THE BILLIONAIRE SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

"I hate you," Mia yells, kicking the back of her brother's headrest. Xavier doesn't react. Instead, he focuses his attention more on the road. Mia then proceeds to lean in my direction, causing her to snuggle my elbow. "You're so warm," she says, snuggling closer. Then she looks up at me from under her lashes and says, "Don't you just hate him?" I nod in agreement. Mia and I had taken one too many drinks, and since we both couldn't drive home, we had no choice but to call someone. My sister wouldn't pick up, which was to be expected since she had a photoshoot tomorrow. Xavier, on the other, had picked up on the second ring. I lean against the window, too tired to keep my head up.Xavier's deep voice cuts through my drunken haze. "How much did you guys have to drink?" he asks; I start to count on my fingers just as Mia blurts out, "Not nearly enough." then, in a hushed tone she adds."He might be my brother, but it's obvious I inherited all the smarts." She giggles at her own joke, w

My parents' home looked like something that crawled out of an Elle Décor Magazine. The living room had several pieces of furniture, including a large white sofa which sat at the center of it all and in front of it a large marble coffee table. On the other side of the room was a glass case showcasing my father's priced book collections, and next to it was my father's favorite painting of a majestic horse."Your skin looks dry," my mother examined with critical eyes. She stood across from me, her own skin glowing with a milky opalescent that almost seemed too fake. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a bun, and her eyes did little to hide the disapproval she felt."Have you been attending your monthly facial?" she asks, her eyes lingering on my neck."Yes, Mother," I reply, forcing a smile."Good. You're not getting any younger, you know; it's good that you make an effort to maintain your youth." Ever since Kathrine's engagement to Xavier, my mother has made it a habit to constantly remi

Something was odd but I couldn’t pinpoint it ,the air was filled with a spring of disappointment and I could sense the coming trail that would await.“Where is Katherine”I asked one of the event manager.Ofcourse they wouldn’t know,how would they,their job was just to decorate and get paid ... .well with free food.I had kept walking through the halls till I stumbled on my family doors,I heard arguments chirping in,from Olivia back to her mother before I finally heard my fathers ruthless voice.I had heard it all,and I refuse to let that happen,never to her.“Whatever plans you have in mind Father,call it till zero”I barged in…speaking without fear to my dad.To him he was the emperor,filled with wrath,I was nothing like him…but I could borrow some characters when needed.To me,he was just a spoiled parent ... .Yes, that was the right word to use for someone who would use their children just to gain a business collaboration.Like we were some scale that marked his profit and loss.“You

I stood there, the heaviness of my veil weighed down on me, like it was reminding me, clarifying that I was indeed the substituteThe lace scratched over my skin, suffocating as though it knew it didn’t belong to me. That I wasn’t supposed to wear it.The gown wasn’t mine, and this day, thus cursed day was never meant for me.Mother’s sharp voice rang in my ears, reminding me of the title I held and not to screw it up.Not to screw my family’s business in the mud, because my behavior at this weapon would determine my fathers business future.“Smile.. you’ve always kept a borny face; not today”she said, but how could I smile ?How could I laugh and let my cheekbones betray me?when I know the void that is feeling inside of me.Sure they would be happy, but me… no one really knew what I wanted.“Stop fidgeting, when the doors open, you smile, do you hear me?” She ordered again.The repetition of laughter I had to carry.Smile?, when my sister had run off and left me to pick pieces of h