The Billionaire's Substitute Bride.

Sophia

My sister needs help.

I did it! I had finally gotten an achievement to be proud of.

One of the untouchable, corrupt, and monstrous prime ministers in the country was about to go down, thanks to me. The headlines tomorrow would be the bomb!

After pulling up in the driveway, I practically ran into the building to see my editor and boss. Benjamin King. We had spoken over the phone, and I could literally hear the excitement rolling off him in waves.

I had barely stepped into the office when he pulled me into a hug, taking me by surprise. It also set off a million butterflies in my stomach. I had had the biggest crush on him for a long time.

He gestured for me to sit beside him on the sleek leather couch, and his eyes gleamed. "Let's see what you've got."

He flipped through the pages of my report, eyes shining like he had seen gold. He nodded approvingly before stating, "I always knew you were the very best, Sophia!"

"Thanks, Benjamin," I muttered. Heat crept up my cheeks as he stared at me in admiration.

"You've proven yourself again and I'm so proud of you," he stated.

Walking over to his desk, he pulled out a file and handed it to me. "That's why you're the only one I can trust with this. We need all the information you can get about that billionaire. Sources tipped us off that he has some dirt on his nails. I need you to dig it up."

I glanced through the profile. This was high-class, nothing like before. The world-class billionaire, Ricci Russo.

"It's huge, but the bigger the fish, the bigger the price," he stated, taking a seat close to me again.

"Consider it done," I stated, a smirk crawling across my cheeks.

"As for this victory, will you be chanced for us to have dinner later too-"

My heart leaped but plunged when he was interrupted by the sound of my phone. I had waited for Benjamin to make this move for a long time, only to have it ruined by some annoying caller. Annoyance swirled within me.

"Please, excuse me," I stated to Benjamin ruefully before stepping out to take the call.

Harsh words were on the tip of my tongue until I heard the voice on the other end of the line. "Sophia," a tiny, sniffling voice called from the other end of the line.

I paused, pulling the phone away from my ear to see the caller ID. "Sara?" It couldn't be. How long had it been since she spoke to me.. years?

She burst into tears once I placed the phone back to my ear. Her sobs were heartwrenching.

"Talk to me, Sara. What's the matter? Why are you crying?"

Her words came out, choked and stuttered. "Can you imagine? Dad wants me to get married to a total stranger! He says I have no choice. Can you even believe that he says in getting married in two weeks? Two weeks!!"

My heart skipped a beat. What was Dad up to now? How could he even think of just marrying his daughter off? "I don't understand. Why is he making you get married, and why the rush?"

She sniffled on the other end of the line, sucking in a deep breath before speaking up finally. "His business is in trouble. It has been for a while, but a few weeks ago, it got the final blow. He tried everything to save it. Nothing worked. Then, suddenly, a few days ago, he came home excited, saying he found a way he could finally save his business and his wealth."

Her voice wavered. "I was so happy for him until he told me the condition. He found an investor... but the deal comes with a price. A marriage alliance."

I felt my entire body go stiff as the words fell from her mouth. "A marriage alliance? What the hell is this, a Victorian-era drama? We live in the 21st century! Nobody does that anymore!"

Sara fell silent at my outburst but soon spoke up. "Please, Sophia. Help me talk to him. I can't... I can't do this. I can't get sold into a marriage. There won't be joy. I won't survive this marriage. I can't survive the alliance."

Her desperation was suffocating and already giving me the hiccups. I sighed, rubbing my forehead to display my confusion even though I was not quite feeling complete pity.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'll talk to him."

But in my heart, I already knew this wouldn't end well. He doesn't like me a single bit, and I believe talking to him is a total waste of everything.

*******

"Who the hell do you think you are...huh?"

My stepfather, Gerald's, voice thundered through his expansive home office, making me flinch slightly. Crippling fear slithered through my body as he slammed his palm on the mahogany table.

"Coming into my house, telling me what I can and cannot do?"

I swallowed hard but held my ground, even though fright threatened to silence me.

