Mr Edward's Substitute Bride

"No, Dad, I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to marry Mira's fiancé," Amelia yelled angrily, her voice breaking with a mixture of frustration and helplessness.

"Lia, can you for once stop being selfish?" Richard's voice was cold, indifferent. "You know how much this marriage means to us. Your sister is nowhere to be found, and we can't afford to offend the Williams family. The only solution now is for you to take her place and marry him. Do you want the company to go bankrupt?" His eyes never wavered from his phone, as if he were discussing something trivial.

Amelia's hands trembled at her sides. "But why me, Dad? Why do I always have to be the one to suffer because of Mira's mistakes?" Tears blurred her vision as the weight of the situation pressed down on her.

Claudia, her stepmother, crossed her arms, her tone harsh. "Well, that's because you're the older sister. Sometimes, you have to cover up for her, and that's exactly what we need you to do now."

Amelia's heart hammered in her chest. The words stung more than they should. "Is that really the reason? Or is it because I'm not your daughter? Would you have asked Mira to take my place if I had disappeared on the day before mywedding?" The words spilled out before she could stop them, the anger boiling over.

Claudia scoffed, a dismissive laugh escaping her lips. "Enough, Amelia. Even if you aren't my biological daughter, I've treated you as one. The future of this family and the company depend on this marriage. Do you think I'd ask you if I didn't have to? If you don't marry Mr. Edward, everything we've worked for will crumble." She glanced at Richard, then back at Amelia with an icy stare. "And you know that."

Amelia swallowed, her voice barely a whisper. "But I don't love him, Mom. I'm already in love with someone else. You know that."

Richard's eyes narrowed, a mockery evident in his voice. "You mean Andrew?" He let out a short laugh, disbelief in his tone. "You think he really loves you? Let me make this clear, Amelia: he's with you because of your family's money, not because of you."

Amelia's chest tightened. She was about to retort when the sharp sting of her father's words hit her. *Did he really believe that?*

"That's not true!" she shouted, her anger a flare that she couldn't control. "Andrew is with me because he loves me! You're just saying that to make me marry Mr. Edward."

Richard's lips twisted into a smile. "Really? Since you're so sure that Andrew loves you, why don't we make a bet?" His voice was laced with a cruel edge. "I'll test him. If he proves he truly loves you, I'll let you marry him. But if he doesn't, then you'll marry Mr. Edward."

Amelia's heart raced. She nodded quickly, too desperate to think. "I agree."

Richard's wicked grin deepened. "Perfect, call him. Tell him I want to see him."

Without hesitation, Amelia grabbed her phone. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she dialed Andrew's number. A moment later, he picked up.

"Hey, babe," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Could you come over? My dad wants to see you."

Andrew's voice, soft and reassuring, answered through the line. "Of course, I'll be there in a minute."

When he arrived, the tension in the room thickened. Amelia's eyes lit up at the sight of him, the warmth of his smile immediately calming her nerves. She knew he would rescue her, that Andrew would never betray her.

"Hi, babe," he greeted, his smile genuine, and for a moment, Amelia thought everything would be okay.

As he walked in, Richard didn't bother with pleasantries, his eyes sharp. "Andrew," he said, motioning for him to sit beside Amelia. "You're in love with her, right?"

"Yes, sir," Andrew said, his voice steady as he took Amelia's hand, squeezing it gently. "I love Amelia with all my heart."

A flutter of hope rose in Amelia's chest. She believed him. She knew him.

Richard's tone shifted, pressing further. "So how much do you love her?"

Andrew's grip tightened, and his eyes softened as he turned to Amelia. "Mr. Richard, no words can truly express how much I love her. I was planning to ask for her hand in marriage soon. You have my word."

Richard smirked, unfazed. He grabbed a check from the table and scrawled something on it, then slid it toward Andrew, his smile turning sinister.

"You claim to love Amelia," Richard began, his voice chilling, "but we both know it's not about love. It's about money, and you know it."

Andrew furrowed his brows in confusion, glancing at Amelia, but Richard continued, his words cutting through the air like a blade. "Here's ten million dollars. Take it and leave Amelia. It'll be easier for both of us. You don't have to waste any more time pretending."

