Cast Out, Then Claimed By My Rival Billionaire

Eliana finally pulled herself out of the memories. Rain drummed steadily against her umbrella and brought her attention back to the courthouse steps.

Her gaze dropped to the marriage documents in her hand. She was still studying them and hadn't quite gathered her thoughts when a familiar, laid-back voice sounded behind her. "Planning to stare at those things all day?"

Somehow, Connor had come up behind her without making a sound. His suit jacket rested over one arm, and he'd rolled his shirt sleeves back casually. With his relaxed posture, he looked like someone who'd just dragged himself out of bed.

Connor glanced down at the documents she was holding, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.

Eliana tucked them into her handbag. "We're done here. Let's go."

She barely made it down the first few steps before a quiet laugh came from behind her.

"Eliana," Connor called.

Eliana stopped and looked back at him.

He remained by the courthouse entrance while rainwater spilled from the roof and splashed against his shoulder. "That's it? You're seriously just going to walk away?"

Her brows drew together. She had absolutely no patience for him right now. "What exactly are you expecting me to do?"

"You really have to ask?" Connor tipped his head slightly. The wet light made the faint bite mark on his neck impossible to miss. He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "You weren't this distant when you had your teeth on my neck and kept telling me how good I was doing."

Eliana gripped the umbrella handle more tightly and forced herself not to show how embarrassed his words made her.

After clearing her throat, she replied, "I was drunk."

"Right. You were drunk." Connor nodded as though everything suddenly made perfect sense. "And now you're sober, so you've decided nothing ever happened?"

"Exactly," Eliana said without hesitation. "As far as I'm concerned, nothing happened. Are we finished now?"

Connor studied her for a few seconds before a smile slowly spread across his face.

Eliana had to admit that he looked ridiculously good when he smiled. Unfortunately, that didn't make him any less irritating.

"I'm done." He straightened and casually took out his phone. "I just think this is hilarious. Last night, you practically threw yourself at me. Today, we registered our marriage, and you're already pretending I'm a stranger. At this point, I'm starting to feel like some guy you picked up for free and tossed aside afterward."

Eliana drew in a slow breath and fought the very real urge to whack him with her umbrella.

Apparently, six years hadn't done anything to cure Connor of his talent for getting on her nerves.

Connor finally looked away and tapped his screen a few times. Then he lifted his phone and snapped a picture of Eliana standing beneath the courthouse sign.

His phone gave a soft click as he snapped the photo.

Eliana immediately narrowed her eyes. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Nothing important." Connor turned the screen toward her and opened a chat with someone saved as "Bruce Harrison." Eliana recognized the name instantly. It was Connor's father. The photo had already been sent, along with a message. "Dad, meet your daughter-in-law. We just made the marriage official."

Eliana went completely still.

Barely three seconds passed before Bruce called him.

Connor declined without even blinking.

The phone rang again almost immediately.

He rejected the second call just as casually.

When Bruce tried for the third time, Connor finally answered. He lifted the phone to his ear and said cheerfully, "Dad, congratulations. Your son just got married."

Bruce's voice exploded through the speaker loudly enough for Eliana to hear from several feet away. "Connor, what the hell did you just say?"

"I said I'm married," Connor replied with ridiculous calm. "To Eliana. You remember her. She used to live next door to Grandma when we were kids."

Bruce hurried to respond. "You'd better—"

"Can't hear you. Signal's terrible." Connor ended the call without giving him another chance to speak. Then he slid the phone back into his pocket and gave Eliana a thoroughly pleased grin. "Well, that's settled. My dad knows, so backing out isn't an option anymore."

Rain continued dripping from the edge of Eliana's umbrella while she stared at him.

That smug expression suddenly made last night's decision seem even worse. Agreeing to a contract marriage while she was drunk and barely thinking straight had clearly been a terrible idea.

An absolutely terrible one.

Eliana didn't bother answering him. She simply turned around and started walking away.

Connor called after her, "You're just leaving?"

She kept going without so much as glancing back.

His voice followed her again. "So you're really not going to take responsibility for everything you did to me last night?"

Eliana walked faster.

He called after her again, "Eliana, you can't take advantage of me and then toss me aside like I meant nothing."

His words nearly made her miss a step.

Connor's quiet laugh followed from behind and blended with the steady rain. He sounded far too pleased with himself, as though he'd just succeeded in getting exactly the reaction he wanted.

Eliana clenched her jaw and kept going until she reached the curb, where she quickly hailed a taxi.

Just as she pulled the door open, her phone buzzed inside her bag.

She took it out and glanced down at the screen.

Damien had sent her a message. "Eliana, where are you? The bridal shop called about today's fitting. I booked us for three this afternoon. Will you be able to make it?"

Eliana studied the message for several seconds.

She'd nearly forgotten that she was supposed to meet Damien for a wedding dress fitting that afternoon.

The thought almost made her laugh. Damien really knew how to keep up appearances.

Still, that worked perfectly in her favor. As far as Damien knew, she remained completely unaware of his betrayal. He probably still believed she was eagerly preparing for their wedding and would eventually hand over the shares he wanted so badly.

Eliana wanted him to keep believing that until the very end. Only then could she make him understand what it felt like to watch everything he wanted slip out of his hands.

A cold smile touched her lips at the thought. She left Damien's message unanswered, dropped her phone back into her handbag, and climbed into the taxi.

Once the door shut, Eliana never noticed Connor still standing near the courthouse entrance and watching the taxi disappear. The teasing smile on his face slowly vanished.

Connor lowered his umbrella and folded it shut while rainwater ran from the frame and splashed onto the pavement.

"She really did use me and walk away," he muttered, though this time there was no playful edge in his voice.

Right then, his phone started vibrating again.

Bruce's messages poured in one after another, nearly every one of them packed with exclamation marks.

Connor didn't bother opening a single one. He switched off his phone instead and silently cursed his father for being such a busybody.