"Father, Sara is miserable already. You can't force her into this...."

"Enough of your shit!" he roared, his face turning pale red. "Do you think I want this for her? Do you think I enjoy watching my daughter cry? I have tried everything I could ever think of! Every single door slammed in my face. I have a family to take care of! Your mother. Your brother. If the company collapses, we lose everything! Will you provide for us? Your little job, can it take care of this family? Can it pay any bills?"

The sneer in his voice as he spat out the words made my stomach churn in anger.

I had worked my ass off for years, trying to gain even a sliver of his approval. But he never cared about that.

Still, I shoved my emotions aside. Now wasn't the time for feelings. Now wasn't the time to bring unnecessary issues to the table.

"Who is this investor?" I asked, keeping my voice steady and calm, not trying to display my emotions.

He grabbed his jacket and briefcase, preparing to leave. Then, with one last glance, he said, "Ricci Russo."

Time seemed to pause. "Ricci Russo? The world's second richest man?!"

His expression was unreadable at this point, as my heart pounded. "Yes. And in two weeks, Sara will be his wife. That's final."

With that, he strode out of the house, leaving me standing there, stunned, helpless, furious, and mostly confused.

Sara's fate had already been sealed, and there was nothing I could do... or could I?

Sophia

Sara's wedding day.

The morning of Sara's wedding had arrived like a slow, creeping nightmare.

The past two weeks had been a blur of preparations, yet the house remained suffocatingly quiet and filled with unease and tension. Even my mother, who usually thrived in moments like these, wore a permanent frown.

Sara was the worst. She barely spoke, ate, or walked around.

Annoyingly, my father had even restricted me from going to work in the name of the wedding. I wasn't even the one getting married.

I comforted myself with the fact that I would be close enough to dig up every dirt under Ricci Russo's sleeves when he got married to Sara. He would bring his doom upon himself.

He never even showed up on any of the preparation days. Not even once to say hello. No meetings. No introductions. Just money wired for the wedding expenses. The jerk!

Sara's eyes were red and puffy as I draped the veil over her face. She clutched my hand tightly, her lips parted. No word came out. Only more heart-wrenching sobs.

"You'll be fine, Sara," I mumbled, pulling her into a brief hug. "I promise."

"Sophia, everyone's ready! Let's go!" My mother called up, but her facial expression wasn't funny at all.

I followed her outside. Our family would ride together in my stepfather's car, while Sara would be driven in a sleek, brand-new BMW-one of Ricci's 'gifts' by his driver.

She bunched her dress in her hands and sank into the back seat. I walked with her, about to enter with her when she stopped me.

"I want to be alone, please, Sophia," she choked out, wiping straying tears off her cheeks.

I stood frozen in confusion as the car pulled out of the house.

Mom sighed, her face etched with worry. "She's been saying that since yesterday, Sophia. I've never seen her this sad."

A bad feeling curled in my stomach, but I remained silent. Before I could say anything, my father honked impatiently.

I climbed into the car, still feeling uneasy about the whole arrangement.

As we took the highway to avoid traffic, something felt off.

Then it came. A loud, deafening screech.

My heart stopped.

I watched Sara's car swerve violently across the road. The tires screeched against the pavement.

"No!" I screamed.

The BMW skidded wildly before crashing through the wooden railing, plummeting into the lake below.

"Saraaaaaaaa!" My mother and I screamed simultaneously. Gerald slammed on the brakes.

The car sank beneath the dark, icy water, and I could do nothing but watch in white-faced shock and disbelief.

*****

I bolted out of the car with a scream, but my stepfather's grip yanked me back tightly.

"Call 911! Now!" I shouted in the direction of my mother. She looked more confused than I. Her eyes were wide with unshed tears.

The distant wail of sirens filled the air, a sound that should have been comforting, but my chest tightened with dread.

The highway was fully deserted, the stillness making the chaos feel even more unreal. At least no reporters were here to know what was happening. If this made the news, our whole family would be ruined.

"I knew something was wrong!" I screamed, shrugging out of his grip.

