Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 70

Aria's POV

I felt my ears burn instantly when Aiden said "my wife." The flush spread across my face like wildfire.

This was exactly what I'd hoped to avoid—getting him involved in this petty drama. But before I could even open my mouth to downplay things, Summer's indignation got the better of her.

"Mr. Carter, they treated Aria horribly in there!" Summer launched into a detailed account of everything—from the coordinator shoving me to Diana's condescending remarks.

Her words tumbled out so fast I couldn't stop her.

Aiden listened silently, his expression growing more controlled with each detail Summer shared. When she finally finished, he turned to me with those penetrating eyes that always seemed to see right through me.

"I understand now," he said evenly. "How long until the performance starts?"

Summer, clearly delighted that Aiden was taking my side, quickly answered: "About thirty minutes."

"Give me a moment," he said to me, stepping aside with his phone.

I watched him walk away, feeling a mix of embarrassment and something else I couldn't quite name. This wasn't how I wanted him to see me - being pushed around at an event where I should have been treated with professional respect.

"See?" Summer whispered excitedly, nudging my arm. "Mr. Carter's going to fix this for you. We're not leaving, right?"

I frowned slightly. "I actually didn't want him involved in this mess."

The truth was, I already had my own plan in motion. I hadn't spent years in this industry without learning how to handle situations like this. Diana might have her American fame, but I had my own connections and reputation.

This benefit concert wasn't just any event - Elena Brooks, the head organizer, had personally invited me. She'd been transparent from the beginning about why she wanted me there.

While Diana brought local star power, I provided international reach. This wasn't about fundraising as much as raising global awareness for hearing-impaired children.

What those staff members didn't understand when they rudely pushed me out was that I was actually one of the event's key performers.

Last year, I'd had a six-minute solo performance at the International Classical Music Awards - something Elena had specifically mentioned when inviting me.

She'd been strategic about wanting both domestic and international attention for this cause.

I hadn't actually planned to give up my performance at all.

While Summer thought I was just using the bathroom earlier, I'd actually called Elena directly to inform her of the situation. I knew it wouldn't be long before she personally came to bring me back.

Everything was already arranged - I just hadn't counted on Summer telling Aiden everything before I could explain the situation.

"Aria," Summer said, misunderstanding my reluctance, "I know you like keeping a low profile, but you can't just let someone like Diana Hayes walk all over you!"

I opened my mouth to explain that I wasn't planning to let anyone walk over me, when I noticed Aiden returning from his call. I quickly closed my mouth. Somehow, I felt embarrassed to let him know about my little behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

"Do you still want to perform?" he asked directly, his eyes focused intently on mine.

I glanced at Summer, who was watching us eagerly, then back at Aiden. "Actually, I don't think my performance will be canceled that easily..."

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