He Needed a Wife to Claim His Inheritance—So He Paid a Poor Widow to Pretend
Chapter 3
The wedding was held forty-eight hours later.
Small.
Private.
No flowers.
No photographers.
No family.
Just a judge, two witnesses, and a lawyer.
Clara wore a simple blue dress.
Ethan wore a black suit.
When the judge asked if they accepted each other as husband and wife, both answered:
“Yes.”
It sounded almost ridiculous.
Two strangers.
One contract.
One year.
Then it would be over.
Afterward, Ethan took Clara to his estate.
She stood in the enormous foyer and stared.
“You live here?”
“Yes.”
“How many bedrooms?”
“Fourteen.”
She laughed.
“My son sleeps in one room.”
“Of course.”
“He doesn’t need the biggest.”
“I didn’t offer him the biggest.”
She looked at him.
“You’re not as cold as I expected.”
“Don’t tell anyone.”
She smiled.
Their arrangement was simple.
Separate bedrooms.
Shared public appearances.
No unnecessary questions.
Clara’s son, Noah, arrived that evening.
He was seven.
Quiet.
He looked around the mansion with wide eyes.
“Is this really your house?”
Ethan nodded.
Noah whispered to Clara:
“Are we rich now?”
Clara almost laughed.
“No.”
Ethan heard him.
“Not exactly.”
Noah looked at Ethan.
“Then why are we here?”
Clara hesitated.
Ethan answered.
“Your mom and I are helping each other.”
Noah considered this.
“Are you my dad?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Then he walked away.
Ethan stared after him.
Clara smiled.
“He asks direct questions.”
“I noticed.”
The first public appearance came that weekend.
Ethan needed to attend a family charity event.
Clara wore a dark green dress.
She looked elegant.
But nervous.
“You don’t have to do this,” Ethan said.
“Yes, I do.”
“Why?”
“Because your inheritance depends on us looking married.”
He almost smiled.
“You remembered.”
“I remember everything that affects my mortgage.”
At the event, Ethan’s cousin Nathan approached.
“So this is the wife.”
Clara smiled politely.
“Yes.”
Nathan looked her over.
“A little unexpected.”
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“What does that mean?”
Nathan shrugged.
“Nothing.”
Clara took Ethan’s arm.
“It’s okay.”
Nathan leaned closer.
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Clara met his eyes.
“I usually do.”
Nathan walked away.
Ethan looked at her.
“That was impressive.”
“I’ve had practice dealing with arrogant men.”
He laughed.
That night, Ethan saw Clara sitting alone on the balcony.
She was holding a photograph.
He stopped.
“Your husband?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded.
“He was a good man.”
Ethan didn’t ask more.
But then she said:
“He wasn’t supposed to die.”
Ethan turned.
“What do you mean?”
Clara looked at the photograph.
“There was an accident.”
“What happened?”
“A truck hit his car.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“Where?”
“Outside the warehouse where he worked.”
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
He stared at the photograph.
There was something familiar about the company logo on the building behind Daniel.
Ethan looked again.
It was one of Cole Logistics’ warehouses.
His grandfather’s company.
And suddenly, the fake marriage had a connection neither of them had expected.
