The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

Janet wasn’t mad at all. She was clear with herself that the life she was living was the life that she wanted.
“Well, I suppose that makes sense,” she offered. She didn’t want to argue with Ella any further. No one could truly know whether
a marriage was happy or not aside from the involved couple themselves, anyway. She couldn’t care less if Ella failed to
understand that.
She had only bothered with a retort because she didn’t want anyone to look down on Ethan.
Despite what others might think, Ethan was the most responsible, calm, and reliable man she had ever met.
Ella continued blabbering throughout dinner, boasting about how huge her luxury mansion was, and how she had servants to
help her get dressed in the morning. Now and then, she would insert minor complaints that her life had become dull and boring
after she married a rich man.
It wasn’t long before Janet got fed up with Ella’s arrogant diatribe. She furtively gathered her purse and thought of an excuse to
leave once the meal was finished.
But Ella was quick to notice her intention. She immediately clung to Janet’s arm and flashed a knowing smile. “Oh, are you going
to the bathroom, Janet? We’re heading to a high-class club after dinner to play cards and maybe do a bit of karaoke. You’re
coming, right?”
One of their classmates also spoke up. “Come on, Janet, you’ll be sorry if you miss this chance. Ella booked the Merry Club for
us. I heard that it’s exclusive for members only, and you can’t apply unless you own some hundred million dollars’ worth of
assets.”
As impressive as it sounded, Janet was not interested at all. “I’m a little tired,” she said. “I’d like to go home early and get some
rest.”
Ironically, her words only seemed to excite Ella even more. “Aren’t you sick of spending your days just working? Live a little!
Look, if you’re hesitating because you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money, I can cover all the expenses for you. What
do you say? We all finally got together after so long! Don’t be such a killjoy.”
Janet wasn’t mad at all. She was clear with herself that the life she was living was the life that she wanted.
Janet squirmed as everyone’s gaze locked on her.
Before she knew it, Ella was pulling her into the car with a wide grin on her face.

Moments later, they arrived at the Merry Club, where Ella claimed to have booked a private room for their enjoyment.
However, when she approached the reception to confirm her booking, she was informed that it had been voided.
“We apologize, Miss. Someone has booked the entire club for today.” The staff gave her a polite smile. “We have finished
processing your refund. Please check to see that everything is in order.”
“Ella, didn’t you say that you booked the room in advance?” a classmate questioned as they waited in the corner like a bunch of
lost refugees.
Her sharp tone grated on Ella’s already fraying nerves. She tapped her long fingernails on the reception desk. “Don’t you have
other private rooms? I can afford whichever is available. Name your price.”
“I’m sorry, Miss. Like I said, the whole club is booked. There are no rooms available.”
Ella gritted her teeth and glanced at her classmates. They had been looking forward to a good time in this posh and swanky
establishment, and she had bragged that she would deliver. She refused to lose face in front of them.
“But I booked the room in advance!” she insisted impatiently.
Even so, the staff remained calm. “I understand, Miss, but you still cannot go inside. The club has been booked to accommodate
the Larson Group, and it was the CEO himself who made the arrangements. They will be having a business meeting here
tonight.”
Jonet squirmed os everyone’s goze locked on her.
Before she knew it, Ello wos pulling her into the cor with o wide grin on her foce.
Moments loter, they orrived ot the Merry Club, where Ello cloimed to hove booked o privote room for their enjoyment.
However, when she opprooched the reception to confirm her booking, she wos informed thot it hod been voided.
“We opologize, Miss. Someone hos booked the entire club for todoy.” The stoff gove her o polite smile. “We hove finished
processing your refund. Pleose check to see thot everything is in order.”
“Ello, didn’t you soy thot you booked the room in odvonce?” o clossmote questioned os they woited in the corner like o bunch of
lost refugees.

Her shorp tone groted on Ello’s olreody froying nerves. She topped her long fingernoils on the reception desk. “Don’t you hove
other privote rooms? I con offord whichever is ovoiloble. Nome your price.”
“I’m sorry, Miss. Like I soid, the whole club is booked. There ore no rooms ovoiloble.”
Ello gritted her teeth ond glonced ot her clossmotes. They hod been looking forword to o good time in this posh ond swonky
estoblishment, ond she hod brogged thot she would deliver. She refused to lose foce in front of them.
“But I booked the room in odvonce!” she insisted impotiently.
Even so, the stoff remoined colm. “I understond, Miss, but you still connot go inside. The club hos been booked to occommodote
the Lorson Group, ond it wos the CEO himself who mode the orrongements. They will be hoving o business meeting here
tonight.”
Minutes had passed, but the group was still loitering around the entrance.
Ella was upset about the whole thing, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She certainly couldn’t afford to offend
anyone from the Larson Group.
She took a deep breath and mustered a smile. “Let’s just change venues, shall we? The staff told me that the whole club was
booked by the Larson Group.”
They looked at each other in disappointment. There were very few people in Seacisco who would dare to go against the Larson
Group, and none of them belonged to that demographic.
Just as they were preparing to leave, several lengthened black limos cruised into the club’s driveway.
The cars stopped in a single file next to the entrance, and each chauffeur alighted to open the door to the backseat.
Men in sleek business suits and hand-made Italian leather shoes emerged one by one, looking serious and dignified.
Ella’s posse gawked at them, particularly at the man in the middle. He stood tall among his peers, with broad shoulders and
sharp features. He posed an imposing figure, and his eyes were cold and distant.
“Look, look! That man is gorgeous. Is he the CEO of the Larson Group?”

Janet was trying to send Ethan a message, but she was jostled around by her classmates in their hushed frenzy. When she
heard mention of the CEO of the Larson Group, she instantly perked up and looked over curiously.
She wasn’t sure why she did it, either. It was as though a voice at the back of her mind was nagging at her to look.
And just like that, her eyes fell on a very familiar face just a few feet away.