CHAPTER 73: SETTING RULES

Alexia’s POV

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I shouted, glaring at Aiden as he drove like a maniac, his knuckles turning white from how tightly he was gripping the wheel.

Why the hell was he angry? I was the one who had been dragged—no, thrown—into his car like I was some misbehaving child. I had a little free time, I wasn’t breaking any damn laws, and yet here he was, acting like I had committed some unforgivable sin.

His jaw was clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter. His whole body was rigid, his eyes locked on the road like he was barely restraining himself from going off on me.

"You’re seriously not going to answer me?" I scoffed, crossing my arms. "You storm into my day, embarrass me in front of Mike, throw me over your damn shoulder like some caveman, and now you’re giving me the silent treatment?"

His grip on the wheel tightened even more. "You skipped school," he finally bit out, his voice low and controlled—but I could hear the rage simmering beneath it.

I rolled my eyes. That’s what this is about?

"Wow," I let out a humorless laugh. "So what? I’m not a child, Aiden. I can do whatever the hell I want on my free time."

"You were with him."

And there it was. The real reason behind this tantrum.

I narrowed my eyes, tilting my head slightly. "Him? Oh, you mean Mike? You have a problem with that?"

His head snapped in my direction so fast I thought he might give himself whiplash.

"Yes, I fucking do," he growled. "I told Tobias to take you to school. Not Mike. Not my friend. And especially not to go on some goddamn motorcycle joyride like an idiot."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Oh my God, you’re unbelievable. Do you hear yourself right now? What’s your problem, Aiden? Is it that I skipped school or that I spent time with Mike?"

His jaw ticked, but he didn’t answer.

I let out a bitter chuckle. "You’re jealous, aren’t you?"

His fingers twitched over the wheel.

I smirked, leaning back in my seat. "Oh, wow. The great Aiden Lake, jealous of his own friend. How pathetic."

The moment I said it, the car screeched to a stop.

I lurched forward, barely catching myself against the dashboard. My heart pounded as I turned to glare at him, but before I could yell at him for his reckless driving, he turned toward me, eyes burning with something dark and dangerous.

"I’m not jealous," he said, his voice sharp and cold. "I just don’t like my wife running around town looking like someone else’s woman."

I froze for half a second before my own temper flared.

"I’m not your property, Aiden," I snapped. "You don’t own me."

His eyes darkened further, his voice dropping to something almost deadly

.

"Oh, sweetheart," he murmured, leaning in slightly. "You became mine the moment you signed that damn contract."

I sucked in a sharp breath, my nails digging into my palms.

I hated him. I hated him so much.

And worse?

I hated that my heart was beating so damn fast.

Aiden’s jaw tightened, his entire body radiating pure rage. His piercing eyes locked onto mine, dark and filled with something I couldn’t quite place—but it was terrifying.

"As my fucking wife," he hissed, voice dangerously low, "you are not allowed to be seen by another man except me. If you fucking ruin my plans because of your idiocy, you will regret it. I married you for a reason, and until I get what I need out of this sham of a marriage, you are not going to ruin its image. Get that?"

The sheer force of his presence, the deadly finality in his tone, sent an involuntary chill down my spine. I had seen Aiden angry before, but this? This was something else. This wasn’t just anger—this was control, dominance, and cold, calculated fury all wrapped into one terrifying man.

But I’ll be damned if I let him think he could intimidate me.

So I scoffed, crossing my arms as I leaned back against the seat, feigning indifference even as my heart pounded.

"Yeah, right," I sneered, "says the guy who left his wife to go escort another woman at an event where everybody was watching."

Aiden’s expression darkened further, his fingers twitching as if he was restraining himself from breaking something—maybe the steering wheel, or worse, me.

"You’re really going to compare that to what you did?" he asked, voice laced with venom.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I’m sorry, is my public humiliation not as important as your precious reputation? Let me guess, it only matters when you’re the one getting affected, right?"

His breathing was harsh, controlled, like he was holding back the storm raging inside him. He leaned in, his presence suffocating, overwhelming, until he was too close, his face inches from mine.

"You don’t get it, do you?" he murmured, voice deceptively calm. "You are my wife, and that means you don’t get to do whatever the fuck you want. Not with him. Not with anyone."

My pulse spiked, but I forced myself to hold his gaze, refusing to look away.

"Oh? And what about you, Aiden?" I shot back. "Are you allowed to do whatever the hell you want? Because I didn’t see you giving a damn about ’our image’ when you left me behind like a fool."

