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Vivian's Plan
Last Updated:
2025-05-09 16:05:21
Golden ButterflyShoutout to ZZ and K.C for the new gems! Feel free to point out any inconsistencies or errors you come across in the story. I hardly have time to thoroughly proofread my work these days, as I’m working full-time and taking care of baby girl. :)
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The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Setup
ARIAXavier approaches me in the parking garage the next morning, his manner surprisingly friendly.I brace myself and square my shoulders."Aria, I think we've let this situation get way too nasty." His voice bounces slightly off the concrete walls.He's dressed perfectly as always in a charcoal suit.I keep my distance, very aware we're in a blind spot between security cameras. The garage's pillars block the view from both directions.Not a coincidence, I'm sure."Really? The bugs in my house and threats suggest otherwise.""Maybe things have gone too far on both sides." His tone is all friendly and body language open. "I propose we talk about divorce terms like adults over dinner. On neutral ground.""Why the sudden change of heart?" I study his face, looking for tells.The tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth. The fake warmth that doesn't reach his eyes all suggest something fishy."The board's concerned. I'm just being practical." He shrugs, too casual to be real. "This battle
Last Updated : 2025-05-09The Substitute Bride's Revenge Drugged
ARIAEvening comes too fast.I wear a tiny recording device hidden in a pearl pendant that looks expensive enough to match my outfit but works perfectly to record whatever happens.I’ve instructed Dave to call me every thirty minutes, giving me a reason to check my phone regularly.Most importantly, I make sure to take activated charcoal. It won't completely stop drugs, but it might slow them down enough to keep me functioning.Looking in the mirror, I see a woman ready for battle. My deep red lipstick stands out against my brown skin. My hair is pulled back tight. My eyes, though, show my tension.I take a deep breath, steadying myself for what's coming.I walk into The Luxes Suite's fancy restaurant at 7:55 PM.Crystal chandeliers throw warm light over white tablecloths and shiny silverware with soft jazz playing in the background.The host greets me with practiced smoothness before leading me through the dining room where rich people talk in hushed voices.I scan each table as we p
Last Updated : 2025-05-09The Substitute Bride's Revenge Family Betrayal
"These can't be right."Aria hunched over the quarterly reports, the numbers swimming before her eyes. Each column told the same story—a downward spiral that had begun years ago, almost to the day her father had married Victoria Pierce.She tucked a strand of dark curls behind her ear. Her fingers left a smudge of ink on her cheek, unnoticed as she recalculated the figures for the third time.The office around her had emptied hours ago. At twenty-four, Aria was often the first to arrive and the last to leave, desperately trying to keep her father's legacy from crumbling beneath the weight of mounting debt.The business degree she'd worked so hard for at State University—scholarship-funded, unlike Vivian's designer education was being put to use in ways her professors had never covered: how to stretch payments, which creditors to prioritize, when to beg for extensions.Her phone vibrated on the desk. A notification from Instagram. Without thinking, she tapped it open.Vivian Pierce's p
Last Updated : 2025-03-24The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Ultimatum
A sudden call at 2:17 AM jolted Aria from a restless sleep filled with dreams of drowning in red ink and balance sheets."You need to come now!" Victoria's voice was brittle with fury, lacking its usual veneer of false warmth. "Immediately.""What's happened? Is it Dad?" Aria was already fumbling for the light switch, heart hammering against her ribs."Just get here." The line went dead after that.Outside, the night had turned hostile. Rain lashed against Aria's windshield as she navigated the winding road up to the mansion, each lightning flash illuminating the path ahead for terrifying seconds before plunging her back into darkness.Her wipers fought a losing battle against the downpour, much like her struggle to keep her father's company afloat.By the time she reached the house, Aria was soaked from the brief dash from car to door.The housekeeper didn't greet her this time; instead, Victoria herself stood in the marble foyer, still dressed in evening clothes, her perfect makeup
Last Updated : 2025-03-24The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Ultimatum (2)
Morning light filtered through the blinds, casting prison-bar shadows across Robert Taylor's sleeping form.Aria shifted in the uncomfortable chair where she'd spent the night, her neck stiff, her mind foggy from fitful sleep interrupted by nurses' checks and the steady beep of monitoring equipment.The doctor had called it a "cardiac event"—not quite a heart attack, but a warning shot across the bow. "His heart is weakening," Dr. Winters had explained in hushed tones outside the room. "The stress, his age, his previous attack... He needs calm and stability. Another episode like this could be fatal."Aria rubbed her eyes, smudging yesterday's mascara further.Her phone showed seventeen missed calls from the office. Monday morning, and for the first time in her working life, she wasn't there to open the doors.The click of expensive heels announced Victoria's arrival before she appeared in the doorway, immaculate in a dove-gray suit, not a hair out of place despite the early hour.She
Last Updated : 2025-03-24The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Ultimatum (3)
