Ch. 96..100: Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire Chapter 96-100
Chapter 96: Wiping the Records Clean
The waiter met her gaze and leaned into the table, his voice low, "It wasn’t my fault that your husband suddenly jumped in to protect your stepdaughter. You didn’t tell me loved her enough to sacrifice his life for her."
"What?" Stella’s gaze darkened. "Are you by any means blaming me for your mistakes?!"
"It’s not my fault," the waiter blinked. "I didn’t expect Mr. Swift to shield her when I aimed at her. Because your instruction kept ringing in my ears, I had to try and kill her but your husband kept interfering till the end. He was determined to die for her sake!"
"Yah!" Stella slammed the table with her palms filled with rage as she got up from her seat. "Are you a fool?" she asked, her eyes turning teary. "When you saw my husband putting his life on the line, you should have aborted the mission, why did you go ahead with it? Why?!"
Stella roared the last part angrily, not caring about being heard by the policemen who guarded the door outside. But then, they opened the door and stepped in with worry etched deep in their brows.
"Mrs. Swift, is everything okay?" one of them asked.
Stella nodded and said without turning to meet their gaze as she slowly sat back down, "I’m good. I need five more minutes."
The two policemen glanced at her back before moving their gazes to the waiter who had his head lowered. Seeing nothing amiss, they left and shut the door.
Stella interlaced her fingers as the waiter slowly lifted his head. "You made a grave mistake. I will never forgive you for killing my husband," she said to him with bloodshot eyes.
"I know," he nodded.
Stella stared at him for a moment before asking, "Why did you get caught? You should have made sure you escaped. Are you planning to receive a life sentence now?"
"Mrs. Swift, I don’t care about my punishment for murder, only my family," the waiter said, ignoring her questions. "I will keep my lips shut until the end only if you send $200,000 more to my wife."
"What?" Stella thought she had heard wrong but after the waiter didn’t repeat his demands, she broke out in a painful chuckle. "I paid you to kill someone else but you killed my husband instead and now you want extra money to keep your lips sealed? Did I pay you initially to kill my husband? Huh?!"
The waiter shut his eyes, refusing to answer her anymore. Out of frustration Stella picked up her bag and stormed out of the room. She was escorted to the detective’s office immediately.
As she sat in front of him, she said with tears in her eyes, "What kind of human being is so unrepentant for murdering my husband in cold blood in my stepdaughter’s presence?"
"Some criminals are like that," the detective answered with a sigh. "Even his wife visited earlier today with a baby in her arms."
Instantly, Stella’s hand paused in midair as she gradually registered the information the detective just passed to her. "His wife visited?"
"Yes," the detective nodded. "But not to worry, justice will be served soon. He will be taken to court tomorrow morning for the hearing."
Stella dabbed the tears from her eyes and nodded solemnly. "Thank you," she thanked the detective and took her leave but as soon as she settled in the back seat of her car and the chauffeur drove off, she picked up her phone to make a call.
"I have an urgent request. Between this hour and tomorrow morning. Yes. We will settle later. Thank you."
---
Xander walked into the room and saw Aurora lying on the bed with her phone in hand. He released a soft sigh and reached out to unbutton his shirt.
"Are you going for a shower?" Aurora asked, lifting her head.
"Yes," he replied. "If you need something urgently while I’m in there, you can come in and tell me." Aurora nodded in understanding and watched him enter the inner room before shifting her gaze back to her phone.
Ten minutes later, Xander finished showering and stepped back into the bedroom putting on only a grey lounge pants. Immediately, Aurora’s gaze observed his shirtless upper body before landing on his right shoulder.
"Sorry I haven’t asked in a while, but how is your wound healing up?" she asked, getting off the bed.
Xander angled his head to the side to take a look at the spot the bullet had hit him. "It’s almost sealed," he said, but when he lifted his gaze, Aurora was already in front of him, trying to take a look at it. But because of their height difference, she had to pull him to sit on the bed before she could get a good look at it.
Aurora stared at the injured spot for a moment before saying to him, "I will clean it up." Xander offered her a smile. "Thank you."
Some minutes later, Aurora bandaged the wound and shut the first aid kit close. She went to the bathroom to wash her hands and when she returned, she climbed into the bed and grabbed the duvet.
