The Marriage Clause

Chapter 18

Adrian’s POV:

"Are you certain you want to step into that room tonight, Adrian?" Ethan asked, his voice low and weathered with age as he placed a slim, encrypted drive onto my desk.

"I managed to scrape the internal audit numbers from Elijah’s offshore accounts," Ethan continued, folding his hands over his silver-tipped cane. "The bleeding is getting worse. But your uncle will be at the charity gala tonight."

I picked up the drive, slipping it securely into the inner pocket of my suit jacket. "I know.."

Ethan sighed, his eyes reflecting a mixture of deep concern and paternal worry as he looked at me. "When are you going to reveal your identity to the world, son? You're playing a dangerous game. If you step into that ballroom tonight, someone from your father's business circle might recognize Edward’s face in yours."

"It's too soon," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck as a tight knot of worry gripped my chest. "I haven't reached my goal yet. We still need the smoking gun linking Elijah directly to the fraudulent shell companies that drained my father's legacy. If I strike now, he'll slip through the net."

I swallowed hard, the heavy weight of my secret pressing down on me. "And besides... Vivian hates the Knights. She believes my family's company tried to destroy Aurora. If she finds out who I am before I can clear my father's name and expose Elijah, she'll never forgive me."

Ethan gave my shoulder a firm, reassuring squeeze—a familiar gesture he had done ever since I was a boy. "Your father would be proud of the man you’ve become, Adrian. Just be careful tonight."

Eight hours later, I stood at the edge of the grand ballroom where the charity gala was being held, adjusting the silver cuffs of my bespoke tux. Beside me, Vivian looked breathtaking in a gold silk gown that hugged every curve, her dark hair pinned up in an intricate style that exposed the long, elegant arch of her neck.

For the first hour, we were inseparable. I stayed half a step behind her, acting as her ultimate shield while she effortlessly navigated conversations with high-profile investors. I held her glass, handed her updated portfolio figures when needed, and quietly backed up her sharp, brilliant business arguments.

Then, across the crowded room, I saw him.

Elijah Knight.

My blood turned to ice. My uncle looked as polished and sophisticated as ever, wearing a silver-tailored suit, a deceptive, polite smile permanently fixed on his face. But what caught my attention was the man standing right beside him.

Richard Matthews.

Vivian followed my line of sight, her posture instantly hardening into cold marble. "What is my father doing with my rival?" she murmured, her dark eyes narrowing in disdain. She let out a cynical scoff. "Then again, Richard is my rival too. I suppose birds of a feather flock together."

She turned slightly toward me, her voice dripping with venom. "I despise the Knights, Adrian. They tried to starve Aurora out of the market two years ago. Elijah is a ruthless snake who tried to destroy everything my mother built."

Every word felt like a physical strike against my ribs. I kept my face utterly blank, swallowing the hard lump in my throat.

Before I could reply, Elijah and Richard began strolling directly toward us, flanked by Catherine and a smug-looking Olivia.

A sudden spike of raw panic shot through my veins. My uncle was stepping into my direct line of vision. I subtly leaned into Vivian, my voice low. "Viv, let's move to the main lounge. There are a few pharmaceutical directors—"

"No," Vivian interrupted smoothly, her hand wrapping tightly around my forearm, anchoring me to the spot. "Let them come."

I held my breath, every muscle in my body locking tight as Elijah approached us. I braced myself for the exact moment of exposure.

Elijah's cold gray eyes swept over Vivian, offering a polite, practiced nod, before his gaze drifted over to me. He paused. His eyes narrowed slightly, a faint crease forming between his brows as if trying to pull a distant memory from the back of his mind. He squinted, searching my face.

"Ms. Matthews, how wonderful to see you here." He shifted his attention to Vivian. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs. He doesn't recognize me, I realized with a wave of breathless relief. I had been a scrawny, long-limbed teenager when I left for Italy, and years of stress, physical training, and age had altered my features completely.

"And who is your young companion?" Elijah asked, his voice smooth as silk.

Vivian tilted her head back, her hand sliding down to clasp my arm, proudly introducing me. "It's Vivian Rossi to you. This is my husband, Adrian Rossi."

I am his nephew. He knew my mother's maiden name. I prayed to all the gods that he doesn't put two and two together.

Luckily, we were distracted when Olivia let out an insufferable, high-pitched laugh. "Husband? Please! He’s a nobody! He's just the executive assistant she bought and dragged to court so she could save the company from going into better hands."

