Chapter 17

It was much too convenient to be a coincidence. "Could Ms. Michaels be working with Mrs. Albert?"

She was the only one who'd had access to the footage on the night it had been damaged, and she'd even watched the entire thing. She was suspicious.

Chris snorted coldly at the accusation. "She's not brave enough."

Markus nodded in agreement. Chris was right; Kathryn always looked terrified when facing Chris. Chris' stepmother was smart enough not to send someone so unreliable.

"I'll tell her," he said.

"Keep this a secret."

Markus nodded. "Understood."

After all, this was just a marriage of convenience. It would be best if it didn't become public knowledge. It wasn't so much for Chris' benefit as it was for Kathryn's; if it became known to the public, Kathryn might not be able to get married again in the future.

Markus couldn't help but admire his boss. He might be using Kathryn, but he was also thinking about her future.

As soon as Kathryn got back to her desk, Markus came up to her. "Come to my office now."

"Yes, Mr. Hunt." Kathryn had a feeling that he was going to tell her off. What happened earlier hadn't been her fault. Their conversation had just been too shocking!

In his office, Kathryn stood by the door and said, "Yes, Mr. Hunt?"

"Close the door," Markus said.

Kathryn nodded and did as she was told. She stood by quietly, waiting for his next orders.

Markus gestured for her to sit, which she did. Then he said, "Bring your identification papers to work tomorrow. You'll be marrying Mr. Albert."

There was silence.

Kathryn's breath caught in her throat, and once again, she choked on her saliva and relapsed into a coughing fit.

Markus frowned at her lack of control over her emotions. He wasn't sure if Chris was making the right choice. Yet to some extent, her clumsiness may be suitable for his intent.

Her face red from the exertion, Kathryn got up from her seat. "Sorry!" She apologized and ran out of the office.

Before this, the office had just been a stressful place, but somehow, it had now become a place of despair for her.

Markus watched her run out without saying anything. He felt that she needed some lessons in controlling her emotions.

Kathryn almost coughed her guts out in the pantry. She didn't know what to think of everything that had happened today. She must've misheard; how could someone as stern as Markus say something like that?

That was it. She'd definitely misheard him.

After a while, Kathryn pulled herself back together and came out of the pantry. She immediately saw Markus' assistant waiting for her at her desk. "Mr. Hunt wants to see you in Mr. Albert's office," the assistant told her.

So, she hadn't misheard anything. Chris and Markus really did want her to get married.

Kathryn wanted nothing more than to call Tally at the moment, but the assistant urged her to head over to Chris' office at once. Left with no choice, she did as she was told.

As soon as she opened the door, Chris and Markus paused their conversation and stared at her simultaneously. Their gazes made her hair stand on end. She clenched her fists nervously and greeted them as politely as she could. "Mr. Albert, Mr. Hunt."

Chris tossed the butt of his cigarette into the ashtray and asked her, "Did Markus tell you about it?"

"A—About what?" Kathryn felt her brain stutter. She still couldn't believe what Markus had asked her to do.

Chris frowned in displeasure. Before he could say anything, Markus said hurriedly, "You're marrying Mr. Albert tomorrow!"

"No, I can't!" Shocked out of her terror, Kathryn blurted it out before she could stop herself. The atmosphere in the room tensed after her rejection.

"You don't want to?" Chris glared at her coldly.

Kathryn shook her head nervously. "Marriage isn't a game." No one got married just for the sake of it. Before her grandmother had passed away, she'd told her to find a good-tempered husband. She'd told Kathryn that looks weren't important; the most important thing was for her husband to treat her well.

Regardless of whether Chris fit her grandmother's requirements or not, he and Kathryn weren't in the same circle at all. They didn't match.

Markus gasped. Had Kathryn lost her mind? Did she really think they were getting married for real? As Chris' expression grew darker, Markus quickly said, "I haven't explained everything! Come with me," he added to Kathryn. He had to explain everything to her. Kathryn was one of the toughest newbies he'd ever had to train.

Kathryn stared at Markus for a moment before nodding and following him out of the office. However, before they could leave, Chris said coldly, "You can either marry me or leave Harborlean. It's your choice."

Kathryn froze. Her breath caught in her throat. She glanced at Markus reproachfully. Markus had also picked up on the anger behind Chris' words.

This marriage might be one of convenience, but it still didn't sit well for Chris to be rejected. There were so many women in Harborlean who would jump at this chance. It was the first time he'd been rejected so outwardly.

Markus didn't meet Kathryn's gaze. He couldn't help her now. "I'll talk to her," he said, gritting his teeth.

There was really nothing to talk about. Kathryn had only two choices; marry Chris or leave Harborlean.

Markus and Kathryn exited Chris' office and went back to his office.

"Mr. Hunt, I—" Kathryn was at a loss for words. Somehow, her brain seemed to have become sluggish after that night with Chris. Everything that had happened today only made it worse.

Markus took a glass of water from the table. He looked at her and said, "Your marriage with Mr. Albert will just be a marriage of convenience."

"A marriage of convenience?" Kathryn was shocked. What did that mean?

Markus nodded. "From now on, if anyone from the Albert family asks you about that night, you have to say that it was you in Mr. Albert's room."

Kathryn's brain stopped working completely. She stared at Markus blankly as he continued, "Did you really not see who entered Mr. Albert's room that night?"

Jerking out of her daze, Kathryn shook her head. "No, no, I didn't!"

Sooner or later, she would die of fright. Everything that was happening was pushing her toward the edge.

"That's fine." Markus nodded. "Then you'll be that woman from now on."

"But I'm not!" Kathryn wailed, almost in tears. In truth, she was, but she couldn't admit it.

"You are!" Markus said coldly and firmly. Before she could shake her head again, he continued, "If anyone asks, you have to say you are."

"Why?"

"Because that's your job!"

Wasn't she just an assistant? How had her position switched to being Chris' wife?