The Ceo’s Contract Lover

“Sorry, we’re late. Dad, Mom, this is Nina, my wife.” Jayden introduced.

William nodded at them.

“It’s all right. You’re just in time for the dinner.”

On the other hand, Lilian didn’t respond and headed straight to the dining hall.

The luxurious dining room was adorned with opulence as the Luxton family gathered for dinner. A long table was set for the evening, meticulously arranged, with fine crystal glasses and elaborate floral centerpieces.

William sat at the head of the table. On his right were Jayden and his wife, Nina, whereas Lilian sat on his left.

As the dishes were served, Lilian cleared her throat. “So, Nina, can you tell us something about yourself? Aside from being Jayden’s partner, do you have any other qualifications?

“I’m a student at IDU and currently interning at Elysium Couture,” Nina replied politely.

Elysium Couture was one of the leading fashion houses in Country S. They held strict requirements for their employees and for Nina to intern at the company undoubtedly highlighted her capabilities.

“Elysium Couture is good.” William approved. It was a company founded by one of his long-term business partners.

“How about your parents? Who all are there in your family?”

Nina felt a knot form in her stomach. The grip on her fork tightened as her face turned pale.

“Nina is an orphan,” Jayden told.

The smile on Lilian’s face faltered, and she tried hard to suppress her disgust. “I’m sorry to hear that.” She said insincerely. “We’d been urging Jayden to get married for the last three years but he always turned a deaf ear. Imagine our surprise when we learned he was married to someone like… you.”

Jayden raised a brow. “Someone like her?”

“You know what I mean. How can you marry someone of an unknown origin? Society will scorn us when they learn that the mistress of the Luxton corporation does not even know about her identity.”

“I thought it was fine as long as I’m happy and contended. How did it suddenly become a social conflict?” Jayden said.

“Happiness, Jayden?” Lilian scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I think you’ve been bewitched by this girl. How can you be satisfied with mediocrity when you could have the best? Don’t forget your identity.”

She couldn’t fathom how Jayden could be content with such a “common” woman like Nina.

Men were all creatures who thought from their lower half. Her lips curled into a condescending sneer when she thought about it.

“What benefits can she bring to our family? I can’t see how this marriage is in line with our interests. Other than her pretty face, what’s so good about her?” she continued.

Nina’s eyes narrowed a flicker of defiance in her gaze. “What about that? I agree that my humble background cannot compare to you aristocrats, but there’s nothing you or I can do about it, right? No one gets to choose their birth, and I am no exception. Who knows, in the next life, you might find yourself as an average woman while I belong to some influential family?”

Lilian scoffed; her tone laced with arrogance. “Lowly peasants like you are only capable of daydreaming. You will never belong in our world.”

“I’m a lot more capable than you give me credit for, Mrs. Luxton. Would you like to see it?”

“Is this how you teach your wife, Jayden? She has no respect for her elders.”

Jayden shrugged. “You asked for it, mother.” His form of address held a bit of mockery as he enjoyed her defeat.

“You need to divorce that woman, Jayden,” Lilian hissed through gritted teeth. “She’s nothing more than a thorn in our side, a hindrance to our family’s prosperity. We can’t afford to have a woman of her lowly status tarnishing our name.”

Jayden’s voice remained calm but resolute. “Mother, I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to bother about my affairs,” he declared.

Lilian’s face flushed with anger, her voice trembling with indignation. “You dare defy me? Although I’m not your biological mother, I’ve done everything for your well-being, Jayden, and this is how you repay me?”

“We have built an empire that demands respect and recognition. Marrying someone of equal status would solidify our place in society and ensure the longevity of our empire.”

Jayden’s jaw tightened as his patience waned. “I don’t need to rely on a marriage alliance to support the Luxton. Our family is powerful enough on its own.”

Lilian’s eyes narrowed; her tone laced with bitterness. “That’s easy for you to say. Have you ever thought about the future? At the end of the day, isn’t it because she…”

“Enough! All of you!” Before Lilian could finish her sentence, William’s commanding voice cut through the tension.

A hush fell over the space as his voice lingered in the air, bringing an end to the heated exchange.

“I’m sorry, husband.” Lilian’s gaze dropped to the floor, a hint of remorse flickering in her eyes. She knew she had crossed a line, allowing her emotions to get the best of her.

On the spur of the moment, she let her composure slip and forgot to present herself with the grace expected of a matriarch.

