Billionaire's Substitute Bride's Return: Billionaire's Substitute Bride And Her Secret Child, #1

By Lana West

Warning: This book is extra. If you're looking for characters you can easily relate to or events that align perfectly with reality, you might want to explore other options. This narrative explores a world of extraordinary events, billionaires whose wealth could dwarf that of real-world tycoons, and a genius child. If such elements don't align with your reading preferences, you may wish to explore other stories.

Blurb:
Christine Carter was blackmailed into a merciless bargain by her cruel stepsister and stepmother. To shield her father from a lethal secret, she stepped into her stepsister's place on the wedding night. Hunter Gray, the groom, unknowingly spent this pivotal night with Christine, not his bride. Their forbidden liaison resulted in a secret pregnancy.
Fast forward five years. Christine, now the mother to a genius child, crosses paths with Hunter on a flight. Hunter, secretly divorced, is instantly smitten, yet oblivious to their shared past. Meanwhile, Christine finds herself unexpectedly drawn to him, even as she is preoccupied with her child and her thirst for revenge against her treacherous stepfamily.
When fate thrusts Christine and Hunter into close proximity at work, the tension mounts. It's not until Hunter's outgoing brother, Simon, enters the scene that Christine hatches a cunning plan to keep Hunter on his toes - by dating Simon.
With Simon's light-hearted charm providing a diversion, and her own unacknowledged feelings for Hunter intensifying, Christine's world becomes a high-stakes juggling act.
As Hunter's affection for Christine grows, so does the risk of her secret being exposed. Their shared past and her hidden truth could shatter everything. With the clock ticking, Christine is torn: how long can she keep the truth under wraps when the time for revenge is now?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lana West
• Release date: Dec 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798224650743

Book preview

Chapter 1

The rain poured heavily against Christine’s bedroom windows, tears pricking her eyes as she stared into the nothingness. Flashbacks from the night she lost her virginity continued to torment her mind; it had been rainy then too.

She vividly recalled the man’s face, briefly illuminated by lightning in the hotel chamber, forever imprinted in her memory. With rich dark hair, thick brows, plump lips, and a perfectly shaped jawline, he exuded masculinity from every pore.

If only she could have seen his eyes, she thought, to complete the image. But they were closed, lost in the frenzy of the moment—it was his wedding night, after all. Yet she was not his bride.

What had transpired almost nine months ago was far from the dream she had envisioned for her first time. It had been cruel, merciless, and horrible.

His skilled hands were hovering all over her body, leaving no place unknown to his touch. He was caring and gentle, after all, he believed he was making love to the one he promised to spend the rest of his life with. Unbeknownst to him, she was not his bride. He was not aware that the woman in his bed hated it, that she was forced into it.

She despised herself for accepting that arrangement, doing it only to protect her father. Tears continued to stream down her face as she embraced her big round belly—she had lost something she cared about but gained something precious in return.

Suddenly, a sharp pain invaded her body, starting from her womb and spreading to the edges, robbing her of breath. Each contraction felt like her body was being torn in two. A loud scream escaped her chest before she could contain it, prompting her stepmother, who happened to despise her, to rush to her aid.

Oh, enough with your complaints. You’re not the first woman in the world to be pregnant, her stepmother scolded, just what Christine needed at that moment.

It hurts so much! she cried out.

It’s your fault. You’re nothing but a whore. You should have used protection! How could you end up pregnant with your sister’s husband?

Those words made Christine inwardly cringe. How dare her stepmother label her a ‘whore’ when she knew the full story.

Your daughter is the real whore! She deceived her husband, lied about her virginity, and sent me to take her place on the wedding night to hide the truth! Christine shouted through the pain. I only agreed because I needed to protect my father from you!

Her stepmother’s lips curled into an evil grin before anger took hold of her once more. You should have gotten rid of that disgusting child!

Abortion? Killing her own baby? Her own flesh and blood? Never!

Such thoughts were unbearable for Christine. They were more agonizing than the act itself from that night. The man had treated her like a prized possession, and though it was difficult to admit even to herself, she had moments when she enjoyed the wicked things he did to her body. But those moments were overshadowed by the sordid arrangement, and the lies had extinguished any semblance of enjoyment.

Her stepsister’s husband remained oblivious to her existence, as her sister was always insecure whenever Christine was around and never introduced her to her lovers.