My feet barely touched the ground as I bolted towards the lake. Uncertainty swirled in the pit of my stomach. Was Sara dead or alive?

My hands trembled as I stepped closer to the lake, my pulse hammering in my ears.

"Sara!" I screamed, scanning the murky water. Nothing. Just the rippling waves swallowing the car's last traces. "Sara!!"

Red and blue lights flashed across the surface as rescue divers arrived and plunged in.

The minutes dragged on painfully. Each second without news was another twist of the knife in my gut. Then, they emerged, dragging someone with them.

The driver of the jeep. Bloodied and lifeless.

I clamped my hand over my mouth, stifling my scream within myself. A sickening wave of nausea hit me at this point. If they had found the driver, they should have found Sara, too.

But another hour passed, and it seemed like all hope was lost.

Then, one of the divers emerged, shaking his head. "We found the car, but there's no sign of her in it."

My stepfather collapsed onto his knees. His choked sobs shattered the silence.

"No, no, please, keep looking! She has to be there! Please!"

Another hour passed, yet the lake gave nothing back. Then, a solemn officer stepped forward.

"Sir, we have to call off the search for now. We'll resume by afternoon with better equipment."

My stepfather looked like a man who had just lost everything he had ever worked for. His facial expression turned pale, hollow, and broken, and he turned to the officer, desperate.

"My daughter... she can't be gone. You can't tell me she is gone." My mother cried.

"We'll do our best to get her, sir" The officer's voice was gentle but firm. He gave a nod before leading his team away.

A heavy silence settled. I turned to my mother, my throat dry.

"What? What do we do now? Sara can't be gone, right?" I sobbed, taking her hands in mine and squeezing them with the pain in my heart.

Her mouth opened, but before she could answer, my stepfather moved toward me. His eyes were dark with something cold and dangerous.

Something about his stare made fear creep into my soul. His grip on my arm was iron-tight as he yanked me aside.

"I can't lose everything. I know exactly what we do now. YOU are going to fix this!"

A chill crept up my spine with words. "Fix what?" I whispered, squirming to release myself from his grip. "Let go of me!"

His expression hardened at once. "Life thinks it can play a fast one on me, but I won't be defeated. You will take Sara's place."

I froze at that spot as the word escaped my mouth. "What?"

"Ricci doesn't know which daughter he's marrying. I won't have him backing out of the deal. I will NOT go back to suffering. Not when you're here!"

My stomach twisted at once. "Are you crazy?! I have a life and a job! You're insane."

SLAP!

The impact sent my head snapping to the side. The sting burned within me, but the shock numbed me.

"You will watch your tone when talking to me," he snarled. "Either you do this, or I'll disown you and divorce your mother."

I stared at him for some time, my heart breaking in ways I didn't know were possible. He was a monster.

My gaze flickered to her. She stood frozen, her face pale, her lips pressed together. She didn't dare speak a word to defend me. She didn't stop him. Her eyes pleaded with me.

Crying was pointless. At this point, I had no choice in my life.

My gaze fell as I spoke, my voice defeated. "What do I need to do?"

A sickening grin spread across his face. "That's my girl!"

Sophia

A sudden Bride.

Hatred. Pure, burning hatred was all I felt. I hated him. I hated myself for seeking his approval for so long. I hated everyone.

He was all smiles as he led me into the car, adjusting his suit. "I already called the church. Ricci knows there was a minor accident, but I told him we're fine. He won't ask questions. Sara had a second dress for the reception. You'll wear it and act well. Now, go get changed."

Everything felt unreal as I slipped into the gown. The silk was smooth against my skin, but I felt suffocated. I was trapped in my thoughts throughout the whole preparation.

Less than an hour later, I was a bitter bride. My eyes grazed my reflection in the mirror. In other circumstances, I would be happier and even proud of my look.

As the car pulled up in front of the church, I clutched the flower bouquet in my hand, itching to pull out the flowers one by one and destroy them.

