Chapter 3

• Liza’s POV
• As soon as we were both registered marriage, my phone began to ring, breaking the moment of silence between my new husband and I.
• It made me realize I didnt even know his name yet.
• Waving that aside, I fished out my phone from my purse to see Victoria’s name flashing across my screen. Victoria is my stepmother and Serena’s biological mother. She got married to my father barely a week after my mom died.
• A wicked grin left the corners of my lips. I wonder how she would react when I tell her I got married just a minutes ago.
• She would go ballistic.
• Instead of picking up, I ignored her call and put the phone back into my purse. My husband raised a brow at me and I shrugged.
• We both walked out in silence.
• I already told him I'd be moving to his house. Even though he hesitated for a moment until I told him his father or grandfather or whoever wanted him married wouldn't believe it was a real marriage unless we live under the same roof.
• He succumbed immediately and it made me feel proud of myself.
• As soon as we were out of the courthouse, my phone began to ring again.
• “You should pick up, it might be urgent,” my husband stated, making me bring out the phone again to see it was still Victoria.
• I knew she would blow my phone up with calls the moment she found out what happened at the house earlier; about how I supposedly pushed her precious daughter and how she was bleeding.
• “Liza!” Her voice boomed into my ears the moment I picked up. I shut my eyes in irritation. “I've only been taking care of you since you returned! I recruited the greatest doctors to treat your so-called ailment and I spent a fortune on your tonics and pharmaceuticals. I did everything you wanted for you and this is what I get in return?! Do you even remember how I hired special tutors to help you with basic etiquettes which you had no knowledge of. I've tried to shape you into the sophisticated woman that the Stone Family needed and I think I've been considerate and patient enough with your stupid ungrateful self. How dare you do that to my daughter? Is this what I get in return for all my kindness?!”
• She was rambling and I only listened to half of her words because the phone was inches away from my ear due to how loud she was.
• “Not only did you snatch my daughter’s fiance but you also made her lose her baby! How could someone be so cold-hearted and cruel as you? I treated you with sincerity, Liza, but you returned it with betrayal and cruelty. Mark my words, Liza, you will die a horrific death for this!”
• My stranger husband must have heard the last word because he shifted on his foot and stood in front of me with his arms folded in curiosity.
• Looking like a true husband, ready to begin his responsibilities as my husband indeed.
• I let out a giggle and Victoria fell silent, probably in shock.
• “Did you just accuse me of stealing your daughter’s fiance?” I asked in a mocking tone. “Forgive me, Victoria, but I need to remind you that I am the rightful eldest daughter of the Sinclair family. The fiance you are referring to was once my fiance, remember? It was your daughter who blatantly forced herself into my engagement and stole Brandon away from me!”
• I was on the bringe of losing it. I am tempted to curse out loud but the presence of this man before me stopped me.
• Victoria didn't say a word. I must have hit the nail on the nervespot.
• “But then, maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. Afterall, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right? Back then, I remember how you stole my father from my mother. Now your precious little whore of a daughter is following in your footsteps. I would say it's a fitting legacy…”
• “Liza!” She interrupted, her breath coming in hard.
• “Let me finish!” I snapped at her, anger flooding through my veins. “Let me give you some advice, Victoria. You should get yourself ready for me. You and your silly little brat, Serena. I, Liza Sinclair, will make sure you pay for all your atrocities in full. I will regain all you stole from my mother, as well as everything your daughter took from me. Well, excluding Brandon. She can have him all to herself, I don't need that jerk!”
• A scream tore from her gut and I spared my stranger husband a glance to see him shaking his head with a smile curving up his lips.
• I was about to disconnect the call when I heard my father’s voice on the phone. “Liza, I'll give you 20 minutes to get to the hospital now and apologize to Serena. You are the reason for her miscarriage. I’ll let this go if you kneel and apologize to her sincerely. I'll even speak to Brandon on your behalf and urge him to forgive you.”
• Despite the pain in my heart at the betrayal of my father, I chuckled softly. “Father, I don't owe you or anyone anything. I’d apologize to Serena over my dead body and for Brandon, I meant it when I said I don't need that jerk!”
• I was so sure he heard my conversation with Victoria, hence the reason for the angry tone.
• “Liza…”
• I cut off his yelling. “For your information, I got married 10 minutes ago so Brandon can go to hell for all I care and you should begin to prepare to step down as CEO of Sinclair Corporation.”
• Without waiting for any reaction, I disconnected the call and let out a deep sigh of relief.
• That was half of the words I have kept stuck inside of me for years. I finally let them out and frankly, it felt like a huge load had been lifted off my chest.
• I began to feel the need to cry it out but I couldn't. Not in front of this stranger-husband of mine, staring at me with those intense green eyes of his that seemed to send a cold chill through me.
• “It seems you've stirred up a quite bit of trouble, haven't you?” He said, pointing to my phone.
• I pushed back the choking tide of panic and the tears threatening to spill with some force. I couldn't break down.
• “Don't worry, you will receive the shares I promise but it will take some time. I need to deal with the Sinclairs first.” I mentioned to him and walked past him. I saw the chauffeur from earlier besides a sleek Maserati car and I figured it was his.
• He caught up with me. “I wasn't talking about the shares. Are you okay, though?”
• The concerned tone made me halt in my tracks.
• If it wasn't the shares, then what was it? He jumped at my offer because of the shares after all.
• He seemed to have noticed the suspicious behind my eyes. “It seems you don't know who I am.” His tone was light yet tingled with curiosity.
• I blinked in realization, remembering that I didn't know his name.
• “What's your name?” I face him squarely, trying to hide my embarrassment for speaking that way in front of him earlier.
• “Check the certificate,” he instructed me with a tone of command. I rolled my eyes at him.
• I reached into my bag and pulled the folded document out. “It doesn't matter who you are. After I finalize everything with the Sinclairs, I'll transfer the shares to you and have….”
• I stopped talking mid-way when my gaze fell on the name printed on the certificate: Gavin Stone.
• I blinked several times to be sure I was seeing the right word and it was not one of the figments of my imaginations.
• The same Gavin Stone? Could he truly be the mysterious member of the notorious Stone Family? The same family my father had just stopped me from marrying?
• I stared up at him again and his reaction mirrored mine. My eyes widened and my jaws dropped in total disbelief. “You are Gavin Stone?”
• With a nonchalant attitude and a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, it was confirmed that he was truly Gavin Stone and I was married to him.
• So, the most handsome stranger I randomly picked on the street turned out to be the uncle of my cheated fiancé?