The Billionaire's Substitute Bride

CHAPTER 3

Marital Maneuvers

Summarized Chapter Outline: Forced into marriage with Xavier, Olivia navigates the complexities of their relationship, fueled by her long-hidden love for the elusive billionaire.

Olivia POV

I am awoken by the smell of bacon. My eyes opened, and I'm met with the grey walls of my bedroom… wait a minute, grey walls? My bedroom had white walls. I shot out of bed and immediately regretted it when I felt a throbbing in my head. Ow! Where am I? I wonder before everything comes flooding back: the club, the drinks, Xavier. With a groan, I manage to get out of bed and follow the trail of the scent to the kitchen, where I find Mia by the stove. She turns around just in time to see me entering the kitchen. Her face breaks into a smile.

"Good morning," she chirps, sliding two pieces of bacon onto a plate and placing it in front of me. She continues to hum as she proceeds to break some eggs and whisk them together before pouring them into the pan.

"How are you not hung over?" I groaned, taking a bite from the bacon. The flavor immediately bursts in my mouth, making me let out a satisfied moan as I take another bite. She shrugs, spinning around and adding some eggs to my plate. I mumble a quiet thank you and proceed to take a bite from the eggs.

"These are perfect," I moan in between bites. Mia grins

"I know I did make them after all," she says, causing me to roll my eyes. She was never one to be humble. I guess it was more of a Sinclair thing than a Mia thing. I don't think anyone from that family fully understood humility as a concept, except their mother, of course. Unlike most spouses of the Sinclair household, Avery wasn't born rich. She found a job as a secretary for Xavier's father and fell in love with the brooding CEO of Sinclair's Enterprise. It was a love story as old as time.

I ate the rest of my food and helped Mia wash the dishes. I thought I'd be able to catch a glimpse of Xavier before I went, but Mia told me that he had already gone to work. I remembered little from last night, but there was one memory that was more vivid than the rest.

"If I had kissed you that night on the balcony all those years ago, would you have picked me instead of her?" I cringed at my words. How could I be so stupid about bringing up that night? It was a night I had forced myself to forget over the years. It was a secret I promised myself to never take up, but alas, a few drinks, and I'm buzzing like bees. I wanted to see him so that I could apologize for what I said, but at the same time, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. My phone lights up, and my mother's name appears on the screen.

Oh! I blurt, my eyes glued to the screen. Mia raised a brow at me, obviously perplexed by my sudden outburst.

My parents are having dinner with your parents tonight. Your brother's going to be there, and my mum wants me there.

"Don't go," Mia said almost instantly.

I don't have much of a choice. It's my mother; it's not like I could just say I won't be attending and go scot-free. I make my way around the kitchen to the living room, where I sit on the sofa. Mia joins me moments later with two cups of coffee. She hands me a mug, and I mutter a quick thank you before I take a sip.

I love you, Liv; my brother might be dumb, but I'm not. I know the only reason you wanted to go out last night was to get your mind off the wedding preparations. I also know the only reason you've hardly been involved in any wedding preparations is because you can't bear the sight of them being so happy.

"I am happy for them, Mia; it's just hard, you know." As much as I wished it was me, Xavier looked at me. I was happy he cared for my sister the way he did. I see the way he looks at her when he thinks no one is looking; it makes me happy to know that he loves her just as much as she loves him.

"I'm just worried about you." She says, offering me a small smile. I gave her a tight smile before responding with, Don't be, I'm fine. Besides, you'll be there too. Mia gave me a faint smile before taking a sip of her coffee.

Mia dropped me off at my penthouse later that evening. When I opened the doors to my penthouse, I was immediately overtaken by a sense of warmth. I took off my shoes and made my way to my room. I picked up the remote and turned on the speaker. Bach's prelude in c major fills the air; I sway to the rhythm, letting myself fall prey to the tune. I stripped out of my dress from last night and tossed it into the hamper. I take a shower, get dressed in a baby blue dress, and curl my hair. My screen lights up as my agent's name flashes as the caller ID.

"What's up?" Carl had been my agent for the last four years. With his help, I managed to land roles I could only dream of as a girl.

"Hey, do you have a sec?" he says, shuffling in the background.

"Sure, I do. Is there a problem?"

"Just one," he says, and my heart sinks.

"You got the part." I can barely contain the excited scream that barrels past my lips. A few months ago, I heard there was a casting call for a movie called A Sunset in Paris. I had to be part of the movie, especially since Julia Robinson was directing. I begged Carl to get me an audition for the role of Petra, a single mom who isn't ready to get into a relationship after a messy divorce with her ex, but all that changes when her childhood best friend returns to town. Although the casting director was very open about their team's decision to go with an already famous actress, Carl begged them to give him a chance.

No freaking way! Are you being serious right now?"

"As a heart attack, you're going to Hollywood Liv." He says, causing my smile to stretch further.

"I can't wait to tell Mia; she's going to flip." my mind is already racing with possible possibilities of what her reaction would be.

Your plane ticket has already been booked. You leave on the 21st. I stopped in my tracks.

"The 21st? But that's so soon"two days after the wedding precisely.

"I'm sorry, kid, but the director needs you to come as soon as possible," he explains. I took a deep breath; this was the moment I had been waiting for my entire career. Working with Julia Robinson would be life-changing for my career. Then it clicked. What was I going to tell my parents? My father would support me, but my mother was a different ball game.

"I need some time to think about it," I told Carl honestly. He lets out a breath.

"I understand," he says. I end the call and toss my phone into my purse before taking one last look at myself in the mirror. It's show time.