THE BILLIONAIRE’S SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

THE BILLIONAIRE'S SUBSTITUTE BRIDE 5

Come home,” he said quietly.Sofia stared at him. For a second, her heart weakened.Then her phone rang.She looked at the screen.Auntie.Slowly, she answered.“Hello… Auntie?”The older woman’s voice came through sharp. Not sad. Angry.“There you are.”“Auntie?”“Do you know what your mother told me before she died?”Sofia froze.“What?”“She knew.”A chill ran through her body.“Knew what?”“Madam Sterling came to see her.”The color drained from Sofia’s face.“What?”“She told your mother everything.”The rain suddenly felt colder.“No…”“Your mother begged them to leave you alone.”Sofia couldn’t breathe.Auntie continued.“Your mother didn’t want you sacrificing your life for money.”Tears filled Sofia’s eyes.“But… the surgery…”A bitter laugh came through the phone.“Sofia, open your eyes.”Her heart pounded.“What do you mean?”“The surgery wasn’t paid because they cared.”Silence.“It was a business deal.”The words struck like lightning.“They needed a replacement bride.”“No…”“They knew you would never agree if your mother wasn’t sick.”Sofia shook violently.“No…”“Your mother knew that too.”Tears rolled down her cheeks.Everything felt dirty now.The contract.The wedding.The mansion.Everything.Auntie’s voice softened.“Your mother spent her final days blaming herself.”Sofia closed her eyes.“She believed she destroyed your future.”The pain became unbearable.When the call ended, Sofia stood still.Adrian sensed it immediately.“Sofia?”She lowered the phone slowly.Then she laughed.A broken laugh.“I was a fool.”“Sofia… what happened?”“My mother knew.”Adrian’s expression changed.“I gave up my life,” she said through tears.“I let them humiliate me.”Her voice cracked.“I kept telling myself it was worth it…”The rain soaked her hair.“But I was just a replacement.”“No.”“Yes.”Adrian stepped forward.She stepped back.“Don’t.”That one word stopped him.She pulled out a document.Adrian’s chest tightened.“What is that?”“Divorce papers.”“No.”“I signed them.”His voice broke.“No…”“You don’t love me,” she whispered.Silence.“You said this marriage meant nothing.”He couldn’t answer.Because it was true.She handed him the papers.“This story ends here.”“Sofia stood there, rain sliding down her face, her voice shaking but firm.

“This story ends here.”

She pushed the papers closer to his chest.

Adrian didn’t move.

His lips parted slightly. “Sofia…”

But she shook her head quickly, cutting him off.

“Don’t.”

That word came out softer this time… almost breaking.

Then she looked straight into his eyes. Not angry anymore. Just tired. Deeply tired.

“Don’t come looking for me.”

Silence hit between them like a wall.

Adrian’s voice lowered. “What?”

Sofia swallowed hard, forcing the words out before her courage disappeared.

“Don’t follow me. Don’t search for me. Don’t try to fix this.”

Her fingers trembled, but she didn’t stop.

“I need to disappear from all of this… from you… from everything.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“If you ever cared about me even a little… let me go.”

Adrian took a step forward instinctively.

“Sofia, I can explain—”

She raised her hand immediately.

“Don’t.”

Just that one word again.

This time sharper.

It stopped him completely.

Her voice dropped into a whisper.

“Goodbye, Adrian.”

Then she turned away for real this time.

No hesitation.

Only the sound of rain swallowing her footsteps as she walked into the darkness… and didn’t look back.