His Contractual Mistress

Las Vegas, NEVADA

Just after they landed, Vincent hurriedly got off the plane and headed for the waiting vehicle. 

"Good to see you again, Mr. Shen!" 

"Good to see you too, Roland." Vince greeted back, tapping the man's back before he got into the car. 

"Hey, Tim!" Roland helped him put their luggage in the vehicle's trunk.

"Yo, Roland!" Tim throws a knuckle at Roland. After they placed the bags in the car, both men went to the front. Tim took the passenger seat while Roland slid in front of the wheels. The two guys were chatting on their way out of the airport. "You sure enjoy your married life, huh?" 

"Why would I not? My wife already gave birth to our second child. Finally, for several months I have to hold up. It's time for some action!" 

"I can't believe you!" Tim throws a punch to his shoulder. Both the guys cracked up. 

At the back of the car, Vincent shook his head, listening to these men. It sounds like a joke, but it was the reality. He grew curious about their topic, and it surprised him that his assistant, who has no love life his entire life, casually talks about the intimate issues between a married couple. 

But the topic is truly interesting, though. It made him ponder if ever he was in the same situation. Indeed, he won't complain if he and Hailey could not have done that for several months. He would be even more worried when Hailey was pregnant.

As everyone says, pregnancy has a different situation. Some are having no problems with pregnancies, while others have difficult conditions. And so, he has to pay attention when Hailey is pregnant. 

Thinking about it now, he actually couldn't wait! It excites him! A warm feeling fills his chest every time he imagines having his children and holds them in his arms. 

Besides, he needs something to hold on to his relationship with Hailey. He hasn't had his divorce yet, and now he found out that Hailey is someone who isn't simply to win over. 

She's not just the moon he would watch in the sky, which he could reach out if he wishes to touch it. But she's a big star shining brightly farther than the moon. She is someone who is surrounded by other stars. The gap was there. 

Vincent pulled out his phone from his coat pocket to look at Hailee's Instagram post one more time. Now it has millions of likes and hundreds of thousands of comments and almost reached a million!

Famous stars, famous couture houses, popular magazines, even the Instagram official account give their congratulations. It means they are sending wishes also to him, which his identity remains a mystery to them. 

From this day onwards, being Hailee Davies' fiance, they must keep his identity secret until she releases their official photo.

By then, how could he face these famous and notable people in High Society? 

True that the World Business Association recognized him and received countless awards from different institutions he could be proud of as his achievement. However, the woman he has loved for a long time is someone everyone desires in secret because no one can reach her. 

If he hadn't made her sign the agreement he created, can he possibly stand by her side? 

Oh, he should not forget that he's now working for Hailey. Even though he began questioning if things are coincidental about how he got the contract so quickly, it is his chance to stay close to her. 

He wants to confront her. But he chooses to listen to all of her reasons, although he's not ready to hear her explanation. 

But he already waited for four years. He doesn't want to waste time by feeling betrayed or being tricked whatsoever. He wants a life with Hailey. 

"Boss, we're here," said Tim, glancing at him through the rearview mirror when he didn't move, even after Roland already parked the car outside the hotel. 

Vincent lifted his head and looked outside the window. The place indeed was in a mess. He found police agents, and he guessed special task force personnel investigating the bombing incident. He reaches for the handle and pushes the door open when Tim reacts. 

"Boss, are you sure to display your engagement ring?" 

Vince curled his forehead. He glanced at Tim with confusion written on his face. He questions his assistant, "What is wrong with it?" 

Tim scratched his head when his boss had forgotten that the situation is different now. "Boss, Miss Hailey Hillson or Miss Davies have already announced she's engaged and showed her engagement rings. The entire world has seen it. The couple rings you personalized made are the only designed in the world. If people see your couple ring, they will recognize it. By then, they will know it was you. It means…" 

"Does it mean?" 

"Boss, not only ordinary people will storm you to question or take your photo. Everyone will chase you," Tim explained further.

