(Not) The Billionaire's Replacement Bride
img img (Not) The Billionaire's Replacement Bride img Chapter 1 Ariana Leonidas
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Chapter 10 Sleeping With a Stranger img
Chapter 11 Experiment img
Chapter 12 Someone Calling Her 'Mother' img
Chapter 13 Axel Zeroun img
Chapter 14 Axel Zeroun (2) img
Chapter 15 Tempting img
Chapter 16 Axel, Dear img
Chapter 17 Sleep img
Chapter 18 Flashback img
Chapter 19 Chris img
Chapter 20 Story (1) img
Chapter 21 Story (2) img
Chapter 22 Worry img
Chapter 23 Go Away img
Chapter 24 Go Away (2) img
Chapter 25 Another Man's Wife img
Chapter 26 Hunt img
Chapter 27 Chris Vs Gerald img
Chapter 28 House and House Game img
Chapter 29 Madam Caitlyn img
Chapter 30 Annoyed img
Chapter 31 Stalker img
Chapter 32 Massage img
Chapter 33 Don't Avoid It img
Chapter 34 Don't Be Tempted img
Chapter 35 Aarzu img
Chapter 36 Madam Aarzu img
Chapter 37 Ariana's Tactics img
Chapter 38 Vivan img
Chapter 39 Used Chamois img
Chapter 40 SweePea Father img
Chapter 41 Comeback img
Chapter 42 Adel img
Chapter 43 Breath Stinks img
Chapter 44 What Are You Doing img
Chapter 45 There Is Something Different img
Chapter 46 Axel's Word img
Chapter 47 Karenina img
Chapter 48 Isidora img
Chapter 49 Wound img
Chapter 50 Wound (2) img
Chapter 51 Sick img
Chapter 52 Sick (2) img
Chapter 53 Angry img
Chapter 54 About Gerald img
Chapter 55 About Gerald (2) img
Chapter 56 You Think img
Chapter 57 Ariana VS Gerald img
Chapter 58 I Think (Amber) img
Chapter 59 The Doll img
Chapter 60 What Can You Offer img
Chapter 61 The Other Reason img
Chapter 62 Beginning img
Chapter 63 Why img
Chapter 64 Impressed img
Chapter 65 Welcome Home img
Chapter 66 Spoiled img
Chapter 67 Open Up img
Chapter 68 You Don't Have To img
Chapter 69 Open img
Chapter 70 We Can Try img
Chapter 71 Cute img
Chapter 72 You Think img
Chapter 73 Feed Back img
Chapter 74 Didn't Want To Know img
Chapter 75 Karenina's Word img
Chapter 76 Eyes, Ears img
Chapter 77 Keep Watch img
Chapter 78 Revenge img
Chapter 79 Eavesdropper img
Chapter 80 Chris Matchmaking (1) img
Chapter 81 Chris Matchmaking (2) img
Chapter 82 Spoiled Girl img
Chapter 83 Can We img
Chapter 84 Mirage img
Chapter 85 Short Kiss img
Chapter 86 First Love Story img
Chapter 87 Jealously img
Chapter 88 Big and Warm img
Chapter 89 Call Vivan img
Chapter 90 Ge img
Chapter 91 Jealous img
Chapter 92 Visitor img
Chapter 93 I Want Both Of Your Hands img
Chapter 94 Ariana img
Chapter 95 Guest Room img
Chapter 96 Shelma img
Chapter 97 Love You img
Chapter 98 Cunning Seducer img
Chapter 99 You Are Poor img
Chapter 100 Ariana's Past img
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(Not) The Billionaire's Replacement Bride

Guzel Anne
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Chapter 1 Ariana Leonidas

I stared at that luxurious house. The house that caused my mother to leave me and my father. A house like a palace but filled with monsters inside. I smiled bitterly. If only my father hadn't forced me to come here to deliver the wedding gift. I didn't want to come on my own.

I exhaled and got out of the car. How long had it been since I last saw the woman who was supposed to be my mother? A year? Two years? Ah, yes. Fifteen years. Once again, I smiled bitterly. I didn't hate my "mother," or more accurately, my father forbade me from hating her. A wicked woman who took my sister and left my father just because he went bankrupt and hit rock bottom.

My father, a good man, always forgiving but ultimately abandoned. Sorry, I'm not a gentle-hearted girl like my father. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Because even though my father instilled goodness in me, I grew up to be a cunning girl like my mother.

The servants looked at me with their mouths agape. Why? Are you surprised? Of course, they would be shocked to see me, the famous bride-to-be known for being gentle, loving, and ethical, walking freely. Hmm, one more fact I need to tell you. My sister and I are twins. Identical twins. I, the older one, was born five minutes before her, the obedient and gentle girl.

Ugh. I even want to spit on her. Like mother, like daughter. See, even when we were ten years old, my younger twin knew what would benefit her more. Living with a poor and miserable father or choosing to leave with her mother and prepare for a more comfortable life. Hate? No. My father said I shouldn't hate. "It will only rot your heart," he always said.

