Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 10

**Aria’s POV**

As I sat on my bed, my fingers quivered ever so slightly while I stared at the glaring brightness of my phone screen, captivated by the social media tempest I had just ignited. It was astonishing how swiftly things had changed. Just moments after I posted that seemingly innocuous “Married” caption alongside our marriage certificate, my notifications erupted like fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

The transformation in public perception was both instantaneous and staggering. Only hours earlier, I had been the pitiful, forsaken bride, the target of sympathy and ridicule. Now, the comment sections were ablaze with a cacophony of shocked emojis, jubilant congratulations, and, most gratifying of all, sharp jabs directed at Liam and Sophia.

“QUEEN BEHAVIOR!” one comment exclaimed, capturing the essence of my triumph.

“Wait, Aiden Carter??? THE Aiden Carter???” another user gasped, as if the very name conjured awe.

“Liam White is probably choking on his champagne right now!” someone else chimed in, and I couldn’t suppress a smile at the thought.

“Talk about an upgrade!” another comment added, and I reveled in the vindication.

A wave of satisfaction washed over me; after enduring weeks of humiliation, the scales had finally tipped in my favor. I hadn’t intended to announce our arrangement so publicly—or at all, really—but seeing those photos of Liam and Sophia shopping for rings on what should have been our anniversary had ignited something fierce and wounded within me.

The shrill ring of my phone broke through my thoughts, and I glanced down to see Lillian’s face lighting up the screen. Taking a deep breath, I answered, preparing myself for the whirlwind that was my best friend.

“ARIA JONES!” she exclaimed, her voice practically vibrating through the speaker. “Or should I say, ARIA CARTER? What on earth is happening? I’m supposed to be your best friend, and I find out you’re MARRIED from INSTAGRAM? Please tell me this is some elaborate Photoshop job!”

I leaned back against my pillows, trying to maintain my composure. “It’s not Photoshopped, Lil,” I replied, my voice steady. “It’s real.” The ensuing silence was so profound that I had to check if the call had disconnected.

“Lil? Are you still there?” I prompted, my heart racing with anticipation.

“When? How? WHY?” she finally burst out. “The last time we spoke, you were still in bed, nursing a broken heart, and now you’re suddenly married to Aiden Carter? THE Aiden Carter? The man who has been Liam’s fiercest rival for ages? Did you hit your head during that gunshot incident harder than we thought?”

A sigh escaped my lips as I contemplated the whirlwind of events. “Can you come over? I’d rather explain this in person.”

Twenty minutes later, Lillian stormed through my door, still clad in her work attire, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Start talking. Now,” she demanded, plopping down onto my couch like a judge ready to pass sentence.

I poured us both a glass of wine, the rich red liquid swirling in the glasses as I settled across from her. “It’s not what you think. It’s a business arrangement.”

Her eyebrows shot up, nearly disappearing into her hairline. “A business arrangement that involves legally binding yourself to one of the most eligible bachelors in the country?”

“When Aiden visited me in the hospital after the car accident,” I began, choosing my words carefully, “I proposed the marriage. He needs something, and I get the perfect revenge against Liam—plus a clean break from all the public humiliation.”

For a heartbeat, Lillian simply stared at me, her mouth slightly agape as she processed my revelation.

Then, like a light bulb igniting, her eyes sparkled with understanding.

“You know what? I think I get it. This is actually brilliant! You’re not hiding away, nursing your wounds—you’ve completely flipped the narrative. The jilted bride becomes the one who moved on first, and with a far bigger catch!” Her voice rose with excitement. “God, I can only imagine Liam’s face right now. And that manipulative little—”

“I know,” I agreed, a satisfied smile creeping onto my lips as I raised my glass in a toast. “To unexpected alliances.”

“And to your devious mind,” Lillian replied, clinking her glass against mine. After taking a sip, she leaned in, her curiosity piqued. “And the east side property? You’re really giving it to him?”

I nodded, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “Dad left it to me, and honestly, what am I going to do with it? At least this way, it serves a purpose.”

“So… you’re not actually together? This is all for show?”

“Exactly. It’s temporary. Once he gets what he needs, we’ll quietly divorce and move on.”

Lillian scrutinized me for a long moment, her expression serious. “Are you sure about this, Aria? I mean, Aiden Carter has quite the reputation. Cold. Calculating. Ruthless in business.”

“He’s… surprisingly decent about it all,” I admitted, feeling a flicker of warmth at the thought. “Professional.”

A sly grin spread across her face, mischief dancing in her eyes. “Well, if you had to fake-marry someone for revenge, at least you picked the hottest possible candidate. Have you seen that man in a suit? Like sin on legs.”

I rolled my eyes, feeling the heat creep into my cheeks despite myself. “It’s not like that.”