Xander turned off the room light and climbed in next to her before bringing her into his arms. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and immediately, Aurora snuggled in close, finding comfort in his warm bare upper body.
"Good night," he whispered to her ears.
---
The next morning, Aurora and Xander were having breakfast when Liam walked into the dining room. He greeted them before fixing his attention on Xander.
"Sir, I have something urgent to report."
Xander held his gaze for a moment before nodding, then he glanced at Aurora and squeezed her hand on the table gently. "Give me a minute."
She nodded and watched him get off the chair. She only looked away after his back disappeared from her sight.
Xander led Liam into his study and only then did the latter drop the bomb.
"Sir, the waiter has died. It happened after the court hearing this morning."
Chapter 97: One Step Behind
As soon as the news of the waiter’s death reached Xander’s ears, he shut his eyes and turned his back to Liam.
"We were a step behind. She has gotten rid of him."
Liam’s brows furrowed. "How come this woman has this much influence to kill someone in the police custody?"
"This is a sign that we shouldn’t underestimate her and the people around her," Xander said, turning to face him. Letting out a sigh, he added, "My wife is not going to take this news easy."
The least Aurora was expecting was for justice to be served to her father’s murderer, so hearing anything aside from that would hurt her.
---
At the other end, Stephanie got the news of the waiter’s death from the detective and was so shocked that she sat back down on the couch.
"What are you talking about? How can someone in your custody die?" she interrogated, her gaze darkening with every second that passed.
The detective explained that the waiter was poisoned and more investigations were being done to ascertain if he committed suicide or was murdered.
"Mr. Detective, I am very disappointed. Very disappointed!" Stephanie said and ended the call immediately without waiting to hear any more excuses.
When Stella came to the sitting room to sit and continue Adam’s funeral plans from where they left off, she saw the sour look on her face and inquired about it.
"The detective just called me. Adam’s murderer died this morning after the court hearing," Stephanie revealed, completely devastated."
Almost immediately, Stella sprang up from her seat. "What are you talking about?" Her gaze widened in shock. "How can the man who killed my husband die so easily? He has to be served justice for me to be satisfied and for Adam’s soul to rest in peace. What is all this?"
Stephanie shook her head. She was both shocked and pissed at the phone call and right as she was about to explain everything the detective told her, Stella picked up her phone and called the detective.
"Mr. Detective, what is this I’m hearing?" she cried, almost rolling herself on the floor. "How could you let this happen? Aren’t you doing your job well?"
The detective tried to placate Stella, but no matter what he said, she didn’t want to listen. As soon as she finished what she had to say, she ended the call.
"Do you know that I visited that murder yesterday," she said to Stephanie in tears. "He wasn’t even sorry for what he did and now, he dares to kill himself? The doctors had better wake him up because he can only die by my hands."
Even though Stephanie was furious at the waiter’s sudden and easy death, she was irritated by Stella’s actions and cautioned her immediately.
"Where is your dignity, Stella?! Can you stop this drama immediately and comport yourself?"
Unknown to her, Stella was the happiest woman on earth after she had gotten rid of the obstacle that threatened her existence and everything she had left.
How could she allow the waiter to live after he just threatened to expose her after taking her money and killing the wrong person?
Stella secretly opened a bottle of red wine and stayed in her room to drink it with a triumphant smile on her lips.
"Do you think I would let you expose me and have me locked behind bars after everything you put me through, much more having my daughter hate me for accidentally causing her father’s death on her wedding day? Never! Go to hell where you belong!"
Stella was very relieved by the waiter’s death because if Olivia found out that she had a hand in her father’s death, even though it had been a mistake as Aurora was the target, she would never forgive her.
"What a relief!" She released a deep sigh as she lifted her wine glass to her lips.
---
Xander was forced to inform Aurora about the waiter’s death even though it would hurt her, and just as he feared, she broke down in tears.
"Oh no!" Aurora palmed her face as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.
Seeing her in that state, Xander couldn’t bring himself to reveal the identity of her father’s true murderer as the waiter was only used to carry out the plan.
