Husband By Contract, Lover By Heart

Chapter 1 An Unexpected Encounter Juliana Stevens woke up and discovered she had spent the night with a man. Silence filled the room. The air still carried traces of what had happened the night before. Her eyes landed on a business card lying on the floor. It had fallen from the man's suit jacket. The moment she read the words on it, her breathing stopped, and her thoughts froze. The card bore the name: Adrian Spencer, CEO of Spencer Group. He was known as the richest man in Eleyton, the city they were currently in, and one of the most influential business tycoons in their state, Arcridge. What stunned her the most was that this man was actually her husband, the one she had been married to for three years without ever meeting. Their first encounter had happened under these circumstances. Adrian remained asleep. The face before her was nothing like the ugly man people often described. His features were striking. He had a straight nose and well-shaped lips. Everything about his appearance seemed almost too perfect to be real. People also claimed he was ruthless. Yet as he lay there, he looked refined and distinguished instead. It appeared that those stories weren't true after all. Juliana tightened her grip on the blanket. Anxiety and confusion made her heart race. Their marriage had been forced by their families. Even their marriage registration had been handled by Adrian's grandfather, Hugh Spencer. That was why she didn't know what her husband looked like until now. In another three months, the agreement that bound them together would come to an end. She had been counting down the days until she could finally be free. During the past three years, Adrian had never shown up, which made her believe he disliked this marriage just as much as she did. The memory of the previous night made her let out a frustrated gr**n. Why did this have to happen when there were only three months left before their divorce? Now, she could only hope that Adrian hadn't seen her face last night. A storm of emotions swept through her. Juliana jumped out of bed, gathered her clothes from the floor, and got dressed as quickly as she could before rushing out of the room. Keeping her head lowered, she rushed out of the hotel when her phone suddenly rang. It was her best friend, Maia Palmer. "Anna, weren't we supposed to have a meeting at the studio this morning? Why haven't you arrived yet?" From her father, Juliana inherited both a sharp business mind and a gift for design. She skipped several grades, earned her master's degree ahead of schedule, and received multiple international awards for jewelry design. To the public, she was known as the vice president of Stevens Group. However, she also had another identity that very few people knew about. She was the founder and owner of one of the industry's leading jewelry design studios. Over the last two years, the studio had grown into a globally recognized name. Today, she was expected to lead a meeting for the launch of a new product line. Right now, however, she had no interest in dealing with work. Reaching the roadside, Juliana flagged down a taxi. "Maia," she said as she climbed into the car, "I'm not feeling very well today. Let's move the meeting to tomorrow." After ending the call, she turned to the driver and said, "Garden Apartments, please." During the ride, Juliana tried to piece together everything that had happened the previous night. It was the annual gala of Stevens Group, and she'd lost her bearings completely after only two glasses of w**e. She remembered wanting to return to her hotel room and rest, but her dizziness became so severe that she couldn't even find her way back. Then she ran into Adrian in the hallway. Somehow, she ended up following him into a room. Normally, she could handle al**hol very well. A few drinks were not enough to affect her. Then another memory surfaced. The previous night, her half-sister, Janessa Stevens, had accidentally spilled her drink and brought her a replacement. Could the second drink be sp**ed? While she was still thinking about it, a call from her uncle, Louis Stevens, came through. As soon as she answered, his furious voice blasted through the phone. "Juliana, come home this instant!" ... Back in the hotel room, the man who had been fast asleep began to wake. His eyes opened little by little before he pushed himself upright. The blanket slipped down, revealing the firm lines of his body and his defined a*s. A sharp look entered Adrian's eyes as he surveyed the room in silence. He stepped out of bed, picked up a bath towel from the floor, and secured it around his waist. Disorder filled the room, and the woman was nowhere to be seen. His face immediately turned grim. At that