Aaron Riverwood (Billionaire Brothers Series-2)

Chapter 4

Victoria Fox

As I come face to face with Aaron, I hand over the phone to Steve who says, "Thank you for returning my phone, Mrs Riverwood." He mocks me as he walks away.

"Don't call me that!" I yell but he was gone already by then. I look at Aaron who has an amused look on his face.

"If calling Benjamin was your big plan then I feel sorry for you because that man can hardly handle his own life." He says as he motions me to walk with him back to the house.

"You are technically not his boss, he works for one of the companies where you are just a shareholder." I point out as I reluctantly start walking with him.

"Well 'technically' I can do whatever I want as no one is going to challenge me to save your little Benny's job. If I ask them to fire him, they'd gladly do me a favour." He says in a sarcastic tone.

Before I could reply in an attempt to insult him, he changes the subject, "Anyways, Grandma wants to meet us today so we have gone over to their house. So please get dressed up and meet me downstairs in an hour."

I wanted to protest but I feel like getting out of the house was a good idea, it was better than being trapped here. Also when it comes to Joseph, I have a soft spot for him, he was always there for my family, he supported my father during bankruptcy, I owe him a lot. So I just nodded at Aaron as we re-entered the house.

"We have to be very careful though, you know grandma, if she finds out, we are dead," Aaron warns me

"She still has her doubts about our marriage?" I ask, he nods as we walk up to his room. Mary was a very intelligent, nothing could ever slip past her so we had to be very careful. When out of the blue, Aaron decided to marry me, she wasn't convinced and thought that something smelled fishy. The wedding kiss on my cheek almost confirmed her suspicion.

"We have to put on a show, so please try to act as if you don't hate every fibre of my being." He says as he leaves me alone to give me some privacy. I had to bathe and wear something decent but I have no clothes over here, I think as I open the closet where I kept my clothes when I got married.

To my utter surprise, all my clothes and shoes were still there, the same way I left them. I thought after five years he might have thrown them out.

But he didn't.

Nostalgia hits me as I saw The Lachlan mansion, from afar. We had reached our destination after a painfully silent forty-five-minute drive.

"Okay, I need to ask you a quick question," I say as the gates of the mansion open.

Aaron looks at me in confusion but then signals me to go ahead.

"Why did Joseph make this contract, where you can get your company's ownership only if you get married, only for you? Why not for Landon or Nathan?" I ask finally, I always wanted to ask him this question, because I knew for a fact Joseph loved all his grandchildren equally.

"Well after ahem- the entire Katrine scene, I vowed never to get married which scared him. He didn't want me to end up alone. I went crazy for a few months after that, I drank and didn't leave my house. So he decided to find a solution for that." Aaron explained as he pulled in. I could see Mary and Joseph eagerly waiting to greet us at the front porch.

"Yeah, that worked out well for everyone," I said cynically which made him smirk.

We got out of the car, and were greeted by over-enthusiastic grandparents, they hugged us and led us into their home. As a child I used to come here all the time, my dad would talk to Joseph and I used to play with Landon, as he was of my age, but I always kept an eye out so that at least I'll catch a glimpse of Aaron.