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The Placeholder Bride's Secret Billionaire Revenge

Luo Ye

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.

Modern Playboy Billionaires

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"According to the exclusive report of the Weekly News, Leon Lu, the heir of the Lu family, spent forty-eight hours in a hotel room with the famous actress, Candida Ye. Our reliable source confirmed that the actress has a slight bulge. Many believe that she is pregnant now."

It was still early in the morning, but the gossip about Leon Lu and Candida Ye had already spread all over the country, breaking the hearts of countless people.

Leon Lu was the CEO of the Lu Group. He was the heir of the nouveau-riche Lu family and a parvenu in the real estate industry. Currently, he was the youngest businessman in the city, known for being handsome, romantic, and affectionate. He was every woman's fantasy.

The media followed his love life all the time, broadcasting every woman he had associated with.

In the Lu family's villa

Daryl Ye sat quietly at the table with eyes staring unblinkingly at the TV screen. The news was all about Leon Lu and Candida Ye.

Her rough and slender hands grasped her thighs tightly. But still, she couldn't stop her body from trembling.

She couldn't believe that Leon Lu's mistress was Candida Ye, her parents' adopted daughter.

For a long time, Daryl Ye had doted on Candida Ye like her own sister.

"You're so stupid! Why did you put so much vinegar in the soup? Do you want to kill me?" Katrina Su, Daryl Ye's mother-in-law, who was sitting elegantly at the table, suddenly poured the bowl of hot chicken soup onto Daryl Ye.

With a darkened expression, Daryl Ye put down her chopsticks. She endured the burning sensation and knelt down to clean up the mess. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I'll cook for you again."

She tried to restrain her tears from falling, but they just streamed down her face like raindrops.

"You can't do anything right, but cry!" Katrina Su tweaked her left ear and pushed her away impatiently. "You're such a jinx. I don't know what's wrong with Leon that he chose to marry you. Even if you can bear everything, I can't stand you anymore."

"Mom, what do you mean?" Daryl Ye raised her head and looked at her mother-in-law in panic. She had a bad feeling with her words.

Her knees started to feel numb from kneeling, but she didn't complain.

"Are you really dumb? You can't even give birth to a child. And yet, you still want to be the hostess of the Lu family. Candida is pregnant with Leon's child now, so I will let her move in here tomorrow. A jinx like you should start packing now and get out of here."

"Mom, it's not that I can't have a child. Back then..." Daryl Ye was not able to finish her words as she choked with sobs.

The night wind that blew through the window made her body shiver more. She felt cold all over.

In the past five years, Katrina Su had abused her and treated her as a servant. But she endured it all for the sake of her marriage. But this time, Katrina Su's words made her heart break into a thousand pieces.

"Don't mention the past. If you hadn't set Leon up and got pregnant, he wouldn't have been forced to marry you." Katrina Su stood up and stared at Daryl Ye. "But what did you do? You didn't take care of my grandson. You lost him. It's been five years. I'm too tired to put up with you anymore. Get out of here! Make sure that I won't be able to see your face tomorrow morning."

Katrina Su then stomped off with a cold face.

Her words were like a knife that cut Daryl Ye's heart into pieces.

It was true that Leon Lu was forced to marry Daryl Ye because she was pregnant. But she didn't intentionally lose her child.

At this moment, her phone rang. She took it out from her pocket and saw Leon Lu's name on the screen.

She felt excited and nervous at the same time.

This was the first time that he had called her since they got married. But she was also afraid that he would only say something cruel to her.

As soon as she answered, she said, "Leon, mom said..."

"Where are you?" Leon Lu interrupted her coldly.

Daryl Ye felt more nervous. "I'm home."

"Come to Room 1818 of Cloud Hotel in half an hour."

Leon Lu then hung up before Daryl Ye could even say something.

Daryl Ye simply thought that Leon Lu just wanted a quiet place to explain his relationship with Candida Ye, so he told her to go to the hotel.