Husband With Benefits-Chapter 543: Lets Stay... Married

"Autumn."

Autumn looked up to see Gabe Frost standing there in front of her and tried to give him a smile, though she was sure it looked like a grimace.

However, he too, could only smile slightly and she watched him pull the chair across from her and sit. Her eyes caught the glint of the metal on his fingers and she felt her heart thud. It wasn’t a dream. She really had gone insane and married Gabe Frost. That ring was the evidence right there.

As Gabe settled into the chair opposite her, Autumn fidgeted with the edge of her shirt, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his gaze."How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, "Confused, I guess. I don’t know..." freēnovelkiss.com

Gabe nodded," I understand it is a lot to take in. You can take your time to process this. Whenever you’re ready, we can go through the annulment process."

As she was about to nod, she stopped. He was talking about annulment... Why had she not thought of this? Throught out the hours that she had been sitting here, trying to process everything, not once had she thought of a way of getting out of this ’odd’ marriage. In fact, the marriage had felt like a soothing balm on the wounds that Pierce and Bianca had given her.

Which was ridiculous and silly for her. She couldn’t cling to Gabe when he had done so much for her. If he has not stepped in when he had, she would have been utterly humiliated by those people... which reminded her..." Thank you for stepping in. I don’t know why they did what they did, but if you had not..."

She watched as his eyes hardened and he spoke with clenched teeth," I overheard them before I knew that they were planning to target you. They misguided you purposely to come to the registrar because they wanted to humiliate you. It seems they have been discussing this entire scenario over the entire weekend. I was enraged to know that someone would be this malicious, but when I knew they were going to be targeting you, I decided to step in. I just didn’t expect to... really get married."

Autumn nodded, her gaze still fixed on the ring on his finger. Why did it fit him so perfectly?

Gabe noticed her gaze on his hand and felt a jolt when he realized he was still wearing the ring she had slipped onto his finger. He had planned to take it off as soon as he left the office. Feeling foolish, he started to take off the ring," Here, I’m sorry I should have returned this to you first thing...It’s an heirloom?"

Autumn nodded,"The set belonged to my parents. You... were recently married? " Autumn asked as she noticed the pale mark on his finger when he slipped off the ring that she had given him.

After that question, the atmosphere seemed to change subtlely, but Autumn failed to notice it as she asked curiously," Are you divorced?"

Gabe clenched his teeth as he looked at her, "Widowed."

That seemed to jolt her and she nodded," Ah. I’m sorry."

Gabe nodded and extended the ring to her. The faster he got rid of this evidence of his insanity, the better. However, she made no move to take the ring and instead looked at him.

That gaze from those eyes should be illegal, he thought in passing as she said something which he missed. He was busy trying to write frame the law about people with doe eyes not being allowed to give puppy gazes...

"Pardon me. Can you please repeat what you said?"

"I asked... can we stay married?" Autumn asked, feeling nervous. She had never expected that she would do something like this. Ask a stranger to stay married to her. But as the lawyer’s words from this morning, repeated in her mind, she knew she needed someone. She had a feeling, that somehow that man was involved in today’s incident as well with Pierce and Bianca.

Gabe blinked, caught off guard by Autumn’s unexpected question. He had not expected this. His first instinct was an unequivocal ’NO’. But then, as his mind connected the things that he had heard and seen, he knew that this girl needed his help. The question was, did he want to help? And did she deserve his help?

He watched her fidget nervously but try to maintain her composure and admired the girl for staying strong. If it had been anyone else, they might not have held up. And there was something in her gaze that reminded him of himself. A desperation. Whatever her reason for wanting to get married quickly to that man or to stay in a marriage with him was, she was desperate for it.

Finally, she seemed to have gathered her courage as she squared her shoulders and firmed her chin," I.. I know it’s a lot to ask, but... and I don’t want to rush into anything, especially considering what you did for me today, however, this marriage is my only hope for now. So, if you do not have any other commitments, could you please stay married to me for a year at least? A marriage in name only. We can get it annulled next year... I can compensate you for your time..."

Gabe raised an eyebrow at that. Was she offering him money to stay married to her? She nodded and continued," I.. I don’t have much, but I promise to pay you something when our marriage comes to an end. I have some savings and they will definitely multiply in a year..."

Gabe cleared his throat and answered her carefully,"I don’t need your money. But before I agree to anything, I need to know what or who is after you and why? In clarity. I won’t be accepting any vague answers."

Autumn’s eyes widened in alarm, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "It’s... complicated. And personal. Right now, can’t you just stay married. I promise it is nothing unlawful..."