Xander brought Aurora into his arms and patted her back rhythmically in other to calm her down. Aside from that, he didn’t know how else to comfort her, or what to say any more, but he promised himself to bring the knees of everyone who had caused her this great grief, to the ground.
He would make sure they licked the dust off her feet before giving them the perfect ending they deserved.
~***~
FRIDAY.
A few days later, Adam Swift was buried. His funeral attracted a lot of dignitaries and business partners. They all came dressed in black to give him the last honour.
Every member of the Swift family cried their eyes out. Olivia almost fainted again but was caught by one of their family’s helpers.
Aurora was inconsolable. She almost felt like jumping into the grave and going with her father. Abigail had to hold her arms firmly.
"Take heart, Aura," she whispered to her in tears.
Xander had to watch from a distance, clenching his fists. The only thing stopping him from laying his claims on his wife right now was the plans he had cooking in his head against Stella.
As the funeral came to an end, Stella gave a speech to the guests, talking about Adam’s goodness and his accomplishments.
"... unfortunately, his life here on earth was short, but it was memorable. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to honour my husband, one more time."
Stephanie stood next to Stella and almost couldn’t hold back her annoyance watching her make everything about her. She kept saying ’my husband’ as if Adam didn’t have any other identity.
Chapter 98: Adam’s Will
The morning after Adam’s funeral dawned heavy with sorrow, the lingering grief mirrored in the sombre faces of the Swift family. Aurora, Olivia, Stella, and Stephanie sat in the expansive living room dressed in black, their eyes swollen and red from the previous day’s tears.
The atmosphere was tense, a silence broken only by the occasional sniffle as they awaited the family lawyer’s arrival.
When the lawyer finally entered, his demeanour was professional yet gentle. Setting his briefcase on the coffee table, he greeted them with subdued politeness before taking a seat.
"Thank you all for being here during such a difficult time," he began, his voice steady. "As per Mr. Adam Swift’s instructions, I will now read his last will."
The room grew deathly still, each woman straightening slightly in her seat as the lawyer unfolded the document.
"To begin," he announced, "the Swift family residence shall remain the shared property of all family members. The household, however, will be co-managed by Stella Swift and Stephanie Coker."
At the mention of her name, Stella’s lips curled into a small smile, relief briefly softening her features. But when Stephanie’s name followed, her smile faltered, quickly replaced by a deep frown. Her hands clenched the armrest of her chair as her gaze snapped to Stephanie, who remained composed, her face unreadable.
The lawyer continued. "The company, Vintage Cellar, will now be headed by Stephanie Coker. She is tasked with appointing a new COO once the responsibilities assigned to Aurora and Olivia Swift are completed."
Aurora’s brows furrowed in surprise, while Olivia’s eyes widened in disbelief. The sisters exchanged glances, Olivia’s shock mirroring Aurora’s confusion. Across the room, Stella’s face darkened, her mounting anger visible in the hard set of her jaw.
"Excuse me," Stella interrupted, barely holding back her fury. "Why would my husband make his sister head of his company? That’s... unusual, isn’t it?"
The lawyer’s tone remained even. "Mr. Swift specified this arrangement in his will. He believed it was the best course of action for the company’s future."
Stella opened her mouth to retort but snapped it shut, realizing she would gain nothing from questioning further. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her skirt, but she held her tongue as the lawyer resumed reading.
"Adam Swift’s other properties, including real estate and investments, will be divided equally among Stella Swift, Stephanie Coker, Aurora Swift, and Olivia Swift."
The mention of Stephanie’s name again sent Stella over the edge. Her voice cracked with indignation. "Why does Stephanie get a share of my husband’s inheritance? She’s married! Doesn’t she already have enough in her own home?"
The lawyer didn’t answer, merely continuing with an air of detachment.
"Regarding company shares," he said, "Mr. Swift’s shares in Vintage Cellar will be divided as follows: Aurora Swift and Olivia Swift will each receive ten percent, while Stephanie Coker, as the new CEO, will hold twenty percent."
The room grew tense as Stella waited to hear her name. The realization hit her like a crashing wave when it didn’t come. Her face twisted in fury, her breath coming in quick, shallow bursts.
