"What do you mean?" Ben asked.
"What she means is, she met me!" Aiden spoke whilst wrapping an arm around Mina's waist in full view of Ben and Lola.
Their faces were priceless. They looked just as shocked and confused as Mina had hoped they would.
"What do you mean?" Ben asked again.
"The day you missed your so-called unimportant meeting, I was also due to get married. Thankfully, my bride-to-be didn't turn up. Mina and I were waiting in the same room and we started talking. She told me all about you and I suggested that since both of our partners were absent and no good we should marry each other."
"I guess I have you to thank for all of this," Aiden said smugly as Ben's face started turning pink whilst Lola's face looked like she was sucking a lemon.
"She was reluctant to agree, naturally, who marries a stranger in this day and age. I explained who I was and that I knew who she was. Then she received a message, I assume from you, and her mind was made up. Mina agreed to be my wife and we've been living as husband and wife ever since."
"You've been cheating on me? For how long? I don't believe you only met him that day. You're not the spontaneous type, if anything you're predictable and boring. That's why I kept you around, you're easy to control," Ben asked.
Mina's mouth hung open and her eyes were wide as she stared at him. She couldn't believe her ears.
"Are you kidding me? You have the nerve to accuse me of cheating when you've been sleeping around with your assistant for years," Mina took a step forward. "Our relationship ended the moment I realised what or rather who you were doing, you just didn't know it was over. Not until I wanted you to know. It looks like you don't know me as well as you thought you did. I let you make me into someone that you thought you could control because I stupidly thought you loved me."
Mina turned and held out her hand for Aiden who came forward and gripped it tight.
"However, thanks to Aiden I see now what real love looks like. Even though we haven't known each other as long as I have known you, he has opened my eyes. He has shown me how a real man behaves towards the woman he is with."
Ben started laughing but Lola looked nervous. A small crowd had formed around the group and she was trying to slink away. Mina wasn't going to allow that, she was going to hear it all.
"I had originally planned on breaking up with you the very same day I married Aiden but then I started thinking. You made a fool of me over the years Ben and Lola," Lola paused her slinking at the mention of her name. "You made me think that I was the only one for you and that you really loved me. I turned from my family for you, I gave up my career for you and catching you with Lola made me realise one thing."
Ben scoffed at her and took his own step forward.
"Oh yeah, whore, what is that? That you can bed anyone that smiles at you. That you are so pathetic and dull that no man can be satisfied by only you. Did you ever wonder why I slept with another woman? Why I had stopped sleeping with you?"
"Because she opened her legs," Clay chimed in reading Mina's mind and speaking it aloud.
Lola lunged for him but Daniel, being the ever-protective boyfriend, stood in front of him. Ben pulled her back but scowled at Clay.
"Just what I was thinking Clay. If you are going to call me a whore for marrying a man after finding out my fiancé was sleeping with someone else, then really you should label Lola a whore too. After all, she's the one who was sleeping with a taken man."
"Now wait a minute Mina, I think .." Ben started but Mina interrupted him.
"That's the thing Ben, you didn't think. You didn't think that I was enough for you, that I could be more than what I had become. I know I am partly to blame too because I allowed you to make me believe that I couldn't do anything right."
Aiden wrapped an arm around her shoulders for support and she smiled gratefully at him.
"So, what I realised is that I can do better without you and I planned to show you. I played along with you, pretending to believe all your lies but inside I was laughing. I knew how you would react when I told you about moving to Lorcan street, your face was a picture. Lola looked bitter and you Ben looked like you had won the lottery until I told you that you couldn't live with me."
"You said your family bought the place for you," Ben said slowly putting all the pieces together.
"Well, Aiden is now my family so that was partly true. Neither of us wanted me to live somewhere that you could easily access. So, when he suggested moving me to his home I was more than willing, especially when he said that it was gated with a security team."
"I didn't want my wife living with another man. She was happy to move in with me," Aiden smirked. "When we talked after getting married she asked me to keep us quiet. She didn't want you finding out too soon, not before she was sure you would regret everything."
"Looks like it worked," Clay said with a wide smirk as Mina chuckled.
"I kept dangling my family in front of you and like a dog following a bone you moved just how I wanted you to. All you've ever cared about was my family's connections and what that could mean for you and your business, it was never about our future for you. I wasn't sure if I would be able to reconcile with my family, but thanks to Aiden, I did. First I met my grandmother and then through her, I was able to contact my parents."
Mine turned and smiled at each one of her family members in turn before turning back to Ben.
"I knew that tonight would be the best chance I would have to show you the consequences of your actions. You thought tonight you were going to finally get what you deserved because, of course, my family is very well connected. I know you imagined all the contacts and deals you could score here tonight and the many others once we finally married."
"Now, Ben and Lola, I will get what I deserve, that's both of you out of my life and my family back into it. You thought that this would be the night that everything would fall into place. Well, it's not, not only have you lost me but you've also lost the connection to my family and all of the others that come with it."
