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34. Don't Be Tempted
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The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 35. Aarzu
Ariana raised an eyebrow and then lifted the corner of her mouth. "I know you're the playboy type, but I didn't realize you were shameless like this," she said mockingly. Gerald seemed to tense up. "What do you mean?" he asked. Ariana shrugged indifferently. "I don't mean anything," she replied flatly. "Who made all of this?" she asked, trying to divert the conversation to the food in front of her and choosing to ignore Gerald. She lifted her spoon and started eating broccoli. "I did," Gerald answered, now sitting in his normal posture. His response made Ariana choke on her food. Gerald quickly brought a glass of water to her mouth. Ariana drank it slowly. Afterward, she stared at Gerald in disbelief. "I cooked it. All of this," he pointed to the food on the table. "Except for that," he said, referring to the fried chicken Ariana had bought earlier. Ariana chuckled and shook her head. "It wouldn't hurt to be honest, Gerald. Just say if you had one of your house assistants come her
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 36. Madam Aarzu
"What are you doing?" Ariana shrugged her shoulders to get the man to move away. But instead of driving away, Gerald got closer. He deliberately stood behind Ariana with his arms now wrapped around Ariana's stomach. "I just want to be close to my wife; is that not allowed?" asked the man in a teasing tone. "Stop it, Gerald. Please don't be rude by saying that I'm your wife. In reality, it is just a status on paper." She snorted. Ariana felt uncomfortable with Gerald's presence behind her, but the man's body temperature and touch made her feel comfortable simultaneously. "I never thought of it that way. That's just your assumption from the start. You are sentimental and always think negatively of me." said the man. Well, what the man said was right. It's one hundred percent correct. So who wouldn't think so? Remember how you got married without getting to know each other, dating, without discussion? It was just a marriage at gunpoint. It's a trap marriage. If Ariana is angry with
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 37. Ariana's Tactics
Ariana slammed the bedroom door shut with force. Her chest was heaving, clearly with intense emotion. She was passionate, of course. She had to admit that. As a mature woman, she was entitled to feel all of this. After all, she wasn't young anymore, and biologically, she was in her prime. But alongside all of that, what Ariana was feeling right now towards Gerald was mostly anger. When she confronted him about other women, he didn't deny it at all. And it was a safe bet that her assumption was correct. Yes, Ariana was only guessing. She didn't really know if Gerald had many women out there or not. She deduced it based on a conversation she overheard between Chris and Gerald. Ariana knew Chris very well—his social life and his love life. She understood her cousin's interactions because he often confided in her. Ariana was frequently asked for help by Chris to keep away the girls who pursued him. And Ariana knew that Chris's romantic escapades weren't just about watching movies, ho
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 38. Vivan
Gerald woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He felt around the bed and even the bedside table, but couldn't find his phone. Where was the thing? Why wouldn't it stay put? He cursed to himself and finally opened his eyes. Alright, his orientation was a bit off. Gerald suddenly remembered he wasn't in his own room. He glanced around the room dominated by white and wooden brown before checking the wall clock. Six o'clock? He grimaced and then abruptly got up. Last night, after Ariana entered Amber's room, he couldn't sleep anymore. It was all because of that girl and Gerald's unmet needs. So Gerald had to take a cold shower at three in the morning and ended up falling asleep, goodness knows what time. He was late, of course. Gerald got up and put on the same pants and shirt he had taken off last night. He didn't even bother making the bed. He left the room and searched for his phone that was ringing again. The phone was on the sofa in front of the TV. Gerald must have left it th
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 39. Used Chamois
Ariana felt happy on her own. She safely arrived at the restaurant. Impatiently pounding on the restaurant door, she saw Amber looking at her with annoyance. "What are you doing here?" the girl asked without beating around the bush. Ariana furrowed her brow, but then she entered her restaurant. "I can do whatever I want. This place is mine," she replied simply. "After your guy told me not to come back last night, now you're acting all indifferent towards me?" the girl asked, annoyed. "Did he ask you not to come back?" Ariana asked, surprised. The girl squinted. "If I go back, I'll have to listen to an unpleasant voice all night long. That's what he said." Ariana furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Uhhh... Ahhh... Uhhh... Ahhh..." Amber said, pretending to moan. Ariana widened her eyes and then slapped the girl on the head. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" she said. She chose to go upstairs where her room was. "Call Jody. Ask if he's at the market
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 40. Sweepea's Father
Chris chuckled. But he then followed Ariana to the trunk and helped the girl unload her actual luggage, not much. "Have you been virgins?" sneered Chris. Ariana kicked the man's leg until the man groaned. "Damn you!" he cursed. He pulled a paper bag from the trunk roughly. When he turned around, he saw Gerald staring intently at him. "What is he doing here?" asked the man sarcastically. "Suits me. This is a public place," Chris replied before Ariana could retort. Fine, let these ownerless dogs bicker with each other. Ariana chose to ignore them and went back towards the restaurant entrance. "What about you? Why are you here?" Chris's question reached Ariana's ears before she opened the door. "Finding my wife," Gerald answered. He walked closer, and perhaps due to his long legs or maybe he was half-running, because his steps were in line with Ariana's when she opened the door. Amber stared at the three of them in turn. Her face clearly displayed her confusion. But Ariana ignored h