Vivian turned to her half-sister with absolute disdain. "Better hands? You mean yourself and Richard? What a joke."

Richard's jaw clenched, but Elijah merely held up a hand, chuckling smoothly to diffuse the tension. "Now, now. There’s no need for hostility, Vivian. In fact, I came over to offer you an olive branch. Knight Global is expanding our biotech branch. I am proposing a joint venture between our firms. It would be immensely profitable for both Aurora and the Knights. Even your father here thinks it's best for you."

Vivian and I both sensed the danger lurking underneath the offer instantly. It wasn't a partnership; it was a Trojan horse designed to swallow Aurora whole.

"No," Vivian refused upright, her voice sharp and final. "Aurora Life Sciences will never do business with Knight Global. My father can keep his thoughts to himself."

Elijah’s polite smile vanished, replaced by a dark, sinister glint. He stepped closer, his voice dropping into a low, quiet threat. "That is a foolish mistake, my dear. I will destroy your company piece by piece, just like I did once before but only this time, you will never be able to recover from the blow. I will make you suffer until you come crawling back to sign this deal."

Hearing him threaten my wife shattered every piece of my quiet, green-flag composure.

Before Vivian could respond, I stepped directly into Elijah’s personal space, towering over him and cutting off his sightline to my wife. The gentle, patient assistant in me vanished. In his place stood a man radiating pure, lethal authority.

"You won't destroy anything, Elijah" I hissed, my voice a quiet, dangerous roar that made my uncle flinch back in shock.

"Excuse me?" He snapped, stunned by the sheer audacity of an assistant.

"You're bleeding capital," I said, listing every single vulnerability with terrifying, surgical precision. "Your third-quarter R&D reports were falsified to cover a forty percent deficit in your logistics pipeline. Your European board is already threatening a vote of no confidence over your unallocated offshore expenditures. All it would take is one anonymous leak to the media, and your lead investors will pull their capital out of Knight Global overnight. You don't have the leverage to threaten a single soul in this room."

Elijah stared at me, his face turning entirely pale, completely speech-bound by the exact, highly classified internal metrics I had just thrown in his face.

Beside me, Vivian was utterly shocked. She stared up at me with wide eyes as she witnessed this cunning, formidable, and utterly ruthless side of her husband for the very first time. I had only ever shown her warmth, patience, and domestic sweetness. Seeing me command the space with such lethal force must be completely surreal.

Without another word, I grabbed Vivian's hand, turned my back on a stunned Elijah and Richard, and led her straight out of the gala toward our waiting town car.

The quiet hum of the engine filled the back of the car as the driver pulled away into the rainy London night.

Vivian sat beside me, staring at me in absolute fascination. "How on earth did you know all those details about Knight Global's internal finances, Adrian? Those were metrics even I didn't have access to."

I suppressed a surge of anxiety, shrugging with a smooth, effortless smile to cover my tracks. "I read a lot of raw, unusual international business forums and financial investigative blogs in my spare time, darling. You have to keep up with the unrefined news if you want to stay ahead."

Vivian leaned in close, her eyes glittering with a dangerous, intoxicating heat as she traced her manicured index finger up my lapel. "I have to admit... seeing that fierce, protective side of you back there... it did something to me. It made me incredibly aroused."

"Is that so?" I chuckled darkly, using the moment to divert the conversation that was dangerously close to uncovering my secret.

I grabbed her waist, lifting her effortlessly onto my lap. Vivian gasped as I pulled her flush against my chest, leaning down to capture her lips in a deep, hungry kiss. My mouth slid down her jaw, pressing wet, hot kisses against the sensitive line of her neck.

"Adrian—stop it!" she warned playfully, writhing in my lap as she tried to resist my kisses, pointing her eyes toward the rearview mirror where the driver sat behind the privacy glass. "Not in the car!"

I let out a low laugh, letting her go as she settled comfortably beside me, resting her head against my shoulder and holding my hand tightly.

I looked out the dark, rain-streaked window, my smile slowly fading into a heavy, quiet dread.

I knew I shouldn't have reacted the way I did back there. I had exposed too much, shown too many cards, and acted with a knowledge base no ordinary assistant should possess.

I committed a massive error tonight, I thought to myself, tightening my grip on Vivian's warm hand. And I wouldn't be shocked if Elijah starts digging into who I really am.

But as I looked down at my wife—safe, protected, and holding my hand—I knew I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would play any role, tell any lie, and face any enemy to keep her safe.