The Substitute Bride of the Ruthless Mafia Boss

“Brielle Wallace, do you take Ace Reynolds to be your lawfully wedded husband?” The priest inquired gently, his gaze and every other gaze in the cathedral, including the cold one in front of me, settled on me, anticipating that I replied with a “yes”. Maybe they all expected I smiled along with my answer, which was so ridiculous considering no one thought I would be asked this silly question until a few minutes earlier. I was dressed to be the bridesmaid, not the bride. I wasn't supposed to be the bride, my sister was. This wasn't my fate, it was my sister’s. When I was very young, my mother always read this bedtime story to me. It was about a princess who got her fate swapped with a river goddess by merely standing by the riverside. I always thought it was a ridiculous story because I didn't believe such a crucial thing as one’s fate could be swapped in a split second. Now, I understand. Indeed, it was possible. It was feasible because it just happened to me. All

But, why would he take Isobel? It made absolutely no sense. He probably was the one who asked her to marry him. Why would he do that and then proceed to abduct her on their wedding day?I instantly made it to the party, not bothering to ask questions I didn't have answers to. Scrambling through the crowd, I searched for mom or dad desperately.God help me. I see one of them before Ace finds me in the crowd.As soon as I saw mom in the crowd, sipping champagne and staring into space, I breathed a relieved sigh.I walked up to her with steps of desperation. Immediately mom noticed me, she frowned, settling her flute of champagne on the tray of a server who swept past her at that time.“Honey, where did you go again? Harper went to pay a visit to you and your husband but, you weren't—”“Mom please!” I cut in. “For the love of God, can you stop calling that man my husband? It's just a stand-in, remember?”Mom looked taken aback with the way I had snapped and I felt a pang of guilt. Abou

“Hey. What's the problem?”Luke asked, a tiny frown planted on his forehead.“Can you lend me your phone real quick, please?”My voice came out urgent and shaky.“Brielle, you don't look good. What's happening?”When Ace began to make it into the cafè, closer to me, searching every corner with his hard gaze, I grabbed Luke’s shoulder violently.He flinched at my sudden move but, I didn't care, I was on the brink of doom.“Just give me the damn phone!”Luke brought out his phone and handed it over to me. I grabbed it with trembling hands.“Brielle, if you need me to—”“I'm fine!”I snapped at Luke, scrambling to find a hiding place to call Valerie.A water dispenser stood at the rounding of a corner and I quickly went there to hide, moving away from Luke.I bit my finger as I waited for her response to the call. On the fourth ring, she picked.“God, Val! Where are you? I'm at your workplace!”“Brielle? I called in sick today. What's wrong?”Fucking hell!She started speaking again but

My trembling fingers tugged at the hem of my dress nervously, contemplating on adhering to his command and let him take my virginity or, try for an escape.The only escape route was the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the beautiful views of Brookline skyscrapers. And, the only way I could make an escape through that was by crashing into the window and landing on the ground floor below, which could result in a broken spine, a damaged brain, or even a demise. The door entrance wasn't an option either. It would be stupid to try for an escape through that. This was his house and he surely knew his house by every length and breadth.He would effortlessly fish me out of any corner I hide in seconds.My eyes watered. I had lost count of the number of times I cried today alone. Ace’s puzzled frown knocked me back to my senses and I realized I had been keeping him waiting. I also realized something else - the wine, silky nighties he was extending to me.“You can change into this.”I blin

I backed away slowly, watching with a panicked look as Jasper approached me.He had a tiny frown on his forehead.He regards me from head to toe. Checking out my outfit.I've never had to wear something as expensive and exposing as this. No occasion prompted me to afford such a piece, not even my extravagant 17th birthday party. I couldn't afford it nor could I afford the Jimmy Choo heels I wore to compliment the dress.Jasper wasn't stupid. Though, he knew nothing about fashion but, at least, he knew I should be in Chelsea, not several miles away. He knew I shouldn't be in an expensive restaurant and in this expensive outfit, doing God-knows-what.I swallowed hard.“What are you doing here? Is Elijah here?”His frown deepened as his gaze sweeps around the restaurant, expecting to see Elijah somewhere. I panicked, my brain doing a quick analysis of a lie I could come up with.Something that would ease me out of this mess, effortlessly.But, I came up with none except the one lie t