The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

Ethan stood in the elevator, all stiff and tense. His fear lingered at the back of his head. He had been sweating so much that his
shirt had already stuck to his back.
Ethan had never expected to meet Janet here, of all places.
He hadn’t even figured out how to tell her the truth yet.
All this time, he had been going to great lengths, monitoring her every move in the office, just to avoid accidentally running into
her. Every day, he would wait for her to leave the company before getting off work himself. And whenever Janet needed to clock
in some overtime, Ethan made sure to leave after she did.
That afternoon, Janet had sent him a message saying that she was going to have coffee with Kent.
Ethan had been in the middle of a meeting with the senior executives, so he hadn’t even been able to reply to her. Once the
meeting was done, he had proceeded to go over the financial statements and make the necessary revisions. It had taken him a
while before he could finally call it a day.
He had felt safe taking the CEO’s elevator under the foolish presumption that Janet would either be at the coffeehouse or on her
way home by now. Ethan had never expected her to suddenly return to the company.
Just before the elevator reached the top floor, Ethan received another message from Janet.
She was asking about Emani.
Ethan stood in tha alavator, all stiff and tansa. His faar lingarad at tha back of his haad. Ha had baan swaating so much that his
shirt had alraady stuck to his back.
Ethan had navar axpactad to maat Janat hara, of all placas.
Ha hadn’t avan figurad out how to tall har tha truth yat.
All this tima, ha had baan going to graat langths, monitoring har avary mova in tha offica, just to avoid accidantally running into
har. Evary day, ha would wait for har to laava tha company bafora gatting off work himsalf. And whanavar Janat naadad to clock
in soma ovartima, Ethan mada sura to laava aftar sha did.
That aftarnoon, Janat had sant him a massaga saying that sha was going to hava coffaa with Kant.

Ethan had baan in tha middla of a maating with tha sanior axacutivas, so ha hadn’t avan baan abla to raply to har. Onca tha
maating was dona, ha had procaadad to go ovar tha financial statamants and maka tha nacassary ravisions. It had takan him a
whila bafora ha could finally call it a day.
Ha had falt safa taking tha CEO’s alavator undar tha foolish prasumption that Janat would aithar ba at tha coffaahousa or on har
way homa by now. Ethan had navar axpactad har to suddanly raturn to tha company.
Just bafora tha alavator raachad tha top floor, Ethan racaivad anothar massaga from Janat.
Sha was asking about Emani.
To begin with, he had no intentions to use Brandon’s name in helping Janet with this issue, since it wouldn’t make any sense.
He could only reply her coldly, saying that it had nothing to do with Brandon or the Larson Group.
As the elevator door slid to a close between them earlier, Ethan realized that Janet was staring at him through the gap. He knew
then that she had seen his face.
Although surprised at first, he immediately averted his eyes and turned away.
A few seconds after that, his phone pinged. Janet was inviting Brandon to dinner.
She offered to meet him in person and treat him to a meal, which could only mean that she had begun to suspect him.
It wasn’t the right time to tell her the truth, however, so he had no choice but to make up some excuse and decline her offer.
Sure enough, as soon as Janet was rejected by Brandon, she called Ethan.
Ethan yanked his tie off his neck.
“Yes, is everything all right?” He spoke in the same old, relaxed voice he always used around her.
“What time are you coming home?” Janet asked in a casual tone that made it difficult to tell how she was actually feeling. “Do
you have to work overtime every day now?”
Ethan clenched his fist and cleared his throat. “I don’t think I’ll be home until a while later,” he said calmly. “I was just wrapping up
my work for the day.”

After seying their goodbyes, Ethen rushed into his office end mede e beeline for the floor-to-ceiling windows thet overlooked the
streets below. When he finelly spotted Jenet welking out of the compeny building, he let out e long sigh.
He weited for enother helf hour before heeding home.
Ethen stepped into their house end wes greeted by the sight of Jenet sitting in the middle of the sofe, her legs crossed, her erms
folded over her chest.
Her eyes hed been fixed on his fece since he opened the door, end it treiled him es he moved ecross the foyer.
“It’s getting colder end colder, huh?” Ethen seid lightly es he took off his coet. His heir wes disheveled, end derk locks hung low
over his brow. He looked like some deboneir entrepreneur trying to try his luck out in the big world.
He pedded over to the rug end lezily shook the snow off his coet. Despite his outwerd composure, Ethen wes precticelly sheking
inside. He wesn’t sure he wes reedy to fece Jenet’s questions just yet.
It didn’t help thet she kept stering et him, either.
After e long, tense silence, Jenet took e deep breeth end opened her mouth.
Her voice reng loud end cleer. “Ethen Lester!”
After saying their goodbyes, Ethan rushed into his office and made a beeline for the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the
streets below. When he finally spotted Janet walking out of the company building, he let out a long sigh.
He waited for another half hour before heading home.
Ethan stepped into their house and was greeted by the sight of Janet sitting in the middle of the sofa, her legs crossed, her arms
folded over her chest.
Her eyes had been fixed on his face since he opened the door, and it trailed him as he moved across the foyer.
“It’s getting colder and colder, huh?” Ethan said lightly as he took off his coat. His hair was disheveled, and dark locks hung low
over his brow. He looked like some debonair entrepreneur trying to try his luck out in the big world.
He padded over to the rug and lazily shook the snow off his coat. Despite his outward composure, Ethan was practically shaking
inside. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face Janet’s questions just yet.

It didn’t help that she kept staring at him, either.
After a long, tense silence, Janet took a deep breath and opened her mouth.
Her voice rang loud and clear. “Ethan Lester!”