Chapter 5 Marriage of Convenience

• I couldn't believe it. Furious, I demanded, "What do you gain from ruining my reputation?!"
• She laughed, looking even more pleased with herself. "You've made the whole Newtons a joke. Your dad is so mad that he wants to cut ties with you. And guess what? I'm pregnant. Once he disowns you, the whole Newtons business will be mine. You and your poor mum will be left with nothing!"
• She's pregnant?!
• I completely lost it, rage spreading through me like wildfire, ready to explode.
• "Carol, you despicable woman ... You're so calculating! So ruthless!"
• For a moment, I wanted to kill her.
• I grabbed my bag and ran to the elevator, with only one thought in my mind: get that news taken down immediately.
• It would not only affect Henry but if my mum saw it, it could make her condition worse.
• I was in a panic, calling my media friends as I walked, but they all told me it was too late.
• Just as I hung up, a news alert popped up on my screen: 'The 'Gigolo' Who Spent the Night with Ms. Newton Has a Shocking Identity.'
• Reading it, I was so shocked that my hand went limp and my phone fell to the ground with a thud.
• I stood there in disbelief. This can't be happening. How could it be? This is insane.
• I couldn't believe it at first, but I had to admit that his natural elegance didn't match being just a VP at a small company.
• Henry might really be the only son of the Campbells, just like the news said.
• The Campbells owned at least eighty per cent of Eastwood Corporation, which controlled half of Southville's business. Their influence was huge.
• Compared to them, my dad's company looked pretty insignificant.
• Carol must have seen the news too. She went for something small and lost something big. I bet she regretted it now.
• Suddenly, I hoped it was true and felt a bit of satisfaction.
• Snapping back to reality, I bent down to pick up my phone. A black Buick sped towards me, catching me off guard. I stumbled back, and the Buick screeched to a halt right in front of me.
• The window rolled down, and Henry gave me a deep, unreadable look, nodding slightly. "Get in."
• I barely managed to steady myself, took a deep breath, and got into the car. I started to explain, "I'm sorry, I didn't think the photo would ... "
• He coldly curled his lips into a smirk. "Revenge, huh? Jasmine, you're the first to play me like this."
• I clenched my fists, speechless. After a long pause, I nervously said, "Don't worry, I'll fix the news situation as soon as possible and won't let it drag you into this. You used me once with the Newtons, so this time, it's ... "
• His long fingers tapped on the steering wheel, and he coldly interrupted, "Let's get married."
• Those three light words hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving me so stunned I almost doubted my hearing. I asked in disbelief, "What?"
• He slightly parted his lips, his tone unchanged, and repeated flatly, "I said, Jasmine, we're getting married."
• He meant, "we're getting married."
• It wasn't just a proposal or a request to marry me.
• He was sure I would say yes.
• Whether it was to get back at Carol and my dad, to help my mum, or because of a secret only I know—that I had feelings for him—he was confident I'd agree.
• I couldn't figure out which reason was the most important right then, but I knew for sure that if it were anyone else, I wouldn't agree no matter what.
• I had a tiny hope that his offer to marry me meant he might have a little bit of feelings for me.
• But I was completely wrong.
• While I was silent, he calmly lit a cigarette and said, "You slept with me for revenge. Now, your mum needs money for surgery. If you marry me, I'll pay for it. The terms are simple. Our marriage will only involve money and sex."
• With those few words, he crushed any naive hope I had.
• I kept my emotions in check and tried to stay as composed as he was. "If I'm in this for the money, what about you?"
• In a deal, both sides should benefit, but I didn't have anything to offer.
• He gave me a knowing look, and I suddenly felt really embarrassed.
• He'd made it clear: our marriage would be all about money and sex. If I was after money, and then he must be ...
• I had thought about my future marriage a lot, but I never imagined it would have nothing to do with love.
• Oh, if one-sided love counted, and then maybe there was love.
• I gave a self-deprecating smile and said, "Alright."
• That afternoon, he took me to get the marriage certificate, introduced me to his family, and we moved into the wedding house that the Campbells had set up for us.
• Yes, he really was the only son of the Campbells.
• In the four years after our marriage, he kept his word: our relationship was purely about money and sex.
• At first, I was determined to warm his heart, but I soon realised it was just a hopeless fantasy.
• I didn't know when it started, but his attitude towards me became even worse than before we married. He barely spoke to me and was cold and distant.