The Bigshot Married Himself to the Heiress

Kiya kept staring at Paige, eyes filled with admiration, until she walked far away and disappeared into the scenery. Only then did Kiya reluctantly withdraw his gaze.

After Paige left, Kiya was sure she couldn’t hear them anymore and only then did he bring up Sienna Johnson with Adrian Desmond.

Kiya looked at Adrian sympathetically and explained, "Paige’s belly is getting big. I’m afraid she will worry if she finds out about your sister-in-law, so I’ve been keeping it from her."

"Yes, don’t tell her," Adrian agreed with Kiya’s decision.

In this matter, Paige can’t help much, and even if she knew, it would only add unnecessary worry.

"Let’s talk by the lake," Kiya suggested.

That place is wide open, quiet, and perfect for discussing things they’d rather not have outsiders know about.

"Alright."

The two walked side by side toward the lake. The lake is a man-made one, which Sienna suggested should be dug out because she thought a farm without a lake wasn’t pretty enough. It spans two acres.

Seeing the rippling lake, Adrian felt an overwhelming heaviness as he remembered Sienna.

"I’ve heard about your sister-in-law’s situation, and you’re here to see if I can help, right?" Kiya straightforwardly asked.

Adrian replied, "Kiya, you should go back to Abyanabad and continue being the Sultan."

Kiya looked at the fish jumping over the lake’s surface, smiled, and then gently shook his head.

Adrian turned to look at the man standing beside him and said, "Don’t tell me you plan to live here with Paige forever."

"This place is nice."

Adrian scoffed, "If you truly planned to live here with Paige forever, you wouldn’t have people constantly monitoring the situation over there and wanting to know the news every day."

"I’m also an Abyanabad person. Can’t I be concerned about national affairs?"

"Kiya, it’s just the two of us today, no outsiders. There’s no need to lie to me. What do you really think? Do you seriously not plan to go back? Don’t plan to be the Sultan anymore?"

"As you said before, I’m the Sultan of Abyanabad. I was born destined to bear my responsibility.

Abyanabad, I will return one day!"

Remembering Sienna’s discussion with him about Kiya choosing between ’country and beauty,’ she said Kiya gave up the country for beauty. Now, it seems Kiya never chose to give up his ’country.’

Adrian said, "I knew it. Compared to Paige, you can’t part with your throne."

Kiya said seriously, "I’m part of the royal family of Abyanabad. I was born with that responsibility. I admit I can’t forget Abyanabad. But the premise is that Paige goes back with me. I’ll be the Sultan, and she’ll be my queen!"

"..."

"If she doesn’t want to be the queen of Abyanabad, I don’t want to be the Sultan either."

Adrian replied, "Paige doesn’t want to live in the Imperial Palace!"

"I know."

Adrian asked, "If she never wants to go back to the palace with you her whole life, does that mean you won’t be the Sultan?"

Kiya didn’t give Adrian an answer. Adrian looked at Kiya’s face and from his expression saw Kiya’s greed: Kiya wanted both the country and the beauty.

Adrian took out a pack of cigarettes, drew one, and started smoking. "Want a cigarette?"

"I’ve quit smoking."

Adrian took a puff, let out a smoke ring, and said, "Yeah, pregnant women can’t stand the smell of smoke. When Sienna was pregnant, she couldn’t stand even a little bit of smoke on me."

Kiya said to Adrian, "You should find a woman named Minnie. She’s responsible for the cleaning staff in the palace and can access most places there.

If you want to know whether your sister-in-law is in the palace, you can ask her for help."

"Does she have such capability?"

Kiya smiled, "Don’t underestimate these palace staff. People like Minnie, who have served the royal family of Abyanabad for generations, have an extensive network. If they want to find something out, there’s nothing they can’t know."

"..."

"At least more effective than your people."

"But will she help me?"

The royal family of Abyanabad has existed for 600 years, and those who have worked for them for generations are very loyal to the royal family.

"I’m already a ’dead man.’" Kiya had no way to give Adrian any token or use his identity to get Minnie’s help.

"I understand, thank you."

"You’re welcome."

...

In the kitchen, Paige was directing the chef to prepare breakfast. This chef is from Abyanabad and makes incredibly delicious Abyanabad cuisine.

Paige had the chef make an authentic Abyanabad breakfast. When it was done, she waited for a long time but they never came back.

Paige went to find them and from a distance saw Adrian smoking with a worried frown, which made Paige uneasy.

She knew they must be keeping something from her, so Paige called Sienna, but Sienna’s phone never went through.

Paige then called Curly, the little girl who surely knew something.

"Aunt, good morning." Curly’s voice was low, giving Paige quite a fright.

"Curly, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"..."

"Curly, why aren’t you speaking?"

Adrian seemed off, and now even Curly was acting strange, plus she couldn’t get through to Sienna, had something really happened?

"Curly, tell Auntie what’s going on?"

Curly, unaware her father and uncle were hiding her mother’s disappearance from Paige, told her that Sienna had been abducted.

"... Aunt, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t insisted mom take me to the summer camp, she wouldn’t have been kidnapped by the bad guys... and my little sister... my sister keeps crying now..."

"..."

"Aunt, when do you think mom will come back?"

Paige felt a chill all over, unable to react for a long time... No wonder Adrian would suddenly come here, acting so strange.

It turned out Sienna had been kidnapped.

After coming to her senses, Paige could hear Curly crying again. The little girl was lively, rarely cried.

"Curly, don’t cry. Your mom will definitely come back."

"But it’s been so many days, and mom hasn’t returned. If mom doesn’t come back, dad won’t come either... Aunt, is dad mad at me?"

Curly felt the most guilty about Sienna’s disappearance.

"Your dad is here with me. He’s not mad at you. Your dad loves you the most, have you forgotten?"

"Why did dad go to you? Is mom with you?" Curly’s tone was full of hope.

"No, I’ve only seen your dad."

Curly cried again, and Paige comforted her, "Don’t cry, Curly. Don’t be sad or blame yourself. It’s not your fault, it’s those bad people."

But no matter what, Curly couldn’t be comforted, her crying making Paige’s heart ache, "Curly, I have lots of diamonds here, I’ll give them all to you, okay?"