I hastily put on a comfortable t-shirt and leggings after cleaning myself up. The atmosphere downstairs is filled with an eerie silence, and I am keenly aware that a conflict is brewing.

Aaron despises being kept in the dark or lied to, which triggers his worst side. He trusts only his family, so when they hide things, it bothers him. Unfortunately, he fails to realize we can handle ourselves. I already feel sorry for his daughter.

Had I not noticed Alice and Noah behind Aaron, I would've yelled at him for bossing us around. But now, my thoughts are consumed by Alice.

I descend the stairs hurriedly, finding Neil waiting at the bottom. Aaron is pacing in the living room, hands in pockets, jaw clenched. Lee and Nora are also present. Lee is sitting with legs crossed, staring daggers at Noah, who appears petrified under Lee's scrutinizing gaze. Under different circumstances, I might have found Noah's expressions amusing.

Alice stands next to Nora, who is seated on the couch, gently cradling her baby bump. Nora catches my gaze and gives me a warm smile. Looking at her instantly reminds me of what Rose mentioned the other day. I know better than to believe Rose, but I can't help but be curious about why Nora was at Grover's place. However, I can't even ask Nora about it because then I would have to explain why I am aware of the situation, which could create further complications.

I can feel the tension hanging thick in the air and it almost feels annoying to me.

"You love having everyone fear you, don't you?" I address Aaron, interrupting the tense silence in the room. He glares at me with anger flickering in his eyes.

"At least I'm not deceiving people like you are," Aaron retorts, and I can already feel my patience dwindling at the thought of dealing with more unnecessary drama.

"First of all, Alice, I can't even begin to fathom what I witnessed outside," He says to Alice, his voice filled with a mix of disappointment and anger. "We need to have a serious conversation about your behavior and the choices you're making. This is not acceptable."

"What were you thinking? Sneaking around, lying to us? To me? And who is this guy?" He demands, pointing an accusatory finger toward Noah. "This ends now. Stay away from my sister, stay away from our family. I won't tolerate anyone who brings her trouble."

I can see the sadness on Alice's face. I know that she has always hated the idea of letting down both Aaron and Dad.

"Aaron, I-"

Before Alice can say another word, Aaron interrupts her, his eyes filled with anger fixed directly on me. "You knew all along that she was seeing this boy, didn't you?"

I glance at Alice and Noah feeling bad for them. Aaron knows that I know, but he wants to hear it directly from me. I also know that admitting it would only stoke his anger and hurt, that Alice chose to confide in me and Neil instead of him.

"Did you?" Aaron demands harshly.

"I did," I reply, raising my voice. "So what? Am I not allowed to keep my sister's secret? She doesn't have to share everything with you!"

"I can't believe you're concealing Alice's secret from me! As her brother, it's my duty to protect and guide her. Yet here you are, enabling her to make reckless choices!" He says in disbelief. "Don't you care about her? Do you think it's appropriate for her to be romantically involved with the wrong type of boys and end up heartbroken?"

"Aaron, you should stop assuming that everyone here are fools," I retort, feeling irritated.

"Alice is my sister," I emphasize, truly feeling the weight of that responsibility. "And I will always be there for her, supporting her choices even if I don't agree with them. It is not your place to dictate what she can or cannot do. Noah is a good young man-"

"Oh, and look at you, Miss Relationship Expert!" He says mockingly. "You couldn't even recognize your own boyfriend's true intentions. And now you're helping Alice with her relationship? What a joke!"

As Aaron's words hit me, it feels like a painful slap to my face, leaving me feeling both embarrassed and humiliated as I stand in front of everyone. The emotions well up inside me, and I can't help but feel on the verge of tears. Neil reaches out and gently grasps my hand and lightly squeezes it.

"Aaron, be careful with your words. Don't say something you might regret." Nora warns him.

"Hey, don't be so unkind," Lee says with a frown.

Unable to contain my emotions, I clench my jaw tightly, determined to hold back the tears. "Aaron, you have absolutely no right to bring up my past." I glare at him. "I have learned from my mistakes, and I will not tolerate being insulted or belittled by you."