Amelia's stomach dropped. The blood drained from her face as she stared at Andrew, waiting for him to reject the offer. There was no way he would take the money. No way.

But then-Andrew's hand, the one she was holding so tightly-slowly pulled away from hers. Her heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught in her throat.

"I'm sorry, Amelia," Andrew said softly, his voice barely a whisper. "Your father is right. I was only with you because of your family's wealth. I never really loved you."

Amelia froze, the world around her spinning. 'No... no, this isn't happening.'

"Andrew, please," she pleaded, her voice shaking with disbelief, "this isn't you. You're only saying this because of the money."

But Andrew didn't meet her gaze. He pulled away from her completely, walking toward Richard with a resigned look in his eyes. He took the check from Richard's outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Richard. From now on, I'll stay away from Amelia."

Each word was like a dagger to Amelia's chest. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything more. Andrew didn't look back.

Richard stood up, his expression smug. "Well, Amelia, a deal is a deal. Get yourself ready and also pack your necessary belongings. Mr. Edward will be here in an hour, he will be taking you to the bureau of civil affairs to finalize the papers for the marriage. You will also be following him back to his mansion after the finalization of the papers.

With that, he turned, motioning for Claudia to follow him. They left the room, leaving Amelia alone-her heart shattered, her future sealed.

To be continued...

"Mrs. Amelia Richard, do you take Edward William to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?" The priest's voice echoed through the chapel, but it felt distant, as though his words were reaching Amelia from a faraway place.

His question jolted her back to the present, but the reality she faced was far from the love life she had imagined.

Amelia's gaze fell upon Edward, the man who was now meant to be her forever. But as her eyes met his, she was hit with a cold chill.

His cold gaze, one that had haunted her since the previous day when he came to pick up from her house, pierced through her. That same coldness that had made her feel so small, so insignificant, when he arrived to pick her up.

The only time his demeanor had softened, if it could even be called that, was the previous night which was their first night together as husband and wife, she had thought that it would remain the same, but on waking up the following morning, she was met with the same cold gaze.

She had heard many rumors about him being cold and heartless, but she never expected it to be this serious.

As she thought of the life that awaited her with this man, the weight of it crushed her spirit. Her chest tightened with an ache that she could not hold back.

She blinked quickly, trying to suppress the tears that burned at the corners of her eyes. But the veil covering her face concealed her grief, and for a moment, she was shielded from the gaze of the audience.

"Mrs. Amelia," the priest's voice broke through her haze, the tension in his tone reminding her that everyone was waiting for her response. She hesitated, lost in the turmoil of her thoughts, before finally whispering, "I do."

The words felt hollow as they left her lips, and as they echoed through the hall, the applause that followed only deepened the emptiness inside her. The life she had dreamed of, the love life she had hoped for, seemed like a distant fantasy now, fading into a cruel reality.

"I now pronounce you both as husband and wife; you may now..."

Before the priest could finish, Edward took a step back, his cold eyes never leaving the ground, and without a word, he began walking off the altar, heading toward the exit. The room fell into an uneasy silence, and then the murmurs began, voices rising in confusion and disbelief.

Amelia's face burned with humiliation. She quickly left the altar, the weight of her dress dragging behind her as she followed him.

The whispers of the guests filled the air, but she paid no mind. She had no choice but to follow. What else could she do?

"What the hell is wrong with your brother?" Mrs. Teresa, Edward's mother, fumed, her voice rising in frustration.

She made to stand, in order to go and confront Edward, but Sandra, Edward's sister, gently pulled her back into her seat.

"Mum, let him be for now," Sandra said, her voice calm, though there was a tinge of sadness beneath her words.

"You know how he is. If not for you, he wouldn't have gotten married at all. All we can do now is hope that Amelia can melt his cold heart."

Mrs. Teresa sighed deeply, knowing that his daughter was right.

Outside, Amelia found Edward discussing with one of his bodyguards. Without sparing her a glance, he climbed into his car, the door slamming shut with finality. The guard, now turning toward Amelia, offered her an explanation.

"Mrs. Edward, I will take you back home. Young master had an emergency at the company-that's why he left so abruptly," the guard explained, his words soft but clinical.

Amelia smiled bitterly, hiding the storm of emotions that churned inside her.

