A Replacement Bride

Chapter 238

Grimness enveloped Joaquin's face as he looked at the unfamiliar room after regaining consciousness, for he instinctively assumed he had been held captive. But the idea was quickly dismissed as he noticed his wounds had been treated.

Even if the enemy kept him alive after capturing him, they wouldn't be nice enough to treat him either.

So, who saved me?

He relaxed his brows and scanned the room with a deadpan face before getting out of bed.

For someone mysophobic, Joaquin naturally couldn't stand the tattered shirt he was wearing. So, he changed into the bathrobe, left inside the bathroom, and headed out.

As he came to an unfamiliar corridor, he hesitated for a second before walking toward the stairs, and that was when he heard the familiar voice.

At that, his tense nerves relaxed, and his apprehensive heart finally eased.

Fate was truly wondrous. Even when he was on the other side of the world, he would still run into her somehow.

Delight filled him up as the thought came to him, and he descended the stairs with a smile, only to stop in his tracks the next second. His inchoate joy, too, vanished, replaced by hostility.

Jayden Hall? What's he doing here? Huh… You can never get rid of this hound, can you?!

Right then, graveness enveloped his piercing gaze as he pulled a malicious grin.

Alright, since you've come asking for humiliation, I shall take this chance to lay my claim for once.

At that, he glanced at the bathrobe he was wearing, and a hint of mischief enveloped his handsome face. NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.

The next second, he loosened the belt and exposed a small part of his toned chest while covering up in injuries perfectly.

Followingly, he ruffled his hair before finally descending the stairs, calling out to Katherine listlessly and tenderly.

Just like that, Katherine looked up only to be rendered stumped by what she was seeing, blinking as she mused, Dude… you've just woken up. What the heck are you up to? Can't you just walk down the stairs like a normal person?! Why are you acting so sexily? It's like… like… we had—

Stop! Hold it! What are you thinking, Katherine Cornell?!

She gulped and hurriedly halted her inchoate, dirty thoughts before replying, "You're awake. How are you feeling? Good?"

Joaquin quirked a brow as he strode down the stairs and stood next to her, looking into her eyes. "I feel better than just good. Why didn't you tell me before coming down? I was looking for you everywhere."

He spoke so casually that Katherine didn't think in that direction at first, only thinking he sounded weird.

You were out cold. How am I supposed to tell you I'm down here? By shaking you awake?

But gradually, it came to her, and redness laced her cheeks as she glared accusingly at him.

Dude, what the heck?! Can't you talk like a normal person for once?!

As though he could read her mind, Joaquin quirked his brow as a hint of amusement flashed across his gaze at her while remaining an innocent front.

Can you blame me when it's you who asked such a suggestive question? I can't miss such a good chance, now, can I?

While the couple conversed through their gazes, Jayden was looking less than jovial. Or, more specifically, he had been looking grim from the second Joaquin showed up.

How come this guy's here too?! Did Katherine bring him along? Just what is their relationship? Why is he everywhere? And what he just said… wasn't too pleasant.

Jayden fixed his gaze at the two with furrowed brows and cleared his throat, interrupting the couple's oblivious state.

Hearing the foreign noise, Joaquin looked up and reacted with surprise as though he had just discovered they had a visitor. "Aren't you the guy who went to Hovington looking for Kathy? What are you doing here? Do you have some business with Kathy again?"

Katherine, on the other hand, couldn't help feeling speechless as she knew all too well that this man was playing dumb.

Exasperated, Jayden pursed his lips and said, "The name's Jayden, Jayden Hall."

"Oh." Joaquin raised his brows and nodded knowingly. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hall."

'A pleasure', he said, but he didn't extend his hand for a handshake either.

Jayden, too, obviously had no intentions of shaking Joaquin's hand either. Both men's animosity for each other was evident, and Katherine couldn't help feeling troubled.

"What are you doing in Kathy's home, then, Mr. Levisay? I remember you left in a hurry the last time we met." Jayden made the first attack, asking monotonously.

Joaquin smirked in response. He had been waiting for the man to ask the million-dollar question all day. "I had an emergency to get to, so I couldn't introduce myself properly then. But who'd have thought we'd meet here, Mr. Hall? What a coincidence."

At that, confidence—but really, loftiness—flashed across his eyes as he revealed, "Looks like Kathy hasn't had the chance to tell you yet. I'm her husband."

The news came like such a bolt from the blue that it fried Jayden crisp.

"H-Husband?"

He glanced shockingly at Joaquin before shifting his gaze to Kathy, seemingly waiting for her to say something.

The reveal caught Katherine off guard too, and her gaze at Joaquin was one of astounded.

Of course, she knew he did it on purpose. She'd be an idiot if she didn't know he was laying his claim as her husband. That said, his intense possessiveness still caught her a little off guard.

At the same time, an inexplicably complicated emotion brushed past her, reeling her in bewilderment.

Then, she looked toward Jayden when she felt his gaze. After some consideration, she admitted it, believing there was no reason for her to hide this. "Yeah, he's my husband."

Jayden's face blanched as a result, and his gaze was filled with none but incredulity. "You… You're married?! When? Why didn't you say anything?"

"A little while ago. It was quite rushed, so we didn't announce it to others."

At that, Joaquin added with a smile. "Yeah, Kathy and I were engaged since we were kids, and since she's back, our families decided to settle the marriage, but because of some things, we couldn't throw a party. But no matter…"

He riveted his gaze on Katherine. "I'll give you a grand wedding one day. I promise you that."