"What?" she hissed, rising abruptly from her seat. "That’s impossible!" She stormed to the lawyer, snatching the document from his hands as everyone else looked on in stunned silence. Frantically scanning the pages, she muttered under her breath, her eyes widening further with every word.
When she finished, she threw the will onto the table, her voice rising. "This is how he repays me? After all the years I stood by his side? After everything I endured? He’s mistreated me all through our marriage, and now—even in death—he continues to disrespect me!"
Tears streamed down her face as she paced the room, ranting. "I gave him my life! My youth! My support! I stuck to his side until the end and this is what I get? Nothing?!"
Stephanie’s face flushed with embarrassment at Stella’s outburst. Rising to her feet, she turned to the lawyer. "Thank you for your time. I’ll walk you to the door."
The lawyer nodded, clearly eager to leave the tense atmosphere. Once he was gone, the storm of Stella’s rage turned toward Aurora.
"You killed your father!" she accused, her voice venomous. "Yet here you are, receiving a great amount of what he left behind. If you had any conscience, you’d leave it all to Olivia and walk out of this family."
Aurora’s face remained blank. She didn’t say a word, her silence only fuelling Stella’s anger. "Have you gone dumb now?! Won’t you say anything?!"
Stephanie returned to the room just in time to see Stella’s rants. Sighing, she moved to her seat, but Stella stood, rounding on her instead.
"Why would Adam make you head of his family? Am I dead to him? What lies did you feed him to secure this position after showing your face a few times?"
Stephanie met Stella’s glare with a calm, cutting gaze. "Maybe he saw how unfit and partial you are as a leader," she retorted, her tone sharp. "Perhaps he didn’t trust you, and he was right not to."
Stella’s voice rose to a screech. "You’ve always come between me and my family, always sticking your nose where it’s not needed! You don’t deserve a share of anything belonging to my husband! You don’t deserve to run Vintage Cellar. Go back to your husband’s house where you belong!"
Stephanie’s composure cracked just slightly as she fired back, pointing a finger at her "In case you’ve forgotten, Vintage Cellar was my idea. I built it alongside Adam from the ground up. So, you can dream all you want, Stella—but I’m not leaving. And let me warn you for the last time, my brother’s funeral has been handled, so nothing is holding me back any longer from teaching you a lesson."
With that, Stephanie stormed out, leaving Stella fuming. Aurora, too, stood and quietly exited, heading upstairs without a word. While she had questions regarding her father’s decision, even though she was in full support, she couldn’t sit there and bear the pressure of Stella’s anger.
Left alone in the room, Stella and Olivia exchanged a dark look, their fury simmering. The thought of Aurora receiving shares in the company while Stella was left with nothing stung more deeply than either would admit.
"She is not even Dad’s biological daughter, why would he put her in the position to threaten what rightfully belongs to me?!" Olivia cried as she faced the spot Aurora disappeared through. She clenched her fists, burning with rage.
Chapter 99: Tangle in the Sheets
~One Month Later~
FRIDAY.
Xander returned home at 8 PM on the dot after entertaining a few business partners. He was hoping to make it for dinner with Aurora unfortunately it didn’t work out as planned.
So, as soon as he walked through the doors and saw Nene in the hallway, he asked about Aurora.
"Where is my wife? Had she had dinner?"
"Ma’am finished having dinner some minutes ago. She is up in her room now," Nene informed with a welcoming smile and bowed subtly as he turned to leave.
Xander took the stairs and made his way straight to his bedroom and to his surprise, Aurora wasn’t in the bedroom when he walked in.
His brows furrowed slightly as he stared at the empty bedroom but almost immediately, a thought came to him, so he put his jacket on the armrest of the couch and made his way into the inner room before stopping in front of the bathroom door.
He knocked thrice before stopping to listen silently for any sound. "Sweetheart, are you in there?" he asked a second later.
"Come in," Aurora’s sweet melodious voice rang from behind the closed door. And as soon as Xander got her approval, he bent the door handle and gently pushed the door open.
Xander’s lips slowly parted as he stood at the door with his eyes on the woman soaking in the white bathtub. Never did he expect that he would find her in that position.
He hadn’t thought she would permit him to enter while she was still bathing. He thought she wasn’t doing any important, hence her approval.
