The CEO's Disguised Bride

"Thomas Stuart is back. He's at Imperial Lounge tonight. Go find him and work on your relationship."

In the study, Matilda Beaufort heard her father's words and let out a sarcastic laugh.

After three years, her runaway husband had finally decided to come back.

"And then what?"

Sawyer Beaufort looked up at her. "Have a child with Thomas as soon as possible. Once you do, your position will be secure, and the relationship between our two families will be strengthened."

Matilda's expression darkened. She didn't even know what her own husband looked like—how was she supposed to have a child with him?

Years ago, the elders of their two families had arranged a marriage between their children. At first, Sawyer wasn't too keen on it. The Stuart Family might be rich, but the Beaufort Family wasn't doing badly either—he could have made a better match.

But later, as the Stuart Family's influence in Harmony City grew stronger, Sawyer's attitude changed. He ended up begging the Stuart Family to honor the engagement three years ago.

On the wedding day, Thomas never showed up. With barely any guests present, Matilda completed the ceremony alone, and afterward became everyone's laughingstock.

Later she found out Thomas had already gone abroad.

"I'm not going."

Thinking about this, Matilda felt a tightness in her chest. "After decades of not caring whether I live or die, you now want me to have a child?"

Sawyer's expression darkened; a sign that he was about to lose his temper.

"Matilda, your father is doing this for your own good."

Her stepmother Jennifer Mitchell walked in carrying a cup, wearing a gentle smile. "Think about it. You're a woman without a child to rely on. How will you establish yourself in the Stuart Family in the future? If your mother were still alive, she'd give you the same advice."

She walked to the cabinet and took out a bracelet.

"Look at this bracelet. I've been keeping it safe for you all this time." Jennifer said, "Your mother loved you so much when she was alive. She'd definitely want you to live well."

That was her mother's keepsake. She'd searched for it for so long and never found it. She never expected it to be here.

Matilda stared at the bracelet, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Sawyer said, "Matilda, you're a smart girl. Once you have a child, you'll have real standing in the Stuart Family. But if you really don't want to, forget it."

He picked up the bracelet and examined it.

"It's just that this thing isn't safe with me either. If one day it accidentally gets lost..."

"I'll go!" Matilda clenched her teeth. "But I have conditions."

Sawyer looked up.

"I can have a child and strengthen your relationship with the Stuart Family, but after the child is born, you have to give me five hundred million, plus this bracelet, and then let me go."

The study fell silent for a few seconds.

"Five hundred million?" Sawyer's eyes turned sinister. "You're quite greedy!"

"You don't have to agree." Matilda turned toward the door. "You can just lose that bracelet, and I won't have to be used as your tool anymore."

"Stop." Sawyer took a deep breath, forcing the words through clenched teeth. "I agree, but the child must be fromthe Stuart Family. On this point, you can't play any tricks."

Matilda opened the door and walked out. As soon as she left, the bitter feeling became impossible to hold back.

Her mother had passed away when she was a teenager, driven to death by Sawyer. Soon after, Sawyer brought his mistress and illegitimate son into the house.

Sawyer had initially been fair, but in the end, she could not compare to his illegitimate son, because to him, sons were meant to inherit the family business, while daughters were meant to secure it .

Matilda suppressed the pain in her heart and wiped away her tears.

It didn't matter anymore. As long as she had the child, she could take the money and completely escape this family.

Matilda stood in the corner of a hallway at Imperial Lounge, dressed in a server’s uniform.

She could see that tall, drunk figure from a distance.

Tall and straight posture, deep features, high brow bones, dark gray shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing a section of well-defined forearms. As he walked, he carried an innate air of nobility and aloofness.

It was Thomas—her husband of three years whom she was seeing in person for the first time today.

Matilda shrank back into the shadows.

He walked past her, leaving behind a faint scent of alcohol blended with a light fragrance.

Perhaps knowing what she was about to do, Matilda felt extremely guilty. Only after he entered the private room did she take a deep breath and bring the hangover soup to the room.

The hangover soup was something she'd prepared in advance, with drugs added to it. Supposedly very potent.

Actually, she had considered directly revealing her identity and negotiating a deal with Thomas, but she quickly dismissed that idea.

She had no leverage to negotiate with him.

Besides, how could a man who ran off abroad to avoid the wedding possibly agree to have a child with her?

She walked to the door of the private room and knocked.

"Mr. Stuart, your hangover soup."

Footsteps sounded from inside.

The door opened. The man had one hand on the doorframe, looking down at her.

"Let me bring it in for you."

Matilda walked in with her head lowered. The lights were off in the room, and heavy curtains blocked out the neon lights outside.

Thomas sat on the sofa. Even though he was slightly tipsy, his whole body still radiated an unapproachable aura.

Matilda pretended to be calm and handed him the bowl.

"You'll feel better after drinking the soup."

Thomas took it and drank it all in one go.

Matilda stood to the side, her heart pounding like a drum.

The bowl was placed on the table. Seeing she wasn't leaving, Thomas couldn't help but frown, his gaze turning dangerous. "Why aren't you leaving?"

Matilda took a deep breath and directly reached up to pull down the zipper on the side of her dress.

The black dress slid to the floor.

Thomas's gaze suddenly sharpened, his drunkenness half gone.

"What are you doing?"

The next second, she straddled his legs and pushed him down with force.

Her soft lips pressed against his.

Thomas's body stiffened, the fire of desire inside him ignited instantly.

There was something wrong with that hangover soup!

He flipped over and pinned her beneath him, his eyes were cold as ice.

"Tell me, who sent you?!"

Matilda's slender legs wrapped around his lean waist, her fingertips sliding down his throat. "That's not important. What's important is that right now, only I can be your antidote."

Her fingers slipped into his waistband and gripped firmly.

Thomas let out a muffled groan, the veins in the hand gripping her wrist bulging.

"You'd better think this through." He lifted her chin, breathing heavily. "Leave now, before it's too late."

Matilda laughed softly, bit down on his lower lip, and played with his penis restlessly.

Thomas's last shred of reason snapped. He lowered his head and kissed her fiercely.

His large, calloused hands roughly tore open Matilda's clothes, her full breasts bouncing out instantly.

He kneaded them roughly.

In the darkness, only heavy breathing and tangled body heat remained.

After who knows how long, Thomas thrust forward forcefully. Matilda screamed, her whole body arching from the pain.

He paused for a moment, then let out a mocking, cold laugh.

"Still a virgin. They really went all out for this one."

Matilda bit her lip, the pain making her eyes water, but she refused to show weakness.

She looked up, meeting those deep eyes in the darkness. "Can you do it or not? Stop wasting time."

Thomas laughed in anger, his hoarse voice carrying a sexy edge.

"I'll show you what I'm capable of right now."

He leaned down, using even more force and going even deeper than before.

Matilda trembled up and down, her nails digging deep into his skin.

After the pain, another shameful desire surged up.

She clung tightly to him, their pressed skin slick with sweat.

After who knows how long, everything finally subsided.

Thomas's breathing gradually steadied. Seemingly exhausted after the drug wore off, he fell into a deep sleep.

Matilda slowly pushed him off and sat up.

Her whole body ached.

She fumbled in the dark for her clothes and put them on one by one. Just as she was about to leave, the phone on the coffee table suddenly lit up.

It was Thomas's phone.

The screen faced up, a message popping out.