All Chapters of The Substitute Bride : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Liam kicked the tire of his car in fury, the sharp thud echoing in the parking lot. “His ice pack did wonders? That woman sure knows how to get on my goddamn nerves,” he growled. “You’re getting worked up for nothing, Liam. He was just checking on her like any fellow employee would do,” Fred teased, barely stifling the laugh threatening to burst out. Liam shot him a deadly glare. With his left hand on his hip, he pointed aggressively toward the company building they had just exited. “You call that public display of affection ‘checking on her’?” Liam scowled at Fred’s cheap analysis. “Okay. Now tell me—what do you intend to do about it?” “You want her crawling and begging for your attention, which you’ve denied her?” Fred continued. “Liam, I must confess—you’ve got the wrong woman. Because it seems to me like she doesn’t give a damn about your existence anymore.” Liam’s expression turned ugly at the words. “Don’t make a bitter woman out of a rare gem,” Fred said, shuttin

After that evening, Blaze received a call confirming that Liam wasn’t coming home. Chloe had wanted to snatch the phone from him, but the moment she heard the unmistakable voice of a woman on the other end, she knew it was Gwen. A sharp pang of disappointment washed through her. She berated herself repeatedly for expecting anything from Liam in the first place. In the end, she ate the meal with Blaze and Clara. She had prepared so much food that she couldn’t allow it to go to waste. Growing up, she had learned that food was precious and should never be thrown away. Chloe avoided Liam like the plague throughout the rest of that week. In the mornings, she woke up early, had a quick breakfast, and left for work before he could return. At the office, she buried herself in tasks, refusing to let Liam pull her down emotionally. Durin lunch, she would grab quick bites with Darlyn. If she was too busy, she asked him to order something for her. She returned home late in the evenings—w

The building had five floors, but for some known reason, an elevator had been installed. The elevator stopped at the fourth floor, revealing a bustling atmosphere. Several mannequins stood elegantly in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, dressed in beautiful gowns designed by Bryan’s talented workers. Chloe gasped in awe, already visualizing herself rocking one of those sleek designs at a glamorous party. Five tailors operated industrial sewing machines with focused precision, while others measured fabric or cut patterns with expert hands. Bryan led them to his private office, where he was currently working on his latest masterpiece. He offered them seats before walking over to the mini bar. He returned with a bottle of fine brandy and two glasses, placing them on a glass table adorned with an artificial flower in a delicate vase. “Help yourselves. Let me add some finishing touches to my masterpiece,” he said. He turned midway and looked at Chloe. “Don’t worry, Miss Adams. I

Chapter 38: Shadows, Secrets, and Shattered Resolve Chloe ventured back into the hall where the party was being held, but she couldn’t make it far before two huge pairs of hands pulled her into the darkness. Fuck! Chloe cursed inwardly. What’s with all the grabbing tonight! Her eyes opened wide in the pitch-black space, but she couldn’t see a thing. A cold shiver ran down her spine. She knew she was still inside the hotel building because she could faintly hear the music from the party, but where exactly was she? Who pulled me in here? She tried finding her way through the darkness, but all her attempts were futile. She could only feel cold walls and nothing more. Fuck, fuck, fuck, she cursed again and again. She understood the room was empty, but she couldn’t find or see who had brought her there. Goosebumps rose across her skin as an eerie feeling crept into her mind, making her deeply uneasy. When she thought all hope was lost and she was ready to succumb to the darkness— C

“What!” Chloe breathed out the word, feeling as though she were being squeezed inside a very small, tight rubber tube. She had even lost the energy to speak properly. “Are you related in some way?” Chloe smiled awkwardly at the absurdity of his question. “No, you’ve mistaken me for someone else, Mr. Stefani,” she replied, careful not to sound offensive. Mr. Stefani’s eyes narrowed at her, as if trying to detect whether she was hiding something. But her pleasant smile made it nearly impossible for him to read her true expression. “I… never mind.” He glanced behind her and saw his wife signaling for him to come over. “Why don’t you come inside? We are about to make a very important announcement,” he said, pinching the skin between his brows as if sensing an oncoming headache. Chloe raised a brow. “Announcement?” “Yeah. I shouldn’t be telling you this now because it was supposed to be a general announcement. But considering you’re an acquaintance of Mr. Meyer…” Chloe nodded repe