The Billionaire's Substitute Bride

Terms and Conditions

*Beep* *beep*

I don’t need to hear this.

I walked back to my meal, ignoring my mum's relentless callbacks. Finishing up my breakfast, I felt my body go through motions and my mind race with repressed feelings and emotional responses.

We have not spoken in almost a decade, and she calls me to remind me that she still doesn’t see me as enough, while trying to get me to replace my sister, her golden child.

Drinking the last bit of my juice, I pushed back tears, resting my elbows on the table, I placed my head in my hands and closed my eyes.

I clenched my jaw to stop my lips from quivering, and my breath came out uneven and in pants.

It’s all the same.

I left immediately after I turned eighteen to get away from everything: the comparison, the stigma of being the second-best twin, the invalidating of my passion, and the patronizing gazes of my mother and twin sister.

I am twenty-seven now, and I have managed to sell art worth six figures, make a name for myself, and even buy a high-rise apartment in New York (on mortgage). A tiny bit of my hope they were watching and they actually thought I was somebody. I prayed they saw me and thought, ‘Oh she is actually talented. All that was crushed in a five-minute conversation with my mum.

My passions were still ‘drawings’, I was still second to my sister, and now I am expected to help the family without any consideration from me – it has always been like that.

Will it ever change?

*Ring* *ring*

The persistent calls of my mother continued. For her to call these many times, she must be desperate, but I am not giving in for free. Not this time.

I quickly came to a decision and picked up the call.

“You should not keep your mother calling you so many times before you pick up, and who do you think you are to hang up on me? How dare-” Her angry voice rang through the speakers as I picked up the call. She seemed enraged. My smile widened.

“Don’t yell, I am the soon-to-be Mrs. Thompson.” I smirked and leaned back. I felt like having some fun.

“Oh, good. Well, you need to come–” She mellowed and began to explain what she wanted me to do. Too bad, things won’t go exactly like she thought.

“I have some conditions, mother.” I spoke. It was silent after that. I felt like I could hear crickets. She was obviously surprised.

“What?” She whispered harshly. I could imagine her thin eyebrows stretching into the hairline of her bleached-blond hair. Her tone carried the interesting blend of disgust, disbelief, and anger. Disgust and Anger were familiar to me, but disbelief is new. New emotion unlocked.

“You thought I will leave my peaceful life and marry the tabloid favorite billionaire – Dylan Thompson for nothing?” I mused. I will be forced into scandals, , and internet fame. I needed to gain something from it.

“Toni, it’s for family – YOUR family.”

“Never felt like my family.”

It never did, not even once.

“Are you still on this? It has been nine years since your temper tantrum; you left and did not call. Get over it.”

“What the f**k are you even talking about? I left, and nine years later, nothing has f*****g changed, and you call me out of nowhere to get me to slave away for your family, like all I am is a tool to you. You never treated me like your daughter, and now you expect me to act like I am for the sake of ‘family’? f**k no. So, either I get compensation or I do nothing. Do you understand?” I went off, almost yelling. She was incredulous. I am not going to slave for their approval anymore. If I helped, it is for a profit.

My harsh breaths were the only thing that echoed on the line. My ‘mother’ was silent for a while. I just needed her to say another thing to piss me off. I'm really itching to go off on her again.

“What do you want?” She said calmly.

“I have an idea of what a real estate agent wants to do with my father, who is a contractor. I want a percentage of the equity or profit. A prenuptial agreement on both ends, I don’t touch his money, and he does not touch mine. I–”

“What money do you have?” she snorted.

“Enough to worry about it being taken. You are one to talk, my father’s money is not your Meredith.”

I waited patiently for a rebuttal. It never came.

“I also want my artwork to be displayed on their properties. My painting will be exhibited on any joint properties they have together, with full credit of the work given to me.”

“Yeah, your drawings will be put on display if they are actually worthy.”

Ignoring her I continued.

“Most importantly, I want a gallery built and owned by me. On anybody’s dime except mine.” I always dreamed of owning a gallery, high end and five class. Might as well size this opportunity.

She scoffed.

“Any other things you want us to consider?”

“There is no consideration being had here, either agree or I am not marrying the billionaire.”

“Oh, precious Toni. The only girl in the world whom we have to beg to marry a billionaire. Good for you.”

“Oh, your condescending tone reminded me. You or Father will not interfere with my life after the marriage. I want nothing to do with the family after this, I mean it.”

“That is the easiest condition you have brought up so far. Consider it done.”

*beep*

She hung up, probably payback for before.

Well, who cares.

I just settled a way to reach my dream of opening a gallery, I am getting married to a young, and handsome billionaire, and I have inspiration for my painting.

Things are looking up.

I felt on cloud nine as I skipped to go complete my painting.

Nothing could go wrong.