Christine had always been beautiful, but she would never stoop so low as to steal Martha’s boyfriends or anyone else’s for that matter. Yet her stepsister never missed an opportunity to claim that Christine used her allure to ensnare men, a baseless accusation. The fact that she was a virgin served as undeniable proof.

Another searing pain tore through her body, and fluid began to trickle from between her legs.

My water broke! Please call an ambulance.

Her stepmother rolled her eyes in annoyance before reluctantly picking up the phone to dial for an ambulance.

In that moment, Christine longed for her father to be present. He loved her deeply. Yes, he had been somewhat disappointed upon learning of her pregnancy—his pride and joy carrying a child at this stage of life did not sit well with him—but his love for her had never wavered.

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After what felt like an eternity, paramedics finally arrived and swiftly transported Christine to the hospital, her stepmother following closely behind in her car.

The medical staff appeared perplexed when Elenora refused to ride in the ambulance, but she convinced them that her fragile heart couldn’t bear the sounds of her precious stepdaughter’s screams. They even commended her for her display of motherly concern.

They knew nothing, they were as oblivious as her father always had been when it came to that woman. Elenora Carter was a manipulative and malicious person, passing on those traits to her daughter, Martha.

As a dutiful and obedient daughter, Martha heeded her mother’s instructions and sought to climb her way into high society through seduction. By the time she ensnared a billionaire in her trap, she had already been entangled in more beds than she could recall.

So, when she deceitfully claimed to be a virgin, intending to save herself for the wedding night, she needed a solution. That solution involved blackmailing her stepsister into taking her place.

Be careful!

One, two, three, lift!

Christine heard the concerned voices of the paramedics as they moved her from the ambulance. Her head spun as she gazed at the flashing lights dancing to the rhythm of the emergency sirens. She was being carried away from the life-saving vehicle and into the hospital.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale! they demanded of her, as if it were an easy task. But she couldn’t help but scream in agony.

Deep down, a sense of unease gripped Christine’s heart. The contractions felt different, almost unnatural, defying everything she had prepared for.

Fear mingled with each pang, as if something could be wrong with her precious baby. Worry etched deep lines on her face, tears welling in her eyes. In the chaos, prayers whispered on her trembling lips, as she was seeking protection and a miracle.

Her love for the unborn child burned fiercely, refusing to be extinguished. Though fear loomed, she clung to a glimmer of hope, determined not to surrender.

Stop screaming! Everyone in this waiting room is staring at us. You’re such an embarrassment! Can’t you hold it in? You’ve always been so selfish, just like your mother. She stole your father from me, even though she was my friend! her stepmother scolded.

What the hell? Wasn’t she a woman too? A mother?

No, my mom saw him first, and he chose her, Christine retaliated through the pain, refusing to let anyone tarnish her mother’s memory.

But look who triumphed in the end! Elenora smirked in her face.

An operating room had just become available, and the paramedics swiftly rushed Christine into emergency surgery, where her stepmother, fortunately, couldn’t follow to inflict further torment.

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The labor stretched on for agonizing hours, engulfing Christine in a cloud of fear. Her life and, above all, her baby’s life hung in the balance. Even now, as her energy was slowly draining out, the sound of her baby’s cries offered a glimmer of hope, reassuring her that he was safe.

The doctors’ troubled expressions and the ominous silence only fueled her anxiety. Her heart raced, and a wave of panic crashed over her.

Desperate for answers, she snatched a nurse’s gown and inquired in a hushed voice, Is everything alright with my baby?

The medical assistant locked eyes with her, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. Yes, the baby is fine, she replied, hastening out of the room.

But what about Christine? The weight of uncertainty pressed upon her heart, pulling at her with the thought of not being able to nurture her child, to witness his growth and life unfold before her eyes.

Chapter 2

Her beloved father, Ethan, was attending a business conference when he found out about her surgery. He took off in a flash to be by her side.

A cloud of worry spread all over his face as he lunged into the hospital. His mind raced with dreadful scenarios concerning Christine and his unborn grandchild, only to find his wife scrolling through social media, her face devoid of any concern or empathy.

What are you doing? he yelled, snatching the phone from her hands, irritated by his wife’s lack of care.

Nothing. Wasting time, she replied, sounding bored.

Do you even know if she is alright? If the baby is fine? His eyes pierced into her, and that was the moment she realized she had let her guard down and made a big mistake.

No. I was so worried that I tried to distract myself by watching videos on social media. This waiting is slowly killing me inside, she feigned concern, trying to evoke sympathy with her puppy eyes. Surprisingly, it worked.