Ben's face paled and Mina could feel herself floating.
"Look around Ben," she asked and smirk when he did just that and went paler.
"The people at this event are all very influential and important figures as well as being my family's closest friends. Now that you have used, cheated and insulted the daughter of their friend I doubt they would be as willing to work with you as you were hoping. However, I can't speak for them so you could give it a try."
Mina's father stepped forward now and cleared his throat. Everyone's attention turned to him.
"Even if you had married my daughter, no one here would lower themselves to deal with you or your tacky business. Your name and your company have always been a topic of ridicule here. Your pathetic little cosmetic company is a joke. Not only is it not managed well, but you lose many of your contracts to other companies because you are greedy. You take on more than you can handle and you give substandard results. Your staff have no idea how to handle pressure or problems."
He gave a small wave and Mina noticed several men in suits moving through the crowd. She saw the earpieces and smiled when she realised, they were the security her parents hired for the event.
"Please escort Mr Kramer and his assistant from the hall," he then turned fully to Lola. "Might I make a suggestion, know your place. If you come to an event as his assistant, lover or not, you must dress more appropriately. Also, it looks very bad on you to be the mistress of your employer. No one wants to hire an assistant that can not be trusted to keep her skirt down. Unless you get a sleazy boss, those ones don't mind, but they won't want much more from you than to be their mistress."
Lola blushed bright red as all eyes fell on her. She quickly ducked her head and left. Ben followed slowly after her with the security guards. Aiden pulled his wife towards him and gave her a small kiss on the lips.
"Well done!"
Mina beamed at him as she let out a long breath and then returned the kiss. They stared into each other's eyes before a small coughing sound pulled them away from each other. Her grandmother was chuckling slightly and Mina blushed.
"Well done my girl!" she said pulling her granddaughter in for a hug.
Her parents also embraced her and Mina felt happier than she had in years.
----
Later that night Mina and Aiden were finally leaving the event. Many people came to introduce themselves and to give their blessing on their marriage. They even praised Mina for how she handled and got even with her former lover.
Happily, Mina leaned against Aiden as they made their way to the car. Daniel and Clay were walking ahead of them. Just as they were about to reach the car something stopped them.
"Wait!" a voice called out.
All four of them turned to see Tanya Collins making her way over. She looked pissed.
"What do you want Tanya?" Aiden asked with a sigh, he was too tired for this.
"It's a lie, right? You're not really married?" she asked staring at the two.
"It isn't a lie."
Tanya glared as she stared at Mina, who wanted to shrink away under her gaze. She already had her fill of being brave now she just wanted to hide away.
"I think I remember you now, you work with Aiden. I saw you in his office that day I came over," she said and Mina nodded. "Let me guess, you started seducing him as soon as you started working for him. What a cunning plan, what a cunning bitch!"
"Watch your language, Tanya, this is my wife you are insulting. Didn't you hear any of what was said earlier?" Aiden asked.
"I only caught the ending, the part where you said that you two were married," she confirmed. "I was busy trying to find you after your assistant shooed me away. If I had known that was where you were I would have rushed over."
"Tanya, I married Mina on the day I was supposed to marry you. She married me on the day she was supposed to marry her ex. She didn't seduce me, in fact, it was me that suggested we get married in the first place," Aiden explained.
He pulled Mina into him and she was grateful for the support.
"I don't believe it! I can't believe that you would choose her over me. Seriously Aiden, are you just trying to get back at me for spending your family's money? I told you I was sorry and that I wouldn't do it again, you don't have to go to these lengths to make me learn my lesson. I have learnt it now stop being foolish with this little nobody."
'Is she seriously that stupid?' Mina thought.
"Little nobody?" Mina said moving in front of Aiden. "Might I remind you that I am a Logan, heiress to the Logan resort hotels. I belong to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the world. We are known not just in this country but worldwide. Now I also belong to the Danvers family, the only other family around with similar wealth and social status as my family's. What family do you belong to Miss Collins?"
Tanya actually shrunk physically a little at being reminded of who she was and Mina felt empowered.
"Aiden isn't playing a game, he's not that type of man. You get one chance with him and if you blow it, you are done! You blew it big time Tanya, by blowing up his credit card."
"That's right Tanya," Aiden added as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "On that one day and night, you spent thousands. On expensive clothes, jewellery, perfume, meals and drinks. You ate and drank so much that you couldn't even make it to the reason for all that money. Guess how much Mina spent when she was given access to the same card?"
Tanya stuck one hip out now and folded her arms as she glared at them.
"What was the point of giving me the card if I wasn't allowed to use it?" Tanya asked ignoring the question aimed at her.
