Aiden POV:
"Tomorrow, we'll wed, and we need to make this marriage believable," I said, my voice firm and unyielding as I leaned back in my chair. I watched Alexia as she finished the last bites of her dinner, her expression hovering somewhere between annoyance and apprehension.
Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, a hint of rebellion glinting in their depths. Typical. She was like a wildcat, all claws and attitude, but I had no time for her tantrums. This wasn't about her, or me, for that matter. It was about the deal.
"If we can't pull this off," I continued, my tone clipped, "you can kiss this fancy lifestyle and gourmet food goodbye. Back to scraping together meals and living paycheck to paycheck."
Her fork clinked against her plate as she set it down, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "I get it," she snapped, glaring at me. "No need to rub it in."