Chapter 9 Will Fulfill the Duties of a Wife

Aria was taken aback. Did Simon think she was some kind of criminal? Why was he keeping his distance?

She figured Simon was just super shy.

But that night, he was all passion. So why was he acting more bashful than her during the day?

Simon cleared his throat and asked, "Can you really whip up a theme song that fits our crew's vibe? Our show's a big deal, and the theme song's gotta be top-notch."

His eyes were soft but felt like they were sizing her up.

"Why don't you tell me about your show's style? I can sing something similar, or you can pick a song for me to cover."

Actions speak louder than words. She didn't want to prove herself, but since he was the client, she had no choice.

"Looking forward to your performance." Simon handed her a song the director had picked for her to try.

As the music started, Aria closed her eyes a bit and began to sing.

Her voice flowed out like a mountain stream, pulling everyone into a dreamlike state.

Simon had heard this song a bunch of times and many covers too, but apart from the original singer, Aria was the first to really draw him in.

When the song ended, Aria opened her eyes and looked at Simon.

"You sing beautifully," Simon said, clearly impressed.

He always knew Laura's singing was good, but Aria was even better.

However he found out that their voices were so similar. Was it just him, or was it a York family thing?

"Thanks," Aria said calmly. "So, did I pass?"

"Absolutely, congrats." Simon stood up, all gentlemanly, and offered his hand.

Aria shook it briefly, then let go, polite but distant.

"The York family is something else, with you and Laura both being such great singers," Simon said with a smile.

"You mean my voice sounds like Laura's, right?" Aria cut to the chase.

She didn't like beating around the bush. If Simon noticed the similarity, she might as well be straightforward.

"Yeah, maybe because you're sisters?" Simon asked, curious.

"Actually, the songs you heard from Laura were sung by me." Aria smirked.

"Really?" Simon looked at her, half-believing.

"There's a talent show coming up. Watch the live broadcast," Aria said, raising an eyebrow.

Whether it's true or not, the live show would reveal the answer.

"No need, I'll be there as a judge and watch it on the spot," Simon said.

Was he worried she couldn't handle it and wanted to help her?

Thinking of this, Aria looked at Simon with a glimmer in her eyes. Over the years, he was the only one who had lent her a helping hand. "Thank you. Even if it would be a secret marriage in the future, I will fulfill my duties as a wife."

Simon thought she was talking about Lewis, "No need to thank me, I'll pass it on to Lewis."

Aria looked at him strangely. What did it have to do with his uncle?

"No need to let your uncle know, it is fine only you do." The tenderness in her tone and eyes gave Simon goosebumps.

Was Aria planning to betray Lewis?

After Aria left, Simon quickly called Lewis. "Lewis! If you don't step in, your future wife is going to fall for me!"

Lewis was in an international meeting. When this call came through, the person reporting the work was stunned, and the entire conference room fell silent.

Doomed, they had heard about the Windsor family's scandal. Was there any way out?

Lewis's face was icy. He looked up and glanced around the conference room. Everyone lowered their heads, pretending they hadn't heard anything.

"Haven't you been a bit too free lately? There's a project in Africa that needs following up."

"Please, no!" Simon said, looking desperate.

He knew that several departments were struggling with the African project, and the work was extremely challenging.

He didn't know when he would be able to return if he went there, and he didn't want to suffer in Africa.

"Lewis, don't be mad," Simon said, trying to smooth things over. "The talent show's gonna be a blast, and Aria's participating. If you have time, why not come as a guest too?"

Aria was participating?

A glimmer appeared in Lewis's eyes. "You handle it."

"And the African project?" Simon grinned.

"Since you have a show, I'll consider assigning the project to someone else," Lewis said and hung up.

Looking at the disconnected call, Simon couldn't help but grumble about his uncle's ruthlessness.

But hey, at least he dodged the African project.

He just couldn't figure out Lewis. The guy clearly cared about Aria but acted all reserved and left him to handle it.

If Aria really fell for someone else, Lewis would regret it big time.

Meanwhile, Aria decided to make good use of her mysterious singer persona, Amnesia, and signed up for the talent show.

She immediately got a reply from the review staff: [Oh my god, you're Amnesia!]

The identity of Amnesia had already gained some buzz online. Her unique voice had attracted a ton of fans.

But she had always kept a low profile, never showing up at events, and no one knew who Amnesia really was.

So the talent show organizer quickly reached out to Aria, welcoming her with open arms.

Living in the York Villa, Aria couldn't avoid running into Billy and Laura, and her good mood instantly vanished.

"Aria, where have you been? Have you prepped the song for the talent show?" Billy asked, pretending to care.

"It's ready," Aria replied calmly, though she was sneering inside.

Hearing the answer she wanted, Laura's face lit up with joy.

"Billy, I suddenly feel unwell. Can you take me to the hospital?" Laura said, clinging to Billy's arm.

She didn't want to see Aria's scarred face for another second.

"Laura, what's wrong? Let's go to the hospital right away," Billy said, looking all worried.

Aria found it ridiculous. Billy was all over Laura, a stark contrast to how he used to treat her. How could she have been fooled for so long?

Before leaving, Laura shot her a provocative look.

But Billy, focused entirely on Laura, didn't even remember he had a fiancée as he walked out of the York Villa with Laura.

Seeing them leave, Aria felt more at ease.

But thinking about her past sincerity and efforts, Aria couldn't help but post on Facebook: [Two scumbags should be together and not harm others!]

Soon, her best friend Becky Brooks liked the post.

Becky sent a message: [Honey, you are no longer Love-struck!]

Aria: [Of course, I wish I could drag my past self over and give her a good beating.]

Becky: [Congrats! I've been telling you that jerk was unreliable, but you never listened, which drove me nuts.]

Aria: [I'll treat you to something delicious when you get back.]

Becky: [Not the best, just the most expensive!]

Aria: [No problem!]

Becky: [Are you still having nightmares lately?]

Aria: [Not as much.]

Becky: [When I was abroad for a medical exchange, I met a very skilled psychologist. I learned a method from him to treat frequent nightmares. We can try it when I get back.]

Aria often had bizarre and terrifying nightmares, with scenes so real and horrifying.

Sometimes she dreamed of being chased by a group of mysterious people with hideous faces, following her in the dark.

She ran desperately but could never shake them off.

Other times, she dreamed of sitting in a car that suddenly got hit and exploded. The impact and flames made her feel despair even in her dreams.

There were also scenes of drowning in the sea, with water filling her mouth and nose. The suffocating sensation was so intense that when she woke up from the dream, she still felt a lingering fear.

Aria arrived at a secret underground room.

The room was filled with various mechanical devices, some looking very advanced.

Aria found it strange. She had lost her memory and couldn't remember most of the past, but she was very adept at using these devices.

Whether it was simple mechanics or complex programs, she could create them as long as she wanted.

This was her secret, known only to her childhood friend Becky, and no one else.

Moreover, deep in her mind, there seemed to be a string of codes and an address.

Other than that, she couldn't remember anything related. Maybe it was connected to her lost memories.

Aria sat at the desk and started tweaking an audio clip.

She set up a special program to automatically destroy the audio under specific trigger conditions.