moment, a knock sounded at the door. "Come in," he said. The door swung open, and his assistant, Rylan Jenkins, entered the room. "Mr. Spencer," he greeted respectfully. Without delay, Adrian asked, "Did you see a woman leave this room?" Rylan shook his head. "No, Sir." The look on Adrian's face became even colder. He walked across the room and noticed a pendant lying on the floor. Its workmanship was exquisite. Some characters had been engraved on the back, but years of wear had made them impossible to read. She must have forgotten it here. Adrian frowned, closing his fingers around the pendant. The events of the previous night surfaced in his mind. During a business dinner, he had unknowingly drunk a glass of w**e that had been tampered with. After realizing something was wrong, he returned to his hotel room and intended to wait until the effects passed. Before he could get inside, however, he crossed paths with a woman in the hallway. The instant they made contact, a powerful urge rose within him and overwhelmed his self-control. He never even had the chance to see her face clearly before the two of them ended up inside the room he had reserved. Given the situation-a dr**ged man and a woman in the same room-everything that followed seemed unavoidable. Adrian's thoughts drifted back to the woman's uncertainty and vulnerability from the previous night. No matter what, she had helped him during a moment when he couldn't control himself. He needed to find her and make it right. Adrian placed the pendant in Rylan's hand and spoke in a cold tone. "Find out who that woman is." Chapter 2 Harm From Her Own Family As soon as Juliana walked through the front door to the Stevens estate, a harsh male voice exploded through the room. At the same time, a glass was hurled straight toward her head. "Where have you been? Janessa said you didn't come home all night. Have you forgotten that you're a married woman?" Juliana quickly moved aside. The glass brushed against her cheek before it smashed against the pillar behind her with a sharp crash. Louis sat in the middle of the couch in the living room. Anger covered his face. Beside him sat his wife, Sharon Stevens, and their daughter, Janessa. The sight of the family of three made Juliana let out a mocking laugh. When she was still a child, her father lost his life in a plane crash. Not long after his death, her mother, Sharon, married Louis, her father's younger brother. Together, they took control of her father's company and later welcomed a daughter named Janessa. From then on, Juliana never truly felt like she belonged in that house. "Juliana, we tried calling you all night, but we couldn't get through. We were worried sick about you." Wearing a white dress, Janessa rose from her seat and linked her arm through Juliana's. Then her eyes landed on Juliana's neck. Suddenly, she pulled open Juliana's collar and let out a startled scream. "Oh my God, Juliana! Did you spend the night with a man?" Both Louis and Sharon immediately came over. The moment they noticed the ma**s on Juliana's neck, their expressions turned grim. Anger filled Sharon's face as she lifted her hand and sl**ped Juliana. "Juliana, is this what I taught you? Have you learned nothing except how to f**l around with men?" Pain spread across Juliana's cheek, and a trace of bl**d appeared at the corner of her mouth. She slowly turned her face back toward Sharon. Her eyes were cold. "Mother, are you judging me before asking what actually happened?" A trace of hesitation appeared on Sharon's face when she saw the pain in Juliana's eyes. Louis struck the table with his palm and shouted, "If the Spencer family hears about this scandal, our entire family will be finished. You shameless woman, how could you betray your husband?" Juliana met his anger with a cold laugh. "When Hugh came looking for a bride for his grandson, the person he chose was Janessa. You're the one who forced me to marry in her place. If this family goes down because of it, I don't care." "You..." Louis choked on his words. Her response left him speechless, and his face turned red with fury. Sharon looked at Juliana with disapproval. "Juliana, don't speak to your uncle that way." Ignoring Sharon completely, Juliana shifted her attention to Janessa. "You switched my drink last night. You're the one who set me up." Janessa lifted her head and blinked innocently. "What are you talking about? Why would I do that to you? What would I possibly gain from setting you up?" Juliana narrowed her eyes while she looked straight at Janessa. If the man from last night hadn't been Adrian, everything would have ended for her once the Spencers learned the truth. Janessa had never gotten along with her. She knew Janessa would have been more than