"When did you get back?" Aurora asked, meeting his gaze as she lifted her glass of wine from the wood holder.
"Just now," Xander replied. He stood at the entrance for a moment before shutting the door and slowly making his way towards her. "I’m sorry I missed dinner with you tonight."
"That’s okay," Aurora said to him, releasing a deep breath. "It’s your first time in a month."
Instantly, a smile appeared on Xander’s lips. "I had no idea you’ve been keeping counts," he said, but just as he closed in on her, his breath got caught in his throat at the scene right before his eyes.
Aurora was stack naked inside the bath, but what was more unexpected was the fact that there weren’t any bubbles or foam in the tub. The water was very clear, making it possible to see all her bodily assets.
Xander slowly squat, taking in every bare inch of her body. Her big-sized apple perky boobs were right before his eyes, begging him for a touch. In the end, he couldn’t help licking his lower lips.
It was hard to stop staring, but when he did, he shifted his gaze to her face. "You haven’t started a bath yet."
"Not yet," Aurora released a soft sigh, completely unashamed of his bold stares. She handed him her glass of wine for a sip before asking about his meeting. "How was it? Was it successful?"
Xander nodded before sipping from her glass. "Yes, it was," he said, handing the glass back to her and watching her drink from the same side he just did. He noted her actions but he was still trying to understand the stunt she was trying to pull on him.
"Were there women present?" she inquired as she set her glass of wine down.
"Yes, two of them. They are both married and in their fifties," he said, putting an end to whatever crazy thoughts she was having. Then he let his gaze slowly move from her face to her neck and down to her chest.
The next second, he dipped his hand into the bath, scooped some water in his palms and slowly poured it over her shoulder.
"Do you want a massage?" he asked, his tone dripping with softness as his gaze turned hazy.
Aurora didn’t answer his question, instead, she sat up, letting him get another erotic view of her front and backside. Next, she turned her back to him and moved her long strands of hair to the side, giving him full access to conduct the massage.
Without wasting time, Xander unbuttoned his shirt and took it off before hanging at the edge of the thumb and placing his hands on her shoulders. Slowly, he started to knead them.
A soft moan escaped from Aurora’s lips as his hands slowly but gently worked on her shoulders before mischievously moving across them to caress the skin above her boobs.
"Your hands are so gentle," she said, her soft tone carrying a deeper meaning. "I didn’t know you were so good at this."
"Even I had no idea until I tried," Xander whispered, planting a soft kiss on her earlobes. Another soft moan escaped her lips as her leg crossed over the other, making some splashing water sound in the tub.
Her movements didn’t escape Xander’s eyes, but he moved his hands back to her shoulders and worked on them a little more before withdrawing completely.
Just as he stood to his feet and stepped back, Aurora snapped her gaze to him and grabbed his right hand.
"Tonight, can you hold me in your arms?" she pleaded with a misty gaze.
Almost immediately, something shifted in Xander’s eyes. Although he hasn’t touched her since her father’s funeral because she needed some time to get over the entire scenario, she has been sleeping in his arms since then, so her requesting him to do that tonight, meant something entirely different.
She was telling him that she was mentally and physically ready to tangle in the sheets with him, so how could he not get the message?
It was no wonder that she invited him in while she was having a bath, let him stare at her naked body without admonishing him or hiding from him, and also reacted to his touch.
Xander quickly knelt next to the tub and gently placed his palms on her face before bringing her close. He stared into her eyes, trying to gauge the unspoken words in them. Seeing what she truly wanted from him, he leaned in and slowly captured her lips.
"Why not?" he mumbled in between kisses.
Chapter 100: Proving A Point
Xander’s kisses were gentle as if he was afraid to ruin her. He cupped Aurora’s face, capturing her lips while occasionally using his tongue to lick them.
Aurora responded to his kisses very well. She wrapped her arms around his neck, thereby pushing her bare chest into him. A soft moan escaped from her lips, and he swallowed them in between kisses.
A few moments later, Xander released her from the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers, panting slowly. Then his hands slowly moved to her back to rub it gently.
"I missed you," he confessed breathlessly. "Me too," she said with her eyes shut, refusing to look at him.
