Surprise Marriage to a Billionaire
Chapter 103: Taken

Chapter 103: Taken

Rain hesitated, her discomfort growing. She had long distanced herself from her father’s name, but she couldn’t avoid the question. "Yes," she finally answered, her voice strained. "He’s my father."

Before the conversation could go further, Rock smoothly stepped in, his voice calm yet purposeful. "Don’t you two need to discuss business?" he asked, giving Alexander a knowing look. "Why not continue over dinner and take Attorney Clayton along? I’m sure she’s hungry by now."

Rain glanced at Rock, appreciating the subtle way he shifted the attention from her, and gave him a small, grateful smile. Alexander caught the cue and nodded. "That’s a good idea. Let’s wrap this up over dinner," he agreed, turning to Rain. "Shall we?"

Rain, relieved by Rock’s timely intervention, offered the elders a courteous bow and a polite smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you all," she said warmly before turning to walk alongside Alexander. As they headed out, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude, both for the diversion and for the smooth escape from the center of attention.

As soon as Rain and Alexander left, a surprised silence settled over the room. Vernice, ever quick to speak her mind, was the first to break it.

"So what if she’s Tim Clayton’s daughter? It’s not like she had anything to do with his past actions," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, though her lips twitched slightly as she glanced at Arlan, James, and Darwin.

"Don’t tell me," she scorned, "that you all suddenly see her differently after praising her, just because you found out her father is Tim Clayton?"

Eric, who had been watching the exchange with curiosity, finally spoke up. "Aunt, what’s the story with this Tim Clayton? I feel like I’m missing something here."

Vernice sighed, glancing at the older men before answering. "Tim Clayton’s got a history with these three. Let’s just say, his name still leaves a bad taste in some people’s mouths."

Arlan remained silent, his jaw tight, while James shrugged, clearly less concerned but not dismissive of the tension. Darwin glanced between them, frowning but choosing not to speak.

"But Rain’s her own person," Vernice added firmly. "She shouldn’t be judged for what her father did. She’s clearly nothing like him."

Eric nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. It’s just strange how everyone reacted when her father’s name came up."

"It’s because of the history," James finally spoke, breaking his silence. "A lot of things went down back then. Let’s just say Tim Clayton isn’t the kind of man anyone here trusts, but Rain... she seems different."

Rock released a deep sigh. He would have loved for everyone to know that Rain was his daughter-in-law, but he respected her decision to keep it private for now. Only Vernice was aware of the truth. Still, he was planning to discuss the matter with Rain soon and reassure her that the three men before him—Arlan, James, and his trusted friends—could be discreet and trusted.

However, he couldn’t help but wonder how Arlan would react once he found out. Arlan had always liked the idea of Alexander being with his daughter Carla and constantly insisted and informing him that Carla had never been involved with anyone else while building her career abroad. The truth would be a shock...

But seeing their reactions now, after learning that Rain was Tim Clayton’s daughter, Rock thought maybe Rain was right to keep the marriage a secret. It was best for Alexander to reveal it when he was ready.

"Rain has been distancing herself from Tim Clayton for a while. She moved out and has been avoiding him ever since he tried to marry her off to Michael Astor," Rock informed. He wanted to make it clear that his daughter-in-law was nothing like her father. She was different, remarkable, and someone he was proud of.

Arlan frowned, curious. "How do you know all this?"

Rock smirked. "I make it a point to dig into someone’s background before letting them anywhere near my sons, especially someone as striking as Rain."

Darwin blinked in surprise. "It sounds like you approve of her if she’ll be involved with Alexander. But—" Darwin’s gaze drifted to Arlan, the unspoken tension thickening.

"What?" Rock’s voice was firm. "My son is a free man. He can choose who he wants to be with. He and Carla are over. I will support him as long as he chooses a good person. Background doesn’t matter to me."

Everyone went quiet, sensing the underlying tension. Rock could feel it too, though he remained composed.

"Carla’s coming back this winter," Arlan said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Oh, that’s good news," Vernice interjected quickly, trying to ease the situation. "Is she coming back for good?"

"Yes, she plans to settle here permanently after finishing her current project," Arlan confirmed. Rock remained unfazed, showing no reaction.

Just then, James turned to Eric with a teasing grin. "And you, kid? Do you like Attorney Clayton? I saw the way you were smiling at her, barely blinking while you talked to her!"

Eric nearly choked on his wine, coughing in shock. "What? !"

Rock raised an eyebrow when Eric’s red face turned at him. "Well, do you?" he pondered.

Eric’s face turned pale as he stammered, "Uncle, how could you even ask me that?"

Rock shrugged, amused. He wasn’t naive. It was clear Rain had caught Eric’s attention, though he trusted Eric wouldn’t jeopardize his friendship with Alexander. After all, admiring someone wasn’t a crime and his daughter-in-law was undeniably charming!

"But it’s just a simple question—yes or no. You brat..." James said, shaking his head at his son.

Eric shrugged and replied, "Of course, who wouldn’t like Attorney Clayton? She’s a remarkable woman, but she’s already taken. I should look elsewhere if I value my life."

"I’m hungry too. I’ll leave now!" Eric added, giving everyone a courteous bow before quickly making his exit. Vernice chuckled and remarked, "Eric is so cute. I hope he finds the right girl for himself!"

James, still puzzled, asked, "But if Eric says Attorney Clayton is taken, does that mean...?"

Rock chuckled and answered proudly, "She already has a man, and that man is my son."