“Sure, honey,” she teased, taking another sip of her wine, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “But just in case it ever becomes ‘like that,’ I fully support you riding that revenge marriage all the way to—”

Just then, my phone buzzed, cutting off whatever scandalous suggestion she was about to make. Aiden’s name flashed on the screen, and I felt a rush of nerves.

“It’s him,” I whispered, my heart racing.

Lillian’s eyes widened in excitement. “Answer it!”

Turning away from her eager gaze, I took a deep breath and answered the call.

“Hello, Mrs. Carter,” Aiden’s deep, steady voice flowed through the line, laced with amusement. “Quite the social media debut you’ve orchestrated. Care to explain why my phone is now melting with notifications?”

“I, um… might have acted on impulse,” I stammered, wincing at my own feeble excuse.

“Indeed.” He paused deliberately, and I could sense the weight of his words. “Our agreement was for discretion, if I recall correctly.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” I quickly apologized, guilt washing over me. “But when I saw those photos of Liam and Sophia today of all days—”

“Breaking rules comes with consequences,” he interrupted smoothly, his tone shifting. “You’ll need to make it up to me.”

My spine straightened, curiosity piqued. “Make it up to you how, exactly?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” His voice dropped lower, sending an unexpected shiver down my back. “I’ll let you know when inspiration strikes.”

“That’s not ominous at all,” I muttered, unable to contain my sarcasm.

To my surprise, he chuckled softly. “Check Carter Enterprises’ official social media.”

I quickly pulled up the company account, my heart racing. Pinned at the top was an official statement:

“Carter Enterprises confirms that CEO Aiden Carter and Ms. Aria Jones were legally married on February 16th. The Carter family requests privacy for the newlyweds as they adjust to married life.”

Staring at my phone in shock, I could hardly believe my eyes. “You… you made it official?”

“For now,” she said with a wink, her tone teasing. “But business arrangements can always be… renegotiated.”

I threw a couch pillow at her, but laughter bubbled up despite my best efforts to suppress it. “You’re terrible.”

“I’m practical,” she corrected, refilling our glasses. “Now, let’s talk about what you’re going to wear when you move into the Carter penthouse. You need lace lingerie and a dress that says, ‘I’m sexy, dangerous, and ready to be unwrapped.'”

I rolled my eyes but clinked my glass against hers anyway, the sound ringing out like a promise of the chaos to come.

**Liam’s POV**

Beside me on the sofa, Sophia dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, her expression one of confusion and hurt. “I don’t understand why people are being so cruel,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Those pictures of us at the jewelry store—we were just looking! How was I supposed to know someone would photograph us and twist it into something it wasn’t?”

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close in an attempt to offer comfort. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Someone’s trying to make us look bad, that’s all.”

She looked up at me, her wide, vulnerable eyes piercing through my defenses. “You believe me, don’t you? That I didn’t know we were being followed?”

“Of course I do,” I assured her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You need to rest. All this stress isn’t good for your condition.”

Sophia nodded weakly and retreated to the bedroom, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I continued scrolling through the comments, the public backlash intensifying with each passing moment. I needed to talk to Aria, to explain that the jewelry store visit was nothing more than a misunderstanding. Determined, I grabbed my keys and headed out, intent on clearing things up.

As I pulled out of my driveway, my phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts. It was Xander.

“What the hell are you doing, man?” he demanded without preamble, his tone sharp.

“I’m going to talk to Aria,” I replied, navigating through the evening traffic, my mind racing. “Those pictures with Sophia at the jewelry store—it wasn’t what it looked like. I was actually looking at rings to give to Aria as an apology gift.”

“Are you serious right now?” Xander’s voice dripped with disbelief. “First of all, that’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard. And second, you’re way too late.”

“What do you mean?”

“Check your messages. I just sent you something you need to see.”

I pulled over to the side of the road, my heart pounding as I opened Xander’s text. There, staring back at me, was a marriage certificate with Aria’s name next to Aiden Carter’s, accompanied by an official statement from Carter Enterprises confirming their marriage.

“This can’t be real,” I muttered, feeling the blood drain from my face as panic surged through me.

“It’s very real,” Xander replied coldly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “So whatever half-baked apology you were planning can wait. Or better yet, don’t bother at all.” He hung up, leaving me in stunned silence.

I stared at my phone, my mind racing back to two weeks ago—our wedding day—when she had nearly been hit by a car. I had assumed she was playing some twisted game, trying to force me to choose between her and Sophia one last time.

Now, gazing at the marriage certificate with her and Aiden’s names neatly printed side by side, a cold wave of dread washed over me. This wasn’t a game. She hadn’t been waiting for me to come back.

She’d moved on—to my biggest business rival.

And something deep within me whispered that I had lost far more than I had ever realized.