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Home / Romance / THE BILLIONAIRE'S REPLACEMENT BRIDE / Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S REPLACEMENT BRIDE: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

45 Chapters

Chapter 11

ScarlettA sharp knock dragged me out of a heavy, dreamless sleep. I blinked against the bright morning light streaming through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, my body aching from where I had fallen asleep directly on the hardwood floor. At some point during the night, I had managed to crawl onto the plush area rug near the bed, but the heavy silk of the gown was still twisted uncomfortably around my legs, wrinkled and ruined."Miss Vivian?" a cheerful voice called out from the other side of the door. "It’s Chloe. May I come in?"Panic spiked through my veins for a split second before I remembered where I was. Vivian? That was my name now. I scrambled to my feet, my muscles stiff and protesting, and quickly unlocked the door.Chloe stepped inside, holding a silver tray with a steaming pot of tea and a single cup. Her bright smile faltered slightly as she looked me up and down, taking in my smeared makeup, messy hair, and the crumpled formal gown."Oh dear," Chloe said, setti

Chapter 12

ScarlettThe car drove into a huge mansion filled with guards and maids walking up and down. The driver slowly drove down the path and stopped at the front of a huge door. A security guard opened the door and I stepped out feeling nervous. A maid with a cold expression was there to usher me in. The door groaned as I stepped into the house. The cool, stale air of the foyer clings to her skin. The house felt less like a home and more like a museum. The maid with the expression as wooden as the floorboards beneath them, gestured for me to follow.They moved through a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors and the silence was broken only by the rhythmic click of my heels. Finally, the maid paused before a set of double doors, placing a soft knock before pushing them open.The room beyond was bathed in the amber glow of a dying fire. Eleanor sat by the hearth, a book resting forgotten in her lap. As I stepped into the room, Eleanor rose with a grace that made the space feel suddenly smaller.

Chapter 13

JulianThe phone on my desk vibrated again, the screen illuminating the dark study. It was Lady Eleanor.I didn't answer. I let it ring out, my thumb tracing the rim of my whiskey glass. The liquid amber swirled, catching the dim light of the room. When the vibration finally stopped, I stood up and threw the glass against the brick fireplace. It shattered into a hundred glittering shards.I didn't care about the glass. I cared about the humiliation.I marched out of the study and stepped into the foyer just as the heavy oak front doors flew open. Scarlett stumbled inside. Her neat low bun was destroyed, strands of dark hair whipping across her face. The pale blue dress was stained, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Smears of black mascara tracked down her pale cheeks.She froze on the bottom step of the staircase when she saw me."You're late for lunch, Scarlett," I said, my voice dropping to a freezing tone that usually made grown men flinch.In my right hand, the phone bega

Chapter 14

JulianThe silence in the foyer was suffocating, heavy with the stench of my own failure. I didn’t look back at the stairs where Scarlett had just disappeared, her stinging words still echoing against the marble like gunshots. My jaw ached from clenching it so hard that my teeth felt like they might crack.I grabbed my coat from the chair, the heavy wool feeling like a lead weight in my hands. Every movement felt mechanical. I didn't say a word to the staff, just shoved the front door open and stepped out into the biting afternoon air.My driver was standing by the black car, his posture stiff, sensing the storm radiating off me. I didn't even look at him. I yanked the passenger door open, the metal handle cold against my palm, and threw myself into the back seat."Drive," I spat, the word barely a growl."Yes, sir," he muttered, quickly sliding behind the wheel.The car roared to life, the tires biting into the gravel as we tore away from the estate. I stared out the tinted window

Chapter 15

JulianMy heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird as I stepped into my father’s office. The air here was filled with the smell of stale tobacco and the suffocating weight of decades of lies. My father was down the hall in his bedroom, wheezing his life away, but the room still felt like his cold, dead eyes were watching me."Charity," he’d barked.I stormed over to the desk, shoving aside documents and confidential files. I ripped the drawer open, and I saw the document titled Charity. There it was. A thin, leather-bound file. I yanked it out, but the corner caught on the metal track.Then I heard a click.The back panel of the desk slid forward an inch. I frowned as I pulled the panel all the way open. It wasn't a standard drawer. It was a shallow, hidden compartment built into the wood. My breath stopped as I reached in and pulled out a small, dust-covered envelope.I looked back at the door. I was alone. I tore the envelope open, and a black-and-white photograph slid ou

