The Placeholder Bride's Secret Billionaire Revenge

For two years, I was the invisible force behind tech billionaire Kieran Douglas, convinced that our "private" romance was his way of protecting us from the tabloid spotlight. I managed his mergers, warmed his bed, and waited for a future that didn't exist. The illusion shattered at 6:00 AM when a Page Six alert debuted Kieran's "real" romance with socialite Aspen Schneider. Before I could even process the betrayal, Kieran sent me a cold, professional text: "Order flowers for Aspen. Pink peonies. Her favorite." When I tried to walk away, my own mother called me a disgrace and threatened to lock my inheritance forever unless I married a sixty-year-old businessman to save her failing estate. At a high-society gala that same night, Aspen intentionally crushed my burned hand in front of the cameras, while Kieran stood by and dismissed me as a "mediocre assistant" who had overstayed her welcome. I stood in the cold New York rain, drenched in champagne and humiliation, realizing that every sacrifice I made for Kieran was a joke. I was a ghost in a penthouse that was never mine, discarded the moment his "soulmate" returned. To the world, I was just a placeholder whose time had run out. But Kieran forgot one thing: my father's multi-million dollar trust fund unlocks the moment I legally marry. I didn't need love; I needed a signature and a shield. I walked into a discreet law firm and signed a marriage contract with a man I believed was the city's most notorious, scandal-ridden playboy. I thought I was marrying a degenerate "beard" to buy my freedom and secure my revenge. I didn't realize the man who signed that paper wasn't a playboy at all, but Gaston Collins-the most powerful and dangerous man on Wall Street-and he had no intention of letting our fake marriage stay fake.

Chapters

Chapter 6

The Pierre Hotel was the epitome of old-world New York glamour. Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling, casting a golden glow over the hundreds of guests sipping champagne.

Jocelyn entered through the service entrance.

She wasn't wearing a gown. She wore a simple black dress under her work blazer. Her left hand was heavily bandaged in white gauze. She clutched the thick folder of documents against her chest with her right hand.

She felt like a crow in a cage of peacocks.

She scanned the room. It didn't take long to find him.

Kieran was in the center of the ballroom, holding court. He was laughing, his head thrown back. Beside him, Aspen Schneider preened. She wore a silver gown that clung to every curve, flashing a diamond ring on her finger that caught the light like a beacon.

Jocelyn took a deep breath. Just get it over with.

She walked through the crowd. People parted for her, not out of respect, but out of confusion. She didn't belong.

"Mr. Douglas," she said when she reached him.

Kieran turned. His smile vanished instantly. His eyes raked over her outfit with disdain.

"You're late," he said coldly. "And underdressed. This is a black-tie event, Jocelyn."

"I'm not here for the party," Jocelyn said flatly. "Here are the merger files."

She extended the folder.

Kieran didn't take it. He swirled his drink, looking bored. "Put them on the table over there. I don't want to hold them."

Aspen turned then. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jocelyn. It wasn't a friendly light; it was the predatory gleam of a cat spotting a wounded mouse.

"Jocelyn! Darling!" Aspen squealed.

She lunged forward, enveloping Jocelyn in a fake, perfumed hug.

"We missed you in Paris!" Aspen coos, pulling back but keeping her hands on Jocelyn's arms. "It was magical."

Jocelyn stepped back, trying to disengage. "Hello, Aspen."

Aspen's gaze dropped to Jocelyn's bandaged hand. "Oh no, what happened? Did you hurt yourself?"

"Kitchen accident," Jocelyn muttered.

"You poor thing!" Aspen exclaimed loudly. Heads turned nearby. "Let me see."

Before Jocelyn could react, Aspen grabbed her injured hand with both of hers.

"Aspen, don't-"

Aspen smiled sweetly, looking directly into Jocelyn's eyes. And then, she squeezed.

She dug her manicured nails directly into the burn under the gauze.

Jocelyn gasped. A sharp, white-hot bolt of agony shot up her arm, blinding her for a second. A wave of nausea crashed over her, and the glittering ballroom momentarily swam out of focus. She felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead.

"Aspen, let go!" Jocelyn hissed through gritted teeth, trying to pull away.

Aspen held tight, her grip like iron. "But I'm just worried! You need to be careful, Jocelyn. You're so clumsy."

Kieran watched, sipping his drink. "Aspen is being nice, Jocelyn. Don't be rude."

The pain was unbearable. It felt like fire was eating her skin.

Jocelyn yanked her hand back violently, a reflex of pure survival.

Her elbow struck a passing waiter's tray.

Crash!

The sound of shattering glass cut through the ambient chatter like a gunshot. Champagne sprayed everywhere-over the waiter, over the floor, and over the hem of Aspen's silver dress.

The ballroom went silent. The music seemed to stop.

Aspen gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth in a perfect performance of shock. "Jocelyn! Are you drunk?"

Kieran stepped forward, his face darkening with rage.

"What is wrong with you?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the quiet room.

Jocelyn stood amidst the broken glass, clutching her throbbing hand to her chest. She looked around. Hundreds of eyes were staring at her. Judging her.

She was the villain in their story. The clumsy, bitter ex-girlfriend causing a scene.