“Jayden, go with me to the study,” William ordered, walking away with the help of his butler.

Jayden sighed, his fingers unfastening his tie.

He had expected this conversation, the clash between his family, as well as his desires.

He threw a knowing glance at Nina before following behind his father.

Lilian also rose from her chair and strutted out of the room in her heels, leaving Nina alone behind.

Nina did not let the earlier conflict ruin her appetite and continued eating the delicacies.

As the father and son entered the spacious study, the butler closed the door behind them, shutting out the world beyond. Bookshelves filled with leather-bound volumes lined the room, a testament to the Luxton family’s intellectual legacy.

William sat down in his chair; his eyes fixed on Jayden. “Take a seat.”

“Don’t mind your mother. She only wants what’s best for this family.”

Jayden nodded as he sat on the armchair. “I know, Father.”

Leaning back in his chair, William sighed. “Have you fallen in love with her?”

“No. You wanted me to get married, so I found myself a wife.” Jayden’s response was blunt, devoid of any romantic sentiment.

William nodded his head understandingly. “It’s okay to indulge yourself once in a while, but you should know when to draw the line. You can play with her for as long as you like, but the mistress of the Luxton’s empire cannot be a commoner. You can continue to let her warm your bed, but get a divorce as soon as possible.”

Jayden’s gaze hardened as he met his father’s eyes. “I won’t divorce her, Father.”

Disbelief swept over William’s face. “You… Are you-?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I’ve acquired the Imperium Industries.” Jayden cut him in. “The ceremony will be held next weekend.”

William’s eyes widened with apparent shock written all over his face.

The scale of Imperium Industries was immense. They dealt in mining and had a strange framework, making it very difficult to acquire them. Multiple companies had their eyes on Imperium Industries. While some of them were unsuccessful, others chose to give up midway since it cost a lot of resources without any positive results.

Before he retired, William’s greatest wish was to get a piece of this big fat meat. However, fate had other plans for him as he got this illness.

Now, his biggest wish had come true, all thanks to his son.

When he groomed Jayden as his successor, he knew his son was extraordinary. However, Jayden had far exceeded his expectations.

The Luxton empire would only thrive to greater heights.

—

Lilian stormed into her room, her anger consuming her every thought. Frustration and helplessness welled up inside her, pushing her to the edge. Without a second thought, she swept everything off the table in a fit of rage, the crash of objects hitting the floor echoing through the room.

“Ahhhhh!”

Breathing heavily, her trembling hands reached for the small bottle of calming pills tucked away in a drawer. She popped the lid open and spilled a few of the pills into her trembling palm. She swallowed them down, hoping that their sedative effects would calm the storm brewing within her.

As the medication made its way through her system, Lilian felt the edges of her anger soften.

Jayden’s presence in the Luxton family served as a constant reminder of the secrets and scandals that she had tried to bury deep. Every time she looked at him, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of resentment and shame.

For years, she had worked tirelessly to maintain the facade of a perfect, high-society family. She had married William, hoping to secure her place among the elite, but fate had dealt her a cruel hand. The inability to conceive had left her exposed to the whispers and judgment of society.

In Lilian’s eyes, Jayden was a symbol of her husband’s debauchery, a constant reminder of the humiliation she had endured throughout her life.

If it weren’t for her struggles with infertility, she would have never allowed him to step foot inside the Luxton manor.

In his younger years, Jayden was obedient; easily molded, and controlled, a pawn in her grand scheme to secure the Luxton legacy.

But as he grew older, Jayden’s independence and assertiveness began to emerge.

Now that his wings hardened, it was becoming difficult to control him. Hence, she hatched a new plan.

She wanted to find a suitable match for Jayden who would not only align with their aristocratic lineage but also keep Jayden under control. One by one, she introduced many women to him, hoping that one of them would captivate Jayden’s heart and fulfill her desire for a strategic alliance.

However, her carefully crafted plans crumbled to pieces when Jayden suddenly married Nina.

She felt a sense of desperation when she realized that her once docile pawn had transformed into a formidable opponent.

The power dynamics within the Luxton family had shifted, leaving Lilian threatened.

Recently, many people came knocking at their door, claiming to be William’s illegitimate b**tards. Of course, William had no issue acknowledging them. As long as they brought glory to the Luxton empire, he would accept them.

In that case, where would she and her children, the legitimate heirs, go?

She had taken care of so many of those b**tards in the dark, but they seemed to never stop and now she was growing tired of it.