happy to watch her fall apart. By then, Louis had already told a servant to bring him a whip. Putting on the air of the family head, he snapped, "Juliana, I'll make sure you learn your lesson today. After this, you'll know better than to bring trouble to this family again." From the side, Janessa watched with cruel delight. Her eyes showed nothing but contempt for Juliana. Louis lifted the whip. But before it could strike, Juliana reached out and caught it. Then she yanked it out of his hand and swung it straight back at Janessa. Janessa failed to move away in time, and a bl**dy mark appeared on her arm at once. She screamed, "Juliana, have you lost your mind?" Shock froze Louis for a moment. Then he pointed at Juliana and shouted in fury, "How dare you touch Janessa!" Juliana faced them with cold eyes. "You'd better keep your precious daughter in line. If she tries to play tricks on me again, I won't let her off this easily." After saying that, she threw the whip aside. She brushed off her hands as though she had touched something filthy, then turned and marched out of the house. Behind her, their angry shouts and curses followed, but she didn't look back. Once she returned to her own apartment, Juliana felt drained in both body and mind. Everything that had happened the previous night was still stuck in her thoughts, bothering her until she couldn't settle down. While changing her clothes, she realized the pendant she always wore was gone. She wondered where it could have dropped. She searched every corner of the apartment, but she still couldn't find it. Then a scene from last night suddenly came back to her, and she went still. The pendant must have fallen off inside the hotel room. Without hesitating, Juliana grabbed a coat and hurried out of the apartment. That pendant had been left to her by her father, and it meant everything to her. No matter what, she had to recover it. Soon, Juliana arrived back at the hotel. When she noticed that the room door was slightly open, she assumed Adrian had already checked out. The moment she walked into the room again, her eyes landed on the large bed that was still in disarray. Heat instantly rose to her cheeks. Memories from the previous night remained clear in her mind. Forcing those thoughts aside, Juliana started looking around the room for her pendant. Even after searching every corner of the room, she still came up empty-handed. Had Adrian picked it up? If he used that pendant to figure out that she was the woman from the previous night, she might not be able to divorce him smoothly in three months. She made up her mind that she couldn't allow him to learn who she was. Just then, a series of steady footsteps sounded from outside the room and drew closer to the door. Chapter 3 A Dangerous Reunion Juliana's breathing stalled. Her heart pounded wildly against her ch**t as she held her breath. A single thought crossed her mind-had Adrian returned? She quickly moved to a nearby table and acted as though she was a hotel housekeeper cleaning the room. A tall man entered the room with a subordinate following behind him. The man's presence filled the room with authority. After giving Juliana a measured look, he asked, "Are you here to clean the room?" Juliana silently drew in a breath. Forcing herself to remain composed, she turned toward him and nodded. A black dress shirt covered Adrian's broad frame, hinting at the firm mu**les beneath it. Every line of his handsome face appeared sharp and defined. There was a natural authority about him that was impossible to ignore. When his eyes settled on her, they were cold and piercing. Juliana's hands tightened into fists. On the surface, she appeared calm, but countless thoughts were racing through her mind. Would he recognize her? What should she do if he did? To her surprise, Adrian only spared her a brief glance before shifting his attention elsewhere and heading toward the couch. A small sigh escaped Juliana's lips. At least he hadn't recognized her as the woman from the previous night. Taking a seat on the couch, Adrian tossed a project proposal toward his subordinate and said coldly, "Do it again. If I see another mistake like this, you're fired." "Yes, Sir." Sweat broke out across the subordinate's forehead. His hands trembled as he accepted the proposal before quickly leaving the room. Watching from beside the table, Juliana couldn't help thinking that Adrian's temper was terrible. At that moment, Adrian spoke again. "Bring me a glass of water." The subordinate was already gone. That meant he was talking to her. Juliana walked over to the minibar and poured a glass of water. Suddenly, a thought entered her mind. What if Adrian had already found the pendant she lost? Hope flickered in her eyes. Holding