Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ

Funeral

I was glad that I didn’t have to walk the entire way to the mansion’s main building on foot. Marcus waited for us a little further away from the main gate. We drove away, leaving Vanessa, who looked as if she had gone mad. A tiny little part of me felt sorry for her. She had lost her son, and even if her brain lacked neurons, she must have suspected that he didn’t kill himself. I would love to tell her that we shared the same suspicions, but that would only make her blame us for Callan’s death more. I think we would never be able to guess what had caused her hatred, but especially now, that woman should be locked away from society for some serious treatment.

As we entered the main building, my second favorite person in the mansion showed up-the chamberlain, Lucious Maffei. I didn’t think that was possible, but this guy looked at me with more disdain than before.

“Hello Lucious,” I greeted him with a warm smile. “It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?” I couldn’t help but turn on my very dark sense of humor.

Lucious frowned even more, unlike my husband, who barely stifled a laugh. As we walked past him, Aren turned around and smirked. “Oh, Lucious. You should help your mistress. If she acts like a lunatic a little longer, someone might call for paramedics to come over, and it will not look pretty.” The chamberlain’s eyes widened in terror. With his mouth sealed, barely restraining him from cursing us, he darted out of the building toward the main gate. Aren chuckled mischievously as he watched him go. I couldn’t help but stand on my toes and kiss his lips.

“What was that for?” he asked, surprised.

I shrugged. “You just think that you are sexy when you’re acting all devilish.” He leaned over my ear and whispered, “You make me want to do something very devilish and inappropriate…”

I blushed and pushed him away. “Wrong time and wrong place, Mr. Devil… You should wait until we get home.” I winked.

Aren kissed my forehead. “Don’t tease the Devil, sunshine,” he said, lowering his voice as he led me deeper into the hall.

Callan was supposed to be buried at the Wintons’ private cemetery at the back of the garden that belonged to the residence. All guests were to march up the hill to participate in the ceremony and then go back to the main building for meals and drinks. I truly wished it was the latter part because the current situation was rather… awkward.

Aren and I stood in the middle of a spacious hall among people who came to greet and express condolences to James Winton and Vanessa, who joined him as she walked back to the mansion. The rumors must have already spread since everyone looked at us with disdain, murmuring that we shouldn’t have come here in the first place. Finally, it was our time to officially greet the hosts.

Aren bowed respectfully. “Hello, Fa-”

A hard slap from James cut off his words. I gasped, my eyes restlessly shifting from James to Aren and back to James.

killed my son,” James Winton

of vicious muttering, spreading like venom

“I am your son. And I

a promise that you would never touch Callan. If you broke your promise” – he looked at me with eyes filled with hatred before turning his gaze back at Aren-“then I will break mine. Blood

me, hiding me behind his back. “Don’t even think of hurting

mockingly at him and turned around to greet the other guests.

my hand

touched him, even though he kept his cold stare locked on his father. Then I noticed one corner of his

James Winton and everyone around him. “How

Vanessa wasn’t as restrained

face while tightly wrapping her hand around

interfere, but if she could defend her husband, so could I. “And what did Aren do exactly? If you

about the fact that it had happened in front of other people. He also knew that Callan meant everything to Vanessa and that her grief had made her absolutely unpredictable and irrational. He could never allow her to speak freely and let the whole Winton family drown with her

apologetic smile. “We are all grieving today, aren’t we? Emotions can get the best of all of us, so please forgive my son and his wife, “he said, before shifting his gaze to Vanessa and glaring at

the desire to vent her rage on Aren and me. Too bad. I would love to

at me with sad eyes. “Sunshine, perhaps the fact that I am the son of that family isn’t enough to be welcomed here,” he claimed,

throat. “What are you talking about, Grandson?! You are an important member of this family!” he called out, more toward the

on Aren’s lips as the whole room filled with murmurs again. It became clear that the old man favored

in his veins. After so many years, he could only rely on Augustus’s wealth and power, and the old man wasn’t eager to hand it over. I wouldn’t be surprised if James tried to assassinate his own father just so that he could fully get his hands on the Wintons’ money, but right now, he had to act coy and obedient. It must have been driving him insane to see

mostly filled with the sound of Vanessa’s whining. Was I a bad human because I felt seeing Callan’s coffin going down to the ground? I wished that he lived and suffered his long life in prison, slowly learning to regret everything that he did, but would he ever regret it or apologize for what he did? I

the ceremony was over and people started heading back to the mansion. I hoped that we could skip the food and drinks and get

back of my hand, his lips forming a crooked smile. “Unfortunately,