All Chapters of The bride's stand-In: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Evelyn gasped as Michael’s large, calloused hand splayed over the curve of her backside. The position was utterly demeaning—bent over his lap like an errant child, subject to his discipline. She should have been mortified. She should have been angry, indignant, humiliated.But instead…A shiver—hot and unbidden—crawled up her spine, betraying her in the worst possible way.Had she hit her head before leaving the palace today? Had something short-circuited in her brain? Because there was no other explanation for why, instead of outrage, a thrill of anticipation coiled low in her belly. Why was she reacting this way? Why did this feel less like punishment and more like—Slap!A sharp sting bloomed across her cheek, and she jerked, a startled cry leaving her lips. Heat flooded her skin, spreading outward like ripples in water. Her hands flew to his thighs, pushing against him as her legs kicked out instinctively.“Trying to run, Evelyn?”His voice was dark, teasing, laced with something

Michael’s jaw tightened, his muscles flexing as he struggled to rein in the emotions boiling beneath his skin. He needed to leave. To walk away before the storm inside him raged uncontrollably. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t keep himself in check around this woman. Evelyn awakened something within him—something raw, untamed, and utterly maddening.Lust. Rage. Two forces he had always mastered with ease, now spiraling beyond his control. The worst part? Only she could douse the fire, only she could anchor the chaos threatening to consume him. And right now, she was doing just that—cooling his anger with nothing more than the warmth of her trembling fingers against his.His gaze dropped to their intertwined hands, and a cruel voice in his mind sneered at him. How? How the hell does she affect me like this?“If… if I tell you I really don’t know what happened… will you believe me?”Her voice was so small, so uncertain, and Michael hated it. Hated the fear lacing her tone, the w

Evelyn felt as though her face had been set on fire.Must he really make her choose like this? No! The real question was—why was he even making her choose in the first place? If he wanted to do it, he could just decide on his own. How embarrassing!Michael was toying with her, that much was clear. And the worst part? He was enjoying every second of it.“Answer me, Evelyn. And quickly,” he said, his voice a silken thread laced with wicked amusement. “Or this bath will keep being dragged on.”Her mouth opened, but only a pathetic squeak escaped.“I… I don’t think… umm, what I mean is…” Evelyn stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. She swallowed hard, cheeks burning hotter by the second. “There’s… there’s no need for you to… wash me… there.”Her words felt foreign on her tongue. She could hardly believe she was saying them. The sheer thought of it—of him doing such a thing—was enough to make her entire body tighten with mortification.Michael tilted his head slightly, the gleam in

There were an abundance of emotions flashing across Sebastian’s eyes currently as he looked down at his little wife taking the initiative to stand before him and acting as his shield. He had not thought that she would be this protective of him. He had not expected such an action from her that it took him quite a while to snap out of the surprise that came out of it. rHis gaze moved to her slender hand that was still stretched out horizontally, blocking him from moving to the front and before he had even realized it, his reserved dimple slowly made its way out. Suddenly, he imagined in his mind, a little white and innocent bunny enthusiastically jumping around, thumping its feet, trying to protect the deadliest beast behind it. And his smile widened more than a fraction. His eyes gleamed with amusement, awe, and something… more. r“I think we should shout and call for help, right? Maybe that would be enough to alert the guards patrolling here?” she asked Sebastian while peeking out o

Got it! I'll rewrite this with a more immersive and slow-paced approach, keeping the same word count or more. The female lead's name will be changEvelyn woke up alone in their new room.A deep frown formed between her brows as she shifted under the covers, her mind still clouded with sleep. The air was eerily still, the heavy silence only amplifying the disorienting fog in her head. Something was wrong. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach.Blinking against the soft daylight filtering through the sheer curtains, she turned her head toward the clock on the nightstand. Mid-noon.Her stomach clenched.That wasn’t right.A slow, creeping unease trickled down her spine as she tried to recall the last thing she remembered.And then—Like a floodgate bursting open, the memories from the previous night came rushing back in a dizzying, chaotic reel.Her chest tightening.Her vision dimming.The unbearable ache that had gripped her so suddenly and violently, as though invisible claws ha