Elysium Boutique occupied the penthouse floor of the city's most exclusive shopping district, accessible only by private elevator with an attendant who checked names against a list before allowing entry.Victoria was greeted by name while Aria was assessed with a quick, dismissive glance."Mrs. Pierce-Taylor," the boutique manager, a rail-thin woman with a severe chignon, glided forward. "We received your urgent request. How may we assist today?""Claudette, we have an emergency," Victoria confided, as though sharing state secrets. "My stepdaughter requires a complete wardrobe. Immediately."Claudette's gaze swept over Aria with the clinical precision of a butcher evaluating a subpar cut of meat. "I see. And the... dimensions?""Whatever you have in your largest sizes," Victoria replied. "We're working with significant constraints, both in time and... material."Aria felt her cheeks burn as the two women discussed her body as though she weren't present."Perhaps Madame would be more c
Last Updated : 2025-03-24The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Proposal (1)
Xavier Harrington's office was a monument to power. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city he was systematically conquering, furniture of dark leather… not a single personal photograph or memento to suggest the occupant was human rather than a perfectly engineered corporate machine.The man stood with his back to the door, speaking quietly into a phone while gazing out at his domain. Tall and broad-shouldered, his bespoke suit emphasized a physique maintained by expensive personal trainers and ruthless self-discipline.When he turned, Aria's breath caught—not because of his conventional good looks, but because of the absolute coldness in his ice-blue eyes.Those eyes barely registered Aria's presence, focusing instead on Victoria as he concluded his call. "Meeting later. Pierce priority."With that, he set down the phone without saying goodbye."Victoria. I expected this meeting four hours ago." His words fell like ice shards into the silence."A family emergency," Victoria exp
Last Updated : 2025-04-03The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Proposal (2)
Michael spread the contract before Aria, who could hear the low, intense conversation between Xavier and her stepmother across the room, though the words were indistinct.From Victoria's rigid posture, it wasn't going well."Page seventeen contains the personal conduct clauses," Michael said quietly, drawing her attention back to the document. "You'll want to pay particular attention to those."Aria flipped to the indicated page, scanning the dense legal text. Her business degree helped her navigate the jargon, but what she found made her stomach clench.[The Wife agrees to undergo any physical modifications deemed necessary by the Husband to maintain the Harrington family image, including but not limited to weight management, cosmetic procedures, dental work, and dermatological treatments.The Wife shall, within six months of signing, achieve and maintain the following measurements: waist not to exceed 26 inches, hips not to exceed 36 inches, weight not to exceed 125 pounds.The Wife
Last Updated : 2025-04-03
Latest chapter
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Drugged
ARIAEvening comes too fast.I wear a tiny recording device hidden in a pearl pendant that looks expensive enough to match my outfit but works perfectly to record whatever happens.I’ve instructed Dave to call me every thirty minutes, giving me a reason to check my phone regularly.Most importantly, I make sure to take activated charcoal. It won't completely stop drugs, but it might slow them down enough to keep me functioning.Looking in the mirror, I see a woman ready for battle. My deep red lipstick stands out against my brown skin. My hair is pulled back tight. My eyes, though, show my tension.I take a deep breath, steadying myself for what's coming.I walk into The Luxes Suite's fancy restaurant at 7:55 PM.Crystal chandeliers throw warm light over white tablecloths and shiny silverware with soft jazz playing in the background.The host greets me with practiced smoothness before leading me through the dining room where rich people talk in hushed voices.I scan each table as we p
The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Setup
ARIAXavier approaches me in the parking garage the next morning, his manner surprisingly friendly.I brace myself and square my shoulders."Aria, I think we've let this situation get way too nasty." His voice bounces slightly off the concrete walls.He's dressed perfectly as always in a charcoal suit.I keep my distance, very aware we're in a blind spot between security cameras. The garage's pillars block the view from both directions.Not a coincidence, I'm sure."Really? The bugs in my house and threats suggest otherwise.""Maybe things have gone too far on both sides." His tone is all friendly and body language open. "I propose we talk about divorce terms like adults over dinner. On neutral ground.""Why the sudden change of heart?" I study his face, looking for tells.The tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth. The fake warmth that doesn't reach his eyes all suggest something fishy."The board's concerned. I'm just being practical." He shrugs, too casual to be real. "This battle
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Vivian's Plan
ARIAI head to Xavier’s office the next morning, closing the door behind me.The familiar scent of Vivian’s strong cologne turns my stomach.He sits behind his massive mahogany desk like a physical barrier between us and a symbol of the power he thinks gives him the right to invade my privacy."Surveillance, Xavier? Really? That's your play now?""I don't know what you're talking about." His fingers continue typing on his keyboard, not even bothering to look up at me."The bugs in my suite. The security restrictions. Reassigning Rebecca."Xavier finally leans back in his chair with his expression cold. "Business decisions, all of them. Nothing personal.""We both know that's a lie." My voice remains steady, controlled, though my hands shake with rage.Xavier flash me a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Be careful, Aria. You should consider your safety before continuing this... resistance. Things can happen. Accidents. Misunderstandings." He adjusts his platinum cufflinks with deliber
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Public Image & Ultimatum
