All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Unwanted Substitute Wife : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"You're getting married tomorrow."Those words hit me like a slap. My hand shook, I almost dropped the glass I was holding.I just stood there staring at my parents. Sure I had heard it wrong.My father sat in the middle of the living room. Papers were spread out on the table in front of him. My mother stood beside him, arms crossed, her face closed like a locked door. Across from them sat my younger sister, Lily.Our eyes met just for a second, then she looked down fast.But not fast enough, I saw it. A small smile on her lips It was there and gone in a blink. But it was enough to make my stomach twist like a wet cloth being wrung out.What did you just say? I asked slowly. I looked at each of them, No one answered right away.The silence felt wrong, heavy, choking. The kind of quiet that tells you everyone in the room already knows a secret — except you.My father cleared his throat and finally looked up at me. "You heard your mother."I gave a nervous laugh and set the glass down o

I was still standing in Ethan’s room when the door burst open he walked in fast, phone still in his hand, his face hard with anger.I called my parents he said, my stomach dropped then he added, And I called yours too.The room felt smaller right away like the walls were closing in on me, i opened my mouth to explain everything to tell him I never wanted this marriage but he wasn’t listening. He didn’t even look at me in his mind, I was already guilty.Less than thirty minutes later the whole Kingsley family sat downstairs I stood in the middle of the living room like a prisoner waiting to hear her punishment. Ethan’s parents sat on one side, Relatives filled every other chair. No one asked me to sit, no one offered me water, no one even looked at me kindly.Then my parents walked in for one small second my heart lifted. Finally, I thought someone who knows the truth. I ran to them Mom, Dad, please, tell them I never wanted this marriage my voice was shaking so hard I could barely spe

I couldn't stop thinking about that message.Ask Ethan what happened three years ago.It followed me everywhere — through breakfast, through the garden, into bed at night. Three years ago what happened? And why would it explain why Lily ran away? My mind felt like a room full of broken pieces I couldn't fit together.By morning my curiosity had grown bigger than my fear.I found an old servant arranging flowers and took my chance "Can I ask you something? What question she replied. What happened to Ethan three years ago?"The flowers dropped from her hands her face went pale.I don't know what you're talking about she bent down too fast with her hands shaking.You do know? I said.“No” But her eyes said otherwise.Before I could push further another servant appeared, Mrs Kingsley wants you upstairs. The old woman looked relieved — grateful, almost, like someone had thrown her a rope — and hurried away.I watched her go something in this house was wrong, I could feel it in my bones.Th

I sat up slowly in bed as Ethan continued answering Lily’s call. The room felt smaller all of a sudden, like the walls were closing in on me.He stood by the window, his shoulders stiff while Lily’s voice poured out of the phone.“She’s always been manipulative, Ethan. Don’t let her fool you, Ivy has been pretending to be weak since we were kids.”I lowered my eyes, my hands found the blanket and gripped it tight.Normally, Ethan would have agreed with her.Normally, he would have blamed me too.Normally, he would have reminded Lily that he was trapped in this marriage because of me. But tonight was different, tonight he said nothing.The silence went on, long enough that Lily noticed it. Long enough that I noticed it too.Then Ethan looked at me again, his eyes moved from my pale face to the food beside my bed that I hadn’t touched.You said Ivy would do anything for money?Yes, Lily answered quickly because she would.His voice stayed calm. Then why is she living like this?Silence.

The photograph fell from Lily’s shaking fingers, It landed on the floor between us.Nobody moved.Nobody spoke.The room felt frozen, like time itself had stopped breathing.I stared down at the picture, my heart began to pound.Three years.For three years, I told myself the accident at St. Mary’s Hospital was finished, buried, gone.But it wasn’t gone, It was standing right here in the middle of the Kingsley dining room, tearing everything apart.Lily looked at Ethan. Then at me, then down at the photograph again.The confidence she always wore like armor was gone now, for the first time I saw real fear in her eyes.What is this? Ethan’s mother asked, Her voice trembled. Ethan didn’t answer right away his eyes stayed locked on Lily.That’s exactly what I want to know, he said.Lily’s throat moved as she swallowed. “I don’t know that man.”The answer came too fast, too smooth, too much like a lie she had practiced before.Ethan laughed but it wasn’t a real laugh, it was cold, Sharp.