(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Gerald left Ariana when the female nurse he had requested arrived. In less than ten minutes, Ariana felt clean again and lay back on the bed, which had also been changed with fresh sheets and pillowcases. After the nurse left, the man entered the room again. “Are you okay? Do you want to eat something?” he asked once more. Ariana shook her head again.

“Why are you still here? Just go home,” Ariana ordered softly.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

“Why can’t I stay here with my wife?” Gerald countered. Ariana snorted upon hearing his response. She chose to close her eyes even though she didn’t feel sleepy at all.

“What’s wrong with you?” Gerald asked softly. He clearly knew that Ariana wasn’t truly asleep. He intentionally raised the back of the bed so Ariana could see him clearly. Ariana, who also felt tired, pretended to open her eyes.

“Nothing. Why?” she replied.

“I prefer the sarcastic and rude Ariana over this silent one. Tell me, did I do something wrong?” he asked again.

Ariana shook her head. There was nothing wrong. It was her who was at fault because she was starting to waver. “Nothing’s wrong. And don’t act like you know me, Mr. Aarzu. We haven’t even known each other for a month,” she sneered.

Gerald nodded. “You’re right. We haven’t known each other for long. But haven’t I told you that I want to get to know you? I’ve even told you my name, something not many people know. And I plan to tell you everything you want to know about me. Isn’t that enough?” Ariana shook her head in response.

‘**Stop being friendly and nice to me.**’ She pleaded in her mind. But what came out of her mouth was, “Just go home. I feel more comfortable being alone right now.”

His request. But Gerald remained firm. “No sick person likes to be alone, Ariana,” he replied.

Ariana merely glanced at him briefly. “Whatever,” she answered cynically. “If you want to stay here, I won’t stop you. But don’t bother me with your pointless questions,” she added.

Ariana closed her eyes again. This time, she truly fell asleep, and Gerald could only watch her. The lights in her hospital room had been completely turned off. The only illumination came from the faint light seeping through the gaps in the window blinds. Gerald stayed rooted to his spot, observing Ariana who still appeared restless in her sleep.

He replayed his first encounter with Ariana in his mind. The moment when she arrogantly entered the Brooks family residence and boldly behaved rudely towards the mother who had married her. Even afterwards, she continued to be haughty and harsh in front of Gerald. All of it intrigued him and eventually made him curious. Gradually, he found himself genuinely desiring her for himself.

Gerald liked her. That was a fact. Among all the women who often pretended in front of Gerald, Ariana was the only one who was genuine. Among all the women who always acted needy and submissive, Ariana was the only one who dared to defy him. And among all the girls who tried to get close to him in every way, Ariana was the only one who clearly rejected him.

And now, seeing his girl like this, Gerald felt his heart ache. For what reason, he couldn’t fathom.

Just like that night in her apartment. Gerald tried to calm Ariana with the gentle touch of his hand on her forehead, just as he did when he saw her restless in her sleep earlier. Gerald whispered soothing words into her ear once more.

Ariana woke up as dawn approached. Her natural alarm clock was still functioning despite her illness. She glanced at the side of the bed, seeing Gerald sleeping soundly in a prone position. She used his arm as a pillow, and seeing him like that warmed her heart.

She tried to get out of bed quietly. Her body was significantly better after having a long sleep and receiving the IV treatment. She walked towards the bathroom to attend to her needs.

Gerald, now awake, found Ariana’s side of the bed empty and became confused. He searched for Ariana, eventually heading towards the bathroom, but it was vacant. As he was about to step further, he saw Ariana coming out of the bathroom.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Gerald protested.

“I can handle it on my own,” Ariana replied, walking back towards the bed.

“Why haven’t you gone home?” Ariana asked directly. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the office?”

Gerald didn’t respond to Ariana at all. Instead, he handed Ariana her phone. She accepted it and murmured her thanks. She turned on her phone, which had been turned off. It seemed Gerald had charged it and left it off. Maybe he didn’t want to be bothered by the messages flooding Ariana’s phone. Or perhaps he was frustrated because he couldn’t unlock the pattern Ariana had set.

Ariana wasn’t surprised to see numerous messages and missed calls on her phone, considering she hadn’t held it for days. If she counted, their marriage and her time with Gerald had just reached one week. Yes, if Ariana wasn’t mistaken, today marked their eighth day of marriage.

Eight days had passed. Eight days that felt incredibly long for Ariana. Eight days that made her feel as if she were trapped. People say time flies when you’re having fun. But time slows down when every minute you endure feels like torture. And that’s exactly what Ariana was experiencing now. In her twenty-five years of life, she had faced hardships and bitterness more than once or twice. But this was the first time she truly felt uncomfortable. She looked at Gerald. He was busy contacting someone from his own phone. Ariana was sure he was calling his assistant, Vivan.

Gerald. If only they had started everything properly, Ariana was certain she would have fallen for him. Whether she liked it or not, Ariana acknowledged that she was gradually being influenced by his charm. It wasn’t just because of his handsome appearance. His gentle demeanor and attention were slowly melting Ariana’s heart. Even though she would never admit it to him.