the glass, she turned around and headed toward him. As soon as she got close enough, she pretended to lose her footing and spilled the entire glass of water onto him. The front of Adrian's shirt was drenched in an instant. Irritation immediately appeared on his stern face. Just as his anger was about to surface, she hurried toward him and began brushing at his shirt in a panic. "Sir, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" While pretending to wipe away the water, Juliana quickly searched him for any sign of her pendant. The moment her fingertips brushed against the firm mu**les of his ab**men, a powerful hand suddenly locked around her wrist. Without warning, Adrian pulled her toward him. Juliana wasn't prepared for it. She slammed straight into his ch**t. Before she could react, his large hand wrapped around her throat. A dangerous look flashed across Adrian's eyes. "You snuck into my room," he said in a cold voice. "What exactly are you looking for?" Juliana tried to break free, but his grip around her neck held her firmly in place. His strength was overwhelming, and she could barely breathe. Only after her face turned red from lack of air did Adrian finally release her and shove her away. Juliana staggered backward and crashed onto the floor. A low gr**n escaped her lips. As he listened to her struggling to catch her breath, Adrian studied her more carefully. It suddenly struck him that her breathing sounded remarkably similar to the woman's from the previous night. Back then, the room had been dark. All he remembered was a slender body, and br**thless sounds that lingered in his memory. Rubbing her sore neck, Juliana slowly pushed herself off the floor. "You've got the wrong idea," she remarked. "I just came here to clean the room." Just as Adrian was about to say something, another knock sounded at the door. His assistant, Rylan, stuck his head inside. "Mr. Spencer," he said respectfully, "the person you asked me to bring is here." Adrian briefly looked at Juliana before signaling for them to come in. Rylan stepped into the room, and a young woman in a white dress followed behind him. Standing quietly to one side, Juliana studied the newcomer. She caught the woman's shy looks toward Adrian. She also noticed the ma**s on the woman's neck that were impossible to miss. Everything about the woman suggested she had recently been in**mate with someone. People often said Adrian had no interest in women. Now, it seemed those stories were completely untrue. A man with his status and influence would never be short of women wanting to be around him. For some reason, that realization eased Juliana's worries. If he already had plenty of women in his life, there was no reason for him to dwell on what had happened between them last night. After the woman entered, the look Adrian directed at Juliana became even colder. Despite all the rumors surrounding him, women constantly tried to use him as a stepping stone. In his eyes, Juliana was no different from the rest. Turning to Rylan, Adrian instructed, "Throw her out." Before Rylan even had a chance to react, Juliana had already started moving toward the door. "There's no need for that," she replied. "I know the way out." Without waiting for another word, she turned around and quickly left the room. Since the pendant wasn't on Adrian, she needed to figure out where else she might have lost it. Believing he was a womanizer, Juliana became even more determined to end their marriage as soon as possible. Chapter 4 The Wrong Girl Adrian leaned back into the couch and brought a ci**rette to his lips. Sm**e drifted upward, softening his features and making his already striking face seem distant. Across from him, the woman kept glancing over with unease. His silence pressed on her, leaving her too intimidated to speak. After a short pause, Adrian lifted his eyes and studied her closely. "Tell me your name." "Lydia Scott," she answered. She remained standing, lowering her gaze as she looked at him. A faint blush spread across her face. Adrian's attention shifted when he noticed the m**k just beneath her collar. "Why did you leave so early this morning?" he asked. Lydia quickly went over everything in her mind. She had been at the hotel with a client the night before and left early this morning. Later, Rylan found her and showed her a pendant, asking if it belonged to her. It looked valuable, so she claimed it was hers. After confirming the timeline, he brought her here. By now, she was nearly certain they had mistaken her for someone else. But the man in front of her was wealthy and attractive, and she didn't want to let that slip away. Lydia looked up, her voice soft and vulnerable. "It was my first time. I got scared, so I left." Adrian