THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Mia and Matteo were mid-laugh….. something about pineapple pizza and Matteo’s intense hatred for it…. when a soft, velvety male voice drifted from behind them.

“Honey?” Mia blinked. She froze for a second. That voice… wasn’t Stefan’s. So who was….

Her head turned slowly like it was on a spring, and there, walking toward them with a towel draped around his toned shoulders and a sunshine-filled grin on his face, was another man.

Tanned, lean, and unmistakably affectionate, the stranger leaned over the back of Matteo’s chair, pressed a soft kiss to his temple, and murmured, “Missed you.”

Mia’s lips parted in quiet shock.

Oh. Oh.

She watched with wide eyes as Matteo smiled with a tenderness that screamed soulmate and responded casually, ” Massage went well?”

“Divine,” the man replied with a mock sigh, placing his hand over his heart dramatically. “They used coconut oil. I now smell like a sexy piña colada.”

Mia let out a surprised laugh before she could stop herself.

Matteo turned toward her and grinned, clearly amused by her expression. “Mia, meet the love of my chaotic life…. Aidan. Aidan, this is Mia. Her husband is somewhere being mysterious and broody.”

“Nice to meet you,” Aidan said, giving her a warm, genuine smile. “I love your dress. You look like a mermaid on vacation.”

Mia finally found her voice. “Thank you. And wow… I thought….” she paused awkwardly, then gave a sheepish laugh. “Actually, never mind what I thought.”

Aidan smirked knowingly. “Let me guess. You thought Matteo was trying to flirt with you.”

Matteo threw his head back and groaned. “Babe! You make me sound like a predator.”

Aidan kissed his forehead. “You are a flirt. A loyal one, but still.”

Mia chuckled, relaxing fully for the first time in hours. “You guys are adorable.”

Matteo winked. “We try. Nine years and counting.”

“Nine years?” she echoed, eyes widening slightly.

“Nine beautiful, dramatic, overly emotional, delicious years,” Aidan confirmed as he sat on the edge of Matteo’s lounger.

Mia watched them for a moment….. how naturally their hands found each other, the unspoken comfort between them. It was the kind of love she’d only seen in movies and dreamed about during lonely nights. And here they were, being living proof.

“Marriage or dating?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Married,” Matteo said, proudly holding up his hand to flash his ring. “Though Aidan’s idea of proposing was accidentally dropping the ring into my soup and then fishing it out with a spoon and a straight face.”

Aidan smirked. “I was nervous.”

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line.” Mia burst into laughter.

These two were ridiculous in the best way.

Somehow, their playful banter made her heart ache a little but in a hopeful way. That kind of love was real. It existed. And though she may have married Stefan in the most unconventional way, a small, treacherous part of her began to wonder….

Could something like this… grow between them too?

Nah, she shouldn’t wish for the impossible.

Aidan shifted slightly behind Matteo. “Babe,” he said, placing a hand lightly on his husband’s arm, “do you want anything to drink?”

Matteo perked up instantly. “Actually, yeah. But I’ll go. You stay and get to know Mia a bit. She’s nice.”

Mia’s eyes widened slightly, and she let out a short laugh. “Oh, please. Now you’re just flattering me.”

“Nope,” Matteo said confidently as he stood. “You’ve got this pure energy, like someone who can’t even pretend to be mean for a day. I like it and I know babe would too.”

“I already like her,” Aidan added with a wink.

Matteo got to his feet, brushing imaginary sand off his shorts. “Do you want anything, Mia? Your drink looks a little… sad.”

Mia glanced down at her half-empty cup and smiled. “Yeah, actually. Just something simple. Surprise me.”

“You’ll regret those words,” Matteo said with a mock-ominous tone before heading off, humming some unrecognizable tune as he strolled toward the resort’s juice bar.

A comfortable silence settled between Mia and Aidan for a few seconds before he shifted toward her slightly.

Aidan adjusted his shades and turned to Mia. “So… how long have you and your mysterious husband been married?”

Mia smiled faintly, twirling her straw. “Just a days ago. Still getting used to the ‘Mrs.’ part.”

Aidan gave her a sideways glance. “Do you love him?”

The question caught her off guard. She didn’t answer immediately…. because how could she? What was she supposed to say? That her heart raced whenever he got close, but her brain reminded her it was just a contract?

Luckily, Aidan didn’t push. He just offered a soft, understanding smile, like he already knew the war going on in

her heart.

“So… you’re the one who smells like a piña colada,” she teased gently, trying to take the discussion off her.

Aidan chuckled. “Guilty as charged. I have no regrets.”

She smiled as she tucked her legs under herself, the soft fabric of her dress rustling as she shifted. “You two are really… refreshing.”

Aidan lifted a brow. “That’s a new one.”

“I mean it,” she said, smiling. “There’s something so effortless between you. I guess I’ve just never really seen that in real life.”

He looked at her for a moment, like he could read between the lines of her smile. “You’ll get there,” he said. ”

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HEWOLKS… sometimes it’s like gravity.”

L

always show up like

Mia blinked. That was… a bit too close to what she’d been feeling lately…. like something pulling her toward Stefan, slow and steady, even when she told herself it wasnt real.

Before she could reply, Aidan’s gaze shifted, just over her shoulder. His brow furrowed.

Mia noticed. “What? What’s wrong?”

Aidan didn’t answer immediately. His eyes squinted behind his sunglasses as he leaned a little forward like he needed to confirm what he was seeing.

“There is a ridiculously good-looking man like, Greek-god level of handsome….. staring straight at me.” Mia froze mid-smile.

Aidan continued, his voice light but tinged with genuine curiosity. “Like, I’m gay, so I know when someone’s hot, but this guy is staring at me like I stole his wallet… or his dog. I swear, I’ve never seen that man in my life?” 1

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