All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Substitute Bride: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Aria didn’t go back to her room.She didn’t sit in the living room either.Instead, she chose the stairs.Right at the edge—halfway between going up and going down. Like she didn’t belong in either place.She sat there, her arms wrapped around her knees, her back straight at first.Waiting.At the beginning, she told herself it wouldn’t take long.He would come back.He always did.And when he did, she would be right there.Waiting.So he wouldn’t avoid her.So he wouldn’t pretend nothing happened.So he wouldn’t walk past her like she didn’t exist.Her jaw tightened slightly.No.This time, he was going to listen.The house was quiet.Too quiet.Even the maids stayed out of her way, moving carefully, speaking in low voices like they didn’t want to disturb her.Or maybe like they were scared to.She didn’t care.She checked the time on the wall clock.9:07 PM.Her eyes stayed on it for a few seconds longer than necessary.Then she looked away.He should be home soon.Her stomach growl

The room was too quiet.Aria lay on the bed, still and pale, her breathing soft but uneven. One of her hands rested loosely by her side, fingers slightly curled like she didn’t have the strength to move them.Adrian stood a few steps away, watching.He hadn’t moved since the doctor started examining her.Not once.His expression stayed the same—calm, controlled—but something in his eyes had changed.Sharper.Colder.And underneath it—Something else.The doctor adjusted his glasses slightly and checked her pulse again.“She fainted due to exhaustion,” he said after a moment.Adrian didn’t respond.“Her body is weak,” the doctor continued. “She hasn’t been eating properly, and from what I can see… she’s been under a lot of stress.”That made Adrian’s jaw tighten slightly.Still, he said nothing.The doctor glanced at him briefly, then back at Aria.“She needs rest,” he added. “Proper meals, fluids, and less emotional strain.”Silence.Then—“Will she be fine?” Adrian asked.His voice w

It was well past midnight, but neither of them had any intention of sleeping.The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the television. Some random movie was playing, but neither Aria nor Adrian was really paying attention to it anymore. They were tangled together under the covers, her back pressed against his chest, his arm wrapped firmly around her waist like he didn’t want to let her go.Aria felt warm. Not just physically, but in a way she hadn’t felt in days.Everything between them had been messy lately—arguments, anger, silence—but right now, none of that seemed to matter. She shifted slightly, adjusting her head on his arm, and instinctively snuggled closer.Adrian tightened his hold just a little.“You’re still awake,” he murmured quietly against her hair.“You are too,” she replied softly.There was a small pause.“I asked first,” he said.Aria let out a quiet huff. “I can’t sleep.”“Why?”She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she traced a small, absentminded pattern

“I have something to tell you.”Aria’s heart skipped.There was something in Adrian’s voice that made her sit up a little straighter on his lap. It wasn’t cold. It wasn’t commanding. It was… careful.That alone made her nervous.She searched his face, trying to read him. “You’re starting to scare me.”“I’m not trying to,” he said quietly.“Then why do you sound like that?”He didn’t answer immediately. His fingers tightened slightly at her waist, like he needed something to hold onto.Aria felt it.The hesitation.That was new.Adrian never hesitated.“Just say it,” she murmured.He looked at her again, his gaze steady but deeper than usual.“I know we got married under abnormal circumstances,” he began slowly. “There was no love at the beginning.”Aria didn’t interrupt.She just listened.Her fingers curled slightly against his shirt.Adrian continued, his voice still calm, but there was something underneath it now.Something real.“Everything between us started… wrong. Forced. Contr

Aria didn’t realize how quickly her mood could switch until it actually started happening.One moment she was calm, sitting quietly on the bed with a blanket wrapped around her waist, slowly eating the snacks Adrian had bought for her. The next moment, she felt irritated for no clear reason. Everything suddenly felt too much. The room felt too quiet, then too loud. Even the way Adrian walked in and out of the room started to annoy her.She frowned slightly, watching him as he adjusted the curtains.“Why are you moving around too much?” she muttered.Adrian paused and looked at her. “I’m just fixing the curtains.”“Well, stop. It’s annoying.”He raised a brow but didn’t argue. He stepped away from the window and walked back toward her. “Alright.”She looked away, hugging the pillow closer to herself. A few seconds passed, then she glanced at him again.“Why are you standing there?” she asked.Adrian almost laughed. “You just told me to stop moving.”She didn’t respond immediately. Inst