Feeling exasperated, he runs a hand through his hair, unsure of how to respond. Regardless of his intentions, the fact remains that he has hurt me deeply.

"This is not her fault, Aaron," Alice says slowly. "I asked her to keep this from you because I knew you wouldn't be pleased about me seeing someone."

"That's because I genuinely care for you." Aaron expresses. "Do you really think he has serious intentions of marrying you one day? This is just a casual fling."

"It's not just a fling," Noah interjects. "I genuinely have strong feelings for her."

"Quiet!" Lee admonishes Noah by lightly slapping his head. "Are you trying to get into trouble with him today?"

Noah glances at Alice, who appears helpless and caught in the middle of the situation.

"Lee," Alice says giving him a look and then looks at me before facing Aaron. "I know you are concerned for me, and I appreciate that, but please allow me the space to grow on my own. I'm not claiming to be certain that Noah will marry me, and marriage hasn't even crossed our minds."

"Then why are you with him?" Aaron asks frustrated. "Alice, listen to me, this relationship is only temporary. I've been in that position before, and trust me when I say the aftermath of casually dating someone like Noah will not end well for you. He will leave you without a second thought if he finds someone better."

"I can do the same!" Alice retorts. "We're not thinking about permanence; we are simply living in the present moments."

"How can you be certain that he's not dating you solely for the potential financial gain from our parents' legacy or because you are Lee's sister?" He challenges her.

Alice looks at him in disbelief.

"You have hurt me more than any boy ever could," Alice says sounding hurt as she takes a step back. "Thank you for reminding me that I possess nothing of value aside from being a sister of Leo Young the famous singer, and having a wealthy brother like you, Aaron Young, and a famous model like Avni Young."

Nora extends her arms and embraces Alice while giving a stern look towards Aaron. "There is no need to be so harsh."

"I am simply being practical." Aaron defends himself. "I would rather show her the reality instead of shielding her from it."

"Let her experience it, Aaron." Nora lets out. "Allow her to face reality, endure heartbreaks, and learn from them. We cannot protect her from life's challenges, or she will never grow. She deserves to live her life and learn from her own mistakes. It is not our place to interfere."

"But she is my sister-" Aaron interjects helplessly.

"Yes, but she is also grown up now." Nora interrupts gently.

Aaron runs his hand through his hair frustrated and clenches his jaw before turning away from all of us. In that moment, I realize that I am relieved that Nora is here for Alice because Aaron is more likely to listen to her.

"Remove him from my sight before I act on my anger." Aaron declares.

Noah stands up awkwardly, and Neil approaches him. "Don't feel bad about it."

"Why are you taking his side?" Lee frowns then he looks at Noah and sternly adds, "Don't you dare hurt my sister- or better yet, end your relationship with her right now."

"Ignore Lee, Noah," Nora interjects. "These brothers have illogical thoughts. Nothing has changed between you and Alice. Do not let this situation ruin your relationship."

Lee looks at her offended. Noah stares at Alice before he nods at the rest of us and exits the room.

The room falls into silence, and I release a sigh before reaching out to hold Neil's hand. "Shall we grab some breakfast? I'm quite famished."

He nods in agreement, and as we begin to make our way to the kitchen, the door slams shut with a loud noise. Aaron's voice rings out, "I haven't finished yet."

"But we have," I say, rolling my eyes. I grab Neil's arm and turn around.

Suddenly, Aaron steps in front of us, and I frown as I find him glaring at Neil. Without warning, he throws his fist across Neil's face. I gasp, my eyes widening in disbelief, and I shout at Aaron as I try to get between them. Lee pulls Aaron off of Neil.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yell at Aaron, then turn to see Neil behind me. I can tell he's trying not to hit Aaron.

"You're bleeding," I notice Neil's injured lips, and it makes me want to cry. Just the other day, Daisy's men beat him up so badly, and now Aaron- I fucking hate that he's getting beaten by people I am related to.