"And Paparazzi would never stop following you around, Mr. Shen," Roland echoed. "You have no idea, but everyone would like to get a piece of you." 

"People now want to peel your skin before they cut you in tiny slices, boss!" 

"That's insane!" He complains. 'That is absorbing!' But he realizes this already. If the mass media found out that he was the mysterious fiance, he'll only make things hard for Hailey. 

Hailey may already announce her engagement, but she hadn't revealed their faces to have protection against the paparazzi and to avoid mobbing by the public. 

Vince removes the ring from his fourth finger, even against his will, but it is necessary. It is only for the time being until he's divorced. 

"Vincent!" 

"Theo, how's it going?" He asked while they shook hands. 

"We have very little information from the investigation. But we are looking at every factor and motive," Theo Shang replied. 

"Why does it happen? Is this some personal reason?" It would be his first guess. 

"I'm looking at that angle as the higher possibility is. You know, in these passing years, we are now living a peaceful life. But there are people among in the Clan who would not become happy for us all." 

"Hm. That is indeed possible." Vince concurred. 

The High Society acknowledges the Shang family as one of the wealthiest families in the world, and years ago, an issue did happen and was publicized by the mass media. Vince thought while following Theo around the hotel building. 

"They surely studied the whole place with no one noticing anything about their plans," Vince stated after his long observation of the bombed site. The hotel has a high-security system that runs the entire place.

"Yeah. It will be someone very familiar with the blueprint of the hotel." 

"But I renovated most of the place and..." Vince glanced at Theo standing behind him. 

Theo smirked. "Don't look at me like that. What you were thinking is ridiculous. It never came to my mind that it was your doing." 

"I don't have the intention," Vince clarifies to Theo.

"I know that. So stop giving me that face." Theo smacks his back. 

"I'm not worried that you will suspect me or others who would have the suspicion. What I'm thinking now is the possibility that someone in my firm works for the mastermind." 

"Are you telling me now that one of your engineers or architects?" asked Theo. 

He thinks that if it was the fact, then they could solve the case soon. Vincent has a vast influence because of his mom's family. If his intuition is correct, then he made the right decision to ask for Vincent's help. 

"Let's have some coffee. You are still from a long flight, then rush here." 

"Yeah. I only fell asleep on the flight and had no dinner and breakfast." 

"Wait… Don't tell me?" Theo pursed his lips with a teasing smile that caused Vincent to roll her eyes.

"Heh. So, your assistant didn't share the news?" 

"Hm?" 

"I'm officially engaged. It's a real one this time." 

"I see. Congrats, bro!" Theo patted Vince's back as he continued, "It looks like Roland didn't gossip other than about the bombing incident these days." 

"Oh, well. Our assistants have countless gossip we didn't know, and they talk behind our backs." 

"Or, they're slandering us inside their heads," Theo echoed, and both chuckled. "Roland's expression always tells me what he's thinking." 

"Yeah. Timothy does that too. It was written all over his face when he's having a weird thought and presumption about me." 

"Right! They're also nosy about our love life!" Theo laughed as he remembers those crazy days he's stalking his wife. "And what's scary is when they run to our wives and complain about how we enslave them." 

Vincent shook his head in amusement after agreeing to Theo's statement. "I get jealous because sometimes, Hailey and Tim have a longer conversation than me. I know it was because she's instructing Tim how to make my favorite dishes. But that guy is always reporting to Hailey if I won't eat more vegetables or I don't eat on time." 

"See? They got our wive's sentiment!" Theo exclaimed. 

Meanwhile, Tim and Roland have been trying to eavesdrop on their boss. The two guys were casually looking around, but actually, they were watching their boss.

"Look! Our boss is gossiping about our work performance," Tim tattled. 

Roland concurred. "Yeah. I'm sure of that." 

And the two assistants continue gossiping, following their bosses toward the hotel's dining hall.