As I settled into the black Maybach, my body couldn't stop trembling uncontrollably.

The atmosphere inside the car was suffocatingly tense.

Liam loosened his tie and reclined, closing his eyes as if the earlier dramatic upheaval had nothing to do with him.

I curled up in the corner of the car, protecting my barely noticeable belly, hardly daring to breathe. I had tricked him.

That night in the hotel, the room was pitch black, and I was so drunk that all I only remembered was being with a man. But I wasn't sure if it was Liam.

I was gambling, simply hoping the influential patriarch of the Roberts family sought a reason to suppress Laurence's family branch, which had become increasingly dominant.

I hoped he needed a compliant puppet wife to fend off his family's pressure to urge him to get married.

Yet, I hadn't anticipated that he would accept without question.

The car drove into a wealthy neighborhood halfway up the mountain.

Once it stopped in front of a villa, Liam opened his eyes, staring at me with those deep, piercing eyes.

"Get out," he said flatly.

I fumbled to open the car door and followed him into the villa.

The living room was brightly lit, with the butler, Thomas Hall, and the house staff lined up neatly in two rows.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts."

Hearing that title made my knees weak, nearly causing me to stumble.

Liam was quick to steady me, pulling me into his arms. He whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my ear, "If you're going to act, do it convincingly. Stay strong."

I nodded stiffly, trying to straighten my back.

He instructed Thomas, "Take Eliana to the master bedroom to rest. From now on, her meals and accommodations should meet the standards for a pregnant woman."

"Understood, Mr. Roberts," Thomas replied.

I was led to the master bedroom on the second floor.

The room was absurdly large, decorated in stark, intimidating colors, much like the image of Liam in my mind.

I sat on the edge of the bed, only exhaling deeply once the butler left.

Shortly after, the door opened again.

Liam entered, holding a glass of water.

He approached me, handing me the glass, his gaze fixed on my flat belly.

"How many months?" he asked.

My heart skipped a beat, and I clutched the glass tightly. "Two... two months," I stammered.

In truth, it was only six weeks.

He said nothing, just continued to stare at me, his eyes scrutinizing me as if I were an item up for sale.

After a while, a mocking smile appeared on his lips. "Eliana, you have quite the nerve. You're the first to dare scheme against me."

A few drops of water spilled onto my hand, chilling me to the bone.

I knelt on the carpet with a thud, looking up at him with an entreating look.

"Mr. Roberts, I have no choice now... The Harper family went bankrupt. Laurence called off our engagement and ruined my reputation. I just want to survive. I promise, I'll be an obedient wife. Once the child is born, you can do whatever you want with me. As long as you save the Harper family."

Liam squatted down, lifting my chin with his long fingers, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"What makes you think I'd another man's child?" he asked.

My blood ran cold.

Did he know the truth?

Did he know I was lying?

I parted my lips but couldn't squeeze any word out.

Just as I feared he'd have me thrown out, he released his grip and stood up, pulling out a tissue to wipe his hands.

"Tomorrow, we'll do a paternity test. If I'm the father, I'll settle the Harper family's debts. If it's not..."

He paused, leaning closer, his eyes glinting with a bloodthirsty coldness.

"I'll make you understand what it means to wish you were dead," he muttered.

The next morning, I was taken to a private hospital run by Roberts Group.

We used the private entrance reserved for the elite throughout, avoiding any unnecessary encounters.

As my blood was drawn, I watched the dark red liquid flow into the test tube, feeling like I was waiting for my fate to be decided.

Liam sat on the nearby sofa, engrossed in his reports, not sparing me even a glance.

The three-hour wait for the results was the longest agony of my life.

I sat on the cold hospital bench, replaying the details of that night over and over in my mind— the blurred outline of that man, the familiar cedar-scented cologne, and the small mole on the back of the man's hand.

I stole a glance at Liam's hand resting on his knee.

The back of his hand was clean, devoid of any marks.

My heart sank into despair.

Oh no! I was doomed. I had lost the bet.

Just as I closed my eyes in desperation, bracing for the impending judgment, the doctor emerged with the report. "Mr. Roberts, the results are out."

Liam took the report, scanning it quickly.

I dared not look, keeping my head lowered, awaiting the storm's arrival.

"Let's go." His indifferent voice came from above.

I looked up in shock, meeting his unperturbed gaze.

"Where... where to?" I stammered.

"To get the marriage license," he answered.

My mind buzzed, exploding with disbelief.

Marriage license? So... he was the father of my baby?

I snatched the report from his hand, and there it was, clear as day. "Biological father-son relationship confirmed, probability 99.99%".

At that moment, tears of joy streamed down my face.

It really was him. The man from that night was truly him.

Perhaps I had the luckiest break of my life, actually stumbling upon him that night.

Leaving the City Hall, I still felt so surreal. The glaring sunlight made me feel a bit dazed.

I couldn't believe I had really married Liam, becoming the wife of Laurence's uncle.

Liam didn't give me much time to dwell on it; once in the car, he handed me a document. "This is the acquisition contract for Harper Group. Sign it, and the funds will be transferred immediately."

