The Substitute Bride

Chapter 15: A Face Worth a Fortune

Alexander Blackwood had heard everything. For once, he didn’t know what to say. When women let their emotions loose, men didn’t stand a chance.

In the sleek black car, Lydia Harper sat silently. She hadn’t eaten. Her anger still simmered. Normally gentle, always smiling… but tonight, enough was enough.

Alexander frowned and started the engine. After a moment, his tone softened, almost reluctantly.

“Let’s get you a makeover,” he said.

Lydia paused. The anger that had consumed her moments ago began to fade. Tonight’s event… she couldn’t afford to look out of place.

“… Alright,” she murmured.

The car pulled up in front of a studio. Lydia read the sign aloud and laughed.

“‘Makeover Studio’? Are we reinventing my whole life here?”

Her laugh was bright, clear, like wind chimes dancing in the breeze. Alexander narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Inside, a woman dressed in black rushed toward him and hugged him warmly.

Lydia froze. Wait—what?

A strange, uneasy feeling bubbled inside her chest. She’d been married to him for half a month, yet hadn’t received a hug. And here he was, casually embracing someone else. Unbelievable.

Alexander pulled away quickly. “Kerry Mitchell, give her a full makeover,” he instructed.

Kerry Mitchell glanced at Lydia with curiosity. “Your new girlfriend?”

“My wife,” Alexander said simply.

Kerry’s eyes widened. “You got married? When?”

“Last week,” Alexander replied.

Kerry sighed dramatically. “Guess I never had a chance.”

Alexander smiled—bright, effortless, and infuriatingly calm. “Even if I weren’t married, you wouldn’t.”

Lydia blinked, and strangely, a small lift of mood followed.

Kerry studied her more closely. “She’s beautiful. Refined. Though… her features remind me of someone. Like…” She snapped her fingers. “Nora! That’s it.”

“That’s my younger sister,” Lydia said, calm.

“Ah, makes sense,” Kerry nodded. “Still, you’re more polished. More elegant.”

Lydia was stunned. No one had ever said that to her. She had never cared much about appearances—just wore what was convenient. Even Alexander hadn’t commented before.

Deep down, he had to admit—her beauty was effortless, natural. A pity… that it came paired with such a stubborn personality.

Kerry went all out. Bold makeup. A striking red evening gown. The neckline daring, plunging low. Lydia stepped out, every step measured and elegant, and walked toward Alexander.

“So? What do you think?” she asked, her voice calm but tinged with hope.

For a split second, his eyes flickered—brief warmth, fleeting admiration.

Then he stiffened. Cold. Like frozen steel.

“Go change,” he said.

Lydia’s lips pressed into a thin line. Behind that icy tone, she could feel the faintest tension, the quiet pull of his attention—just barely restrained. It frustrated her, and yet… she couldn’t help the thrill of being noticed, even if it was mixed with his usual, untouchable aloofness.

She turned and left, Kerry’s skilled hands guiding her into a reflection that was both striking and unfamiliar. Red silk hugged her frame, bold makeup highlighting her sharp features. She barely recognized the woman in the mirror—but she liked it.

Alexander watched silently from a distance, posture rigid, expression unreadable. And yet, there was a shift, almost imperceptible, in the way he studied her. The flicker of attention, of subtle awareness—he might never admit it, but Lydia could feel it, faint as a heartbeat.

For now, though, he remained the same—cold, controlled, commanding. But Lydia Harper, in her bold new look, was learning how to quietly disrupt his perfectly ordered world.