The Bigshot Married Himself to the Heiress-Chapter 513 - 514: Discovering the Fake Aiden Howard
"You sure have a lot of questions. Why should I tell you?"
"Are you an impostor?"
"Give me a kiss, and I’ll tell you," he said with a wicked smile, teasing the woman who had aroused his desire to conquer.
"What have you done to Aiden Howard?"
"Or let me cop a feel? Is your chest a C-cup? A little small. The type I like has to be at least a D-cup."
Although they were at the Johnson Family’s estate, there was no one else around—just her and this dangerous man of unknown identity. Sienna Johnson sensed the peril. Daring not to press further with dangerous questions, she turned and strode away, avoiding a direct confrontation.
That man was not someone she could handle; it would be better for Adrian Desmond to deal with him. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
She walked away quickly, ears pricked, listening for any movements from the man behind her. Fortunately, he didn’t follow. Otherwise, as a pregnant woman, she truly wouldn’t have known how to react.
「Serene Residence.」
Sienna Johnson walked in, still shaken, and leaned against the wall, her heart pounding.
Her intuition had always been keen. That Aiden Howard... no, perhaps he wasn’t Aiden Howard anymore. The art of disguise wasn’t uncommon. Back in Himakati, she was captured by the human trafficker Charlie Parker and sold to Uncle. Hadn’t Adrian Desmond disguised himself as a maid to see her? She and Adrian were so close, yet she hadn’t realized it then, had she? But if that person wasn’t Aiden Howard, then where was the real Aiden Howard?
A dreadful premonition crossed Sienna Johnson’s mind.
She realized the gravity of the situation and began to worry about the real Aiden Howard’s safety. If the man just now was a fake Aiden Howard, could the real Aiden Howard have already met with disaster? She had heard of Aiden Howard’s strength. For someone to eliminate an Aiden Howard whose capabilities were not to be underestimated, the forces behind this impostor must be even more formidable. Who on earth was he? Why impersonate Aiden Howard? Was he here for me, or for Adrian?
"No, I have to tell Adrian!"
Sienna Johnson dismissed the thought of Pauline Briggs looking for her. She turned to leave, but after a few steps, she retreated back into Serene Residence.
To get back to her rooms from Serene Residence, she had to pass through the garden. What if that man was still there waiting for me? I just questioned his identity; would he kill me to silence me? Stupid! She cursed herself inwardly. How could I have been so impulsive, speaking without thinking, and practically telling him I knew he was an impostor of Aiden Howard? Great, now I’ve tipped him off. I should have pretended not to know anything, gone back quietly to inform Adrian, and discussed it with him before deciding on a long-term plan. Now we’ve lost the initiative.
"Sienna!"
Pauline Briggs saw her daughter pacing back and forth in the courtyard, looking deeply troubled. Hearing her mother’s call, Sienna startled, her expression worsening.
Pauline Briggs asked, puzzled, "What’s wrong?"
Sienna Johnson looked at Pauline Briggs, not wanting to tell her about such matters. She forced a smile and said, "Didn’t you ask me to come see you? What did you need me for?" She walked towards Pauline Briggs.
"Let’s talk inside."
The two of them went in, and Pauline Briggs led her into her bedroom.
Pauline Briggs picked up a box from the dressing table—it was a jewelry box. She held an exquisite, antique, delicately carved sandalwood jewelry box and handed it to Sienna Johnson.
Sienna Johnson didn’t take it. She glanced at the jewelry box and asked curiously, "For me? What’s inside?"
"It’s all my jewelry. Some pieces were passed down through generations, and some your father bought for me... I’ve divided it all into two shares, one for you and one for Samara. Originally, when you married Adrian, I was going to pass on some of my jewelry to you. But, as you know, I really didn’t like Adrian back then. So, in a fit of pique, I didn’t give them to you."
She pressed the jewelry box into her daughter’s arms and said, "Your judgment is better than mine. After seeing you two together for so long, I can tell that Adrian truly loves you. A woman can only be happy when she marries a man who loves her. Entrusting you to Adrian, I feel very much at ease."
Women from prominent families traditionally passed on their jewelry from generation to generation. Pauline Briggs had inherited many pieces from her grandmother and mother. Now that her daughter was married, she wanted to pass these heirlooms on to her daughters.
The box was very heavy; its contents were clearly substantial.
"I don’t want it. Give it all to Samara."
"Sienna! Mom knows I was wrong. Please forgive Mom," Pauline Briggs said, her eyes reddening at her daughter’s refusal.
"You’ve misunderstood. I really don’t need it. I don’t usually wear much jewelry." Unless it was an important occasion, the only piece of jewelry Sienna consistently wore was her wedding ring.
"You will take this!" Pauline Briggs said firmly.
The jewelry in Pauline Briggs’s box were treasures handed down through the Briggs Family for generations. Each piece was worth a fortune. Pauline Briggs was gifting them to Sienna Johnson.
"Sienna, these have been passed down from generation to generation. My grandmother gave them to my mother, my mother gave them to me, and now I’m giving them to you. When you have a daughter in the future, pass them on to her."
Pauline Briggs gazed at her daughter, her eyes deep and filled with a whirlwind of emotions, a myriad of thoughts swirling in her mind.
Diamonds, gold, jade, agate, coral... Pauline Briggs’s jewelry box seemed to contain every imaginable treasure. Sienna Johnson stole a glance at the dazzling array and found herself at a loss for words.
"Will you still be my daughter in the next life?" Pauline Briggs asked, reaching out to stroke Sienna’s hair. Sienna Johnson, however, instinctively recoiled, stepping back to avoid her touch. Looking up, Sienna met her mother’s hurt gaze and realized she had blundered again.
"I’m sorry!"
Pauline Briggs knew Sienna Johnson didn’t like to see her cry. She choked back her tears, her eyes red. "Please, be my daughter again in the next life. In the next life, I’ll never lose you again."
Sienna Johnson didn’t know if there even was a next life, nor could she afford to dwell on it. All she wanted was to live this life well.
"Is there anything else? If not, I have something urgent to attend to and must get back." Sienna Johnson was preoccupied with the matter of the fake Aiden Howard and just wanted to hurry back to tell Adrian and discuss how to proceed.
Pauline Briggs looked at her with a hurt expression and said, "Go on then. Take care of yourself, and help me take care of Samara too."
"Thank you for the jewelry."
"Go on."
Pauline Briggs turned her back, no longer looking at Sienna Johnson. Sienna Johnson clutched the jewelry box and walked out.
At the entrance of Serene Residence, Sienna Johnson stopped. Instead of leaving rashly, she called Adrian Desmond to pick her up.
"I’m at Serene Residence. Come and get me. Something’s happened..."
Adrian Desmond’s voice grew somber. "Wait for me. Don’t move. I’ll be right there!"
"Okay!"
