Swapped: His Dead Wife's Revenge

Chapter 9

June’s Pov

I muttered sorry and rushed back into the room, my heart pounding. The clock showed 9:36. I had slept through everything.

“I’m so sorry,” I said quickly. “I’ll freshen up really fast and be right down.”

I didn’t understand why I was panicking. I didn’t want this marriage. I didn’t want him. But fear sat heavy in my stomach. What if he got angry? What if he decided to hurt me again?

Nikolai stepped into the room before I could move. His face was cold, eyes sharp with irritation.

“I am not here to wait for you, Chloe,” he said, voice low and cutting. “Why should I wait?”

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the door.

“Wait,” I pleaded, stumbling after him. “I haven’t even brushed my teeth. Look at my hair. I look like a complete mess.”

He didn’t slow down. “What are you trying to be pretty for? I don’t care what you look like. You have always looked like a f*****g mess to me. Now follow me downstairs and act like a good girl. Keep quiet. Let us finalize this deal and be done with it.”

He dragged me down the stairs, his grip tight on my wrist. I felt exposed in the wrinkled night gown, hair wild, face still swollen from crying. When we reached the sitting room, the lawyer was already waiting. He looked up and his expression turned awkward as he took in how I looked.

Nikolai pushed me toward the couch. “Sit.”

I sat quickly, cheeks burning.

“Pardon my wife,” Nikolai told the lawyer smoothly. “She is not feeling too well today.”

Inside my head I wanted to scream. Not feeling well? He had dragged me here without letting me wash my face or fix my hair, and now he was calling me sick? I bit my tongue and stayed silent.

The lawyer nodded politely. “That is fine. I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

The lawyer spread out the papers and began explaining everything. Nikolai signed first, his pen moving fast like the words meant nothing.

When it was my turn, I reached for the documents to read them.

“You don’t have to read anything,” Nikolai said coldly. “It all leads to one thing. You are signing. So sign.”

My hand shook as I picked up the pen. I wrote “Chloe” on every line he pointed to. Each signature felt like another chain tightening around me.

The lawyer collected the papers, checked them, and nodded. “Everything is in order. It is finalized now. Congratulations on your marriage.”

“There is nothing congratulatory about this,” Nikolai replied, voice flat. “But thank you for your time.”

The lawyer stood up, gathered his briefcase, and left.

I started to rise, ready to escape back to the bedroom.

Nikolai’s voice stopped me. “My parents are coming for dinner tonight. I want you to be on your best behavior. They want to know how you are feeling and how we are getting along. So act properly. And please fix yourself up. You look like a nuisance.”

I wanted to snap at him, but I kept quiet. I turned and walked upstairs, legs heavy.

When I pushed open the bedroom door, Betty was already inside, sitting on the edge of the bed like she belonged there.

“What are you doing here, Betty?” I asked, voice tired. “I don’t have time for this.”

Memories flooded me instantly. Frederick’s fingers inside her. Her legs spread wide. The cruel smile she had given me that night. I wanted to cry all over again, but I swallowed it down. She could not see me break.

Betty stood up slowly, smiling. “I wanted to congratulate you once again. I’m happy for you.” She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I know I was a little weird the last time…I was just upset for personal reasons. Also, you’ve not seen me since because I had to travel for a while. I know you think I abandoned you, but I didn’t. I just needed to find myself. And I’m back for you now. We had a plan, remember?”

In my head I thought, why does everyone keep talking about a plan? What plan?

Betty continued, her tone turning seductive. “Our plan still has to happen. Of course Nikolai can never know. We can include whatever we want. s*x too, if you like.”

She leaned in, eyes half-lidded, trying to look sexy.

I chose my words carefully. I didn’t need more enemies right now. I needed to survive.

“I understand,” I said softly. “But I don’t feel too good right now. Maybe we can talk about this later, okay?”

I reached out and gently touched her cheek, forcing a small smile.

Betty’s face brightened. “Yes, I understand. I’m giving you more time. But you would never pick my brother over me, right?”

“No,” I lied. “I would never do that.”

Inside I thought, I would never pick you either. I would never pick any of you.

Betty smiled, satisfied. “I’ll see you later. My parents are coming tonight too. Hope you have a good time.”

“Yes,” I said. “I’ll have a good time.”

She left the room, closing the door behind her.

The moment she was gone, I grabbed the new phone Mrs. Alice had given me. I recorded a long voicemail for Blue, my voice shaking as I explained everything. The shooting, waking up in this body, the forced marriage, the way no one believed me. I begged her to call me back.

Then I started going through Chloe’s old messages with Nikolai.

The desperation hit me hard. Chloe had texted him constantly. “Thinking about you.” “Miss you.” “When can I see you?” Nikolai’s replies were short and cold. “Busy.” “Not tonight.” “Stop texting me.”

It got worse. Chloe had sent intimate photos. Nude pictures of her body, her breasts, her ass, even explicit shots of her p***y. She had sent them one after another, begging for his attention. Nikolai opened every single one but never replied.

A wave of shame washed over me for the woman whose body I now wore. Why had she forced herself on a man who clearly didn’t want her? Then I remembered Frederick. How I had given him everything, only for him to treat me like trash. I couldn’t blame Chloe. Not really.

I kept scrolling. The messages grew more frantic, more humiliating.

Finally I opened Chloe’s i********:. Over forty million followers. She was a famous model. Photos of her posing perfectly, signing big deals, living a glamorous life.

How was I supposed to pretend to be her? I couldn’t pose like that. I couldn’t even smile right in this body. At this point I was seriously thinking I needed to steal some money and run as far as possible.