The Billionaire's Fake Bride

Chapter 4: The Wife's Duty.

Amelia had gotten used to the morning quietness of the Caldwell mansion. Everyone was always off, doing their thing. She had only had breakfast with the family once. These days, she is the only one eating at the dining table, and she sometimes misses Liam's occasional smirk and Eleanor's serious expression.

Eleanor called her back just as she was about to return to her room after breakfast.

“Amelia,” she said, her tone was unusually lively. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

Amelia hesitated but nodded; she knew it would probably be one shocking thing again, so she prepared her mind and followed Eleanor into the study. The room was grand, lined with shelves of leather-bound books and the faint scent of cedar. Eleanor gestured for Amelia to sit before settling into the high-backed chair behind the desk.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” Eleanor began, her hands clasped together. “As I've told you before today, You're now Derek’s wife and a member of Caldwell family, you have a responsibility to this family. After my husband died, I became the head of this family, I hoped to pass the duties to my son, Derek, but he's in that situation now. I realized that I can't drag this on for long, that's why I looked for a bride. But you came into the picture and now, we'll need an heir from you.”

Amelia’s stomach dropped. She’d been bracing for something like this, but hearing it said so plainly was still shocking.

“An heir?” Amelia repeated, her voice faltering.

“Yes.” Eleanor’s gaze was unwavering. “Derek’s legacy cannot end with him....”

Amelia interrupted. “ End with him? You're his mother but you've lost all hope of him waking up? He's in a coma not dead, how can you talk about his end?”

Eleanor cleared her throat, surprised that Amelia was taking his side. “ If doing this means I've lost hope, then I have. He's been lying there for three months. You think I'm not tired of waiting? Do you even know who your husband is and how his comatose state is affecting the company?”

“ Three months? That's a short time compared to others. I understand that it's hard, but why not take him to the hospital for better care?” Amelia spoke as though if in care of Derek.

“ You don't understand anything, do you? If Derek goes to the hospital, Caldwell International is done for. Everyone thinks he's out of the country doing business, and I'm trying my best to hold it all together here, so don't judge me or think I'm a terrible mother. I'm doing all this is save face.”

“ So, how does an heir help the Caldwell family? How does a child help Derek?”

Eleanor sighed. “ Incase he doesn't wake up, then the company will say he got married abroad and had a child. And if he does wake up, it'll be an excuse for why he was gone from three months with any public appearance. The child will be trained to take on the duties of his father. He'll inherit everything the Caldwells have.”

Amelia nodded. She would have judged Eleanor before, but now she understands her situation. She was the head of the family, and the family's fate rested on her.

Eleanor continued. “We’ve already made arrangements to ensure this process is as smooth as possible. You’ll visit the hospital today. We need to be as quick as possible with the process.”

Amelia blinked, trying to process the words. “Hospital? What for?”

“Insemination,” Eleanor said bluntly. “Derek had his sperm stored years ago for any situation that may occur. You’ll undergo the procedure, and once you’re pregnant, we can focus on securing the future of this family.”

Amelia gripped the armrests of her chair to steady herself. She didn't think it would be this soon, and she had not even had a chance to think about it. Nobody cared if the lady wanted to become a mother or not. “You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I am always serious, Amelia,” Eleanor said sharply. “You agreed to this marriage. Now you must uphold your end of the bargain.”

Amelia felt the sting of Eleanor’s words but said nothing. What could she say? She’d walked into this arrangement unthinkingly, and now she was paying the price.

---

Hours later, Amelia found herself sitting in a cold, sterile room at the hospital. The process had been explained to her in clinical terms; the doctors were professionals, too.

Amelia felt like a spectator in her own life, watching as decisions were made for her. When the process was over, she left the hospital in a daze, her mind racing with thoughts of what she had just agreed to. If it worked, she would become a mother.

Returning to the mansion, she headed to her room, hoping for peace. But as she turned a corner, she nearly collided with Darius.

“Amelia,” he said, his expression unreadable.

“Darius,” she replied, her voice colder than she intended.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, lowering his voice. “We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said, brushing past him.

He grabbed her arm, stopping her. “You’re making a mistake,” he said urgently. “Do you even know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”

Amelia pulled her arm free and glared at him. “What do you care? You made it clear at the wedding that I don’t matter to you.”

Darius flinched but quickly recovered. “I’m trying to help you,” he said. “This family isn’t what you think it is. You’re just a pawn in their game, and you’ll end up with nothing if you don’t start thinking strategically.”

Amelia crossed her arms. “And what’s your idea of thinking strategically?”

Darius hesitated, then stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Join me. If you go through with this, you’ll be carrying Derek’s child. That gives you leverage. Together, we can use it to secure a fortune from this family.”

Amelia stared at him, horrified. “You’re asking me to extort money from my husband’s family?”

“They’re not your family,” Derek said sharply. “They don’t care about you, Amelia. You’re nothing more than a means to an end.”

“I’m nothing like you,” Amelia said, her voice trembling with anger. “I won’t stoop to your level.”

Darius’s face darkened, but before he could respond, a noise from down the hall caught their attention.

A soft groan.

Amelia turned toward the sound, her heart pounding. It came from the room where Derek was kept.

Without thinking, she rushed to the door, throwing it open.

Derek was there, and he was awake.

His eyes, a piercing shade of green, were open and fixed on her as she came in. His brow furrowed as he struggled to focus.

Amelia froze, her mind racing. She hoped he would wake up but hadn’t expected him to wake up so soon—if at all.

“Who…” His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “Who are you?”

Amelia took a hesitant step forward, her breath catching in her throat. “I’m Amelia… I’m your wife.”

Derek’s confusion deepened, his gaze shifting between her and the room around him. “My wife?”

“Yes,” Amelia said, her voice soft but steady. She was relieved to see him awake, even though she didn't know him.

Darius appeared in the doorway, his face pale. He seemed just as stunned as Amelia.

Eleanor arrived moments later, her sharp eyes widening when she saw Derek. “Derek, son,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “You’re awake.”

Derek’s gaze shifted to his mother, then back to Amelia. “What’s going on?”

Amelia felt a wave of panic. She wasn’t ready for this moment—not like this. Would he accept her? Or would she be dumped in front of her ex-fiance and disgraced?

Eleanor stepped forward, her composure quickly returning. “You’ve been in a coma, dear,” she explained. “There’s much to tell you, but for now, just rest. You’ll need your strength.”

Derek’s eyes lingered on Amelia, and she felt an inexplicable pull toward him.

This was the man she had married, whose child she might soon be carrying.

And he was finally awake.