Jayden's POV

The buzzing sound of the intercom on the desk jerks me out of my reverie and I drop the pen in my hand to pick it up.

"Mrs. D'Alonzo is here to see you, sir", Anna speaks into the phone and I raise a brow.

What is Caroline doing in my office at this hour? I have an out-of-office meeting in an hour and I am preparing my files for the meeting.

Caroline isn't one to call the office because she knows how busy I can be. I used to spend my night in the office sometimes, especially after Helena's death. I didn't see the need to go home because there was no one to welcome me back home. But I am married now and questioning brows will be raised if I spend the night in the office again.

Caroline knows all about this. She was here in New York when Helena died and she understands my busy schedule. I just wonder why she is here instead of coming over to the house later tonight.

"Should I let her in?" Anna's voice jerks me out of my reverie.

"Yes, please", I say and drop the phone before pushing myself back on the leather swivel chair more comfortably.

When she is gone, I will continue my work. I just hope this won't take too much time.

A minute passes before I hear a knock at the door.

"Come in", I echo my permission and the door opens to reveal Caroline in a simple straight skirt and blouse as though she is headed to an office job.

I can't hide my surprise so I raise my brow. She closes the door and chuckles lightly as she approaches.

"Good day to you too, Jayden if that is your new way of greeting", she mutters and flops heavily to the seat opposite my desk.

"I'm just surprised, that's all" I shrug while she smiles and lets her gaze scan my office. "No changes."

"Yeah." She knows how much I love to keep things the way they are. No matter how many times I have to renew whatever it is.

Paintings, furniture, interior decor, exterior decorations, curtains, and everything that makes up an office or a room. I hate changing things like this. I am used to getting the same color of curtains every year ever since I first moved into my mansion.

I guess I got the trait from my mother.

"Why are you here?" I ask. I don't want us to wait any longer and I want to satisfy my curiosity by knowing the reason for her visit.

She lets out a sigh and stares at me for a while without smiling. "Are you two really in love?"

I don't need a soothsayer to tell me what this is all about.

Did mother tell her anything or she is just asking this question out of curiosity? The way mother blurted out those words last night is enough to arouse someone's curiosity.

I can see the worry etched on Caroline's face so I nod. "Of course. Why will I marry her if we are not in love with each other?"

I fold my arms and lock eyes with her. She doesn't look convinced but I don't care. Isabella and I are into this already and it is all because of no one but my Mother who keeps pressuring me to marry someone.

Now that I am married to someone as she once stated, she is still unsatisfied and I won't give her another chance to decide this for me.

Right now, I feel stupid for going through this facade of marriage all because of nothing. I shouldn't have gone ahead with it. I should have just stuck to my decision to remain single for life.

If only I didn't listen to her. If only I didn't take her tears to heart, maybe I will still be free from all this shit and Isabella will be free from my prison.

"Mother thinks otherwise", Caroline comments, leaning forward. "You can tell me anything, Jayden."

"What do you want me to tell you, Caroline?" I scoff. "I'm sure you must have heard it all from Mrs-know-it-all. How did she know that Isabella and I don't love each other? Isn't this what she wanted? She wanted me to get married and now that I am married, she wants to be against it after I made the poor girl believe that my Mother likes her. Isabella thought the same too but I am not really surprised at the sudden behavior change. Do you remember she did the same thing with Helena? I don't know why Mother loves to discriminate…"

"Jayden", Caroline calls softly, interrupting me from going further. I haven't really given what happened last night much thought because I have done all I can to please her and I won't do anything further that will jeopardize my convenience and happiness. I was happy when I was single.

But now that Caroline is here, my anger came from nowhere and I found myself ranting.

Mother is so hard to please.

"Be calm. What Mother thinks doesn't matter. All I know is that she is just watching out for you just the way I am doing right now…"

"I am not a kid, for crying out loud!" I slam my fist on the desk furiously. I won't let fate repeat itself.

"I just want to know if you two truly love each other and I will support you no matter what Mother thinks", she says after a moment of silence. "I know Isabella and it's obvious she is into you. I'm just surprised that Mother called her a gold digger and that's why I'm here."

"Gold digger?" I scoff again. "Gold digger, my foot. If she is truly a gold digger like she is saying, then Isabella would have been gone by now."

"Gone?"

"Yes", I reply firmly. I didn't intend to tell her about my Mother's offer to Isabella but now I can't hide it from her.

I want her to be fully convinced that I married Isabella because we love each other. This will make my plan easier. If it doesn't work out, then I will let them know that the fault is on me and marriage isn't for me.

"Isabella would have accepted the offer of a million dollars from my Mother which she was willing to give to her if Isabella would leave me."

"What?!" Caroline exclaims in disbelief.

"You see? A million dollars yet she is still with me and you call her a gold digger? You know what, I am done with this and I won't visit until she accepts the fact that Isabella is my wife."

Caroline's mouth hangs open for a while before she closes it.

"This is unbelievable!"

"You should ask her yourself. She might deny it, though. Isabella rejected the offer and told her she can't leave me, that is why she changed towards her. I don't know what her problem really is."

Silence falls. Caroline still looks confused. She can't wrap her head around the fact that my Mother is practically bribing Isabella to leave me.

It is uncalled for.

I am an adult and I need to make decisions on my own. My company didn't get to this height because of my parent's interference. I only take advice from my Father on business-related issues that I know he has experience on.

Not all advice works for me. I don't take any advice either. I take advice and do research on my own before concluding whether to go ahead with the plan or not.

What happens thereafter will be the consequences of my actions and I will accept it that way.

Caroline shakes her head as if to bring her back to reality before looking up at me. "Just be calm, Jayden. I want you to be calm and please don't be mad at her. She must have her reasons for saying that. Maybe she is trying to put Isabella to test or something."

I am done with this conversation. It is going nowhere. She is my mother and I know her better than anyone else.

"Stop trying to justify her actions, Caroline", my voice is low now as I pick up the file I was working on before she came as a way of dismissal. "Whether she is putting Isabella to test or not, she is still at fault and whenever something of this sort happens again, I won't take it lightly. She asked for this. If Isabella and I don't work out, then we will file for a divorce but for now, we both know we love each other and we are hoping to last forever."

She seems to be studying me with her eyes, probably to figure out if I am lying or telling the truth.

I don't care anymore. They can think whatever. That won't change what I plan to do after a year.

Before I can tell her that I have a meeting to prepare for, she stands up. "John is in the car with the baby and the boys. I just wanted to see you briefly before going. We are on our way to the airport."

"Oh!" I only murmur. I never knew they would leave so soon.

I guess Caroline can't stay for long this time since she came to visit with her husband who is an international chef. It is quite hard to be off work for days.

I can relate to this because I feel bored whenever I decide to take a day or two off work and now, I am used to working every single day. I can't remember the last time I took a day off, except of course on my wedding day.

I rise and she comes over to give me a warm hug. We disengage from the hug and she flashes me a smile.

I reciprocate.

"Take good care of Isabella. She seems to me like a good woman with a pure heart. I will find some time one of these days to come hang out with her."

A genuine smile spread across my face. "I will. Have a safe trip."

"See you soon", she steps back and waves. I wave back too till she gets to the door and turns to me with an affectionate look on her face.

I see the worry and the hopeful stares she is giving me and I know what it means.

Caroline does not believe me entirely and she is hoping that this marriage between Isabella and me will last forever even if it is nothing but a facade.

****

Do you blame Jayden for going into a contractual marriage or his mother?

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