Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem



Amidst Evan and Emmett's wide-eyed astonishment, she turned to Tarquin, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Is this, really, your family's old mansion?"

"Yeah," Tarquin responded simply.

Elysia glanced outside the car window at the sprawling golf course. "Your... your family's place is this huge, this lavish?"

Tarquin knew exactly what was running through her mind and said, "You're just not used to this kind of luxury. If you ever visited the Bradfords, the wealthiest family around, you'd be even more astounded."

Elysia let out a sigh of relief. "You had me scared for a moment there. I thought your family was the Bradford clan."

Tarquin looked puzzled. "Why be scared?"

Elysia pouted slightly. "Well, technically, I'm still married to a Bradford, so I'm the wife of the richest man, Tarquin Bradford, in name at least!" And they hadn't divorced yet.

So, if today her secret lover and Tarquin met, it would be a scandalous encounter between a 'homewrecker' and a legitimate husband.

Though neither of them loved her, the mere thought of such a confrontation was terrifying.

Elysia tried to brush it off. "I'm just not accustomed to such grandeur. I've heard the Bradfords can be quite intimidating."

Tarquin, still oblivious to the fact that she was his wife, didn't think much of it. The Bradfords were indeed a den of lions, with everyone harboring dark secrets. Frightening, indeed.

"We just share a surname. My family has nothing to do with the Bradfords' wealth."

"Oh," Elysia thought to herself, how easily fooled she was.

She continued to gaze out the window, marveling at the breathtaking scenery and the rare species of trees visible from the road. She couldn't help but ask, "Even so, your family must be quite affluent, right? Maybe not the wealthiest, but definitely up there?"

Tarquin replied, "Their wealth has nothing to do with me. They don't like me much, and I've never really benefited from their riches. I used to be wealthy myself until my business tanked, and I ended up penniless."

"You've started to make money again recently, haven't you?"

"A little, but I've given all the cash to you."

"What? You gave me all your money?"

"Yeah."

"So, you're broke now?"

"I've got a few thousand... well, maybe just a couple hundred bucks to my name right now, not entirely sure."

Elysia was shocked. "Which is it, thousands or hundreds? And why would you give it all to me?"

She conveniently ignored the 'billion' part, never having imagined his assets could reach into the billions.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

Tarquin explained, "You've been taking care of Elijah. I'm grateful to you."

Elysia believed his words, her expression a mix of being touched and guilty.

"You're making me feel terrible. I thought you had come into a huge fortune. Yesterday, I went on a shopping spree and spent so much money! Can you even afford to pay off the bills next month?"

"I've checked; I can cover it."

"Maybe I should return some of it to you."

Tarquin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Would you really?"

Elysia clenched her teeth, as if making a painful decision.

"I can't let you be left destitute. I'll give you back five thousand... no, eight thousand!"

Tarquin replied dryly, "Thanks, but there's no need."

He had given her a million, and she was contemplating returning a few thousand, as if it were a huge sacrifice, and even then, she was already feeling the pinch.

Elysia asked, "Do you think it's too little or too much?"

Tarquin, looking into her bright, innocent eyes, couldn't bring himself to scoff at her naivety. "I meant I've got a few hundred in cash. I still have assets that haven't been liquidated; you don't need to worry about me."

Elysia immediately asked, "You have assets that haven't been liquidated? How much?"

"I haven't really calculated."

Elysia was curious, but prying too much into someone's financial affairs felt rude, so she didn't press further.

"So, when will you liquidate them?"

"Does it matter to you?"