watched her in silence. Something about her didn't match the woman from last night, yet he couldn't explain it. After a while, he said, "Miss Scott, I'll take responsibility for what happened. Tell me what you want." A spark of excitement appeared in Lydia's eyes. "I want to stay by your side," she said in a quiet voice. Adrian's expression tightened slightly. The woman who had left without a word had caught his interest, but the one standing in front of him now only made him feel indifferent. He looked at her and said flatly, "I'll arrange a place for you. You'll be compensated well, and everything will be taken care of." "Thank you, Sir." Thrilled, Lydia nodded obediently. Once Lydia left, Adrian pressed his ci**rette into the ashtray and looked toward Rylan. Understanding the signal, Rylan began speaking. "The hallway cameras were under maintenance last night, so we have no footage. I checked the front desk records. Her check-in and check-out times match perfectly. I also looked into her background. She's a dance major at a university and comes from an average family." He took out the pendant and placed it on the table. "Should I return this to her?" Adrian's eyes lingered on the pendant. They had found the woman, yet something still felt off. After a long moment, he finally spoke. "I'll keep it for now. Give her whatever she asks for." Meanwhile, Juliana stepped out of the hotel when Louis called. She ignored it several times before finally picking up. "What do you want?" Louis sounded serious now, without the earlier anger. "The preliminary designs for the Willow Villa project are ready. I heard Hugh hasn't been well. You should take the files and visit him." Juliana let out a short laugh. "You don't actually care about me visiting him. This is about the project, isn't it?" Back when she married Adrian three years ago, Louis took that chance to approach Hugh and secure an investment from Spencer Group into Stevens Group. Many of Stevens Group's projects depended on that funding to keep going. This year, they entered the real estate market, and Hugh entrusted them with the Willow Villa project, putting in three hundred million dollars. It gave the company a major advantage. "Stop making this difficult, Juliana," Louis said over the phone. "This project affects Stevens Group's future. You need to go to the Spencer estate immediately." He ended the call right after. Juliana thought it over. This could work in her favor. She could use this visit to bring up a divorce with Hugh. Once she made up her mind, she went to the Stevens Group headquarters, picked up the design drafts, and then headed straight to the Spencer estate. Since Hugh fell ill, he rarely left the house, and this would be her first visit there. "Anna." Juliana had just arrived at the gate when someone called out to her. She paused and turned toward the voice. Nathaniel Quinn approached her, dressed in a white suit, a polite smile on his face. "I thought I was mistaken. I didn't expect it to be you. What are you doing here?" Juliana felt a hint of surprise. Nathaniel was the successor of Quinn Group. The Quinn and Stevens families had worked together before, so they were on friendly terms. His mother also happened to be Hugh's goddaughter. Her marriage to Adrian wasn't public, so the Quinn family had no idea. Juliana offered him a polite smile. "I'm here to see Hugh about work." Nathaniel's eyes shifted to the folder in her hands. He was aware of the collaboration between Spencer Group and Stevens Group. "I was at Stevens Group's annual party last night. I tried to find you, but you weren't there. Where did you go?" He fixed his eyes on her, waiting for an answer. Juliana's expression remained calm. "I wasn't feeling well, so I left early to rest." He pressed on. "Where did you go after that? Who were you with?" Juliana frowned slightly. "Why are you asking me that?" For a brief moment, unease flickered across Nathaniel's face before he covered it with a smile. "It's nothing. I was just curious." Just then, the sound of cars approaching reached them. Chapter 5 Stay Over A convoy of black luxury cars rushed forward, carrying a clear sense of authority. Standing in the middle of the road, Juliana barely had time to react before Nathaniel pulled her aside. His hand caught her at the waist to steady her. "Watch out," he cautioned. The cars passed them and lined up in front of the villa ahead. At the same time, the household staff hurried out, their expressions filled with respect. A bodyguard stepped out first and opened the rear door of the center car. A sleek black leather shoe stepped onto the pavement, and a tall figure rose from the car behind it. It was Adrian. When Juliana saw him, surprise flickered in her eyes. In the