"You don't need to worry so much about him," Aaron says, glaring at Neil. "Stop pretending, Avni."

I clench my jaw as I turn to face him. "Did you happen to misplace your brain somewhere on your way here? Or did you generously donate it to charity?"

He shoots me a look, and I return the favor with a glare of my own. "Then what the fuck are you saying? He's my husband-"

"For how much longer?" He interrupts. "Oh, just a mere 3-4 months until your contract reaches its thrilling conclusion."

I can feel myself tensing up as I look at everyone in the room. Nora appears sad for us, and Lee wears an expression of utter nonchalance. It suddenly dawns on me why Aaron decided to grace his sister with his presence today- he knows. They all seem to know, except for Alice, who looks confused.

"You! I trusted you," Aaron accuses Neil, his anger evident. "You lied to my face. I can't believe you got her into a contract marriage."

"Avni agreed to this willingly; I didn't pressure her," Neil answers defensively.

"But that's not the point!" Aaron snaps, his anger flaring up once more. "Both of you should have considered the consequences and how this would affect everyone involved. Have you thought about our parents' long-standing friendship? And what about Avni's feelings? Are you sure this is what she wants, or are you treating it like a joke?"

"Tell me, Avni," Aaron asks, turning to me with a mix of sadness and anger in his eyes. "Will you still stand by his side after this contract is over? Aren't you tired of pretending to be happy? Do you truly believe this is worth it?"

"It is!" I snap back. "Now, I don't care if any of you judge me for marrying Neil to secure a job in his company. It was my decision, and I stand by it."

"It wasn't your decision," Aaron insists, holding my shoulders firmly, and I frown deeply. "I know he proposed this contract- it's all his fault!" He says, glaring at Neil.

"Enough," I step back from Aaron and his arms drop down. "If you want to have a rational conversation about this, you need to clear your head of these misguided thoughts. Can't you hear how ridiculous this all sounds, Aaron?"

"Please, Nora, get him out of here." I turn to look at her, who looks worried for us.

"Aaron-"

"I'm not leaving until we clear this up," Aaron cuts off Nora, determination etched on his face. "Now, Neil, explain why you proposed this contract."

"That's a matter between Neil and me," I interject before Neil can respond. "I'm not naive. I know exactly what I'm doing-" I grasp Neil's hand firmly. "-what we are doing."

"Well, enlighten us then!" He retorts sharply. "Because from where I stand, it looks like a mess, and I won't stand by silently while my sister is dragged into something that could potentially hurt her."

"Avni and I entered into this agreement because it seemed like the best way to help each other," Neil explains, stealing a glance at me. "Especially to help me, but it's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Mutually beneficial, huh?" Aaron asks sarcastically. "So, what's your endgame here, Neil? When you're done with this arrangement you'll just toss her aside? I know your type. You're just using her for your own gain, and she's too blinded by this so-called arrangement to see it."

"You're mistaken, Aaron," Neil retorts. "I genuinely care about Avni, and I won't allow anyone to question my intentions."

"Oh, you care about her, do you?" Aaron challenges.

"Aa-"

"I am talking to him, Avni." He says keeping his eyes on Neil.

"I do care about her," Neil continues, holding Aaron's gaze. "In fact, I love her."

A smile creeps onto my face and Lee wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I shoot him an annoyed look.

"We entered into this agreement to pretend, but we haven't been pretending," Neil explains. "All the love, care, and support I've shown Avni have been genuine. I know you're her brother, and you're concerned for her. You probably don't believe a word I say because I lied to you, and I understand."

"Good," Aaron retorts, and I sigh at his arrogance. Neil is being too good to him now.

"Honestly, I don't feel the need to explain or prove anything to anyone about what's been happening between us," Neil continues, his voice sincere and captivating. "We've been in this together, and since our marriage, we've outdone the initial contract. At some point, we stopped considering the contract altogether and started living our lives together."

He turns to me, a warm smile gracing his face as he reaches out to hold my hands. "I know that offering the contract to you shouldn't have been the first impression I made on you. However, I'm grateful I did, because what we have today is a result of it. I started by showing my asshole side to you and yet here we are."