"Wear a perfect smile, darling," Gerald warned, taking my hand as we stood at the entrance. "If anyone suspects anything, you and your mother are finished!"

My head nodded on its own. I wondered how he managed to threaten me while wearing a smile.

My heart hardened even more. He was going to regret his decision. I would make him regret it! I was done trying to make him proud of me. Now, I was going to make him pay. He had just put me in the perfect spot to ruin Ricci Russo.

The church was nearly empty. The decorations were simple, and there was no grand celebration. I marched down the aisle, a fake smile plastered on my cheeks. I heard Gerald curse under his breath as we walked.

"Will you calm down before I lose my temper!" He growled under his breath, trying to match my pace.

I smirked in his direction. "You can try that," I dared, my voice equally low as I glared into his eyes. "And maybe then, Ricci will see how much of a mistake he is making getting married to the daughter of a scumbag!"

His face turned red. I sniffled a cruel laughter at his expression. "Your smile looks constipated, dear stepfather. We don't want anyone suspecting anything, do we?"

He remained silent, his expression changing every minute as he tried to smile.

After what seemed like years, we got to the altar, and I suppressed a gasp.

Ricci Russo, my husband-to-be, now stood like a figure carved from stone. He was devastatingly handsome, his jet-black hair sleek, his piercing blue eyes unreadable.

But he didn't seem to care about the wedding at all. He only glanced at his smartwatch and then at my stepfather with a strange glint in his eyes.

"I apologize for the delay, Ricci. We didn't know that the accident would occur. She is all yours now," Gerald apologized passionately, practically pushing me into continuous arms.

I pulled away from him, turning to the priest who stood awkwardly in the center

"Skip to the vows." Ricci snapped. For some reason, his voice sent a chill down my spine. It was so smooth, deep, and velvety.

"Yes, Mr. Russo."

The vows were merely a bland ritual, leading to the contract being sealed. My hands felt heavy as they brought a certificate of marriage and handed me a pen.

The ceremony was quick, quicker than a normal wedding ceremony-completely emotionless.

His focus was elsewhere, his fingers constantly tapping on his smartwatch, his phone buzzing in his pocket.

Before I could fully process it, the rings slid onto our fingers, and in one swift move, he pressed his lips against mine. I didn't even hear the priest say that. I guessed I wasn't the only one desperate for the ceremony to just end.

The reception seemed to blur by. All I could think about was Sara. The only person beaming through the whole ceremony was Gerald. It was almost like he had forgotten Sara even existed.

"Mr. Russo, thank you so much for this alliance. I assure you-"

"I don't appreciate my time being wasted, Mr. Gerald. You're lucky I didn't call off the alliance. This should never happen again!" Ricci snapped, cutting Gerald short.

I expected Gerald to be mad as he always was whenever we interrupted him, but he almost bowed. He could even kiss Ricci's feet.

"It won't happen again. I swear-"

"Good., Ricci interjected before walking off.

When it was time for the father-daughter dance, all Gerald did was threaten me. "You must make him happy. Do all he asks of you. If I hear as much as one bad thing about you, nothing will stop me from coming over there and dealing with you!"

I ignored him until the dance was over.

"It's time to head home, Mrs. Russo," a man in a suit stated an hour later, his hands stretched out to me.

I rolled my eyes. So Ricci was too proud to lead his new wife home.

And, just like that, I was in his car, driving toward his estate.

The silence was suffocating. Ricci didn't even acknowledge me as his new wife. He was already working, his MacBook open on his lap.

When we reached his mansion, he finally put his laptop away.

His lips curved into something unreadable. Partially amused and partially something darker. It irked me and made me want to stay as far away from him as possible.

"Well, well," he murmured, leaning against the doorframe. "Now that work is out of the way, I have time for you. Mrs. Russo... or should I say, Sophia Williams, the journalist who was never supposed to be my bride?"

My breath caught in my throat, and my blood ran cold as he said those words to me.

So he knew who I was.

My stepfather had said Ricci didn't know who he was marrying. But he did.

And worst of all... if he knew, why did he still go through with the wedding?