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 41. Comeback
Gerald looked at Ariana, astonished. In the brief duration of their marriage, it was the first time he had seen Ariana laugh. Was that old cartoon character story really that amusing to her? Gerald wondered. Nonetheless, he found himself smiling at her reaction. Their breakfast was clearly over, but because Chris was still there, Gerald felt reluctant to leave. That man was a threat to Gerald. Seeing how close Ariana was to Chris, it made Gerald feel incredibly alone. "Boss?" Vivan tried to remind him. She knew her boss had seemed uneasy since earlier. Not for any particular reason, but Gerald had a lot of schedules today that he couldn't afford to miss due to his absence while searching for Ariana. "She already invited you to leave, why don't you?" Ariana said, wiping the corners of her eyes that were watering. Gerald looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Fine, you go far away. If necessary, don't come back here again. Ariana is clearly happier with me than with you," Chris said. A
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 42. Adel
It was already ten in the evening, and Gerald found himself in front of Ariana's restaurant once again. Not that he wasn't tired – he was utterly exhausted. His shirt, which had been neatly buttoned earlier, was now undone, and his tie had been removed. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and his perfectly combed hair was now disheveled. If only Ariana was an easy-to-handle girl, he wouldn't have to go through all of this trouble. But he did all of this because he knew Ariana wouldn't return willingly. She would either stay at the restaurant or, worse, she might go back to her apartment. And Gerald didn't want that. He didn't know why, but he felt that being possessive of Ariana was something he needed to do. Torn between entering the restaurant or not, Gerald decided to wait in his car until he saw the last customer leaving the restaurant. After about fifteen minutes, he saw one of the employees exiting the front door, ready to put up the announcement board. "Is
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The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 163. Ending
Two days later, after receiving proper treatment, Ariana's condition was declared stable enough to be transferred from the ICCU to a regular hospital room. To her surprise, while she had been alone with Gerald during her stay, she now received visits from several people. Mrs. Rosaline, whom Gerald hadn't allowed to meet Ariana before, was now revealed as Axel's caregiver during her hospitalization. Amber, who had faithfully accompanied her from the beginning, came with Adel. Jody came with her mother and her sister. Ariana's father also came with her stepmother. Only her mother and her twin sister didn't show up, and honestly, Ariana didn't mind. She had long considered the two of them absent from her life, although deep down, she still recognized them as family. After all, blood ties could never truly disappear. They had decided to name the beautiful baby girl in Ariana's arms Clemira Haniyah Aarzu Zeroun, which meant a brilliant, gentle, and joyful daughter. The baby Gerald descri
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 162. Caesar (2)
"They were spending the evening snacking on treats Amber had sent from the restaurant. Amber, their friend and cousin, had deliberately visited, claiming to miss them. However, it seemed that missing them wasn't the real reason Amber had come, because tens of minutes later, Ariana felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, making it difficult for her to breathe right then and there. Amber quickly reached out to Ariana, calling Gerald, who was in his room at the time, busy with a conference call with his colleagues. Hurriedly, Gerald approached Ariana, whom Amber had purposely seated on the sofa, propped up with pillows behind her back. "How... how can this be?" Ariana asked amid her pain. She looked at Amber with concern, then gripped her friend's arm tightly as the pain resurfaced. Amber glanced at Ariana's legs, now covered in pinkish fluid. "You're going into labor," Amber replied, her face pale. She knelt down, holding Ariana's hand and squeezing it gently. Gerald, who had just co
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 161. Caesar
Ariana's pregnancy was progressing, her belly growing larger. Time seemed to pass incredibly fast as she savored these moments. She enjoyed the times when Gerald pampered her. Although they often disagreed when Gerald refused to fulfill Ariana's wishes, and vice versa, they always found a middle ground in the end. Axel also turned out to be a good child. He seemed content with his daily routine, alternating between school and their apartment. He wasn't fussy and didn't ask for his grandmother or his nanny. Ariana, Gerald, and the unborn baby seemed to be enough for him. During holidays, they spent time together. Gerald didn't dare take Ariana on exhausting trips. Instead, they mostly enjoyed watching movies, having meals together, or reading. If Axel wanted to go to the playground or swim in a public pool, his caregiver was always with him while Gerald and Ariana chose to stay back and enjoy their time in their own way. Gerald also regularly accompanied Ariana to her medical check-
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 160. Chaotic
