Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 328

Aria's POV

I glanced at my phone with anticipation. Monday had finally arrived, and Linda was in New York for a concert series. We'd arranged this meetup through I*******m a month ago, and I couldn't wait to see her.

Linda had arrived last Friday. With performances scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, Monday was our only option to catch up. We'd met years ago at a music festival—her violin was every bit as impressive as my piano. We connected instantly, discovering our personalities clicked perfectly, and soon became close friends.

In earlier years, when Linda's schedule was less demanding, she'd frequently fly to New York just to have dinner with me. But the past two years had been different. Her family business faced difficulties, and she'd been forced into a marriage of convenience to save it. For over a year after that marriage, she barely touched her violin or performed.

I thought she'd given up music entirely and mourned that loss for her. Still, I understood the weight of responsibility she carried. The Smith family had given her twenty-five years of privileged comfort; when they faced trouble, she couldn't just stand aside as their daughter.

While marriages of convenience among the elite don't involve everyday struggles like ordinary people face, they come with their own complications. Linda's situation was particularly difficult since her arranged husband had been with his girlfriend for five years before their marriage. Overnight, Linda became viewed as "the other woman" despite being his legal wife.

My father, Benjamin Jones, occasionally mentioned how chaotic Linda's married life had become. My heart ached for her, but there was nothing I could do except offer friendship and support.

When Liam abandoned me at the altar, I couldn't bring myself to tell Linda, not wanting to burden her with more problems. She found out anyway, and I practically had to restrain her from flying over with Lillian to beat Liam White to a pulp.

Later, when I married Aiden and the news created such a sensation, Linda realized I was doing well and stopped mentioning my situation altogether. I'd tried to visit her recently, but she declined. Then, barely two weeks later, she suddenly contacted me about her performance in New York and suggested we meet.

"Is this seat taken, beautiful?"

A familiar melodic voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up instinctively, meeting Linda's fox-like mischievous eyes.

"Lindy, you're here!" I smiled, using my old nickname for her.

Linda slid into the seat across from me, grinning. "Is it me, or have you gotten even prettier?"

I felt heat rising to my cheeks. "No way. It's just been so long since you've seen me—you're imagining things!"

Linda studied my flushed face, her smile deepening. "There's something different... a sensual kind of beauty about you now."

My face turned crimson as I quickly pushed the menu toward her. "Hurry and pick something to eat!"

She accepted the menu but couldn't resist one more tease. "Well, that's marriage for you. I completely understand."

"...You sound exactly like Lillian!" I groaned.

Seeing my complete embarrassment, Linda finally relented. "Let's order, let's order!"

She casually selected two signature dishes before returning the menu to me. Resting her chin in her hands, she observed me thoughtfully. "Seeing you this happy puts my mind at ease."

I glanced at her. "...You look good too."

After adding two more dishes to our order and setting the menu aside, I studied her appearance. "When did you cut your hair short?"

Linda took a sip of tea before answering. "It got hot this summer, so I cut it. Turns out I really like it short—don't think I'll grow it out again."

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