ARIAAnother sleepless night spent staring at the ceiling passes before I finally drag myself out of bed, bracing for yet another draining day ahead.Xavier hasn’t returned home since the divorce battle began and honestly, I prefer it that way. In this house, with enemies lurking behind every polished smile, one mistake could cost me everything… even my life.The lights of the convention center ballroom blaze down on me as I prepare to give the keynote at the Annual Financial Innovation Summit.The room buzzes with industry leaders sipping champagne. My keynote. My moment."You ready?" Rebecca asks, offering a glass of water."Born ready." I smooth the lapel of my red suit. I don’t blend in. I stand out. “Mrs. Harrington,” the summit organizer calls me.“I’d prefer to be addressed as Ms. Taylor. Professionally,” I correct her with a calm smile and a subtle separation from Xavier’s shadow as I take the stage.My accolades are listed: my consultancy roots, my innovations, the 30% intern
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Clients Support
ARIAMorning light filters through my office blinds as I methodically skim through evidence of my contributions to Harrington.I pull up emails showing my strategic input on our most successful projects.Financial reports tell their own story. I create a spreadsheet tracking quarterly growth under my financial direction, highlighting the upward trajectory since I took over as CFO.The numbers don't lie—our profitability has increased consistently under my leadership."Rebecca," I call through the intercom. "Could you gather the client testimonials from the Asian projects and the Davidson account? The ones where they specifically mentioned my involvement?"She appears in my doorway minutes later, files in hand. "I added the Archer Group testimonial too. They were explicit about working with us because of your reputation.""Perfect!" I smile gratefully. "And could you pull the documentation on the automated reporting system I implemented last year? The one that reduced our quarterly clo
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Legal Consultation
ARIAKatherine Deck' office takes up the top floor of a discreet building in the financial district.The reception area screams understated elegance. Quality furniture without being flashy, showing professional success without needing to brag about it.The vibe matches what my research revealed about Katherine herself: substance over style, real excellence over appearances.The receptionist takes me straight to Katherine's office despite the late hour.The attorney stands up as I enter. She’s a tall woman in her fifties with dark hair and sharp eyes that miss nothing.Her handshake is firm and direct, her assessment equally so as she gestures toward a seating area more comfortable for a long conversation than her formal desk."Thanks for fitting me in on such short notice," I start, placing my document portfolio on the table between us."High-conflict divorces rarely come with convenient scheduling," Katherine responds. "My assistant mentioned business complications mixed with the divo
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Refusal
ARIAThe 48-hour deadline ticks down to its final hours when I return the divorce papers to Xavier's office. Each page is covered in my red ink markings, rejecting every inadequate term.My note stays simple: "Inadequate and unacceptable!"I also attach all my documentation: financial reports showing company growth directly from my projects, client acquisition records with revenue impact, strategic initiatives I developed with resulting profitability metrics. The evidence creates an undeniable record of value creation far exceeding the settlement he offered.I add a final page quoting specific language from our original contract about dissolution terms—language Xavier's proposal completely ignores.The message is simple: I know exactly what I'm legally entitled to, and I have the documentation to back it up.Xavier responds through his lawyers rather than personally. They send another threatening message giving me 48 more hours to accept the original terms before they "pursue alternati
The Substitute Bride's Revenge Divorce Demand
ARIAThe morning after catching Xavier and Vivian together, I walk into my office to find a sealed envelope sitting dead center on my desk. "Personal and Confidential" it says in bold letters, with the fancy embossed logo of Xavier's personal lawyers, not Harrington's regular attorneys.I shut my door before opening it. Inside are about fifty pages of legal crap, with "Petition for Dissolution of Marriage" right at the top in big, bold letters.Divorce papers. Not exactly shocking after last night, but the timing right after the board meeting where they restructured everything shows this was all planned out.I flip through the document, my finance brain kicking in despite feeling being punched in the gut.The settlement terms jump out immediately. He’s offering a lump sum that's less than 20% of what our original contract guaranteed. The number completely ignores everything I've done for Harrington's growth, all the value I've created, and the specific compensation our prenup spelled
The Substitute Bride's Revenge The Confrontation
ARIAAfter another day of Xavier playing hide-and-seek, I've had enough.The manila envelope feels heavy in my hands. Inside are all the receipts I've been collecting.Hard evidence he can't just brush off with more of his bullshit excuses.My plan seems reasonable - leave this with a note asking for an honest conversation. No drama, no screaming match. Just grown-ups dealing with a problem.Xavier's study door is usually locked, his sacred man cave where even I'm not supposed to go without an invitation now. But today, the heavy oak door swings open when I push it.What I see makes my blood freeze.Xavier's on the leather couch with Vivian practically in his lap.Her blouse is half unbuttoned showing lacy bra underneath. His tie is thrown on the floor, and his hand is wrapped around her waist like he owns her.They break apart when they hear me with shocked expressions.For a second, nobody moves. The envelope dangles from my numb fingers as my brain struggles to process what I'm see
