Sentenced to Marriage

Chapter 67

His death I felt as if something had hit my head. I could see Aren’s lips moving as he was still on the phone with Agent Collins, but I could no longer hear them. The constant high-pitch sound distorted everything else, aside from my hectic heartbeat. What the hell had just happened? Callan was the most arrogant bastard I had met. He wouldn’t bother to bribe the guards and drain Augustus’s pockets to hire an army of lawyers to get him out of that prison, but I was certain that he couldn’t have committed suicide. That just didn’t make any sense. I mumbled, “He didn’t do it by himself.” Aren looked at me. His eyes were filled with concern. He said something briefly on the phone about calling Jack later before putting his arms around me and pressing my head against his chest. “Calm down, sunshine. Calm down…” he whispered. “I’m… I’m just shocked,” I said, “but more importantly… how do you feel?” “How do I feel? Am I supposed to feel anything?” He smiled bitterly. I hugged him tightly. “No matter what, he was your brother.” He huffed mockingly. “I stopped considering him as my brother the moment he tried to drown me in the pool when we were six.”

I looked into his eyes, slightly frowning. “I’m serious, Aren.”

“So am I,” he said softly before pressing me back against his chest. “He meant to kill me that day… even though we were only kids. I fought for my life and managed to swim to the surface only after biting his hand real hard, but because I did, I was the one punished, not him. No one believed me, or rather, it was more convenient to believe Callan-the stronger son.”

I felt so much bitterness in his tone that my heart began to ache for him. My hands started to stroke his back gently as I kept inquiring, “Why was Callan considered stronger than you?”

Aren chuckled coldly. “Because I was given half the food portions he was having. I was also given food that was rotten from time to time. Vanessa was in charge of that. I would have died if it weren’t for Mei Lien. She had to steal food for me from the kitchen.”

I leaned back to look at him, my eyes filled with tears. “Jesus… Aren…” My hand went up to stroke his cheek. “What about your father? Why didn’t he do anything about it? He must have known that

something wasn’t right… Why did he just allow Vanessa to do that…?”

His lips twisted into a wry smile. “My father is a selfish, ignorant man. He always pretended not to see anything, even when Mei Lien told him and begged him to stop neglecting me.” “What about your grandfather?” I asked as anger boiled the blood in my veins.

“He knew about everything, but he did nothing. He wanted to have a strong heir, so he considered Vanessa’s doing as a part of natural selection-survival of the fittest,” he said sourly.

“How could anyone be so cruel?” My tears flow down my cheeks unknowingly.

Aren brushed them with his thumb. “Does my wife feel sorry for me?” he teased, making his voice sound deeper.

I sighed and lowered my head. “I just thought that you used to have a better relationship with Callan…”

“He wanted me dead since I can remember. I have never done anything to hurt him, but I will not feel sorry because he died. I know that he didn’t kill himself since you need guts to do it. Nonetheless, he brought his death on him, so don’t expect me to feel sad after hearing the news,” Aren stated coldly.

I couldn’t blame him. Shamefully, I had to admit that there were times when I wished that Callan was dead, and yet hearing that he died just hours after I saw him made me numb. I wouldn’t call what I felt sadness. It was just… hard to process.

“This just complicates everything for everyone,” Aren squeezed through his teeth. I knew what he meant. Callan died while being arrested, and because he was a wealthy family son, it was more than certain that the family would seek justice, blaming the FBI, NYPD, and, of course, those who testified against him. The lawsuits were coming, which would probably mean that further investigation would be put on hold until the whole matter of the suicide was

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“It was murder, wasn’t it?” I said softly. “Someone tried to silence Callan.”

“Yes. Jack doesn’t believe in the suicide version either, but things like that are extremely hard to prove. Unless the coroner finds defense wounds or any other signs of struggle, this case will be classified as suicide,” he explained.

It was more than obvious that the guy who organized my kidnapping was behind it all. I bet that he was celebrating at that moment. Not only did he silence Callan, but he also interfered in the investigation that could have led us to him. It must have been someone dangerous; someone who had the resources to allow him to have his own military organization, and someone who had his people inside the NYPD or even the FBI… someone as strong as Aren, who hated Aren beyond imagination. “We will have to delay our wedding ceremony… again.” My husband showed more concern for that reason than for his stepbrother’s death. “I knew you would say that.” I sighed and already thought of another, even more bothersome, issue. “We will have to attend the funeral, won’t we?”

“Yes. There would be a lot of press, and Vanessa would likely make a scene.” I could see Aren’s hands fisted at the sound of his stepmother’s name.

“I bet that Augustus won’t stop her now that you no longer plan to invest in his hotel?” I gave him a crooked smile.

As I said it, his lips curled into a wicked grin. “He knows that I would never change my mind after what happened, but…” He paused and chuckled. “But what?” I prodded his elbow. “But I’m guessing that he would shift his attention to you.”

“To me?!” I exclaimed, widening my eyes. Aren chuckled before gently cupping my chin with his hand. “Sunshine, aren’t you aware that you have become the owner of quite a fortune?” “You mean Tian Kong?” I asked, teasingly shoving his hand away. “But I would never trade this diamond for anything.” “It belongs to you, and for my grandfather, money is money. I bet that he will try to coax you into investing,”

he said. “But how would he know that I have that diamond?” I narrowed my eyes at him. Aren kissed the tip of my nose. “The rumors are spreading across Manhattan as we speak.” “How…” I paused before realizing the obvious. “You picked the famous jewelry artist on purpose.” He grinned slyly. “Yes, I did. And with that one move, I have made you a key player.” “I’ve married such a wicked man.” I snorted. “Hurry up and recover soon. Then I will show you just how wicked I am,” he whispered alluringly and kissed me.

***

The special package from the FBI came at the same time I entered the office. Norton and Alan were dying to check it out, and once I briefly described to them the whole situation with my kidnapping and Callan’s death, they completely freaked out. Of course, now they were more than aware that my previous version of the recent events that I told them about a week ago had been one hundred percent made up. “Babe… you could have blown up along with that building and all you said was that you had a harmless car accident?!” Alan exclaimed.

“Well… I was going to tell you the truth, but I knew that if I told you what really happened, you would have either panicked or turned into a drama queen.” I smiled timidly, lowering my head.

Alan frowned and crossed his hands over his chest. “I would never—”

“She is right.” Norton stood up, painting Norton’s type of serious expression. “I would have panicked.” Then he pointed at Alan. “You would have turned into a drama queen.”

I couldn’t help it. I burst out into laughter, and then we all did. It lasted a while, but then I officially received their forgiveness. I guess that they were much more interested in checking Callan’s phone than being mad at me. As I opened the package and took out what was inside, I grinned wickedly. “Gentlemen, ready to dig into some private data?”