The Subtitute Bride

Chapter 12: Don't Touch My Wife

Anderson Corporation, 10 AM.

The whole office was whispering when Kaela arrived. She wasn't supposed to come, Rhys told her to stay home. But Clara called her crying, saying Rhys was in trouble because of Vanessa's father.

So Kaela took a taxi and came, wearing a simple white dress and flat shoes. No makeup. No designer bag. Just herself.

Inside the boardroom, Mr. Cruz, Vanessa's father and one of the biggest investors of Anderson Corp, was shouting at Rhys.

"You humiliated my daughter at the gala, Rhys! You chose that gold digger over her! If you don't apologize and divorce that girl, I will pull out my $50 million investment!"

Rhys was standing calmly, his hands in his pockets, his face cold. "Do it then. Pull it out."

"What did you say?" Mr. Cruz was shocked.

"I said, pull it out. I don't need your money if it comes with your daughter attached," Rhys said coldly.

The board members gasped.

Just then, the boardroom door opened. Kaela stood there, breathing hard from running.

"Don't pull out your investment, Sir!" Kaela said loudly. Everyone turned to look at her.

Rhys's eyes widened. "Kaela? What are you doing here? I told you to stay home!"

"I... I heard you were in trouble because of me," Kaela said, walking inside. Her voice was shaking but she continued. "Mr. Cruz, please don't punish Rhys and the company because of me. I know you think I'm a gold digger. But I'm not. I married Rhys because... because..."

She looked at Rhys. Rhys was looking at her too, his cold face softening.

"Because I love him," Kaela said. The lie came out, but her eyes were teary and it sounded so real. "I know our marriage started as a contract. Yes, it was $2 million. But I stayed because I fell in love with him. And I know he loves me too."

The whole boardroom was silent.

Mr. Cruz laughed. "Love? That boy doesn't know love! He is just playing with you like he played with my daughter!"

"No, he's not!" Kaela said, suddenly brave. She walked to Rhys and held his hand. His hand was cold, but he squeezed hers tightly. "He protected me when your daughter threw wine at me. He ruined his favorite shirt for me. He makes me coffee every morning even though he's a billionaire who never cooks. He... he kisses me like I'm the only girl in the world. That's not playing, Sir. That's love."

Rhys was staring at Kaela like he was seeing her for the first time. His heart was pounding so loud.

Mr. Cruz was speechless. "You... you little..."

Rhys finally spoke, his voice low but dangerous. He pulled Kaela behind him, just like he did at the gala.

"Mr. Cruz, you have two choices," Rhys said. "One, you keep your investment, you respect my wife, and we continue to be business partners. Or two, you pull out your investment, you leave this building, and I will make sure no other company in Manila works with you after you threatened my wife."

He said MY WIFE so possessively that Kaela's knees went weak.

Mr. Cruz turned red. "You are choosing her over $50 million?"

"I'm choosing her over everything," Rhys said without hesitation.

Mr. Cruz slammed his fist on the table and walked out. "You will regret this, Rhys!"

When he left, the board members started clapping slowly. One of them said, "Well done, Rhys. That's how an Anderson protects his family."

When everyone left the boardroom, only Kaela and Rhys remained.

Kaela let go of his hand. "Sorry... I shouldn't have come. I just... I was worried..."

"Hey," Rhys said, turning her to face him. He cupped her face. "You just lied to a whole boardroom that you love me."

"I... I had to! He was going to pull out his investment!"

"So you don't love me?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.

Kaela's heart was beating out of her chest. "I... I... Rule Number Four..."

"f**k Rule Number Four," Rhys whispered, and then he kissed her. Right there in the boardroom. On the table where Mr. Cruz was shouting a minute ago.

This kiss was different from last night's. Last night was slow and passionate. This one was desperate, relieved, and full of something Kaela couldn't name.

When they pulled away, Kaela was crying.

"Why are you crying?" Rhys wiped her tears.

"Because you just lost $50 million for me!"

"I didn't lose anything. I gained my wife's love confession. Even if it was fake, it was worth it," he said, smiling.

"It wasn't fake," Kaela whispered so quietly Rhys almost didn't hear it.

"What?"

Kaela pushed him away, embarrassed. "Nothing! Nothing! I need to go! I have... I have to wash dishes!"

She tried to run out of the boardroom but Rhys grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. He hugged her from behind, his chin on her shoulder.

"Say it again," he whispered in her ear.

"Say what?"

"What you whispered. That it wasn't fake."

Kaela closed her eyes. His hug was so warm. "It wasn't fake, Rhys. I think... I think I'm falling for you. For real. Not as a substitute."

Rhys turned her around, his eyes shining. For the first time, the cold billionaire looked vulnerable.

"Good," he said. "Because I'm already in love with you. Since the day you walked down the aisle in sneakers and ruined my perfect wedding."

Kaela laughed through her tears. "You hated me that day!"

"I did. And then I couldn't stop thinking about you. About your messy hair. About how you ate three plates of cake at our wedding reception because you said you were nervous. About how you sing off-key in the shower," he said, listing everything.

"You heard me singing?!"

"I hear everything, wife. This is my penthouse," he said, and kissed her again. Softer this time. "So, Mrs. Anderson, will you be my real wife? Not for $2 million, not for one year, but forever?"

Kaela looked at him. No contract. No rules. Just him.

"Yes," she whispered. "But I want a raise. $2 million is too cheap for putting up with you."

Rhys laughed loudly. A real laugh that Kaela had never heard before.

"How about my whole company? My whole heart? My whole life?" he said.

"That's more like it," Kaela said, and kissed him first this time.

Outside the boardroom, Clara and the secretaries were peeking through the glass window, squealing and taking pictures.

"BILLIONAIRE RHYS KISSES HIS WIFE IN BOARDROOM AFTER LOSING $50 MILLION FOR LOVE!" Clara whispered. "This is going to trend again!"

Inside, Kaela and Rhys didn't care about trending. They were finally not pretending.

The substitute bride was now the real bride. And the contract was finally, truly, over.