"Oh, and by the way," June added coldly, turning to face him, "Richard will be returning soon. I suggest you stay a few steps ahead of his arrival."
"I'm well aware of that," Asher responded, smiling confidently. "And that will be light work to deal with. After all, I have you by my side for the time being."
"Time been?"
She scoff softly.
"Sure, hate to break it to you, but father has my wedding arrangements with Branden by the end of this month," June smirked, settling into her seat.
"Look at him. As if he's nothing without me," June thought, eyeing Asher.
"Anyway, I'm still your ally, regardless of my geographical location," she reassured him.
**************
A few days after Silva recovered from her bruises and she and Christian obtained their marriage certificate, she stood in front of the mirror, preparing for the night she would be introduced to his family. As she adjusted her gown, she saw Christian walking in through the mirror's reflection—a man she hadn't seen in days due to his busy schedule.
"So, tell me, what's your plan for revenge? And what exactly are you aiming for?" Christian asked, his gaze fixed on her back as she struggled to zip up her gown.
"Before that, What happened to the maids around here?" he murmured with a smirk, leaning in and whispering into her ear as he slowly zipped up her dress.
Silva stiffened, shocked by his proximity. It was unsettling—too close for comfort. A strange feeling stirred within her, something she had never felt before.
"I'm used to doing things myself, so I don't require any assistance," she managed to say, keeping her expression cold and unreadable despite the betrayal of her own racing heart.
"I see." Christian's voice dropped into a whisper, his eyes sharp as he observed her. "So what exactly do you plan to do against him?"
He paused before correcting himself. "Or rather, let me rephrase that. What is your main goal here?"
He stepped away slightly but kept his gaze on her, his fingers still holding the zipper midway.
"Revenge is one thing, but what outcome do you truly want?"
"I only need my right to inheritance back," Silva began, turning her head slightly. "To be more specific, I need him to taste his own medicine."
A smirk spread across Christian's face as he anticipated her response. It made sense given her situation.
"If I heard that right," he mused, "you want him to lose everything while also securing your share of the inheritance?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I need," Silva affirmed.
"But that's only the surface," she thought, turning her gaze back to the mirror. "After all, your real motives are hidden as well."
Just then, she felt Christian's presence closer to her face again. The proximity was unsettling—something she wasn't used to—but she maintained her icy expression, refusing to let her discomfort show.
"I like that," Christian whispered with a smirk. "After all, a truly ambitious woman wouldn't want anyone to fully know what she's thinking."
Silva was caught off guard internally, but before she could react, he continued.
"Anyway, from now on, I need you to make use of the maids. That's why I hired them," he added, his gaze lingering on the cold expression she held.
"Does that just sound like an order?" Silva thought, glancing back at him.
"And besides, getting used to it will certainly make our marriage seem more convincing rather than just a matter of personal agendas," Christian said, finally letting go of her zipper.
"I'll try to do so when we have guests. But other than that, I'm fine by myself," Silva responded coolly.
"No, he's just using that as a cover-up. After all, this house doesn't seem like it ever gets visitors." Silva's instincts stirred uneasily. Is he trying to monitor me for my real motives?
"Alright, that's fine with me," Christian said casually, slipping his hands into his pockets. "As long as you make it convincing to others."
He shifted the conversation. "Anyway, putting that aside… about the request I mentioned earlier—"
Silva appeared unbothered, merely watching the movement of his lips as he spoke.
"Ahh, so my guess was right after all." A smirk played on her lips.
As they began walking, Christian added casually, "Oh, and by the way, your family will be present." He cast her a cold glance.
Silva nodded, unfazed, as they continued down the hall.
"I'm well aware. They'll definitely be there—and I'm ready for whatever stunt they try to pull, starting from this moment," she said with quiet determination with smirks.