THE MAFIA DON'S REPLACEMENT BRIDE

LIRA 

“Sign these papers if you wish to see your sick grandmother again! I know your street number, color of your bedsheets and even the pants you have on now.” The kidnapper who abducted me on my way back to work barked at me. 

I startled in fear, not sure what to say without pissing him off. 

“What do you want from me? I’m just a regular girl in the street,” I said innocently. 

I could feel his dangerous gaze on me, but what would he want with an ordinary woman just trying to get home?

“You’re the chosen one, and it's only because you look like her. Besides,my boss doesn't like being reminded of his mistakes. You never should have showed up!” his voice was taunting, almost as if he resented me for my face. 

Her? Who was that? 

Also…his boss? There was obviously another person behind this, however, I could not ask any questions. 

Those words haunted me, because that was the only explanation I got for my current situation. 

All of this was two weeks ago, and as I stood on the altar, waiting for my husband-to-be, I couldn't help but reminisce on it.  

Two weeks ago, I was just a regular woman, going about my normal life as a waitress and taking care of my grandmother.

However, it had all been destroyed when I was kidnapped on my way back home from work on a dark night. 

I was blindfolded and thrown into the back of a van. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a cold and damp room, and my kidnapper was staring at me with a menacing look on his face. 

He didn't waste any time and got straight to the point. He wanted me to take on the identity of some woman, and get married to Sebastian Jameson in her place. 

My life, as well as my grandmother's life were in his hands, and I soon found out that I had no choice at all. 

When I asked that man why he was doing that to me, he told me that I had no one else but myself to blame for being born with that woman's face. 

For the past two weeks, I had done a lot of extensive research on the man I was supposed to marry, going over any media piece I could find on him over and over again, but there was barely anything to see. 

The only thing I knew was that he was an elusive billionaire rumoured to have ties with the mafia. 

How was I supposed to go through with this marriage?

The wedding bells chimed, and it dragged me out of my reverie. 

Raising my head, I saw that the large doors of the beautiful hall where the wedding was taking place were pulled open, and a man walked in, his steps carefree. 

He sauntered towards me, and my heart skipped a beat with every step that he took. 

I swallowed hard, watching his every move. This was my husband.... would he find out that there was something wrong with me? 

“You have a passable face”, his face was scrunched up in disgust as he said this, and I was reminded that my face was the sole reason I was here right now. 

"I...." I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but he grabbed my face, looking at it as if he was appraising a product. 

With a sneer, he let go of my face, making sure to wipe his hands on a napkin after he was done. 

I disgusted him that much? 

"I thought that Marco wouldn't dare to go through with this," he said mockingly. 

After studying Sophia Vale's life for two weeks, I was aware of the existence of Marco, her grandfather, the man who initiated this marriage. 

Sebastian’s gaze carried intense hate when he spoke of Marco, and I was confused. 

Wasn't this an arranged marriage? Why would he get into an arranged marriage with someone he hated?

My eyes fell on the people seated in the hall, and I searched the crowd for the person who had forced me into this madness. 

A man seated in the front row stood up almost immediately, his gaze on me almost threatening. 

"Boss, we need to proceed with the wedding. The vows...."

"We don't need any of those things," Sebastian's voice sounded again, his eyes not leaving my face for even a second. 

"Everyone knows that Sophia Vale is my wife! I'd like to see who wants to contest that!" 

His words were powerful, and he didn't give me the chance to contest it, his lips came crashing down hard on mine in a fierce kiss! 

He bit my lips hard, and I was forced to open my mouth, letting this man invade my mouth with his tongue. 

The entire crowd erupted in cheers as they clapped loudly. 

What were they clapping for, anyway? I had no idea if I would be able to survive this!

I closed my eyes as I just accepted his kiss, I had lost the power to say no two weeks ago when I was kidnapped. 

My lips were still raw even as he pulled away from me, and after flashing me one last sarcastic grin, he turned and walked away from me, leaving me all alone at the altar. 

My “husband” had just abandoned me!

......

Two weeks, two full weeks after the marriage, I didn't see my supposed husband. 

It was as if everything went back to normal, although nothing could ever be normal again. 

Although Sebastian didn't show up in my life after his brazen kiss at the altar, I was forced to live in a huge house with only a few maids who gave me pitiful looks as I walked past .

I was all alone in the world, and there was no one for me to turn to. 

I thought of contacting my grandmother, but my kidnapper's threat was clear in my mind. 

If I wanted my grandmother to live, I had to make sure no one found out that I was not Sophia Vale. 

At first, I was confused about Sebastian not showing up, but then, I got used to it, and I even started to like it. 

At least, he was not showing up to make my life difficult for no damn reason. 

That night, I went to bed with a smile on my face. Perhaps, my life as Sophia Vale was not too bad. 

However, late at night, I heard some shuffling in the bed. 

I tried to ignore it and sleep, but when someone grabbed my lingerie, I was forced to open my eyes.

Staring back at me was the face of my husband whom I had not seen in two weeks. 

"What are you....." I tried to question his presence, but he pulled me into a forceful kiss. Like last time, he bit my lips hard and took what he wanted, without caring a bit for my feelings. 

I raised my hand, ready to deliver a swift slap to his face, but he grabbed my hand and pinned it down before I could make any moves. 

He stopped kissing me, and that was when I saw the look on his face. 

His eyes were bloodshot, and as he stared at me, I could see the murderous intent in his eyes. 

"You are my wife, Sophia! Don't you dare forget that!"

Saying that, he reached into my lingerie, and tore it off me, flinging the sorry excuse of a dress to the corner of the room. 

"You don't get to say no to me!" He barked.