"You weren't that bad on the first day," I joke, and a warm grin spreads across his face. I shift my gaze to Aaron, and I can tell that he still has doubts, likely thinking we're just putting on an act again.

"That's enough of the judgment and questioning our relationship," I state with seriousness. "I don't want anyone to doubt Neil's intentions anymore." My eyes sweep across the room, locking onto Aaron with a pointed stare.

"And as you all claim to be concerned about me, let me put your minds at ease. We're terminating the contract to give ourselves a genuine chance," I declare.

Aaron starts to speak, but I cut him off. "No, Aaron, I'm not lying. I'll provide you with the termination papers once it's done."

He nods slowly and then moves to sit on the couch, burying his face in his hands. I can't help but wonder why he feels the need to take on the responsibility of looking after all of us. He should focus on living his own life happily with his family, instead of constantly worrying about ours.

As the room falls into a momentary silence, Lee, clearly unable to withstand the tension, dings in with his usual humor.

"Well, isn't this a rollercoaster of emotions?" Lee adds, his voice carrying a lighthearted tone that contrasts with the serious atmosphere. "First, we've got contract marriages, then surprise terminations- what's next, a family sitcom?"

I can't help but let out a small chuckle and Neil chuckles slowly next to me. Aaron lifts his head from his hands and shoots Lee a weary but amused look. Nora, who had been mostly quiet, lets out a soft laugh. Alice, who had been perplexed by the whole conversation, finally cracks a smile.

Lee continues his comedic musings feeling proud of himself that he made everyone smile. "Well, folks, it seems like we've stumbled upon a new reality show- Avni and Neil's Contract Chronicles. Coming soon to a television near you!"

His joke triggers a round of laughter, breaking the remaining tension in the room. It's as if Lee's humor has the magical power to dissolve the clouds of uncertainty that had been hanging over us.

It's moments like these that remind me why Lee is such a cherished part of our lives- his ability to inject humor into the most tense situations.

"Jokes aside, Avni and Neil, I'm genuinely glad to see you both taking this step," Lee says seriously. "It shows your commitment to each other, regardless of how your relationship began."

"Yes, it's clear that you both care deeply for one another, and that's what truly matters." Nora says her eyes shimmering with emotion.

Alice, still trying to catch up with the rollercoaster of events, finally finds her voice. "I may not understand all the details, but if this is what makes you both happy, then I support your decision."

Aaron gazes at me, and I respond with a subtle raise of my eyebrows. "Please offer a sincere apology to my husband."

"Avni is absolutely right," Nora chimes in. "You shouldn't have confronted Neil like that, at least not without understanding everything first."

"Thank you, Nora," I acknowledge before turning my attention back to Aaron.

"He knows I didn't intend to harm him," Aaron attempts to explain.

"No, he doesn't," I interject firmly. "Apologize."

"Avni, it's okay," Neil tries to ease the tension, but I shoot him a stern glance, making it clear that I'm not backing down.

"This is entertaining," Lee comments as he settles onto the couch, crossing his legs. "Alice, fetch me some snacks and join me."

Aaron shakes his head at Lee, and Nora grips Aaron's arm, saying something to him. He frowns at her, but she gives him a stern look. Aaron sighs and directs his gaze towards Neil.

"I... I'm sorry for my reaction earlier. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." He admits slowly. "My wife says that, I don't." He adds, and I roll my eyes.

"We reject your apology!" I declare, and Neil chuckles.

"I may have had doubts, but if this is what you both want, I won't stand in your way," Aaron says thoughtfully. "Just... take care of each other."

"We appreciate your support," Neil says.

"I want this to remain strictly among us," Aaron continues, glancing around the room. "Our parents would feel somewhat betrayed if they were to discover this, and we don't want that."

I exchange a look with Lee, crossing my arms, and he raises an eyebrow. "What? I won't spill the beans."

