Too Late, Hubby, I'm The Tycoon's Darling Now!

"I..."

Averie froze, Bryan's words catching her completely off guard.

Confusion clouded her wide eyes.

Not once had she imagined that his request would be for her to marry him.

Yet now, with her family bankrupt and herself newly divorced, how could she possibly measure up to Bryan, the man every woman in the country dreamed of marrying?

Catching the turmoil in her expression, Bryan let his voice turn cold. "You have one day to decide. Marry me, or we will never see each other again for the rest of our lives."

He understood her better than anyone. Three years ago, he'd stepped back out of respect for her pride, not wanting to force his help on her.

And what had come of that choice?

Averie had sought shelter in another man's arms, burying her brilliance to play the role of a housekeeper, sacrificing everything while receiving nothing.

He had watched from a distance, unable to intervene, as she bent herself small just to stay by Jorge's side.

To lighten her burden, he had even secretly backed more than one of the Hardy Group's projects.

His motives were simple.

Helping Averie's husband was equal to helping her.

He loved her so much that he didn't even mind her marrying someone else as long as she was happy.

Yet after three long years, Jorge had never acknowledged her openly as his wife, and more than once, Bryan found himself on the verge of confronting Averie, desperate to understand why she remained loyal to a man who kept her in the shadows.

But before he could do that, word reached him that Averie and Jorge got a divorce.

Disbelief still lingered around Averie like a thick fog at that moment.

Seated beside Bryan in his car as the city drifted by, she couldn't shake his words from her thoughts.

He wanted her to marry him...

That was a wish she'd cherished since childhood, but now that it was about to be real, a sense of uncertainty took hold of her.

Years ago, stubborn pride had kept her from accepting Bryan's help. She had convinced herself she wasn't worthy and poured all her feelings into Jorge, who was nothing more than a pale imitation of Bryan, the man she truly loved.

While Averie drifted in her own thoughts, a sudden shift in the air snapped her back to the moment; a strong presence leaned in.

Bryan's face appeared right in front of hers, leaving almost no space between them.

Warm breath brushed her cheeks, the closeness sending a tremor through her.

For a moment, their lips seemed only a breath apart.

Averie instinctively pulled away. "Bryan, what are you—"

Was he about to kiss her?

Before she could finish, Bryan's hand moved between them and, with a gentle motion, unbuckled her seatbelt with a faint click.

A glimmer of mischief flickered in his eyes, though his voice stayed level and cool.

"What's the matter? Did you honestly think I was about to kiss you?" he asked.

Averie quickly shook her head, flustered.

"Averie, think carefully about what I said," Bryan continued.

Averie was still in a daze when she returned home.

She barely had time to collect her thoughts before someone started pounding at her door, the noise echoing through the old building.

"Averie! Open the door!"

There was no mistaking Mia's shrill voice.

It didn't matter to Averie how Mia had tracked her down; she wanted nothing to do with Mia or her circle anymore.

But Mia's shouting only grew louder with each passing second.

The thin walls offered little privacy, and soon, an elderly neighbor upstairs was shouting complaints. With a weary sigh, Averie reluctantly opened the door.

Mia wasted no time, shoving an envelope into Averie's hands, her glare dripping with scorn.

"You know, my sister told me all about your little schemes. It turns out you seduced Jorge and tricked him into marrying you before. You are shameless. Good thing he has finally realized who really deserves him. My sister's so kind; she doesn't blame you for any of it. In fact, she even wants me to deliver this to you personally. You're officially invited to her wedding with Jorge. The celebration's on the seventh of next month, Skyline Hotel."

Mia spoke with so much smugness that it was almost as if she were the one who was going to marry Jorge.

Without missing a beat, Averie responded coolly, "Let those two have each other for the rest of their miserable lives. I want nothing to do with their circus."

Clearly not expecting such a response, Mia stood stunned for a moment. She had thought Averie would become furious, but Averie not only stayed calm but also mocked her sister.

Rage flashed in Mia's eyes. She lunged at Averie, hand raised as if to strike. "You bitch! Who do you think you are to talk about my sister and her future husband like that? It serves you right that your family fell apart; you bring nothing but bad luck!"

That insult was over the top. Her family was where Averie drew the line.

Without hesitation, she caught Mia's wrist, her grip unyielding, and delivered a sharp slap across Mia's face.

"Watch your mouth!"

Mia wasn't finished, still spitting venom.

"Your parents deserved—"

Averie cut her off with a flurry of slaps, her fury blazing as she gripped Mia's wrist tightly.

By the end of it, Mia's cheeks burned and swelled up.

Averie then shoved her, tossing the invitation onto her face.