(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Gerald’s shoulders tensed immediately. “What do you mean?” he said harshly.

Shelma tilted her head again. “Just say it, she’s pregnant right now. And she’s hiding it from you. Then link all of this with Chris’s arrival. And her spending nights with him when you should have been enjoying your honeymoon as newlyweds. Could it be that the baby she’s carrying right now belongs to Chris?” she asked rhetorically. “It’s possible, isn’t it? Or maybe it’s someone else’s baby other than both of yours?”

Gerald clenched his fists and looked at Shelma with an anger he could no longer contain. “Don’t insult my wife, Shelma. She’s a good woman. She’s not the kind of woman who would sleep with random men like you.”

Karenina widened her eyes. While Shelma feigned a shocked expression. Even her manicured hands rose, touching her chest. “How could you be so rough, Gerald?” she asked sadly. “How can you be sure she’s a good woman when even the number of times you’ve met her can be counted on one hand?” the woman continued.

Gerald didn’t want to answer that question. He knew this was just bait from Shelma and Karenina to make him doubt and lose his trust in Ariana.

“If you trust your wife so much and are sure that the child in her womb is yours, my question goes back to the initial question. Why didn’t she tell you about this ‘supposedly’ happy news? Or maybe…” Shelma deliberately let her words hang.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Maybe what?” Gerald asked angrily.

“Maybe she doesn’t want that baby and intends to terminate it before you find out,” Shelma continued.

Thud. Gerald’s heart felt like it was being squeezed. Could that be true? Was Ariana planning something inhumane like that?

“She doesn’t want that baby inside her, maybe for two reasons,” Karenina boldly spoke up. “The first reason, she doesn’t want her body to be ruined. As you know, pregnancy and childbirth will change our physique. And Ariana could be one of those who wants a perfect body. And the other reason,” Karenina glanced at Shelma, and both of them smiled meaningfully. “Ariana doesn’t want that baby because it would be an obstacle for her to return to her true love,” Karenina answered casually.

Gerald fell silent. Staring at Karenina sharply. “You don’t know what Ariana’s relationship with Chris is like. Actually, I don’t know too much,” Karenina replied. “But what I know from my closest informant is that Chris has been approaching Ariana for a long time. And Ariana seems to really like Chris. Nobody knows why Chris left Indonesia for so many years. But think about it, Ariana was the first person Chris met when he returned to Indonesia, and after that, they spent time together to relieve their longing. Do you think their relationship is still just friends? That’s impossible, right, Ge?” Karenina said. “So, my assumption is, Chris’s return to Indonesia was to propose to his sweetheart, Ariana. Unfortunately, he was too late because he found out that Ariana had married you, even though she did it reluctantly. And Ariana’s desire to marry Chris seems to be just as strong. I suspect Ariana wanted to accept his proposal. Then, she realized she was pregnant, and her pregnancy would keep her with you longer. That’s why she wants to terminate it before you find out,” Karenina continued, stirring the pot even more.

Hearing these accusations made Gerald’s head throb with pain. “Both of you, leave now!” he commanded, his voice gruff.

Neither Karenina nor Shelma moved. Even shamelessly, Shelma continued. “Divorce her, Gerald. We all know why you wanted to marry Karenina-for business and Axel’s adoption issues. And now you know she’s not a good woman. Do you want Axel to live with a woman who could give him a bad influence? Who knows, behind your back, she’s playing with other men again. Who knows, behind your back, she’ll guide Axel towards inappropriate things,” she said.

Gerald stared at the two women in front of him with his fists clenched. “Leave right now or I will kick you out of here without respect,” he said sharply.

Both Shelma and Karenina realized they had reached the peak of Gerald’s anger. And they thought that was enough. They glanced at each other and finally nodded before getting up. “Think about my advice, Ge. Before it’s too late,” she said gently. “It doesn’t seem fair for a good man like you to end up with a cunning woman like her,” Shelma continued.

Gerald chose to close his ears to her words.

“Sir,” Vivan finally spoke up after being sure the two snake-like women had left. “I hope you’re not influenced by what they said,” she said softly. Unlike her usual composed and flat tone, Vivan was now positioning herself as Gerald’s friend. “What they did was deliberate, trying to shake your trust in Miss Ariana. If you waver, then they win,” she continued.

Gerald looked up. The headache in his head was getting worse, and his vision was starting to blur now. “I’m not sure, Van,” he replied weakly. “I’m not sure who to believe.”

“Maybe Miss Ariana did go to the obstetrician. But it doesn’t mean she’s actually pregnant. Think of something else. What if Miss went there for a pregnancy consultation, not a check-up,” Vivan tried to make Gerald think of something else. But Gerald remained silent.

He stared at the door where the two women had left. His anger surged again. He wanted to throw everything in front of him, destroying everything until nothing was left. But he chose to remain silent. What was the point of doing all that? Besides his body being hurt, the rest of his frustration would still remain.

Ariana? Is it true what Shelma and Karenina said? Is his wife really pregnant?

If that’s the case, why didn’t Ariana tell him about this joyful news? Ariana clearly knew how much Gerald wanted a child born from her womb.

Is it true what Karenina said? Ariana didn’t want to ruin her body because of her pregnancy? Or were the assumptions of those two women correct? If the fetus in his wife’s womb wasn’t his? Gerald shook his head immediately. No. for that matter, if Ariana was indeed pregnant, Gerald was sure it was his child. Because he was the first man to touch her.

Chris? Is it true that Ariana was planning to secretly terminate the baby because she wanted to be with Chris? If that was the truth, it hurt him even more.

Or is Vivan right here? What if Ariana actually went for a pregnancy consultation, not a check-up?