From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 43: Dinner Table Critiques

Sophia stood frozen, her face shifting through shades of pale and sickly green.

She'd poured so much effort into staging this whole scene, and Riley had just brushed it off like it was nothing. The frustration sat heavy in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

She followed Julian and Anthea to the dining table in silence.

The ridiculous trial was finally over.

Lucas watched Riley's cool, detached profile and decided he couldn't let the awkwardness hang in the air.

He walked over, placed a hand on her slender shoulder, and put on his most magnanimous tone. "Riley, we were wrong about you today. I'm sorry."

Sorry? How cheap.

Riley didn't turn her head. Her eyes drifted briefly toward Sophia, who was still lingering nearby.

"Are you the only one apologizing?"

Sophia flinched, afraid Riley would drag her into it next.

"Lucas, Riley—I'll go call Jeremy down for dinner," she stammered, fabricating a weak excuse before hurrying upstairs.

Watching her scramble away, Riley allowed herself a faint, cold smile—there and gone in a flash.

Lucas missed the silent exchange entirely. He was just relieved Riley had stopped pressing the issue.

Letting out a quiet sigh, he drew her into a half-embrace, softening his voice into something tender and concerned. "Look, Sophia's young, and my parents... they didn't mean any harm. They just care about this family so much that they overreacted sometimes. If you're still upset, take it out on me. Just don't hold it against them."

His words sounded thoughtful, almost protective—but every sentence danced around the real problem.

Riley watched him play the devoted partner and felt her stomach turn.

Quietly, she eased back, stepping out of his arms.

She kept her eyes down, expertly masking every trace of disgust and sarcasm. All that showed was a wounded, patient expression.

"It's fine. I'm not upset with your parents. I just... I just hope from now on you'll trust me. That's all I want."

Playing the hurt yet understanding role—while quietly standing her ground—hit Lucas' pride exactly the right way.

"Of course," he promised instantly. "I'll always trust you."

He took her hand and led her to the dinner table.

The mood in the dining room was tense.

Julian, as the head of the household, made an effort to break the silence. "Lucas, you met with Sebastian today about the partnership. How did it go? Is he interested?"

Lucas set down his fork, his expression turning serious.

"Dad, I was just going to bring that up. Honestly—I think the company should hold off on pursuing anything with Torres Group for now."

Julian, who'd just taken a sip of his soup, choked and broke into a violent cough. "What in the world are you talking about?!"

Once he caught his breath, he stared at his son in disbelief. "Torres Group is the biggest name in Nexopolis! Now that they're expanding into Havenbrook, every firm in the city is bending over backwards to get in with them, and you want to walk away?!"

Anthea looked just as concerned. "Lucas, an opportunity like this doesn't come around often. How can you just give up?"

A smug, knowing look settled over Lucas' face. He clearly enjoyed being the one in the know.

Then he laid out his reasoning. "Because after meeting him today, I'm convinced Sebastian has serious issues—both in competence and character."

Riley almost let out a laugh.

Lucas' self-righteous act was truly something to behold.

Anthea leaned in, curiosity fully sparked. "What do you mean?"

Lucas' expression soured as he recalled the encounter. His tone dripped with disdain. "I went to his office today. Right when we met, I made sure to mention that his cousin Aiden and I are close—really good friends. But Sebastian? He was cold, barely acknowledged me, like the Ashford name meant nothing to him. The guy clearly looks down on us.

"Not only that, his office was filled with these... childish video game figurines. It's obvious where his priorities lie. And then, right in the middle of our discussion, some woman he had hidden in his private lounge called out to him—all sweet and impatient—telling him to hurry up.

"What kind of future does a guy like that have? Letting himself be distracted by women, more focused on his hobbies than business? He's no visionary."

He finished with the natural sense of superiority that old-money Havenbrook elites held toward what they saw as the flashy, new-rich types from up-and-coming cities.

"What's the difference between him and those trust-fund kids who blow their family money on parties and good times? Betting the company's future on someone like that is way too risky."

Everyone at the table—even Julian, who'd been so worked up moments before—fell silent, stunned by the portrait Lucas had painted.

In their minds, the image of the legendary business titan crumbled, replaced by that of an immature playboy who couldn't be taken seriously.

Right in the thick of the quiet, Riley released a perfectly timed, soft gasp.

"Wow... I never would've guessed the famous Mr. Torres—always so mysterious in the press—would be so... messy behind closed doors. Hiding a woman in his office? That's pretty bold."