Chapter 9 A Marriage of Convenience

"Mom, you were also startled today. I've booked a room at the nearby hotel. I'll stay with Dad, and let Auntie and the others accompany you to rest in the room for a while, is that okay?" Calista spoke gently, her gaze resolute. Vixen knew she couldn't resist, patting her hand, "Alright, we'll rest for a bit and then come back to relieve you." Vixen reluctantly glanced at her husband one last time before leaving the intensive care unit, turning back three steps at a time. As Vixen's figure vanished at the end of the corridor, the smile gradually faded from Calista's face. She pulled out her phone from her coat pocket, revealing a message alert from Alaric. After opening it, the chat box contained just a few lines, Calista, there's urgent business at the company, I need to make a trip to the neighboring province. The schedule is tight, I might not be able to contact you promptly. Take care of yourself these days." Narrowing her eyes, a hint of inquiry tinged the redness at the corners of Calista’s eyes. The headquarters of Frost Corp sat in the heart of this harbor city, which had grown from a declining village into a top-tier city thanks to families like the Frosts who built their enterprises during turbulent times. Now, only a few families have managed to stand firm through the centuries, with the Frost family being one of the most notable. Frost Corp's building was indeed the bustling epicenter of the city. When Alaric took over the Frost family, their empire already spanned across Aleroth, and under his leadership, they began to venture internationally. Currently, Alaric stood in his office at the top of the headquarters building, overlooking the bustling city below, a palpable tension surrounding him. Harper, accustomed to Alaric’s decisive aura in business, sensed something unusual and leaned back casually on the soft sofa, asking, "Did you urgently call me here just to watch you brood over everyone below?" Harper's tone was clearly teasing, causing Alaric to frown slightly, replying, "Do you remember Peyton?" Unlike other wealthy heirs, Alaric was a workaholic, usually indifferent to women, making it rare to hear him mention a woman’s name. To this day, there were only two women, one was his wife, Calista. The other was Peyton. "Remember her, the woman who climbed into your bed when you were drunk?" Harper sipped his coffee nonchalantly. "But didn’t I handle that for you? I gave her millions, and she said she'd never show up again." "She’s pregnant." Alaric's tone was emotionless, yet those four words made Harper nearly spit out his coffee. He swallowed quickly, preventing a mess on Alaric’s expensive desk out of sheer surprise. "How is that possible? I saw her take the pills myself!" Harper paused, then asked, "Are you sure it's yours?" Finally turning around, Alaric’s gaze swept sharply over Harper, his lips parting slightly. "The timing matches, and I’ve confirmed it many times with the doctor, even had a paternity test done." "Damn, you both are quite something." Harper muttered, suddenly thinking of something, "Calista doesn’t know yet, does she?" Mentioning Calista softened the lines of Alaric's face with a barely noticeable tenderness, "I haven’t told her, she doesn’t need to know about this." "So what are you planning to do, have Peyton abort it?" Harper probed. Alaric’s jaw tightened, seeming to grit his teeth with restrained anger, his words almost squeezed out. "She intentionally showed up now that it’s noticeable. The child is nearly fully formed." Steadying himself, his tone grew colder, "That's a little life now! I can’t just..." Alaric took a deep breath, changing the subject abruptly, "Besides, she has some leverage over me." "What leverage?" As Frost Corp’s legal advisor, Harper was acutely aware of any potential threats to Alaric and the company, instantly straightening up. "She has a video from that night." Alaric slumped slightly on the sofa. "Did you see the video?" Women scheming to trap Alaric were not uncommon, with many using deplorable tactics to climb into his bed or blackmail him. Harper had dealt with many such cases, and with advancing AI technology, it was sometimes hard to discern real from fake. "Could Peyton just be bluffing to pressure you into compliance?" He looked expectantly at Alaric, only to see him nod gravely. "She showed me part of it; it’s definitely me." Alaric's voice was hoarse, "Peyton said, she's keeping the rest as leverage." "What does she want?" Harper raised an eyebrow. "She wants to be my wife." Harper scoffed, "She’s delusional if she thinks a one-night stand will replace you, especially with how you feel about Calista." Knowing how important Calista was to Alaric, Harper was shocked as Alaric shook his head, weary, "She’s now using Calista and Frost Corp to threaten me, Harper, I might really have to let her take that position." "What?" Harper's pupils dilated, "Do you realize what you’re saying?" Alaric’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile, "I'm very clear-headed, and I need to start sorting this out soon. I’m going to divorce Calista, leaving with nothing." Never had Harper seen Alaric so despondent, as he continued, "Then, I'll marry Peyton for the sake of the child."