Continue to next part

I thought being rescued from the kidnapper's basement after eight years was the end of my hell, but it was just the beginning. My father, the powerful Underboss Derek McCall, looked at my twelve-year-old face and saw only the monster who had held us captive. He was convinced I was the byproduct of his wife's assault, calling me "pollution" in his pristine bloodline. Life at the estate was a nightmare. I was forced to scrub floors while his stepdaughter, Kylie, lived like a princess. When I was starving, Derek caught me eating from the garbage and mocked me. When Kylie ordered a Doberman to maul me, tearing my leg apart on the manicured lawn, he just watched and told the guards to stitch me up without anesthesia. Yet, when he was dying from a gunshot wound and the hospital was out of blood, I was the one who stepped up. I gave two pints of my blood to save him, hoping he would finally see me. He didn't. The moment he was stable, his mother kicked me out of the house, handing me over to social services like unwanted trash. They didn't realize until the car drove away that the medical file on the table held a secret. My blood wasn't dirty. The DNA was a 99.9% match. I wasn't the kidnapper's child. I was his. When they finally came begging for forgiveness years later, I didn't offer a hug. I handed them an eviction notice.

Action Modern Mystery

9.1

Claimed by the Ruthless Mafia Boss: Our Twisted Nights

9.1

In a world of violence, a ruthless mafia leader claims a woman as his own, sparking a dangerous obsession. Their nights are defined by a dark, twisted passion that blurs the lines between hatred and desire. As the boss navigates deadly underworld conflicts, his fixation on her only intensifies. Caught in his iron grip, she must survive the volatile power plays and lethal secrets of his empire while facing an attraction she cannot escape.

Action Mafia Romance

9.7

Falling For The Mafia Boss

9.7

Raven's entire life has been defined by loss and betrayal. At just 13, she watched as the Cartel brutally murdered her father-an act that not only tore her family apart but also set her on a path to destroy the empire responsible. Now, at 22, she's back in Spain, leading a ragtag team of rebels with the singular goal of dismantling the Gonzalez Cartel from within. But as Raven infiltrates the Cartel's operations and gets closer to Mario-Tito's ruthless son-the lines between enemy and lover begin to blur. But love is a luxury Raven cannot afford. Lucas, her devoted team member and secret lover, has always been by her side, waiting for the day they can escape the Cartel's grasp and finally be free. Torn between loyalty, love, and vengeance, Raven faces the ultimate dilemma: Will she sacrifice everything she's fought for to build a future with Mario, or will her thirst for revenge consume her entirely, leaving no room for love? As the stakes rise and the Cartel's reach tightens, Raven must choose whether to live for revenge or risk everything for the love she never thought possible.

Action Mafia Romance

7.5

My Husband's Secret, My Silent War

7.5

On our third wedding anniversary, my husband's "best friend," Jade, told a room full of people about the night she spent kissing a scar on his hip. My husband, Julian, just laughed. He chose her, not me. That night, I found their secret group chat. They called me "the ball and chain." But the worst message was from Julian. He confessed he'd been swapping my birth control pills with placebos for a year, all while promising to be a sperm donor for her. He had held me while I cried over my "unexplained infertility," telling me I was all he needed. It was all a sick, calculated lie. The next morning, he left for her birthday trip, forgetting it was my birthday too. He told me to stay home. Instead, I got in my car and followed them. I was done watching my marriage die. It was time to burn his world to the ground.

Action Mystery Romance

7.2

Pregnant Oracle: The CEO's Most Dangerous Mistake

7.2

I stared at the ceiling tiles of the sterile clinic, counting water stains to keep from screaming. The IVF transfer was complete, but the nurse didn’t call me a mother—she called the life inside me an "asset" for Caldwell Holdings. When I walked into my husband Alexander’s office to demand a divorce, he didn't even look up from his desk. He just laughed, shredded my legal papers, and told me I was nothing more than a high-end broodmare for his inheritance. The nightmare only deepened from there. To keep me in line, Alexander fabricated evidence of an affair to destroy my reputation. When I tried to run, he revealed he controlled the facility where my sister was on life support, threatening to pull the plug if I didn't submit. "One phone call, and her ventilator stops," he whispered. Even my own parents turned against me, demanding I apologize to Alexander’s mistress just to secure their next business merger. I was a prisoner in my own life, trapped between a husband who wanted to own me and a family that had already sold me. I couldn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with this pregnancy until I saw the fear in Alexander's eyes when his uncle, the powerful Harrison Sterling, started showing up at my door. I finally hacked into the clinic’s high-security database and found the truth. There had been a catastrophic lab breach the day of my procedure. The donor wasn't some anonymous third party. I wasn't carrying my husband's child. I was carrying his uncle's heir. As Alexander sent a hitman to stage a fatal "accident" on the Manhattan Bridge, I realized the war had just begun. This time, I wasn't just fighting for my life—I was holding the nuclear leverage that would burn the Caldwell empire to the ground.

Action Modern Romance

7.5

The Captain's Cold Aspen Revenge

7.5

For seven years, I funded my husband Gonzalo's PhD. I paid for everything. A week after our wedding, his young "mentee," Kloe, moved in with us, claiming a rare autoimmune disorder made her "fragile." On our Aspen ski trip, he used my money to buy her an $8,000 handbag. Then, he demanded I give Kloe my high-performance ski jacket because her flimsy one wasn't warm enough. When I refused, he ripped it off my body. I slipped on the ice, hitting my head as he walked away with her, leaving me injured and freezing in the snow. Later that night, he abandoned me again while I was sick in our hotel room, to get a separate room with Kloe. He said they needed to "discuss his academic paper." But he forgot one crucial detail. I'm not just a wife. I'm Captain Amy Payne, U.S. Army Reserve. I called my best friend, a manager at the hotel chain. "I need a master key," I told her. "We're about to crash a very important academic discussion."

Action Modern Romance

The Placeholder Bride's Secret Billionaire Revenge

Chapter 6

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