Billionaire's Replacement Bride

Chapter 2 : The Unwanted Fate

Kai Volkov's POV

I stormed through the mansion, my anger boiling over as I fumed about the situation I found myself in. Why would I marry a low-blood b***h like her? The thought burned through my mind like fire, and I couldn't believe it. They were changing the bride. How could they? My blood simmered in frustration as I thought about the ridiculousness of it all. Why would they force me to marry someone beneath me?

I slammed my fist down onto the desk, trying to calm myself, but the fury inside me only grew. A low-blood w***e. Those words kept echoing in my head. How dare they force me into this?

My mother’s voice broke through my thoughts, calm but firm. "I don't know why they changed the bride, Kai, but you have to marry her. This marriage will only be for two years. After that, you can do whatever you want with her. You can divorce her, leave her—whatever you wish. We can't afford to upset your father again."

I could feel my blood pressure rising. "But I don’t care, Mom. I’m not marrying her. No way in hell."

She gave me a cold, calculating look, and I saw the tension in her eyes. She didn’t want me to challenge my father again, but I couldn’t back down.

"You should be angry that they changed the bride too," I said, frustration lacing my voice. "I’m not doing this."

Before she could reply, my father stood from his chair, the sharp click of his shoes against the floor signaling his anger. His eyes met mine, and his voice was firm.

"You will marry her, Kai. If you don’t, you can leave this house. You won’t inherit a penny from me, and the Volkov empire will be gone. You know what’s at stake."

His words hit like a slap to the face, but they didn’t make me any more willing to comply. I ground my teeth together in anger.

"It’s your company, not mine!" I snapped. "Why should I be the one to marry her? A w***e like her? You want that as your daughter-in-law? What will people think?"

My father’s gaze hardened, and he spoke again, his tone colder than ever. "They’ll see the money. That’s all they care about. And after this marriage, we’ll be wealthier than anyone else. You’ll see."

I turned on my heel, ready to leave, but his voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

"You will marry her. If you don’t, leave this house. And know this—you’ll never touch a penny of the Volkov fortune."

I clenched my fists and fought back the urge to yell. "Fine. I’ll marry her," I gritted through my teeth.

The rumors about Alina had spread like wildfire, and I'd heard it all. She doesn’t have the education, they said. Her family is barely scraping by, others whispered. They talked about her character, and it wasn’t pretty. She’s nothing but a disgrace, they’d mutter. She’s unworthy, beneath us. Some even went as far as calling her a w***e. And now, they wanted me to marry her? This woman who wasn’t even fit for a man like me?

The disgust that churned inside me was overwhelming. But then, in that moment, a cold and vengeful thought struck me. I’ll make her life hell after this. I’ll show her what happens when she crosses me. Welcome to hell, Alina

Alina Smith's POV

The smell of breakfast filled the air as I carried a bowl of hot soup to the table. My hands shook as I carefully placed it down, but in my haste, the soup splashed onto my skin, scalding me. I hissed in pain, but there was no time to deal with it. If I didn’t finish everything before they arrived, I’d be doomed.

I quickly set the table, arranging the plates just the way they liked. My sister Ana preferred a mix of salad, fruits, and soup. My stepmother favored eggs and rice, and my father, who had heart problems, had his own dietary needs. I rushed to make sure everything was perfect. There could be no mistakes.

As I placed the final dish on the table, I heard footsteps. They were here.

My stepmother and sister walked in, their eyes lighting up with that familiar smugness. My father followed, his face emotionless as always. They sat down to eat without sparing me a glance.

My stomach growled loudly, but I forced myself to hold back. I couldn’t eat before them. I’d have to wait for the scraps they left behind.

Once they had finished, I quickly cleared the table, scrubbing down the dishes and cleaning the area. There was always work to do, always something to prepare.

Just as I sat down to take the leftover food from my father’s plate, my stepmother’s voice rang out.

"Alina," she called sharply. "Come to our room."

I sighed, reluctantly setting the plate aside and heading for her room. I knew what was coming.

When I walked in, my father stood, his face cold as usual, his eyes piercing me with a look that made my heart race. Without a hint of emotion, he dropped the bombshell.

"Alina," he began, his voice cutting through the air. "I’ve arranged your marriage to Kai Volkov."

My stomach dropped, and I froze, the weight of his words crushing me. The thought of marrying that man—someone I had heard only bad things about—was more than I could process. But there was no escape from this fate.