next moment, Adrian's cold gaze shifted toward them. His eyes landed on Nathaniel's hand, which still rested at her waist. A faint crease formed between Adrian's brows. It was her again. It seemed she wasn't focused on just one man. In his eyes, she would chase anything tied to money and status. Juliana silently cursed her timing. Of all days to run into him, it had to be today. She had thought he rarely visited his grandfather. Without hesitation, she pushed Nathaniel's hand away and stepped back. By then, the staff had already gathered around Adrian and greeted, "Welcome back, Mr. Spencer." Nathaniel stepped forward as well and greeted him. "It's been a while, Adrian." Adrian's expression remained unreadable as he looked at Juliana, though his words were directed at Nathaniel. "Did you bring her here?" Nathaniel glanced back at Juliana and smiled. "No. She's here to..." Adrian didn't wait for him to finish. He turned and walked straight into the villa. The grey-haired butler and the rest of the staff followed behind him. Left standing there, Nathaniel turned to Juliana and said, "That's Hugh's grandson. He just got back from abroad." Juliana nodded slightly and lowered her gaze, hiding the emotions in her eyes. Not long after, Nathaniel received a call and had to leave, so Juliana entered the villa alone. Inside the villa, Adrian was nowhere to be seen. The butler approached her. "Ms. Stevens, we've been expecting you. Mr. Spencer is waiting in the study." "I understand." Juliana nodded and followed the butler upstairs. A strong scent of herbal medicine filled the study. Resting on a lounge chair, a man in his sixties lay back with a thin blanket over him. His figure looked gaunt, and his face carried a pale, sickly tone, yet there was still an air of authority about him. Juliana stepped closer and placed the folder onto the coffee table. "Mr. Spencer, I've brought the preliminary designs for the Willow Villa project." Hearing her voice, Hugh slowly opened his eyes. A trace of warmth appeared in his otherwise imposing gaze. "So you've come, Juliana." "How have you been feeling lately?" Juliana asked politely. He straightened slightly in his chair and smiled. "Did Louis send you here?" Juliana lowered her eyes and remained silent. He noticed her reaction but didn't press further. Instead, he let out a quiet chuckle. "We haven't met often these past three years, but I've been paying attention to you. You've done well." Raising her head, Juliana met his eyes and said, "You gave me your word. After three years, you'd allow me to divorce." A sharp look flickered in Hugh's eyes. "That time hasn't come yet, has it? What I said still holds." At his response, Juliana felt a quiet sense of relief. Hugh picked up the folder and skimmed through it. "I'll review this and give you an answer tomorrow. Stay here tonight. Adrian just returned, so you can use this chance to meet him." Juliana's heart sank at the suggestion. She had no desire to see Adrian at all. She said quickly, "I think it's better to take things slowly. We barely know each other." Hugh didn't push her on that, but he didn't let her leave either. "It's late, and traveling alone isn't safe. Stay here tonight. We can discuss the meeting another time." Juliana was about to refuse again when Hugh suddenly began coughing violently. The butler rushed in at once with medicine and water. Hugh glanced at him. Understanding the signal, the butler turned to Juliana. "Please stay for the night, Ms. Stevens." Seeing how weak Hugh looked, Juliana couldn't bring herself to refuse. Not long after, a maid guided her to a room. The space was large and quiet. She stepped inside, but the sound of running water reached her ears from the bathroom. Confusion crossed Juliana's mind. It sounded like someone was already inside. The bathroom door suddenly slid open. A tall figure stepped out. She didn't have time to get out of the way and bumped into the man's ch**t. Adrian had just come out of the shower. He wasn't wearing anything. For a moment, he froze, clearly not expecting anyone to walk into his room. The instant Juliana looked up, she froze. Adrian stood there, fresh from the shower, completely unclothed. A sharp g**p escaped her as heat rushed to her face. Without thinking, she turned and rushed toward the door. She barely managed to crack it open before his arm shot out and slammed it shut again. The clean scent of his body wash reached her as his firm frame pressed against her back. "You still want to pretend this wasn't intentional? Now you've taken it a step further and walked straight into my room." Juliana's heartbeat pounded wildly. Every muscle in her body tensed. ...... What happens next? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &2&