Aaron proceeds to explain what consequences await Lee if he reveals the secret to anyone, sparking banter and argument between them about who is the better secret keeper with Alice and Nora joining in the laughter. I approach Nora, and her demeanor suddenly turns serious. I can never fathom why she becomes so serious when she sees me.

If I were to inquire with Aaron or Lee, they would easily lead the conversation toward seriousness again. So, I decide to question Nora, knowing she tends to brush things off.

"Who informed you about the contract?" I inquire slowly.

"Rose," She discloses. "She sent those papers to Aaron at home."

I nod slowly, and just then, the doorbell rings. Neil goes to open it, and DD joins us. I greet him with a hug, and he asks me about the flight back home. Lee promptly drags him into a video game session.

Aaron and Neil seem to be bonding again, engaging in a serious conversation as they stand at the far end of the living room.

"Are you not hungry?" I ask Neil.

"You go ahead and eat. I'll join you later," He replies before returning to his conversation with Aaron.

What happened to wanting to feed me with his hands?

Annoyed, I am storming away from there, but Lee calls me out.

"What's on the menu for lunch?" He asks.

"We have some delicious leftovers from last night, or you can cook something in the kitchen," I reply annoyed.

"I'm telling you, she's got issues with Neil again," Lee remarks to DD as I am walking away. I grab a pillow and throw it at him.

Alice goes to freshen up and Nora opens the door for someone as I make my way to the kitchen. My face lights up when I see Ruby.

"Ah, look who's here, the enchanting lady herself!" Lee playfully whistles from the living room, his tone carrying a hint of flirtatious charm.

Ruby rolls her eyes at him, and I frown when I see her hugging Nora and then she starts talking with her.

I step into the kitchen, heat some food for myself, and sit at the dining table to eat. Ruby and I have plans for some shopping because I'm revamping my wardrobe, and she's a great help in that regard.

Ruby walks into the kitchen after some time, and I act as though I didn't hear the sound of her heels.

"Well, look who it is, Mrs. Celebrity!" She chirps, casting her eyes upon the food. "Clearly, this must be the handiwork of Neil, am I right?"

I offer an exaggerated eye roll. "Oh, you've cracked the code."

Her brows knit in confusion as she takes a seat beside me, making a plate for herself. "What's with the sour mood?" She inquires. "I happen to be quite the fan of Neil's cooking."

"I didn't know you were besties with Nora," I mutter, my gaze fixed on my plate.

"I like her." Ruby shrugs.

"How splendid," I deadpan. "How did you and Nora become friends?"

Ruby studies me for a moment before sharing, "Remember that little tale I spun about your dear mother showing up at one of Dad's clubs to visit my cousin?"

"Yeah," I reply.

"Well, Nora happened to be there to meet Erica," Ruby explains. "That's how our paths crossed."

"Why did Nora want to see Erica?" I frown. "Are they friends?"

"Not exactly, but close enough. Nora had some business with Erica," She reveals.

"What kind of business?" My curiosity deepens further when she doesn't answer.

"You don't know?" I probe.

"I didn't say I don't know," Ruby counters. "I'm just not sure Nora would appreciate me spilling the beans. I think she's saving it for a dramatic reveal."

"Ah, of course," I mutter to myself. "Just another piece of the puzzle for me to decipher, as if I possess some supernatural ability to read minds."

Ruby rolls her eyes, teasingly declaring, "Only if you would quit thinking and start interrogating! Simply ask Nora. It's that easy."

"Why should I bother?" I scoff. "She can spill the beans when she pleases."

"Ah, the Youngs' egos!" Ruby retorts with an eye roll.

"By the way, we're paying a visit to Rose later because she's decided to unveil this contract to everyone," I inform her.

"That's why we've got a full house, huh?" Ruby grins. "And here I was thinking you had finally organized a family gathering."

"Enough of that!" I swat her arm.

"But seriously, why are we visiting Rose?" She inquires.

I glance around to ensure we're not being overheard before leaning in closer. "Because she hasn't spilled a word about me being adopted to Aaron, and that's giving me the heebie-jeebies. I know she's plotting something."

"Yeah?" Ruby raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I nod solemnly.