As if raping her the previous night wasn't enough, he has also abandoned her at the altar as if she was just a piece of garbage.

'What next was he going to do to her?' Amelia thought inwardly.

Her fake smile faded as she stepped into the car, thousands of thoughts running through her mind.

The drive continued for a few minutes, the silence stretching between them.

Then, without warning, Amelia spoke.

"Stop the car," she said, her voice steady despite the storm within.

The driver hesitated before pulling over by the side of the road.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concern lacing his words.

"Wait for me here; I want to go and ease myself," Amelia said to the driver, who furrowed his brows at her, but before he could protest, Amelia had already gotten down from the car and was already walking away.

She walked a few yards away, her steps purposeful and resolute. When the car was out of sight, she flagged down a taxi and got in without a second thought.

"Take me to this address," she told the driver, giving him a location. Once in the car, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, where are you?" She asked, her voice calm but strained.

"At home," a familiar voice answered.

"Good. There's been a change of plan. I'm on my way to your house now. Are the papers ready?" Amelia's question was direct, her mind already focused on the next step.

"Yes, they are," the voice replied.

"Okay," Amelia said, hanging up with a sense of finality.

When the taxi arrived, Amelia paid the driver and quickly walked to the apartment building in front of her. She didn't have time to second-guess her decision.

Getting to the front of the apartment, she placed a soft knock, and immediately the door opened, revealing a young lady who probably had the same age as her.

"Amelia," the young lady whose name was Sarah called out to her before hugging her tightly.

"Are you sure about this?" Sarah asked, pulling away from the hug and looking at Amelia with concern.

"Yes," Amelia replied, her voice firm despite the uncertainty that threatened to break through.

"I would rather live on my own and support myself than be trapped in a loveless marriage." Amelia said to Sarah, who gave a quiet nod, understanding all too well the depth of her friend's decision.

"Well then, hurry up," Sarah urged. "I just checked, and the flight to Canada is in thirty minutes. You need to leave before they start looking for you."

"Thank you," Amelia whispered, her gratitude so overwhelming she didn't know how to express it.

Sarah handed Amelia a new set of clothes-simple, comfortable clothes that she used to replace the wedding dress she still wore.

"Let's go; I will drive," Sarah said to Amelia as they both started heading to the exit.

Within ten minutes, they arrived at the airport, and Amelia felt her heart pounding in her chest as she stepped out of the car. She hugged Sarah tightly, the emotions overwhelming her.

"I'm really going to miss you, bestie," Amelia said, her voice cracking slightly.

"I'll miss you too," Sarah replied, returning the hug.

Amelia pulled away, a thought weighing heavily on her mind. "Can you do me one last favor?"

"Of course, what is it?" Sarah asked, concern in her eyes.

"Clear every piece of information about me once I leave and also send a divorce paper on my behalf to Mr. Edward," Amelia said to her.

"Okay, I'll take care of it for you," Sarah promised, her smile warm and sincere.

"Thank you, Sarah. I owe you one. I'll pay you back one day," Amelia said, her voice full of gratitude. She gave Sarah one last hug before stepping away and heading into the airport, her heart torn but determined.

To be continued...

*Five Years Later*

It was a cold morning in Icon Models, one of the biggest modeling firms in Canada.

A lady probably in her late forties could be seen sitting in her office while going through some files on her computer.

Suddenly a soft knock was heard from outside, causing her to turn her gaze towards the door.

"Who is that?" She asked while raising her voice a little bit so that the person that is knocking could hear her voice.

"It's me," a female voice sounded from outside.

"Come in, please," the lady instructed, and with that, the door burst open, revealing a young lady who was no one else than Amelia.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cassandra," Amelia greeted the lady with a warm smile as she walked into the office.

"Good morning, Amelia, please have a seat," Mrs. Cassandra, who was the owner of the firm, said to Amelia as she pointed at the chair opposite her, and with that, Amelia walked to the chair and sat down.

"So how was your vacation?" Mrs. Cassandra asked Amelia after she sat down.

"It was perfect, Mrs. Cassandra," Amelia said to her with a warm smile.

"I'm happy to hear that," Mrs. Cassandra said to Amelia, who still had a warm smile hovering over her face.

