Chapter 20: You Married Me on Purpose
For years, Harper had lived quietly in the orphanage, nameless and without status. Now, even with her newfound place in the Ellison family, she didn’t care about material things. All she wanted was a peaceful life, but her son, David, was determined to fight for her dignity.
David had promised his mother that he would make sure she was respected. If Richard accepted Harper into the family, it meant the entire Ellison family would acknowledge her as well. The thought of that was enough to give David the strength to do anything to make it happen.
David looked at his grandfather, who was calmly awaiting his response.
“What’s your condition?” David asked, his voice serious and level.
Richard’s eyes were sharp, yet his tone was casual as he replied, “Release Andrew.”
David’s eyes narrowed.
“He’s no longer a threat to you,” Richard continued, “He’s been defeated, no longer capable of causing trouble. But he’s still my grandson, and I can’t watch him rot in prison. As for his mother… you can handle her as you see fit.”
Harper and Andrew’s mother had their differences, but it was a long-standing issue. Richard’s request to release Andrew was more about family than any lingering animosity. He wanted to spare his grandson from a life behind bars.
David, for his part, didn’t mind. Andrew was a minor issue, one that could be easily dealt with. He would let him go. It didn’t matter much to him in the grand scheme of things.
“Think about it,” Richard said, patting David on the shoulder. “The Ellison family and the Ellison Group are already yours.”
David’s lips curled into a thin, resigned smile.
“Fine,” he said, his voice steady.
It was done. His mother had suffered enough in her life—enduring pain, ridicule, and rejection. It was time for her to live in comfort and dignity. Andrew’s release was a small price to pay for that.
However, as they left the Ellison residence, David couldn’t shake the feeling that the real problem was still ahead of him. Harper, now fully on Caroline’s side, was chatting with her in a way that made David uneasy. His heart sank at the thought of how much Caroline would be emboldened with Harper’s support.
Harper, never one to let go of an opportunity, reminded David one last time before he left.
“David, be good to Caroline, you hear me?” she said. “Don’t just bury yourself in work. Spend time with her. I want a grandchild soon!”
David didn’t respond, his expression cold and distant. Harper noticed his silence and gave him a playful smack on the arm.
“Got it,” David muttered reluctantly, his voice carrying no real enthusiasm.
As the car rolled away, the tension in the air around David was palpable. His expression was colder than ice, and he turned to Caroline with a sharp gaze.
“You’ve really outdone yourself, Caroline,” he said coldly, his voice like a dagger.
Caroline blinked in confusion, unsure of what he was referring to.
“What did I do now?” she asked, genuinely baffled.
David’s eyes flashed with anger.
“Don’t play dumb,” he snapped. He reached out quickly, grabbing her wrist and yanking her toward him. “So this was your plan all along, to marry me on purpose!”
Caroline, still confused, stared at him, trying to make sense of his accusation.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice full of disbelief.
David sneered at her.
“Don’t act innocent,” he retorted. “First, you got close to my mother at the orphanage to win her trust. Then, when Grandpa arranged my marriage, you stepped in and became my wife. You’ve been scheming all along, haven’t you?”
Caroline’s jaw dropped in astonishment. Was he serious? Did he really think she had been secretly plotting against him?
Her mind raced, trying to process his words, but she couldn’t understand the logic behind his accusations. What kind of person did he think she was?
Before she could respond, David’s hand shot out again, pushing her away with force. Caroline’s head hit the car window with a dull thud, sending a shockwave of pain through her skull.
David’s gaze was like ice as he looked at her, filled with disdain.
“Fine,” he spat. “I’ll make sure you understand the consequences of playing games with me.”
Caroline blinked, rubbing the back of her head where it had struck the window. This man… he didn’t know the meaning of gentleness, of care. He was ruthless.
David’s cold eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, but then he turned and walked out of the car. As he entered the building of Ellison Group, his employees greeted him with the respect due to their new CEO.
“Good morning, Mr. David,” they said in unison.
David’s reputation preceded him. He was known as decisive, ruthless, and obsessively focused on his work. No one dared to cross him—at least, not without facing the consequences.
William, David’s assistant, hurried to catch up with him.
“Mr. David,” William said, his voice respectful. “The Brooks family has been waiting in the conference room since this morning.”
David paused, then turned toward the conference room. His mind was elsewhere, consumed with the thoughts of the woman sitting behind him.
“Finally, Matthew is ready to confess what happened that night,” David muttered, his eyes cold with intent.
This wasn’t over. Caroline wasn’t done with him yet, and neither was the storm that had only just begun to brew between them.