His lips curled into something that was neither a smirk nor a snarl—something dangerous.

"Watch yourself, Alexia," he warned, his voice a low growl. "I have tolerated a lot from you, but this

? This is where you stop pushing me."

I refused to flinch, refused to let him see the flicker of unease curling in my stomach.

"So what, Aiden?" I taunted, raising an eyebrow. "You gonna lock me away? Chain me to your side? Keep me on a leash?"

His eyes burned with something unreadable as he exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

"You really don’t get how dangerous this game is, do you?" he muttered, almost to himself.

I frowned. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

He didn’t answer. He just pulled the car back onto the road, his grip on the wheel still too tight, his entire body still wound up like a live wire.

And in that silence, in that thick tension between us, I realized something.

This wasn’t just about his stupid image.

Something bigger was at play.

And just like that, everything clicked into place.

Why did Aiden need a wife? Up until now, I hadn’t been given a real reason. He never cared for love, never showed any kind of attachment beyond what was necessary for appearances. He was obsessed with making our marriage look perfect to the outside world, but why? What was at stake?

Was this about his business? His reputation? Or was it something more?

I didn’t get the chance to ask.

We reached home—his home, because I still couldn’t bring myself to call it mine—when he finally broke the silence. His fingers tapped impatiently against the wheel before he turned to face me, his expression as cold as ever.

"My case is different," he said, voice sharp. "Liz was sick. While you went on a public date with my friend."

I scoffed. "Oh please, it wasn’t a date—"

His glare cut me off. "I don’t fucking care what you think it was. What matters is how it looked."

Of course. Because with Aiden, perception was everything.

"If you want to fuck around, at least wait until the six months are over," he continued, his voice casual, as if he were discussing the goddamn weather. "Then you can screw whoever you want—as long as it’s in private. But for now, you will not go anywhere apart from campus and back unless you’re with me. Or you tell me beforehand who you’re with."

I stared at him, stunned.

The audacity. The absolute hypocrisy.

This man—this arrogant, controlling, insufferable man—thought he could just dictate my life like this?

Well, he had another thing coming.

And just like that, he dismissed me. Like I was some problem he had to manage, some rebellious child who needed to be kept in check. As he got out

I sat there for a moment, gripping the seat, trying to process the sheer audacity of his words.

My case is different.

Of course, it was. Because in Aiden’s world, his actions always had justifiable reasons, while mine were reckless and shameful.

Liz was sick.

And what? That made it okay to leave me stranded like a fool? To parade around with her in public, playing the concerned, dutiful man, while I was left to deal with pitying stares?

But when I dared to have a moment of freedom, when I spent time with someone who actually treated me like a person, I was the problem?

I scoffed under my breath, rage simmering beneath my skin.

If you want to fuck around, wait at least six months.

I gritted my teeth.

Oh, so that was what this was about? He actually thought I was sleeping with Mike?

Unbelievable.

The worst part? He didn’t even ask. He didn’t even consider that maybe—just maybe—I wasn’t out there making a fool of myself like he assumed.

For now, you are not to go anywhere apart from campus and back unless you are with me or you tell me who you are with beforehand.

I wanted to scream. He wasn’t just being controlling—he was locking me down. Like some prized possession he didn’t want anyone else to touch.

Aiden got out of the car without another glance, his posture stiff with frustration. I was supposed to follow behind like some obedient wife, but I refused to let him have the last word.

Slamming the car door shut, I stalked after him, my heels clicking against the pavement.

"You don’t get to control me, Aiden," I snapped, grabbing his wrist just before he reached the door.

His head turned slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at where I touched him. His expression was blank, but there was something lurking beneath the surface. Something dangerous.

"I already do," he said smoothly, yanking his hand away. "You just haven’t fully realized it yet."

My blood boiled. "You’re a hypocrite," I hissed. "You get to do whatever the hell you want while I’m stuck playing the perfect wife for your stupid ’image’? You can’t have it both ways, Aiden."

His jaw twitched. "I can and I will."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Right. And let me guess—if I step out of line, you’ll what? Lock me in? Drag me back like you did today?"

His silence was answer enough.

I shook my head, letting out a breath. "You know what? Fine. You win. I’ll be your perfect little wife. I’ll smile when the cameras are on. I’ll play my role." I met his gaze, my voice lowering. "But the second those six months are over? I walk, Aiden. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me."

For the first time, his expression flickered. A shadow of something crossed his face—anger, frustration, something else.

But before he could say anything, I turned on my heel and walked inside.

Because if Aiden thought he could control me, he was dead wrong.