Chapter 1


    A Marriage of Convenience


    Sofia’s lips trembled before she sped the pictures in her hand.


    The menu before her seemed to blur, the words dancing on the paper like elusive shadows. The soft hum of conversation inside


    the hushed ambiance of the Japanese restaurant enveloped Sofia like a cocoon. For a few minutes, the room felt almost


    suffocating.


    “Where did you get these?” she asked, her gazending once again on the images of her boyfriend and elder sister together on


    the balcony of a hotel, kissing each other. A part of her was certain these were photoshopped.


    After all, her sister Charlotte Lockhart had been very good to her, supporting her in everything. Why would she betray her trust?


    Moreover, Sofia’s boyfriend Daniel Beaumont had been with her for four years. Why would he suddenly betray the trust she gave


    him? This didn’t make sense.


    “You can check the dates, time, and location behind each photo,” the man across from her answered. She quickly turned the


    photos around, and just like he said, the information she was looking for was indeed scribbled behind each image.


    “Mr. Beaumont, you must understand that this information is...” Her lips trembled as her gazended on Mr. Alexander


    Beaumont, Daniel''s older brother and the current CEO of Beaumont Empire. “Too much to handle.”


    She felt a tightness in her throat and a drumming in her temples.


    “Having doubts despite all the evidence is normal,” Alexander''s lips quirked up as he mused. “I would understand it if you have


    the photos checked for authenticity.” Amusement shed in his dark brown eyes.


    She nodded. Again, her eyesnded on the photos. Without saying another word, she ced the photos back in the brown


    envelope and carefully stowed them inside her bag.


    “Then may | know what Mr. Beaumont wants?” Sofia said. This made her confused as she had actually only met Mr. Beaumont


    once, and that was during a Christmas dinner two years ago. Despite being Daniel’s older brother, Alexander Beaumont buried


    himself in work. This man had been a well-known workaholic who missed his younger brother''s birthday for four consecutive


    years. Yet, out of nowhere, he would suddenly meet her. Why? Was it simply because he wanted to tell her about the photos?


    Without saying a word, Mr. Beaumont signaled his secretary, who was standing behind him. The secretary then handed another


    folder to Sofia. She opened it without asking questions. She understood that Mr. Beaumont was a man of few words.


    She quickly read the documents inside the folder, and almost immediately, her expression changed. “M— Marriage of


    Convenience?” She almost could not believe what she was reading. Mr. Beaumont wanted to marry her?


    “Read the rest...”


    Sofia bit her lower lip as her green eyes zed over the entire document until she finally reached thest part that informed her


    this was but a temporary arrangement.


    “Mr. Beaumont, | am your brother’s woman,” she uttered as her heart raced against her chest. What was this man doing?


    “Cheating brother,” he added.


    “| have yet to confirm this,” she steadied her voice as she slowlyforted herself. There is still a high chance that Mr.


    Beaumont was lying and that the images were photoshopped. She convinced herself that this might just be another scheme.


    Again, without saying a word, he pushed what looked like a ck card her way. She stared at it and realized it was a hotel key


    card.


    “What is this?”


    “It would take time to confirm the photos so Mr. Beaumont arranged for you, Miss Lockhart, to confirm the matters with your own


    eyes. This is the flight that Mr. Beaumont arranged for Miss Lockhart, as well as the amodation and transportation. You will


    be checking into the same hotel as Mr. Daniel and Miss Charlotte are staying.”


    Sofia could not contain her emotion as she epted the things that Mr. Beaumont’s secretary handed. Daniel was currently not


    in Springfield; he was at a conference in LA. Meanwhile, Charlotte should be somewhere in Texas, wrapping up her taping for


    her current film.


    “Let us have this conversation again once Miss Lockhart has confirmed everything,” Mr. Beaumont got up. “If you want to change


    a few things in the contract, please feel free to call my personal number.”Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    He ced another card on the table between them and then started walking away.


    “Why me?” she asked as he took his first step away. Mr. Beaumont could marry anyone. Literally, anyone. Yet, he would


    suddenly choose to propose a marriage of convenience to his younger brother’s girlfriend? Why?


    He turned around, and without an iota of emotion on his face, he stared at her for a few seconds before he said, “Business.”


    Then he turned around and left the restaurant.


    Once again, her gaze trembled. She wanted to ask more questions, but her mind could not seem to think straight. The next thing


    Sofia knew, she was already on the first-ss flight to LA.


    It was already the dead of night when she arrived at Long Beach Airport. With just her bag, she quickly boarded the


    transportation that Mr. Beaumont set up for her. At this point, Sofia did not even know what she was doing a thousand miles


    away from home. A part of her wanted to know the truth. She knew the truth would devastate her, but she had to know what had


    been going on behind her back.


    Not long after, she arrived at the Ritz and proceeded to check into a suite room that Mr. Beaumont arranged. Apparently, this


    room is located just next to where Daniel and Charlotte were staying. The weight of uncertainty pressed down on her as she


    stepped into thevish suite.


    Sitting on therge King-size bed inside the room, Sofia immediately sent a text to Daniel, asking him about his day. Just as she


    expected, there was no response even after thirty minutes.


    Unable to stop herself, she got up and got out of her room. Then she turned on the video on her phone and used the hotel key


    card that Mr. Beaumont gave her earlier to ess the room.


    The door seamlessly opened. For a while, Sofia stood in front of the door, wondering what she was doing.


    Then she straightened her back and walked inside the room. She chose not to turn the lights on and instead used a small


    shlight that she bought from the airport.


    Quickly, Sofia realized that no one was inside. After a quick tour, Sofia concluded that a couple was inside this room. However, a


    part of her was still doubtful, hoping that the evidence was all nted, arranged in advance for her.


    The other part was, of course, devastated.


    However, she steeled herself. There was no point in backing down. She came here for the truth, and she was prepared to find


    out what it was. Just as she thought of checking the luggage stored on the luggage rack, she heard a hiss. Then all the lights


    inside the room turned on.


    Whoever it was that was upying this room... just arrived.