A few seconds later, Xander straightened his back and reached out to remove the belt around his waist. He quickly undressed and joined her in the tub. He sat behind her before pulling her back to rest on his broad warm chest.
A soft sigh escaped Aurora’s lips as she lay on his rock-hard chest with her back. She refused to think about that part of his body poking her butt and only focused on being in his embrace.
"We’ve been married for three months, yet this is the first time we are having a bath together," Xander said as he lathered a loofah before using it to gently scrub the area above her chest.
A small smile appeared on her lips. This was Aurora’s first time smiling genuinely since her father’s death.
"It seems like we both have low libido otherwise, we would have long passed this stage," she stated with her eyes on the shower glass.
"I know it might look like that, but you are wrong. I don’t know about you, but I have a really high libido. Can’t you tell by what you are experiencing right now?" Xander asked with a low chuckle.
How could Aurora not understand what he meant when his member was poking her back so relentlessly? It was hard to focus on that.
"You only have a hard-on because I successfully seduced you. It has nothing to prove that you have a high libido," she said to him. "You have a long way to go."
Xander smirked as he slowly nodded behind her. The next moment, he angled her face so she could see his reaction, before dropping his gaze to her soft sensual lips.
Without saying a word, he captured them gently and this time around, he plunged his wet tongue into her hungry mouth, exploring what needed to be explored as his hand continued to use the loofah on her soft body.
His hand moved from the area above her chest dropping down to scrub her left boob. A soft moan escaped her lips and he swallowed it, not breaking their kiss.
Slowly, he let the loofah go and caressed her boobs before finally grabbing the right one. He felt good having that part of her body in his hand.
Xander broke the kiss and stared into Aurora’s misty eyes did a few seconds before turning her face forward. Then slowly, his right hand crept into her belly and caressed it for a bit before moving further down to part her thighs.
As soon as his fingers moved between her legs, a gasp escaped her lips and immediately, she snapped them close.
"Sweetheart, I will show you what it means to not hold back from today onwards, and then I can retake the exams and let you rescore me on my libido level," he whispered in her ears.
---
The next morning, Aurora and Xander lay naked in each other’s arms under the sheets. They remained unmoving even though they had been awake for the past five minutes.
Xander pressed a soft kiss on Aurora’s forehead and drew her closer to his warm body, causing a giggle to escape from her lips.
"I can feel your morning wood on my thighs. Aren’t you going to get up?" she asked, lifting her head to meet his gaze.
"I can have you in my arms all day and wouldn’t even feel sore," he stated, brushing his lips on hers with a satisfied smile on his lips. Of course, he would be happy after enjoying a few rounds of sex with his wife last night.
"How would you feel sore when you are not the one being poked?" Aurora fired back with a fake glare on him. "You tired me out last night and refused to stop until you were satisfied because you were trying to prove a point to me."
Xander didn’t deny her statement and instead asked as his fingers slowly caressed her face, "I hope you understand the point now?"
Aurora rolled her eyes at him and looked away, attempting to get off his chest, but he pulled her back down, slamming her left boob into his hard chest. Immediately, a groan escaped her lips as her face squeezed in pain. Instantly, he released her and sat up on the bed.
"I’m sorry," he quickly apologized with concern dripping in his tone. "Let me have a look, Okay?"
Xander was worried and wanted to look at his wife’s chest, how could she deny him that?
Aurora lifted her gaze and dropped the sheet covering her chest, revealing her boobs to him. Xander stared at her left boob for a moment before adjusting his position.
"Is it painful?" he asked.
"Of course, it hurts," she replied.
When Aurora thought he would touch it because of the position he was currently sitting in, he wrapped his arms around her, leaned in towards her chest and stuck his tongue out. Before she could stop him, he licked that part of her boob that had turned red.
As soon as she felt that wet sensation of his tongue on her skin, she shut her eyes and inhaled deeply
"X-Xander W-What are you doing?" she asked, regaining her composure. A few seconds later, he met her gaze. "Does it feel better?"
Aurora was unable to deny the facts with him staring into her eyes with concern, so she nodded her head shyly. The cool sensation of his tongue had indeed done wonders on her.