"Well, the reason why I called you is to inform you that our company was invited to participate in this year's international modeling competition." Mrs. Cassandra announced to Amelia.

"Wow, that's really good news," Amelia said to her.

"Yes, that's good news, but that's not all," Mrs. Cassandra said to Amelia, who furrowed her brows in anticipation, waiting for the next good news.

"Well, the main good news is you are the one chosen to represent the company this year," Mrs. Cassandra said to Amelia, who widened her eyes in surprise.

"Really!!" She exclaimed, not minding how loud her voice was.

Like every other model, it has always been her dream to participate in this competition, and for the past two years, she graduated from modeling school and started working in the company. She has dedicated herself completely to her work, hoping that she will get the opportunity to be invited to represent the company.

"Yes, Amelia, your hard work and determination since you started working in this company have been visible to everyone, and that's why you were voted for, so you deserve it," Mrs. Cassandra said to Amelia with a warm smile.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Cassandra. I really appreciate this, and I promise I won't disappoint you," Amelia said to her with a determined tone.

"I know you won't disappoint me, Amelia," Mrs. Cassandra said to her with a reassuring tone.

"So when and where is the competition taking place?" Amelia asked her.

"Well, the competition is in a week time, and it will be taking place in New York City," Mrs. Cassandra announced to Amelia, and immediately the smile on her face disappeared.

"New York City?" She muttered as the memories of everything that had happened five years ago came back playing in her head.

"Yes, New York City, hope you are okay with that? If it's not okay with you, we can choose someone else to represent the company for this year; maybe next year you can represent us. . Cassandra said to Amelia, seeing how her facial expression changed when she made mention of where the competition was going to take place.

"Can I think about it?" Amelia asked her with a pleading tone.

"Yes, of course, but just know that you have up to tomorrow morning to think about it. If I don't get any positive reply from you before tomorrow morning, I will choose someone else," Mrs. Cassandra said to Amelia, who nodded in reply before standing up.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Cassandra," Amelia said to her before standing up and walking out of the office with thousands of thoughts running through her mind.

----

"Come on, Amelia, how could you refuse such an opportunity?" Sarah's displeased voice sounded through the phone.

Getting back home, Amelia, not knowing what to do, decided to call her best friend and ask for her advice.

"I didn't reject it; I only asked for some time to think about it," Amelia said to Sarah through the phone.

"Amelia, you have worked so hard for this, and I don't think it's a good idea to allow something that happened five years ago to ruin everything for you," Sarah said to Amelia through the phone, and with that, she heaved a sigh, still not knowing what to do.

"And by the way, for how long are you planning to keep Dave away from his father? If you ask me, I will tell you to accept and represent your company, and you will also use the opportunity to present Dave to his father; you won't want him to hate you in the future for keeping him away from his father," Sarah said to Amelia through the phone.

"Well, you are right, Sarah, but what if he takes him away from me?" Amelia asked Sarah with a helpless tone.

"He can't do that, Lia. Dave is still five years old, and even if he takes you to court, his custody will be granted to you," Sarah said to Amelia, who sighed heavily once again.

"Okay, I will represent my company. Thanks so much for the advice," Amelia said to her, her tone filled with gratitude.

"Don't mention it, bestie; I can't wait to see you," Sarah said to Amelia before hanging up the call.

Once the call was hung up, Amelia heaved a sigh before placing a call to Mr. Cassandra, who picked up after some minutes of ringing.

'Hello, Amelia," Mrs. Cassandra's voice sounded through the phone as she picked up the call.

"Hello, Mr. Cassandra, I have made up my mind; I will be representing the company," Amelia said to her through the phone.

"Okay, that's good then. You will be flying to New York City first thing tomorrow morning; your ticket and every other thing needed for the competition will be sent to you earlier this afternoon," Mrs. Cassandra said to Amelia through the phone.

"Okay, I will be expecting it," Amelia said to her before hanging up the call, and at the same time a car drove into the mansion, and from the corridor where she was standing, she could clearly see her son Dave, who got down from the car, and immediately their gaze met; he smiled at Amelia.

Seeing his handsome little face that was an exact replica of his father's face, Amelia swallowed hard.

After all these years she was finally going to meet him again.

To be continued...