I opened the contract with trembling hands. The terms were so generous that it seemed more like charity than the acquisition of a bankrupt company.

I signed my name, tears once again falling onto the paper. "Thank you... Thank you so much."

Liam took back the contract, his voice cold. "Don't be too happy yet. Now that you're my wife, you have to fulfill the duties of Mrs. Roberts. There's a charity gala tonight, and Kristina will be there, too.

You know what to do."

I wiped away my tears, my gaze growing resolute. "I do. I'll make sure she understands who the matriarch of the Roberts family is."

That evening, dressed in the tailored gown Liam had sent, I entered the banquet hall on his arm.

All eyes instantly focused on us, whispers of shock and disbelief rippling through the crowd.

Laurence and Kristina were also present.

Seeing me appearing arm-in-arm with Liam, Laurence nearly crushed the wine glass in his hand.

Kristina's face twisted with jealousy, her gaze daggers aimed at me.

Liam led me straight to them. He swirled the champagne flute in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Laurence, don't you know how to greet your elders?" Liam asked.

Laurence's face turned an ashen gray, veins bulging on his neck as he forced out two words through gritted teeth. "Good evening, Un-Uncle Liam."

Liam's gaze shifted to Kristina. "And you."

In fear, Kristina shrank back behind Laurence; her usual arrogance vanished. "G-Good evening, Mr. Roberts."

Liam chuckled, his arm tightening his grip on my waist.

"You greeted the wrong person. This is my wife. Remember to show proper respect when you see her in social circles," he said coldly.

Kristina's face flushed with embarrassment, seeking help from Laurence with pleading eyes.

Yet, Laurence dared not utter a beep.

As I watched the scene, the pent-up frustration in my heart finally eased a little.

I smiled at Kristina, my tone gentle yet sharp, "Miss Fletcher, I heard your role in the latest drama hasn't been decided yet, right? "What a coincidence! The largest sponsor in that drama just became Roberts Group."

Kristina's head shot up, panic written all over her face.

Her face turned pale on the spot, lips trembling as she looked at Laurence. "Laurence, please say something for me. I've been negotiating that role for half a year..."

Laurence shook off her hand in annoyance. "Shut up! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

He turned to me, eyes dark with malice. "Eliana, don't get too cocky. Do you think Uncle Liam really likes you? It's only because of the baby you are carrying. Once the child is born, see if Uncle Liam will even spare you a glance!"

Feeling a sting in my heart, I maintained a composed smile. "That's a concern for us to handle; no need for you to worry. After all, you are only Liam's nephew."

Liam seemed uninterested in hearing any more nonsense, guiding me away to mingle with others.

Throughout the entire evening, Liam played the role of an exceptionally considerate husband.

He made sure I didn't have to drink the alcohol, fetched snacks for me, and even wrapped his jacket around me when I felt cold.

The high-society socialites who initially anticipated a spectacle quickly changed their tune.

One by one, they surrounded us, showering us with compliments.

"Mrs. Roberts, you are indeed lucky. We can tell how much Mr. Roberts cares about you."

"Your skin is so well-maintained, Mrs. Roberts. Even during pregnancy, you look radiant."

I managed to handle the situation with ease, but inside, I felt desolate. It was because I knew the price of all this.

By the time we returned to the villa, it was already late at night.

Exhausted, I could barely stand up straight. I kicked off my high heels and collapsed onto the sofa.

Liam loosened his tie, tossed it aside, and walked over to the wine cabinet to pour himself a glass of whiskey.

He took a swig, his Adam's apple moving in a way that was both captivating and detached.

"You did well today," he remarked, setting down his glass and leaning against the bar, looking at me. "What kind of reward do you want?" he asked.

I sat up straight, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I want to visit my parents. They don't know about our marriage yet; I want to see them."

He raised an eyebrow. "Alright. But I don't want any drama or issues from the Harper family. I've already sent them the money; they should behave themselves."

I nodded quickly. "I understand. I'll make sure they know."

The next day, I returned to Harper Estate.

My parents were so shocked by the marriage certificate and the bank card I brought back that they were dumbfounded and tongue-tied for a while.

Mom hugged me, crying, "Eliana, you've suffered so much... You've sacrificed your whole life for our family."

Dad was also in tears. "It's all my fault for being useless, having to rely on marrying off my daughter to save my company..."

Holding back my tears, I tried to make them feel better. "Dad, Mom, I'm not suffering. Liam treats me well. See? He even helped us pay off the debt. As long as you're well, I'm not afraid of anything."

When I left the Harper Estate, I received a call from an unlisted number.

"Miss Harper, let's meet." It was Kimberly's voice.

I gripped the phone tightly, wary, "There's nothing for us to meet about."

"There are secrets about Liam that you'll definitely be interested in." She laughed sinisterly on the other end, "You think you're the lucky one? You're just a pitiful stand-in. Three o'clock in the afternoon, Blue Mountain Café. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't come."

After the call ended, an inexplicable unease rose within me.

A stand-in? What did that mean?

Despite my reservations, I decided to meet her.