Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Nancy Hughes froze for a few seconds. He’d never told her what he did for a living.

It seemed he was either swamped with work or completely at ease when he was by her side.

He’d never mentioned his family to her, either.

"He’s in business," Nancy Hughes said offhandedly.

Zoey Zane nodded. "As long as his background is clean, I won’t object to you two being together."

Nancy Hughes forced a laugh, her scalp tingling with anxiety. ’Can Dylan Heston really be considered to have a clean background?’

’That’s a huge question mark.’

She looked over. Dylan Heston was talking with Riley Caldwell, and the two of them were getting along surprisingly well.

Zoey Zane had lunch and soon grew tired, sleeping for the rest of the afternoon.

In that time, Riley Caldwell had become Dylan Heston’s number one fan. Everything out of his mouth was "Brother-in-law."

"Alright, it’s time for you to go home. You have school tomorrow!" Nancy Hughes said, tapping him on the head.

"Sis, where are you guys staying tonight?" Riley Caldwell cried, "Ouch!" rubbing the back of his head.

"That’s none of your business. You just get yourself home right now," she said, deliberately putting on a fierce act.

"Got it!" Riley Caldwell muttered under his breath. "I really don’t know what Brother-in-law sees in you. You’re so mean!"

"What did you say!" Nancy Hughes’s expression hardened, and she raised her hand as if to hit him. Riley Caldwell yelped in fear, begging for mercy, "Sis, I was wrong! I was wrong!"

"Brother-in-law, do something about my sister!" He even knew to appeal to Dylan Heston for help.

How could he ignore his new brother-in-law’s plea?

Dylan Heston stepped forward and pulled Nancy Hughes into his embrace. "Feeling energetic now?"

"Let go of me!" she whispered.

"Let me save a little face in front of our brother-in-law. Later, you can do whatever you want with me, alright?" he murmured, lowering his head close to her ear in a voice only they could hear.

Nancy Hughes was instantly silenced. A roar filled her ears, as if a bomber had just flown past.

She glanced at Dylan Heston out of the corner of her eye. His expression was completely serious.

’Is he serious?’

Seizing the opportunity while Dylan Heston had Nancy Hughes contained, Riley Caldwell beat a hasty retreat. "Sis, I’m heading home! See ya!"

Nancy Hughes wanted to stay the night to watch over her mother, but Zoey Zane shooed her away.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine on my own. You two should go," Zoey Zane said, repeatedly giving her a meaningful look.

"But..." She was still worried, afraid Zoey Zane might feel unwell in the middle of the night.

"Don’t worry. I’ve hired a caregiver, and they’ll be here to watch over me tonight."

"A caregiver? When did you hire one?" Nancy Hughes asked, surprised.

Dylan Heston didn’t answer. Instead, he said goodbye to Zoey Zane and led Nancy Hughes away.

The two of them grabbed a late-night snack and wandered through the night market for a bit.

"You never see a starry sky this beautiful in Portmire!" She tilted her head back to look up at the night sky, where stars twinkled brightly.

"Next time, we’ll go to the mountaintop to see the stars. It’s even more beautiful there."

"Mhm!"

They had both left in such a hurry that neither had packed a change of clothes.

On the way back to the hotel, they bought some clean clothes.

"Um, I’m going to take a shower first." With that, Nancy Hughes grabbed her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

She came out after drying her hair to find Dylan Heston on the phone.

"Yeah, we can’t make it back tomorrow... Mr. Gunn, thank you!"

When Nancy Hughes heard the name "Mr. Gunn," she immediately sat up straight. "Who were you just on the phone with?"

’If he said Mr. Gunn, he must mean Gwen Gunn, right?’

"Who else would it be?" Dylan Heston gave her a sidelong glance. "I requested time off for you, so there’s no need to rush back."

"Wait, you requested time off for me?" Nancy Hughes cut him off. "Does that mean Mr. Gunn knows about us...?"

She stole a glance at him. What she wanted to say was that Gwen Gunn really liked Dylan, and had been hoping Dylan would become his son-in-law.

"There’s no reason to hide it. He’d find out sooner or later."

Nancy Hughes furrowed her brow. ’I’m the one who has to face Gwen Gunn when I get back.’

’It feels like I’ve poached someone he had his eye on.’

Dylan Heston ruffled her hair. "Don’t overthink it."

’It’s too late for that now. Gwen Gunn already knows.’

Zoey Zane’s condition was unstable. The next day, they had only just arrived in her room and exchanged a few words when she suddenly took a turn for the worse.

She frantically called a doctor to examine her mother.

Nancy Hughes paced back and forth outside the room, glancing toward the door every so often, desperate to know what was happening.

"Don’t worry, your mom will be fine." Dylan Heston took her hand and had her sit down, comforting her softly. "You still have me."

Nancy Hughes responded distractedly, her mind consumed with thoughts of Zoey Zane. Her fingers tightened on Dylan Heston’s sleeve, and she was on the verge of tears. "I’m scared."

Dylan Heston said nothing, simply enclosing her hand in his. Her fingers were ice-cold; it seemed they always got this way when she was frightened.

He squeezed her hand tighter, trying to transfer his warmth to her.

Nancy Hughes’s gaze was fixed on the hospital room, full of anxious hope.

The doctor was inside for twenty minutes. To Nancy Hughes, waiting outside, it felt like a century.

"Doctor, how is she? How’s my mom?"

"Miss Hughes, I think you should prepare yourselves. The patient... might not have much time left."

"How can that be? She was in such good spirits yesterday." Nancy Hughes grabbed the doctor’s sleeve. "Doctor, there must be something you can do. Please, save my mom! I’ll pay anything, I don’t care about the cost!"