Chapter 4: A Fake Marriage

"Pervert!" Judith let out a sharp cry, shot upright, and fixed Magnus with a scorching glare.  Whatever goodwill she had felt a moment ago evaporated instantly. Magnus looked a bit awkward.  He figured the heat from the Kirin Kidney was becoming increasingly difficult to control.  He needed to balance things out or he'd be in trouble. He let out a low, rueful laugh. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself." "Ugh!" Judith's pale cheeks flushed. She called to Timothy, "Grandpa, look at him. He's a total creep." Timothy waved her off. "If a man isn't a little lusty, how's he supposed to have a lot of kids? Besides, you're dazzling. What young man wouldn't be moved? Don't blame Magnus." Magnus felt a surge of gratitude.  He thought Timothy was actually pretty amusing. Judith was speechless. She ducked behind her three younger sisters to fix her clothes. The three sisters closed ranks, whispering among themselves. "What a jerk." "He might be good at massages, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a creepy pervert." "If Judith marries him, he'll wear her out." "Look at his eyes. He's going to try to lay a hand on us. We cannot let him into our family!" The more Judith listened, the more worked up she got. She glared at Magnus. Magnus felt a flash of defiance.  Since Judith was reluctant to marry him, he would make her fall in love with him. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to release his masculine energy. He put on a pitiful look. "Mr. Hopkins, if you want me to honor the engagement, I'm willing. I'm just worried Judith's so hot-tempered that she won't sleep with me." The room erupted.  He hadn't even married Judith yet and was already talking about sharing a bed. Her eyes reddened with anger. At that moment, Nolan chuckled.  "If Ms. Judith doesn't want to marry Magnus, my granddaughter is willing to take her place." He pulled out his phone and showed Magnus a photo. "Mr. Magnus, my granddaughter is just as lovely as Ms. Judith, and she's a lot easier to get along with." Timothy suddenly dragged Magnus aside. "Nolan, are you trying to steal my future grandson-in-law? That's not cool." Eager to land this prize son-in-law, Nolan smiled shamelessly. "I thought Ms. Judith didn't want to marry Magnus. I was trying to help." Timothy waved him off. "I know exactly what you're thinking. You want Magnus for your granddaughter? Get in line." Watching two old men fight over Magnus, Judith could hardly believe it.  Had he bewitched them? Fearing Nolan might snatch Magnus away, Timothy barked out orders. "The longer we wait, the more likely something will go wrong. You two should get the marriage certificate now and spend the night together!" Judith nearly choked on her own spit.  "Grandpa, are you really that afraid I won't get married?" "And you want us to have our wedding night tonight?" Just as she was about to explode, her three sisters grabbed her. "Grandpa's made up his mind. We have to go along for now, then figure out how to chase Magnus out." "He's a pervy creep. The three of us will take turns trying to seduce him and get him to cross the line." "If he lays a hand on any of us, we'll accuse him of assaulting his sister-in-law." "Grandpa hates people who cross the line. He won't tolerate it. He'll throw Magnus out, and you'll be free." Judith's eyes narrowed sharply.  "Right. Why didn't I think of that?" She looked at her three sisters, all gorgeous and radiant, and a sly smile curved her lips. Judith agreed to the plan. Timothy beamed with delight. Nolan sighed in disappointment. Magnus caught the sly glint in Judith's eyes.  She was definitely scheming something.  He didn't mind.  He needed to investigate his family's fire accident from years ago and would be staying in Greyhove for a while.  He had plenty of time and patience to spar with Judith. "Go get the marriage certificate!" Judith brought her BMW 5 Series around herself.  Her perfume lingered in the car, and her long, sleek legs only fanned the flames.  The Kirin Kidney heat Magnus had just suppressed roared back.  He had to admit, Judith was stunning from head to toe. "Quit staring at me!" Judith yanked a jacket over her legs sharply. "We're going to the affairs bureau." Magnus asked, "Why go there?" She frowned. "To get a marriage certificate. Where else?" He shook his head, smiling. "You're gorgeous, but do you think I want to marry you?" "I was putting on a show for your grandpa. You get it?" Judith was mortified.  She hadn't turned him down, but he was turning her down. She crossed her arms and said coldly, "If we don't get the certificate, how do we explain it to Grandpa? I don't want to upset him." Magnus's eyes held a mocking smile. "We can fake our relationship." Judith blinked, then broke into delighted laughter.  "Right, we get a phony certificate and pretend to be married! If we keep it a secret, Grandpa will never know." Magnus smiled faintly. She caught on quickly. Judith asked, "So when will you leave the Hopkins family?" Magnus shot back, "When did I say I'd leave? Did you forget your grandpa wants us to share a bed tonight?" "I say we sleep together tonight and talk about the rest later." Judith's eyes went wide. "So your plan is just a way to sleep with me and dodge responsibility. You're a bastard!" Magnus didn't bother to hide it. "You can put it that way. You've had two wardrobe malfunctions in front of me. Tonight I'll strip for you, then we're even." Judith was stunned.  Who wanted to see him naked? What a total degenerate.  It only hardened her resolve to drive Magnus out of the Hopkins family. Seething, she posted in her sisters' WhatsApp group chat.  "We start the honey trap tonight. I want Magnus to screw up big time because he can't resist your looks." Over the years, suitors came in groups, but the Hopkins sisters stayed virgins.  They had never tried to seduce a man.  Reading Judith's message gave the three sisters a wicked little thrill.