I’m sorry. For a moment, I thought that you didn’t care about them.

Although a smart and sophisticated man, he could be naive when it came to her, almost as if she had him wrapped around her little finger.

She never accepted me, so I stopped trying, she lied, her eyes filled with fake tears. But it doesn’t mean I don’t love her. I’m just sad that she doesn’t love me back and constantly disrespects me.

He was oblivious to the fact that the situation was indeed the opposite. His daughter was the one mistreated, Elenora and Martha made her life miserable whenever circumstances allowed it.

Ethan encased his wife in a warm hug. She will come around. Sooner or later, she will find out what a gem you really are, he said, brushing his lips on her forehead, not seeing her signature devilish smirk.

As a nurse hurried out of the operating room, he stopped her, desperately needing news about his daughter before losing his sanity. Please, can you tell me if Christine is alright?

Are you the patient’s father? the nurse asked.

Yes.

The baby is fine, the nurse reassured.

And Christine? Is my daughter safe? he pleaded, his despair evident, his heart clenching in his chest.

Sir, I’ll be honest with you. She needs an urgent blood transfusion. There were complications during labor, and she has lost a significant amount of blood. Unfortunately, we’re facing a blood shortage. Please step aside; I need to find a donor, the nurse explained urgently.

I can be her donor, he responded without hesitation. She quickly took a drop of his blood to conduct fast compatibility tests.

Not for a moment did he suspect that the inconceivable truth would be revealed when the blood type results came out, shattering his world into pieces.

I’m sorry to inform you that you’re not a match. Your daughter is O negative (O-), while you are AB positive (AB+), the nurse informed him. Do you know of any other potential donors within your family?

I’m sorry, what? That can’t be true. My late wife was A negative (A-). Our daughter can’t be O negative (O-), Ethan struggled to believe his own ears.

The words echoed in his mind, crashing down on him like thunder and lightning.

In an instant, his entire life unraveled before him. The wife he cherished had betrayed him. The daughter he adored was not his biological child. Christine was his pride and joy, but they were not blood related.

It’s urgent. Your daughter’s life is in danger, the nurse pleaded, hoping to snap him out of his trance.

No, run the tests again! he demanded, trapped in denial.

Sir, the results are accurate. They don’t lie.

Unable to respond, he sank into a chair, his knees weakening under the weight of his shocked body. The nurse departed in search of another solution.

See? I told you Diane was fucking around. She was my best friend, and I knew her inside out! Elenora gloated, savoring her triumph. It surpassed even her wildest expectations, leaving her smug with satisfaction.

No amount of meticulous planning could have yielded such a favorable outcome, Elenora mused to herself. She had long been aware that Christine wasn’t Ethan’s biological child, and Christine herself was privy to this secret. It was this very secret that Elenora had exploited to blackmail her stepdaughter into taking Martha’s place on the wedding night.

Devastated, Ethan struggled to gather his thoughts. I need to step out. Please take care of Christine and the baby, he implored his wife.

Little did he know the extent of his misplaced trust. Gasping for a breath of fresh air, he resembled a drowning man. The events of the day had taken an immense toll on him, yet he remained oblivious to the potential consequences of his mistake.

After a grueling battle, the medical team managed to halt Christine’s severe bleeding. When she finally regained consciousness, her first request was to see her precious treasure, her beloved baby boy.

With gentle hands, the doctor placed him on her bed, nestled close to her chest.

You did amazingly, the nurse whispered, her fingers caressing Christine’s hair. In that tender moment, Christine couldn’t help but think that her mother would have done the same, had she been alive.

He is perfect, Christine murmured, her eyes filled with love as she gazed at her newborn son. She marveled at his exquisite beauty, her little treasure, so incredibly beautiful.

But the fleeting joy was quickly shattered as Elenora entered her hospital room, bearing grim news.

Your father found out what a trash your mother was. She declared nonchalantly.

What? Christine’s body trembled uncontrollably, imagining the pain her beloved father must have felt. He had loved her mother deeply, and he had loved Christine wholeheartedly.

He left, but not before asking me to relay a message to you. He wants nothing to do with you anymore. He believes you’re as trashy as your mother and demands that you refrain from seeking him out or asking for his help. As for me, if I ever lay eyes on you again, I’ll take your baby and give him to my daughter and his rightful father to raise. You know very well that I am more than capable of doing so, she coldly proclaimed, before exiting the room, leaving Christine feeling hollow inside.

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