Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Emilia’s POV

My plane from Lakewood City just landed at Silverlake City Airport. Before I could even turn off airplane mode, my phone buzzed. Linda.

I sighed and picked up. "What?"

"Where are you? Let’s meet," her voice was as annoying as ever.

"Not free." I didn’t even bother to be polite.

"You have to come," she said, sounding way too confident. "Or you’ll regret it."

I almost laughed. "Oh? Give me one good reason why I should."

"I won’t tell you now. You’ll know when you get here."

"And if I say no?"

"I said you’d regret it. I’ll wait for you for thirty minutes. Hope you make the right choice."

She hung up.

I stood there for a second, thinking. Linda never calls me unless she has something. And the only thing she could use against me right now... Leighton.

I called her back immediately. "Look, I’m not even in Silverlake City. But I can meet you at 4 PM."

"Do you think I believe that?"

"Call the Simons house yourself and check. Ask the housekeeper where I am. I went to Lakewood City for a friend’s wedding."

She was still suspicious. "Fine. I will."

I hung up and immediately dialed Richie Lind’s number.

"Mr. Lind, it’s Emilia. Leighton is with my sister, Linda. I need you to come to Silverlake City right now. And bring your wife. I’ll explain later."

He cursed under his breath. Leighton had wandered off again. We quickly agreed on a plan. I found a hotel near the airport and settled in to wait.

At 3:40 PM, my phone rang again. Linda’s voice was smug. "You back yet?"

"I’m on my way."

I took a taxi to the coffee shop she’d chosen in the city center. As I walked in, my eyes landed on Leighton immediately. The idiot was sitting there grinning at me like a lost puppy.

Damn it. My suspicion was right.

"Emilia! Emilia!" Leighton jumped up and ran toward me, wrapping his arms around me like a kid. "I finally found you! I missed you so much!"

I gently pushed him back, keeping my voice calm. "Leighton, what are you doing here? Your parents are worried sick about you."

Linda watched the whole scene with a nasty smirk. She cleared her throat. "Emilia, can we talk business before you continue your little reunion?"

I turned to face her. "What business?"

"Oh, don’t play dumb. This man here is your husband. I know everything."

I snorted. "You have quite the imagination. Who told you he’s my husband?"

"He did."

"Do you need me to find a doctor to check if his brain is working properly?"

Linda’s face darkened. "His brain might not be right, but that doesn’t mean everything he says is wrong."

"If his brain isn’t right, then his words aren’t right either. You can’t pick and choose logic like that."

"Are you denying it now? If it’s not true, how does he know you? And why does he keep calling you his wife?"

"I never said I don’t know him. I just didn’t say that what you said is true. He’s my godfather’s son. He’s younger than me, so technically, he’s like a little brother."

"Little brother?" Linda laughed, fake and sharp. "Do you think I’m stupid enough to believe that? I’m warning you, if you keep pretending, I won’t be nice anymore."

I raised an eyebrow. "So what exactly do you want?"

Linda straightened up, putting on her best "I have the upper hand" face. "Leave Sebastian. That’s your only way out of this unscathed."

I stared at her for a second. Then I laughed. "Why would I listen to you?"

"Because I have something on you." She leaned in, her voice lower now. "Even if you don’t want to, you have no choice."

"And if I don’t?" I crossed my arms. "What are you going to do? Run to my in-laws and tattle on me?"

"Yes."

I couldn’t help myself. "Not to be rude, but you’ve always been all bark and no bite. Do you really think Sebastian will fall for you just because I disappear?"

"I have my ways to make him fall for me. You just need to get out of the picture, you—" she paused, searching for an insult, "—unsightly thing."

"Good one. But have you considered that he might just take his anger out on the entire Frostridge pack? You know what he’s like."

"That’s not my pack’s problem. We didn’t force you to marry that fool."

Leighton, who had been quiet until now, suddenly got angry. "You’re the fool! Ugly woman!"

I almost burst out laughing. For a guy with a few screws loose, he knew exactly how to hit where it hurt. Linda’s face went red, and I could practically see steam coming out of her ears.

"Do you agree or not?" she snapped. "I don’t have all day!"

"Agree to what? None of what you said is true. Why should I agree to anything?"

Linda stood up, furious. "Fine. Just you wait, Emilia."

Just as she was about to storm off, a middle-aged man in his fifties walked into the coffee shop. Before anyone could react, he marched straight up to Leighton and slapped him across the face.

"You little bastard! You only know how to worry me every damn day!"

I stepped in front of Leighton, putting on my best concerned face. "Godfather, why did you hit him?"

"Why wouldn’t I?" Richie was really hamming it up. "Every time he sees a woman, he calls her his wife! Now you’re his wife too? He’s getting more out of control by the day!"

"It’s okay. He doesn’t know any better."

I glanced at Linda’s frozen face and added sweetly, "Godfather, let me introduce you. This is my sister, Linda Taylor."

Richie smiled warmly. "Oh, Emilia’s sister. Very nice to meet you, young lady."

Linda looked like she wanted to kill someone. She forced a smile through gritted teeth. "Sister, since when did you have a godfather? Why didn’t you tell me?"

"A long time ago. I didn’t think you’d care, so I didn’t mention it."

Before she could retort, my phone buzzed. I looked down. Sebastian.

Of all the times.

My eyelashes fluttered slightly. He rarely called me. And today, of all days...

"Excuse me. I need to take this."