the billionaire forgotten substitute wife

Ella's entire body trembled. Her mind went blank as she stared at the scene before her. Not long ago, she had been looking for Shane. Instead, she found him kissing another woman. Her boyfriend of three years. And Bella. Her adopted sister. The two stood beneath the garden pavilion, completely lost in each other. Bella's hands rested on Shane's chest while his arm wrapped possessively around her waist. The sight felt like a knife twisting through Ella's heart. A sharp gasp escaped her lips. The sound immediately caught their attention. The intimate pair froze. Shane turned around first. The moment their eyes met, panic flashed across his handsome face. "Ella..." His voice was strained. For a brief second, guilt appeared in his eyes. But Bella... Bella didn't look guilty at all. Instead, a victorious smile curled her lips. It was subtle. Provocative. As though she had finally won something she had wanted for a very long time. Ella's heart sank. She had always known Bella liked Shane. But she had trusted him. Bella and Shane were childhood friends. They grew up together. Whenever they appeared close, Ella would remind herself that she was being unreasonable. They were friends. Nothing more. Friends didn't kiss each other. Friends didn't look at each other the way Shane was looking at Bella now. Suddenly, all her excuses shattered. Without saying a word, Ella turned and ran. Tears blurred her vision as she left the Anderson estate. The cold wind stung her face. Yet nothing hurt more than her heart. Ever since Bella woke up six months ago, her life had become a nightmare. The loving parents she once knew had disappeared. Andrew and Kathy no longer looked at her with affection. No matter what happened, Bella was always right. And Ella was always wrong. Bella wanted her bedroom. Ella gave it up. Bella accused her of being selfish. Ella apologized. Bella cried. Ella was punished. Again and again. No matter how absurd the accusation was. No matter how innocent she was. The result never changed. Ella wandered the streets until nightfall before finally returning home. As she approached the mansion, loud sobs echoed from inside. Her footsteps halted. Bella was crying. Alarmed, Ella hurried into the living room. The scene that greeted her left her stunned. Bella sat on the sofa with swollen cheeks and tear-streaked eyes. The maids stood nearby with sympathetic expressions. The moment Ella entered, Bella's sobs intensified. "Please forgive me!" Bella cried dramatically. "I know I was wrong!" Her voice trembled pitifully. "I should never have fallen in love with my sister's boyfriend!" The room instantly fell silent. Ella froze. What? "I deserved the slaps she gave me." Bella lowered her head. "It's all my fault." The maids gasped. Disapproval immediately filled their eyes as they looked toward Ella. Meanwhile, Ella stood rooted to the spot. She couldn't even process what she was hearing. Slaps? When had she slapped Bella? She had left immediately after seeing them together. They hadn't exchanged a single word. Before she could defend herself, Bella suddenly spotted her. Her eyes lit up. The next second, she rushed forward and dropped to her knees. "Ella!" Tears poured down Bella's face. "I know I'm shameless." "I know I stole Shane from you." "But please don't take him away from me." She grabbed Ella's hand desperately. "Shane and I loved each other long before my accident." "Please... don't separate us." Ella stared at her in disbelief. The woman's acting was flawless. If she didn't know the truth herself, she might have believed it. Suddenly— Crack! A cane struck her back. Pain exploded through her body. Ella cried out. Before she could recover, another strike landed. And another. "How dare you!" Kathy's furious voice echoed through the room. "How could you beat your sister into this state?" Crack! The cane landed again. "You know she only woke up recently!" Crack! "Could you not be patient with her?" Each accusation was followed by another blow. Ella's vision blurred from pain. Yet no one stepped forward to stop it. Not even Andrew. Not even the servants who had watched her grow up. No one. Meanwhile, Bella hid her smile behind fake tears. Watching Ella suffer filled her with satisfaction. Then she rushed forward dramatically. "Mom, stop!" Bella stood protectively in front of Ella. "Don't hit her anymore." "She was only angry." The room instantly praised her kindness. What a loving sister. What a forgiving person. Bella lowered her head and continued crying. Then she looked at Ella. "Please, Sister." Her voice trembled. "Don't take Shane away from me." "If you want..." She hesitated. "We can share him." Ella's eyes widened. Share him? Bella continued speaking as though making a huge sacrifice. "Shane loves me." "I love him too." "Please let us stay together." The room erupted. Some people were moved by Bella's generosity. Others pitied her. No one considered how humiliating those words were to Ella. Andrew finally stood. His expression was cold. "If Bella and Shane love each other, then there is nothing left to discuss." His next words shattered what remained of Ella's heart. "You and Shane are over." Silence. Ella looked around the room. At Kathy. At Andrew. At Bella. Not one person defended her. Not one person cared about her feelings. To them, she was already expendable. The tears she had been holding back finally threatened to fall. But she stubbornly blinked them away. She would not cry in front of them. Andrew's voice sounded again. "Lock her in her room." His expression remained indifferent. "And don't give her any food for two days." The servants immediately obeyed. No one questioned him. No one objected. After all, this had become normal. For more than three months, Ella had endured endless punishments. Beatings. Humiliation. Isolation. The daughter of the Eleanor family had become little more than a servant. Locked inside her room, Ella curled into a corner and cried herself to sleep. The betrayal cut deeper than any wound. Two days later, she was finally released. Weak and exhausted, she dragged herself back to her room. Her phone contained dozens of missed calls and messages. Most included the same link. Confused, she clicked it. The page loaded. Instantly, her face went pale. A photo filled the screen. Shane and Bella. Holding hands. Smiling at each other. The headline read: "The Anderson and Eleanor Families Announce the Relationship of Their Children." Below it was Shane's public confession. Every word was filled with love. Every sentence praised Bella. Ella's fingers tightened around the phone. Her chest felt hollow. Yet she remained silent. Days passed. Then weeks. Soon, an entire month went by. Finally, another announcement shook the city. The Eleanor and Anderson families would be joining through marriage. Shane Anderson and Bella Eleanor were officially engaged. And once again, no one cared what Ella felt.