(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Ariana felt upset? Certainly. When she tried to change her mind about accepting Gerald and this marriage, another surprising fact confronted her. Her mother-in-law did not want her there. From the beginning, the woman had approached Ariana only to ask for help so that their family wouldn’t be embarrassed if her son’s marriage failed. She was cut from the same cloth as Mrs. Caitlyn. Perhaps that’s why the two of them could be friends.

After Axel’s words in the room, Ariana found her mother-in-law sitting casually in the dining room. The woman asked her to sit down and talk face-to-face. “Do you know if your twin sister has returned?” she asked without beating around the bush. Ariana wasn’t really surprised. Hearing what the woman had said to Axel, her mother-in-law must have communicated well with Mrs. Caitlyn, so she knew when Karenina would be back. Ariana was reluctant to answer the question; she would let the woman say whatever she wanted to say. “I just want to thank you because you helped Gerald with this fake marriage. In return, I will compensate you for all the time you’ve given to us.” The woman then handed a check with nine zeros to Ariana.

Amazed? Of course, Ariana was amazed. She wasn’t a hypocritical girl who would refuse money. Haven’t they been belittled all along, and her father even abandoned them because of those figures? “Is this all my sacrifices are worth? I think it’s too small to compensate for the shame you’ll have to bear if Gerald’s marriage to my twin sister fails,” Ariana challenged. “You should at least give me twelve zeros there.” She pointed to the small slip. The woman was clearly shocked. “Why? Is your bank account balance not enough? If so, ask Gerald to increase it,” she said mockingly. “Don’t forget that there’s Mrs. Caitlyn’s blood in my veins. If she can leave her husband and child for money, then I can do the same.”

“You…” Mrs. Isidora seemed speechless.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“I was actually willing to leave this place after my twin sister returned. As you know, I never intended to stay here from the beginning. But because you gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse, then it’s only fair if I negotiate the price. My status here is at stake. I’ll be declared a widow within days of the wedding. And afterwards, others will look down on me. Of course, I don’t want to lose alone. If you really want to kick me out of this house, then you must also pay a hefty compensation. If not, why should I sacrifice myself by accepting such a small amount compared to everything in this house? I’m not stupid, Mrs. What your son possesses is worth much more than the figure written there. Even that amount doesn’t come close to the down payment I desire.” Ariana slid the check back to its owner. “Or should I negotiate with your mother-in-law?” Ariana asked, making the woman in front of her widen her eyes in shock. “Ah, no. Maybe what your mother-in-law has is not more than what you have. Considering both of you aren’t active entrepreneurs,” she said mockingly. “Perhaps I could negotiate with Gerald,” she continued.

The woman’s face suddenly turned pale. “You can’t do that,” she said threateningly.

Ariana shrugged. “Why not? From the beginning, it was him who trapped me in this marriage. He’s the one who planned to imprison my father. And don’t you know he actually knows where my twin sister is?” she said mockingly. The woman in front of her was shocked once again. But then Ariana smiled slyly. “Unfortunately, he didn’t inform me of Karenina’s whereabouts. Because if I knew where she was, maybe I would have someone erase her traces. That way, she would never appear before us again and ruin our happy marriage,” she subtly insinuated.

Once again, the woman was stunned by Ariana’s response. “But after thinking it over, I don’t want to soil my hands with such disgraceful actions. Instead of eliminating my sister, why don’t I try to enjoy all these luxuries? Besides, it seems like Gerald really likes me, so much so that he’s willing to bet that he won’t replace me with my twin sister even if she comes back,” Ariana proudly replied.

Mrs. Isidora was left speechless again. “We’ll see about that later,” said the middle-aged woman finally. Ariana could only smile. Her eyes were not on her mother-in-law but on another woman standing behind her mother-in-law since the beginning of their conversation. Who else but Mrs. Rosaline?

Axel’s call, calling Ariana’s name, interrupted their conversation. And now, the threat she had made to her mother-in-law was starting to unfold spontaneously. The girl, her twin sister, had appeared before her and Gerald. It turned out that the red car Ariana had seen the night before was none other than her twin sister’s. She smirked when she realized one thing: the girl was watching her.

“Karenina?” Hearing Gerald utter that name made Ariana’s heart race instantly. She could only grit her teeth and then stepped out of the car upon hearing the car door opening from the outside.

“Boss!” Vivan’s voice was the first thing Ariana heard as she got out of the car. Gerald didn’t say much. He too stepped out of the car through another door. His eyes seemed fixed on Karenina.

The girl’s face, which Ariana had never seen in fifteen years, truly looked identical to hers. Ariana couldn’t spot the differences. Except for their hairstyles and clothing styles. If Ariana tied her long black hair into a ponytail, the girl in front of her intentionally let her dyed hair loose. And if Ariana wore jeans along with a long-sleeved shirt deliberately folded up to the elbows, the girl appeared more feminine in a sleeveless knee-length dress with a floral pattern and a Sabrina neckline that showcased her shoulders and graceful neck.

“Hi, Ariana. Long time no see,” the girl greeted her warmly. Ariana merely smirked at her. Unlike ordinary siblings who would hug each other after a long time apart, Ariana just waved her hand at Karenina and said, “Hello.”

“Sort out your affairs, and don’t involve me!” she said coldly, walking inside towards her restaurant. Gerald tried to follow her and discuss this with her, but Karenina stopped him. “Ariana is right. We need to talk.”

And after that, Ariana heard nothing more because she was already inside her restaurant.