Okay, I won't hate. But if I feel disgusted? Is that okay?

My stiletto tapped the marble floor with a resounding echo. Only in my ears, of course, given the crowd's noise; it couldn't possibly be quiet, right?

The large teakwood door with intricate carvings swung wide open, and the bustling sounds of servants moving around with their decorations filled the air. With confidence, I entered the magnificent house, searching for someone I hoped I could still recognize after not seeing her for nearly a third of my life.

"Mommy, that's Karen!" A young boy pointed towards me. I glanced in his direction. Judging by his stature, he might be around 10 or 11 years old. His shout made several adults turn their gaze towards me. Smile? I'm not a friendly person. Sorry about that. My smiles are expensive.

"Sorry, I'm not Karenina," I replied cynically. "I'm here to find Mrs. Caitlyn," I said flatly.

A beautiful woman with a well-maintained face, an undoubtedly expensive and sleek dress, looked in my direction. "Ariana..." she whispered softly. Apparently, she still remembered my name. Should I smile? Or laugh?

With a quick yet graceful movement, the woman approached, extending her arms as if to hug me. But I recoiled. Sorry, it's just a reflex. To me, she was more like a germ to be avoided than a 'Mother' to be loved.

"Don't. Dare. Approach. And touch me," I said, enunciating each syllable. The woman froze. So did the people around. "I didn't come here to be warmly welcomed. I just came to deliver this." I handed over a gift, a check left by my father for my sister. Where's my twin? I didn't see her.

The woman in front of me reached for the paper, then began to cry softly. Sad? My heart had gone numb a long time ago. That's why I didn't feel touched at all. "Alright. My business here is done. I have to go." I turned to leave.

"Wait," she pleaded. I paused for a moment. "Please, Ariana. Please, Mama." She begged softly. I turned to look at her. She gazed at me with hopeful eyes. "Ka-Karen. She's gone. Please help Mama." She asked again.

"Gone?" I asked cynically. "Your daughter is missing? So, what's that got to do with me?" I turned away again, but someone held me back. I tried to push them away roughly. There was a crash and gasps of surprise filled my ears. Then something bumped into me. I stumbled, but luckily, I had good balance. I only staggered a couple of steps.

"Why are you being rough with Mommy!" the boy shouted angrily, looking at me. I saw a man already helping the woman.

"Can't you see they're fine, your Mommy, I mean. Instead of bumping into me like an angry rabbit, why don't you help her stand? Good child?" I replied with sarcasm. The boy looked at me with fear. Sorry, I'll say it again; I'm not a gentle girl. And I don't like troublesome things.

"Ariana. I beg you, please help me. Just this once." She begged with a whimper.

"Why should I help you? You were gone for fifteen years, and now, shamelessly, you're asking for my help? 'I have no connection with you and your father anymore. My daughter is only Karenina. Whatever happens to your father, I no longer care.' Those were your words back then, Madam. So, I'm sorry. I have no business with you and your daughter." I turned and walked away. But once again, someone held me back. This time, they grabbed my leg. What was this? The selfish woman was begging to me now? What kind of drama was she trying to pull off?

"I beg you. Please help me. Karenina is gone. She ran away while her wedding is tomorrow. Ariana, please help me. I begs you"

"I've already told you that I'm nobody to you. You have no right to ask anything of me. Not even the smallest help is appropriate."

"I will pay you, whatever you want," the voice came from the man who had helped the woman and was now being begged by her.

"How much can you pay?"

"Whatever you want. Or whatever you ask for," he replied confidently. A smile appeared on his face.

"Anything?" I challenged. The man's face lit up even more, nodding eagerly. "Anything," he replied assuredly.

"What if I ask for your child's heart as a replacement for the request your wife made?" I asked. The man furrowed his brow. The woman's grip on my leg weakened. "Why? You said you were willing to give 'anything,' right? Doesn't that mean you'd ask for something important to you? So, in return, I'm asking for something you consider important as well," I replied with a warm smile I could offer.

"Ariana..." my mother sighed. I crouched in front of her, aligning my face with her beautiful yet age-weathered face, which still appeared youthful due to expensive treatments.

"Why should I help you? You said 'anything' to me. Doesn't that mean you'd ask for something important to you? So, in exchange, I'm asking for something you consider important too." I answered with a warm smile I could muster.

She turned to look at me with her golden eyes, exactly like mine. I offered the warmest smile I could muster. "I'm sorry, ma'am. But I'm not the poor girl you abandoned back then. So, if you offer money to me, it means nothing to me. Even if I'm still poor right now, I won't accept a single cent you offer." I stood up, letting my voice grow louder. "Dignity?" I shifted my gaze to the man in front of me and the woman now crying at my feet. "To hell with dignity. We lost that when you left us, begging and pleading for you to come back. And your dignity? It's your business. Not mine." And without further ado, I chose to leave.

            
            

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