who was this bride he found for Aiden? And why does this news upset me so much?

“Bad connection,” Aiden said bluntly and obviously was lying.

Sergio knew so and sent him an irritated glare.

His eyes left Aiden’s and sweep over to me.

Again, I’m squirming under the weight of hatred and dis- pleasure. “You seem familiar Sophie.” He

drawled looking at me in thought.

I felt my bones freeze, my heart freeze, the air in my lungs…..my entire body froze.

I’m lost. I don’t know what to do or say.

He saw me, in that courtroom. Sure his eyes swept over to me for just a few but he saw me when I

admitted-

I sighed heavily in my head.

I was the reason his grandson had been put into jail a few years ago. Surely if he knew I was that same

girl on the stand, he’d find more reason to hate me.

Aiden saves me from answering and I let out a breath of relief. My body unstiffening.

”

You must’ve seen the picture I have of her in one of my penthouses. You once asked me who’s that

woman. Well she’s now standing in front of you grandfather.” Aiden said and my knees nearly buckled.

He has a picture of me in one of his penthouses?