The Substitute Bride

ThePriceOfHisName

CHAPTER 6

The Price of His Name

Elena couldn’t breathe.

The phone trembled in her hands.

Or maybe—

It was her.

She stared at the image like it might change if she looked long enough.

Like her eyes were lying to her.

Like her mind had twisted reality into something cruel.

But it didn’t change.

Victoria.

Laughing.

Smiling.

Looking… happy.

And beside her—

Ethan’s brother.

“Impossible…” Elena whispered.

But Ethan heard her.

Of course, he did.

“Is it?” he asked quietly.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

That was what made it terrifying.

Elena tore her eyes away from the screen, looking up at him.

“I didn’t know,” she said quickly, her voice shaking. “I swear to you, I didn’t know about this—”

Ethan stepped closer.

Instinctively, she stepped back.

Until her legs hit the edge of the bed.

Trapped.

“You expect me to believe that?” he asked.

His tone wasn’t loud.

It didn’t need to be.

It was sharp.

Precise.

Cutting straight through her.

“Yes,” she said, almost desperately now. “I had no idea she was involved with your brother. They didn’t tell me anything—I was just—”

“Used?” he finished.

The word hung in the air.

Elena swallowed hard.

“…yes.”

Silence.

Ethan studied her.

Long.

Carefully.

As if peeling her apart layer by layer.

Searching for something.

A lie.

A c***k.

A weakness.

“You’re either a very good liar…” he said slowly.

Her heart stopped.

“…or you’re exactly what you look like.”

Her brows furrowed slightly.

“And what’s that?” she asked quietly.

His gaze darkened.

“Pathetic.”

The word hit harder than anything else he had said so far.

Elena flinched.

Her fingers tightened into fists at her sides.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” she whispered.

Ethan tilted his head slightly.

“And yet… here you are.”

She had no response to that.

Because he was right.

Painfully right.

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then—

Ethan took the phone back from her hand.

His fingers brushed against hers for a brief second.

Cold.

Controlled.

But the contact sent a strange shiver down her spine.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

“This changes things,” he said.

Elena’s chest tightened.

“How?”

Ethan didn’t answer immediately.

Instead—

He turned away from her.

Walked toward the window.

And for a moment—

He said nothing.

The silence stretched.

Heavy.

Oppressive.

“Elena.”

Her name sounded different coming from him.

Less like an insult.

More like—

A decision.

She straightened slightly.

“Yes?”

He didn’t turn around.

“My brother isn’t careless,” he said.

Her heart skipped.

“He doesn’t get involved with people unless there’s a reason.”

A cold feeling crept into her chest.

“What are you saying?”

Now—

He turned.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

“That this,” he said, his eyes locking onto hers, “wasn’t random.”

Her pulse quickened.

“This was planned.”

The words landed like a blow.

“No,” she said immediately. “That doesn’t make sense—why would she—”

“Why would she betray me?” he cut in.

A pause.

Then—

A faint, humorless smile touched his lips.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?”

Elena’s breathing became uneven.

“You think my sister is involved in something against you?”

Ethan didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

The certainty in his voice sent a chill through her.

“And now,” he added, “so are you.”

Her eyes widened.

“No—no, that’s not true. I don’t even know what’s going on, how could I possibly—”

“You’re her sister.”

The words were final.

“That’s enough.”

Elena shook her head, panic rising fast now.

“You can’t just decide I’m involved in something I don’t even understand!”

Ethan walked toward her again.

Slow.

Measured.

Dangerous.

“I don’t decide,” he said.

He stopped right in front of her.

“I confirm.”

Her breath caught.

“And until I do…”

His hand lifted.

This time—

It didn’t stop at her chin.

His fingers slid to her throat.

Lightly.

Not squeezing.

Not hurting.

But enough to remind her—

He could.

“You stay exactly where I can see you.”

Her heart pounded violently.

“You’re not leaving this house without me.”

Her lips parted.

“You’re going to tell me everything you find out about your sister.”

His thumb brushed lightly against her skin.

“And if I even suspect you’re hiding something…”

He leaned in closer.

So close his voice was nothing more than a whisper against her ear.

“I won’t be as patient.”

Elena’s knees felt weak.

“Do you understand?”

She nodded quickly.

“Yes…”

His hand lingered for a moment longer.

Then—

He let go.

Just like that.

As if nothing had happened.

As if he hadn’t just made it clear that her life—

Was no longer her own.

He turned and walked toward the door.

But before leaving—

He stopped.

“One more thing.”

Elena stiffened.

He glanced back at her.

“You’re moving rooms.”

Her brows furrowed.

“What?”

A pause.

Then—

His lips curved slightly.

Dark.

Knowing.

“You’re not staying alone anymore.”

Her heart skipped.

“What do you mean?”

Ethan opened the door.

And for the first time—

There was something almost dangerous in the way he looked at her.

Not just control.

Not just anger.

Something deeper.

Possessive.

“You’re my wife now,” he said.

A beat.

“So you’ll start acting like it.”

The door closed behind him.

And Elena stood there—

Frozen.

Because something told her—

This was about to get worse.

Later That Night

The house was silent.

Too silent.

Elena stood in the middle of the new room she had been moved to.

No—

Not just a room.

His room.

Her chest tightened.

This wasn’t a guest room.

This wasn’t temporary.

This was deliberate.

Calculated.

A reminder.

She didn’t belong to herself anymore.

A soft knock echoed at the door.

Elena’s heart jumped.

Before she could respond—

The door opened.

A maid stepped in quietly.

“Mrs. Blackwood,” she said softly. “There’s something you should see.”

Elena frowned.

“What is it?”

The maid hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then—

“It’s about your sister.”

Elena’s pulse spiked.

“What about her?”

The maid stepped aside.

And behind her—

Two men walked in.

Dressed in black.

Unfamiliar.

Dangerous.

Elena’s breath caught.

“What is this?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Neither of them answered.

Instead—

One of them stepped forward.

And placed something on the table.

A file.

Thick.

Heavy.

Important.

Elena hesitated.

Then slowly—

She walked toward it.

Her hands trembled slightly as she opened it.

And the moment she saw what was inside—

Her world shattered.

Photos.

Documents.

Messages.

Proof.

Not just of her sister’s relationship—

But of something far worse.

Something deeper.

Something dangerous.

Her breath came out in a sharp, broken gasp.

“No…”

It couldn’t be.

It just—

Couldn’t be.

A voice spoke behind her.

Low.

Familiar.

Deadly.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to find out.”

Elena froze.

Slowly—

She turned around.

And her heart stopped.

Because standing at the door—

Wasn’t Ethan.

It was his brother.

The man in the photo.

The man her sister had run away with.

He smiled.

Calm.

Unbothered.

As if none of this was a problem.

As if he had been expecting this moment.

“You look just like her,”

He said softly.

Elena’s hands shook.

“What… is this?” she whispered.

His smile widened slightly.

And then—

He said the one thing that made everything worse.

“I think it’s time you learned the truth…”

A pause.

His eyes darkened.

“…about why your sister really ran away.