From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 271: More Interesting

Sophia's mind raced rapidly.

A casual remark Harvey had let slip some time ago suddenly surfaced in her memory—Aiden had long admired Riley, and even considered poaching her away from the Ashford Group.

"Could it be... you've also fallen for Riley?" she asked tentatively, voicing the thought aloud.

At her guess, Aiden silently scoffed to himself, calling her a fool in his heart. Yet not a flicker of disdain showed on his face. He even let a faint, helpless look settle over his features, as if his secret crush had been laid bare for all to see.

He arched a brow with a mysterious air. "Is that a problem?"

Riley again, always Riley.

Lucas drags his feet because of her, too spineless to announce I'm the real Mrs. Ashford.

Sebastian humiliated me publicly just to defend her.

Now even the calculating Aiden is captivated by her.

What spell does this woman cast? Why do all these outstanding men orbit around her endlessly?

Overwhelming jealousy and bitter resentment curdled into reckless, burning hatred inside Sophia.

She forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Fine. I'll agree to work with you."

A satisfied smirk tugged at Aiden's lips. He was triumphant like a general who'd claimed total victory.

Without another word, Sophia turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway.

Aiden stood rooted to the spot, watching her figure vanish around the corner.

The playful smile on his face faded little by little, replaced by unmasked mockery and contempt.

Only a narrow-minded woman blinded by infatuation would believe all my plans revolve around chasing a woman.

A quiet chuckle escaped him, and he drained the last of the red wine in his glass in one smooth gulp.

Riley is nothing more than a pawn—useful enough to stir up trouble and distract Sebastian. My goal was never any woman. It's the powerful, high-ranking position Sebastian holds that I've always coveted.

*****

An unnatural silence settled over Sophia on the drive home from the dinner party.

Gone was her usual charming, flirtatious demeanor that craved everyone's attention. Leaning listlessly against the car window, he gazed hollowly at the neon lights streaking past outside, as if her soul had been drained from her body entirely.

Behind the wheel, Lucas glanced at the quiet Riley in the passenger seat through the rearview mirror. Unable to hold back the frustration he'd bottled up all evening, he finally directed his anger toward Sophia in the back row.

"The second I stepped out to take a phone call, you moved right next to Sebastian. What were you thinking? Were you trying to hit on him?"

As if pricked by a sharp needle, Sophia twisted around at once, her voice flat and defensive. "You've got it all wrong. I wasn't doing anything like that."

She pressed a hand to her temple, feigning exhaustion. "I had a terrible headache, and that seat happened to be free. Besides, you heard Mr. Torres yourself—he already has a fiancée. I'd never be foolish enough to set my heart on someone who's taken."

Seated in the front passenger seat, Riley watched the streetlights flicker past one after another. Her clumsy lies are so transparent. She saw straight through Sophia's petty scheme, yet felt no urge to expose her at all.

A heavy silence lingered inside the vehicle all the way to Ashford Manor.

As they stepped through the front door, an unexpected scene greeted them in the brightly lit living room. Caleb sat cross-legged on the carpet, playing board games with little Jeremy.

Heads tilted close together, the odd pair shared an oddly warm and intimate moment.

The sound of the door drew Caleb's gaze upward. A flash of awkwardness crossed his face the moment his eyes landed on Riley.

He quickly schooled his features back into his usual stern authority, then snapped at Jeremy, who remained absorbed in the game board. "That's enough. Your mother's home. No more playing—off to bed immediately."

Though clearly reluctant, Jeremy climbed to his feet obediently. He trotted over to Sophia, tilting his head up and calling softly, "Mommy."

Surprise washed over Lucas' face. "Grandpa, why are you up so late playing games with Jeremy?"

Caleb pushed himself up from the carpet with an annoyed huff. "This little boy wouldn't stop crying when his mother stayed out late, and his fussing drove me half crazy."

With that, he ignored everyone else, hands clasped behind his back as he strode straight to his bedroom, acting as if that tender moment with the child had never happened.

Lucas and Sophia exchanged a subtle glance, a silent understanding passing between them.

Standing off to the side, Riley took in every detail of the scene, a quiet mocking smile playing on her lips.

Everything is unfolding exactly as I predicted.

Now that he knows I can't bear children, Caleb's rigid principles and stubborn resolve are starting to waver.

Jeremy's lineage is still unconfirmed, yet deep down, Caleb already sees him as part of the Ashford bloodline.

Things are only going to get more interesting now.

Later that night, after finishing her nightly routine, Riley headed for the guest room as she always did.

However, just as she passed the master bedroom doorway, Lucas followed silently behind her and clamped a firm grip around her wrist.

"Riley," he murmured, leaning in close with the faint scent of liquor still clinging to his clothes.