"Just because you were allowed to use it doesn't mean you had to use it the way you did. Just like you, she bought clothes but ones that she actually needed. She treated herself and her assistant to a spa day and only spent a few hundred dollars. She was reluctant even to spend that much. I wanted someone that knows the value of money, hard work and family. I thought that was you, but thankfully you showed me you were wrong before I made a huge mistake."
"Aiden, you didn't give me a chance. Yeah ok, I admit I went a little crazy when I spent all that money, but can you blame me. My family were always strict about money and I was never allowed to buy as much as I really wanted. I know I can do better if you give me a chance. Please Aiden," she cooed at him.
Mina stared at her incredulously, she couldn't be serious.
"Tanya what part of, we are married, are you not understanding?" she asked.
"I don't believe you are really married at all. How could someone as plain and ordinary as you replace someone like me? He's just helping you get back at that guy and using you to teach me a lesson."
'How dumb can you really be?' Mina thought and could almost see the same thought in Aiden's eyes.
"Tanya, I really don't care if you believe Mina and I are married or not. If you go to the courthouse I am sure they can confirm we got married on the day you didn't show up. Mina is my wife and we will be going now," Aiden moved Mina towards the car.
"Come on Aiden!" Tanya said gripping his arm, stopping them from moving. "I can give you what you want way more than Miss Plain Jane here can."
Mina moved around Aiden so that she was in sight of Tanya again. She glared at the woman and forcibly removed her hand from Aiden's.
"I don't think you can or would, Tanya. After all, wasn't it the plan to take the morning-after pill after having sex with Aiden so you didn't get pregnant?"
Tanya looked shocked and Aiden looked pissed.
"That's right, Clay and I were in the same little cafe you were in when you so loudly told your friend that you had no intention of ruining your body for a kid. You told her you wanted to seep with Aiden, spend his family's money but have no children. Despite the fact that was the main reason for Aiden marrying you."
"Is this true?" Aiden demanded with a growl.
Mina recognised this growl as similar to the one he gave Tanya when she barged into his office. She now knew it was his pissed-off growl.
"Well ... I... I would have gotten pregnant eventually," Tanya stammered.
"Really, that's not what you told your friend. You told her that you would take the pill each time you had sex, make sure he couldn't divorce you when you failed to get pregnant and that you would, now what was it you said ..." she made a play of trying to remember her words.
Clay stepped forward and happily filled in for her.
"... you would help him spend the money he earns and reward him by sleeping with him."
"That was it! Thanks, Clay," Mina said with a smile. "You wanted to live off his body, family name and money. You are no better than my ex, you both only thought of yourselves and no one else."
Tanya was beetroot read now and Aiden quickly pulled Mina behind him.
"Watch yourself, Tanya, there is something you have forgotten," he said which seemed to deflate her a little as she gave him a confused look. "The contract you didn't read before signing. If you had taken a look, it states that if you fail to get pregnant within five years then we would automatically divorce and you would get nothing from me and my family. It's a clause my grandmother insisted on. After she met you, actually."
"What?" she asked shocked.
"It's true. It wasn't in the contract before but after meeting you for the first time my Grandmother insisted on putting it in. She said she had a feeling about you when she talked to you. I guessed she figured out what type of person you were and wanted to make sure we were covered."
"Now, we are leaving Tanya. If you try to stop us with any more foolishness then I will have you arrested for harassment," Aiden said firmly moving them all again.
Thankfully, Tanya didn't move or try to stop them. Once she regained control of herself she raced home to look through that contract. Her mouth fell open and her eyes went wide when she saw the very clause he had talked about and the one below. It said if she was found to be taking or doing anything that would prevent her from getting pregnant then they would divorce and she would owe them compensation in the amount of one million dollars. She paled at the amount. No way would her family give her that much to pay him.
Mina sighed against Aiden as they drove home. She was physically and mentally exhausted from her encounters with Ben and Tanya. Now she just wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep for a year.
Once back home, Mina quickly showered and climbed into bed. Aiden climbed in behind her and instantly wrapped her arms around her waist. Mina turned in his arms and rested her head on his chest. She took in a deep breath of his scent then stilled.
Mina shot up and raced to the bathroom in time to throw up in the toilet. She heaved until her stomach hurt. Aiden was behind her in a flash holding her hair. She could see how worried he was in the mirror when she finally stopped throwing up and made it to the sink.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yeah, just something didn't agree with me, I guess," she said as she rinsed her mouth out.
"I think you should go see a doctor, you were like this before too," Aiden fixed her with a stare that told her not to argue with him.
---
The next day Mina walked out of the doctor's office gripping a piece of paper in her hands. Her face was pale and her eyes wide as Clay walked up to her. Aiden had a meeting he couldn't avoid so she had come with Clay.
"What! What is it? What's wrong?" he asked gripping her hands.
To shocked to speak she passed him the crumpled paper and his eyes also went wide and his mouth hung open as he looked up at her then back down to the paper and then back up at her. Neither of them could move or speak as the rest of the world passed by them.