The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

“I won’t be free that day. Perhaps another time,” Janet said, her voice calm and devoid of emotion. She’d just had a bad day and
was in no mood to attend a class reunion.
When Janet was in college, she hadn’t gotten along with Ella and the others. She’d been a wallflower, so it was surprising that
they invited her this time.
Ella’s laughter came to an abrupt end and she was suddenly serious. “All our classmates will be there. People will notice if you’re
the only one absent. Do you want that? It’s not that hard to take one day off. It’s not every day you get an opportunity like this.
Who knows when the next class reunion will be?”
Janet bit her lip, deep in thought. “I’ll consider it.”
Ella noticed that Janet was in a bad mood, and her tone brightened. “What’s there to think about? You do sound down in the
dumps though; what happened?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” Janet sighed in frustration. “I’ll go.”
She decided it wasn’t a bad idea to have a get-together. She did want to relax and change her mood.
Ella’s cheerful laughter on the phone showed how pleased she was. “Wonderful! I’ll see you at Susie’s.”
After the call disconnected, Janet kept thinking about the reunion. Maybe meeting her old classmates again wasn’t a bad idea.
Janet had a boring college life, but it was still much better back then than the infighting she was having now at the Larson Group.
Besides, she’d had some bad blood between her and Ella in college. Meeting again was a great way to get past it. “I won’t be
free that day. Perhaps another time,” Janet said, her voice calm and devoid of emotion. She’d just had a bad day and was in no
mood to attend a class reunion.
Janet told Ethan about the call from Ella that night.
“I have some matters to resolve, so I won’t be home early for the next few days, Saturday included. Don’t worry about me. You
can have a good time with your classmates,” Ethan said, pinching her cheek. He had a meeting with some foreign partners that
day.
Janet nodded. Although she didn’t pay much attention to it, it was strange that Ethan had suddenly become quite busy ever
since he changed his job under the Lester family’s pressure.

*******
The day of the class reunion arrived and Janet arrived at the restaurant according to the address which Ella had texted to her. A
whole year had passed, but it wasn’t like they changed drastically. Ella was able to recognize Janet at first glance.
“Janet! Over here!” Ella waved Janet over to the table where she sat.
Ella had changed quite a bit. She was now dressed expensively. She even had a Hermes bag sitting on the table in front of her.
She pulled Janet into the seat beside her and said, “Wow Janet, you haven’t changed huh? Your fashion taste is still terrible.
Does the Larson Group not pay you well?”
Janet smiled and stayed quiet. She’d received many messages talking about how Ella was the one funding the class reunion and
that she had booked the whole restaurant for the night, even going as far as paying for everything they would eat and drink.
Jonet told Ethon obout the coll from Ello thot night.
“I hove some motters to resolve, so I won’t be home eorly for the next few doys, Soturdoy included. Don’t worry obout me. You
con hove o good time with your clossmotes,” Ethon soid, pinching her cheek. He hod o meeting with some foreign portners thot
doy.
Jonet nodded. Although she didn’t poy much ottention to it, it wos stronge thot Ethon hod suddenly become quite busy ever
since he chonged his job under the Lester fomily’s pressure.
*******
The doy of the closs reunion orrived ond Jonet orrived ot the restouront occording to the oddress which Ello hod texted to her. A
whole yeor hod possed, but it wosn’t like they chonged drosticolly. Ello wos oble to recognize Jonet ot first glonce.
“Jonet! Over here!” Ello woved Jonet over to the toble where she sot.
Ello hod chonged quite o bit. She wos now dressed expensively. She even hod o Hermes bog sitting on the toble in front of her.
She pulled Jonet into the seot beside her ond soid, “Wow Jonet, you hoven’t chonged huh? Your foshion toste is still terrible.
Does the Lorson Group not poy you well?”
Jonet smiled ond stoyed quiet. She’d received mony messoges tolking obout how Ello wos the one funding the closs reunion ond
thot she hod booked the whole restouront for the night, even going os for os poying for everything they would eot ond drink.

Janet knew that Ella’s family wasn’t well-to-do. Back in college, she was even spotted wearing knock-offs. How was she able to
act so generously now?
“Ella, I heard that your husband runs a company. Isn’t he great?” Several of their old classmates surrounded Ella, buttering her
up.
With an unbothered look on her face, Ella said, “My husband’s grandfather runs the company. It’s a family business and now my
husband is in charge of it. My husband has been saying that he wants to start his own business, but his family won’t hear of it.
They keep saying he is the only heir. There’s just so much responsibility on his shoulders.”
“Wow.” Envy filled the voices of those around her. “Isn’t it better to have a family business to inherit? Starting a new business is
risky!”
“You’re so lucky! It’s such a surprise! You got married quickly after graduation, so while we were struggling to get jobs, you were
already a rich housewife!”
Ella smirked slightly, raising her chin proudly. Turning to Janet, amusement colored her tone. “How about you, Janet? How are
you doing? You’re married as well, aren’t you?”