The fact that Ariana is pregnant is no longer a secret. The news has reached her father and Mother. It also reached her mother and siblings. Especially Shelma. The woman looked furious when she heard that Ariana had dropped her divorce case and returned to Gerald. She intended to confront Ariana at Zeroun's residence. However, when she arrived there, she didn't see Ariana, Gerald, or Axel. When she asked Isidora, the woman replied that Gerald had taken his 'family' and left Zeroun's residence. Including his grandchild. Shelma went hysterical. Her dream of being with Gerald seemed shattered again because of Ariana. Meanwhile, Mrs. Caitlyn openly came to Zeroun's residence to ask for more financial help her husband needed. Of course, in the form of funds that would revive her husband's business. But again, she was disappointed because the person she was looking for was not there. Unintentionally, Mrs. Caitlyn, Karenina, and Shelma went to Zeroun's company to find Gerald. Once again,
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 159. Gina and Max
They had just arrived at the restaurant when Gerald's phone suddenly rang. Gerald glanced at the flat object and saw his friend's name displayed there. "Hello?" "How are you?" the man on the other side asked, clearly curious. "Estoy bien," Gerald replied, making Ariana furrow her brows. "He's my friend from Spain," he whispered to his wife. Ariana just nodded and continued walking inside the restaurant. "Have you returned to Spain?" Gerald inquired. "Not yet. We are still in Indonesia. Gina keeps urging me to remind you of your promise," the man answered. "She still wants to meet you and your wife. It's as if she hasn't met you yet." Maximilan said with a chuckle. "Meet? Who? Gina and Ariana?" Gerald asked, confused. "Who else do you think?" Max snorted rudely. "You know, her spy instincts kicked in at that moment. She deliberately made me go to your wife's restaurant, and suddenly she pretended to be sick, forcing us to borrow your wife's private room then." He explained with a
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 158. Prisoner
In the evening, Axel came to the penthouse with his nanny and also his personal driver. The couple, Gerald and Ariana, declared that they would stay in the penthouse and would not return to Zeroun's residence until Gerald allowed it. Gerald also hired the services of two completely new house assistants, not people he took from Zeroun's residence. Ariana was initially confused why there was no Vivan or Yosef or other house assistants who had previously worked at Zeroun's residence. However, she didn't dare to ask her husband. Ariana spent her time with Axel. The boy repeatedly asked Ariana if she would leave him again or not, or if Ariana would stay in the apartment and leave him with Gerald or not. Ariana promised Axel while looking at her husband that she would not leave the two of them no matter what happened. It took quite a long time to make Axel believe. The boy's questions had to stop when he fell asleep, of course, with Ariana by his side. Because once again, Axel was afraid A
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 157. I Promise
Ariana hung her head in defeat as she listened to the man's account. Both of them were wrong. Both she and the man were equally wrong. They had been overthinking without allowing fate to answer their questions. Because, in reality, no one knew what would happen afterward. Ariana feared the possibility of making Gerald sad if she didn't survive when their baby was born. Yet, she believed that Gerald would love the baby because it was his flesh and blood. Meanwhile, Gerald feared losing the woman he loved so much, so he chose to erase something that hadn't even happened yet. "I'm sorry," the words finally came out simultaneously from both their mouths. Ariana gazed at Gerald, and he did the same. Gerald moved closer and held his wife's hands in his own. "I know I was wrong. I was too selfish. I love you too much, so I'm afraid of losing you," he said softly. Ariana looked at her hands within his grasp. "I am also at fault. I have been too afraid of myself. I truly feared hearing wh
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 156. Arrogant Doctor
Gerald chuckled. "We don't know what Axel will be like in the future. He might follow in his father's footsteps. Besides, no one knows how smart he'll be. We need a backup to ensure the Zeroun family survives," the woman replied flatly. Gerald's chuckle turned into a booming laughter that sounded more like mockery than genuine happiness. "So, it's fine for me to lose the woman I love as long as Grandma can secure an heir for this rotten family?" he sneered. "Don't push it, Gerald!" his grandmother snapped, her voice barely contained. The woman clearly stood stiffly before him. Perhaps it was because of Gerald's loud voice, or maybe one of the servants had awakened her. Because now, behind his grandmother, stood another woman who was the second mistress in the Zeroun household. "What's going on here?" Mrs. Isidora asked Gerald with a puzzled look. However, her question was ignored by Gerald and the three others present in the room. "Isn't it enough for all my sacrifices all this
The Billionaire's Replacement Bride 155. Child
"I won't ask if I already know. I'm not someone who pretends to be foolish," Gerald snapped. "Yes, but it seems like you enjoy pretending to be drunk in front of a woman with a heart condition. Why? To make her anxious and die in front of you?" "He-heart condition?" Gerald stuttered momentarily. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, confused. "Yes. Your wife has a congenital heart disease. She suffers from atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats faster and irregularly," the young doctor explained. "Ho-how is that possible?" Gerald asked, bewildered. "From the patient's history, this happens due to genetic factors," the doctor said again. "History?" Gerald mentioned one word that seemed ambiguous to him. "Yes, Sir. History. Because this is not the first time she has been admitted to this hospital in the same condition," the doctor continued. "The previous patient experienced dizziness, shortness of breath, and chest pain that made her faint. Fortunately, the patien