Chapter 16

ScarletThe front door slammed so hard that the entire house seemed to shudder. I flinched, my hand flying to my chest. The mug of tea I’d been holding rattled against the coaster as I scrambled to my feet. Julian was already in the living room, his coat discarded in a heap behind him. He looked like he’d been dragged through hell and back; his tie was hanging loose, his hair was disheveled, and his eyes… they were dark, burning, and completely unhinged.I took a shaky step back, my heart slamming against my ribs. "Julian? Is everything okay?"He didn't answer. He just stalked toward me, the air around him crackling with a terrifying, jagged energy. I felt my throat go dry. My father’s bills. The treatment. I can’t piss him off.He stopped just inches from me, his presence suffocating. I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze, my legs feeling like lead."We need to talk," he rasped, his voice sounding like gravel."Okay," I whispered, keeping my voice as small as possible. I loo

Chapter 17

ScarletI stared at my reflection in the mirror, but I didn't recognize the woman looking back.The dress clung to my skin like a second, suffocating layer of ice. Chloe had done my makeup, masking the red, swollen evidence of my breakdown with expensive concealer and heavy makeup.“You look breathtaking,” Chloe whispered in a tight voice. She was picking up the bags she’d dropped earlier, refusing to meet my eyes because she knew. She knew this dress was just a costume for a fucking nightmare.“I look like a doll,” I muttered, grabbing a clutch bag. “A fucking expensive, wind-up doll.”I took deep breaths and walked out of my room. It was time to put on a good reality show for the whole world to see.I walked downstairs, my heels clicking like ticking time bombs against the hardwood. Julian was waiting at the bottom of the staircase. He had changed into a sharp, black suit that made him look like a goddamn hot predator in a tuxedo.He looked up. His breath stopped, just for a spli

Chapter 18

ScarletThe morning light bleeding through the curtains felt like an insult. My head was pounding with a constant throbbing that matched the memory of Julian’s grip on my thigh. I stared at the ceiling with my throat tight and dry. Every time I closed my eyes, I was back in that restaurant, choking down on the steak I didn't want while Julian whispered threats into my ear.I rolled over, trying to find a patch of cold sheet, but the memory of the night before, the cameras, the flashing lights, the nauseating performance of a happy, doting wife, made me want to crawl out of my own skin. I had survived the dinner, but the price was a piece of my soul I knew I’d never get back. I dragged myself out of bed and showered, scrubbing at my skin until it was red, trying to wash away the sensation of his hands. By the time I dressed, I was a hollowed-out shell.It was the day I had to go visit my dad. He was the only one who gave me hope that this was not all for waste. *****The drive to t

Chapter 19

Scarlet"Are you fucking joking?" I spat, the words catching in my throat like shards of glass.My mum didn’t blink. Her face remained that smooth, unbothered mask of expensive Botox and cold ambition. "She’s coming back, Scarlet. And when she does, Julian will realize he doesn't need you anymore. He needs someone who actually belongs in his world. You’re a temporary fix."My vision blurred at the edges. My heart wasn’t beating; it was slamming against my ribs, trying to break out. I looked at her, really looked at her, and saw the hunger. She didn't want my dad’s legacy, and she didn't want my happiness. She wanted the power that came with Julian’s name, and she was going to use my own sister to pry it out of my grip."Fuck you," I hissed.I didn't wait for her to respond or for the inevitable lecture about manners or status. I spun on my heel, my boots slamming against the tiles with every step. I didn't look back when I heard her voice calling my name. I pushed through the hospi

Chapter 20

JulianMy phone buzzed against the desk like a trapped bee. I stared at the screen. The caller ID was "Father." My gut twisted into a tight, ugly knot. I didn't want to answer it, but that was a luxury I didn't have.I swiped and pressed the phone to my ear."Julian," my father’s voice rasped. It sounded like dry leaves scraping over concrete. "There will be a family dinner tonight at the main estate. Do not be late.""I have a schedule, Father," I countered, my jaw aching from how hard I was clenching it."Your schedule is to be here," he snapped. "Your mother will be there. She wants to see you and your wife. Be there, or don't bother coming back for the board meeting on Monday."The line went dead. I slammed the phone down, the sound echoing through the empty, suffocating quiet of my office. "Fucking bastard," I hissed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. My head was pounding, a rhythmic throb that pulsed in time with my racing heart. Eleanor….The woman was like a spider, constantly s

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