Contract Marriage: The Replacement Groom

A deep-throated laughter tore through Maverick’s lips, "Hahahaha... What do I stand to gain?"

"Ah? What do you mean, Mr. Maverick?" Jeslyn feigned ignorance.

"Little brother has missed you."

"Ahem," she coughed. "Tell little brother that I’m not available."

"How about you deliver the message yourself?" his lips curled into a cunning smile.

"Ehm, the thing is... ahem... oh, Valen! Valen wants me to help him do–"

"Valen isn’t home."

"Eh?" Jeslyn’s eyes widened in horror. "Where did you send my son?"

"He went on a vacation with Rex, so you have no excuse, Mrs. Lu."

Jeslyn sighed. What’s the worst that can happen? Let’s just give in and go say Hi to little brother, after all, it’s been some weeks since she last visited him– he must be angry now.

....

Valen, who had ’gone on a vacation’ was seen, standing in Rex’s sitting room, doing a stare-down contest with him.

After a long while of silence, he finally spoke up; "Take me back home."

"No, your father instructed me to keep you here for a few days."

"Uncle," Valen started to walk towards Rex.

"Hey, hey, what do you want to do? Stay right there!"

"Do you know you’re very handsome?" Valen smiled with his eyes.

"Of course, I know I’m handsome!" Rex puffed up his chest.

"Exactly! Do you also know that Aunt Celestine is very pretty?"

"Without a doubt, hmph!"

"Good. Uncle, I have been meaning to say this for a long time."

"What?"

"Let’s have a seat," Valen gestured to the expensive-looking chairs in the massive sitting room.

Without knowing what his nephew was scheming, Rex sat with a fulfilled smile on his face. Valen has never told him he looked handsome before, if anything, the spoiled brat always abused him... wait!

Rex frowned with a skeptical look in his eyes, "Young man, what are you scheming?"

"Come on uncle, how can you think so lowly of me?" Valen sighed. "Have a seat." He gestured with his jaw to the empty seats.

After Rex sat down, he started looking suspiciously at Valen. This child was never like this. Ever since his mother came back, he minimized his terrorizing attitude and picked up the habit of scheming. Hope he’s not falling into one of his endless schemes.

"You are very handsome and Aunt Celestine is extremely beautiful... though not as beautiful as my mother. Aunt Celestine has traveled for a month and some weeks now and she hasn’t returned. Do you know what she’s doing ther–"

"Hey, you little brat, don’t you dare talk about your Aunt like that! I’ll spank you!"

"Stop yelling and listen," he hissed in irritation. Seeing that Rex didn’t object, he continued, "If a child like me could see that you’re too young for Aunt Celestine, do you think she won’t notice?"

"Valen–"

"Let me finish, Uncle. A beautiful woman like Aunt Celestine would definitely know that you’re too young for her. Being a Super celebrity, she would have lots of suitors who are right for her age. It doesn’t matter if she loves them, provided they are a perfect fit... for example, I saw her picture at an event yesterday. On her left hand, there was no ring... I mean, the ring you gave her." Valen flattened his lips after saying that.

Rex stared intently at his little nephew. He was right. Celestine and he fought a few days ago and she took the ring off, saying it was over. If a child could picture all that, why couldn’t he?

"Uncle, don’t say I didn’t warn you. A well-defined man like my dad might steal her from you... Uncle Matt is also very hands–"

"Start moving, I’ll send you back home!"

"But why? Dad carried me out of my bed and sent me here while I was still sleeping. I think he’d be mad at us both if we go back. Dad doesn’t want to see me, I’m sure."

Rex stared incredulously at his little nephew who was suddenly behaving like an obedient child. "Valen," he called.

"Yes, Uncle," he blinked cutely.

"You hate girls, don’t you?"

"Mn," he nodded.

"Your parents are about to make babies... three girls at once. If you don’t return home and stop them now, it might be too late."

Valen bolted up from his seat and took a step but paused and sat back down with a sigh.

Rex’s smile froze when he saw this. "What are you doing sitting there?"

"What can I do if my mom and dad want to make babies? I told Dad the other day to make baby girls... five girls."

"What?!! You– you..."

Valen nodded fervently, "But, I might go back home if you tell Dad that you drove me away and that I didn’t do anything to warrant that."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Tch, don’t be a slow thinker, Uncle. That is why Aunt Celestine will leave you for another man soon. You should think like the clever person that you are." Valen got up and walked to Rex. He got onto his chair and drew closer to him, then said in a lowered voice.

"Send me back home and tell my dad you have an emergency, then go and catch Aunt Celestine red-handed. I’m sure she’d feel guilty."

Valen has no idea if Rex and Celestine fought. He was just making things up to mess with Rex so he could send him back home, but he didn’t want to take the blame because Maverick might decide to send him to boarding school like he threatened.

That man has been bullying Valen ever since the incident where he interrupted him and Jeslyn the other day.

Maverick threatened that if Valen made any mistake this month, he’d send him to a boarding school and Valen would rather stop going to school than go there.

However, the little boy knows that if his father was able to convince Jeslyn, she would undoubtedly support Maverick and tell him to go to a boarding school. Valen is trying to fight against that because he can’t say NO if Jeslyn agrees.