(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

After snapping out of her trance, Ariana hit Gerald with the nearest pillow within her reach. “You pervert!” she exclaimed. Ariana then got up from the bed and walked towards the bathroom quickly. “Where are you going?” Gerald asked with teasing tone and smile.

“Taking a shower! Suddenly I feel so hot!” Ariana replied from the bathroom door.

“Need any help? Maybe I could assist you in scrubbing your back or something else?” Gerald offered, his tone playful. Ariana stopped in her tracks. She turned around and looked at Gerald with a raised eyebrow. Gerald looked back at her with a hopeful expression.

“In your dreams!” Ariana muttered before closing the door with a rather loud thud. Gerald burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Ariana sat back on the toilet seat, holding her chest that was beating so rapidly. How could she not? The conversation she had just had with Gerald was like giving their relationship a chance. Ariana didn’t know why she could do that, especially considering Gerald’s words had inevitably moved her heart.

Didn’t she never want this marriage to happen from the beginning? Ariana asked herself. Wasn’t she intent on leaving him right from the start? And now Karenina was back, but why did Ariana feel reluctant to leave Gerald?

Reluctantly, she had to admit that what she had said to her mother, her mother-in-law, and her twin sister was all just empty words she had spoken out of anger at their treatment. If she persisted with Gerald, then the three women would be right about Ariana. That she would turn Gerald into her treasure trove. And what if Gerald found out she had said such things?

Of course, he would despise her, wouldn’t he?

Yes. That is for sure. If her mother, mother-in-law, and Karenina told Gerald the results of their conversation, Gerald, who was now kind to him, would change to hate him. The man will only equate Ariana with her mother and twin sister.

And if that happens?

Shouldn’t Ariana be happy? If Gerald hated her, he would quickly abandon Ariana, right? But why did she not like the thoughts that entered he brain? And instead, gave her a drop of pain in her chest?

Ariana got up and took off her clothes lazily. She stepped unsteadily under the shower and doused herself with warm water at medium pressure.

How about now? What should he do now? If she accepts the man’s offer to date, can Ariana guarantee that her heart condition will remain safe?

What if she ends up falling in love with Gerald? What if she ends up having her heart broken because of that man?

Hasn’t all this Ariana done to avoid heartbreak because of men? Isn’t that why, until now, Ariana is still closing herself off from all possibilities that could bring her closer to ‘falling in love’?

Ariana shook her head. Even taking a warm shower didn’t help clear her mind at all.

Ariana dried her body and covered her wet hair with a small towel on the bathroom towel rail. In the end, she regretted it again because she didn’t bring a change of clothes there. She was too emotional earlier to think about possibly going out wearing only a towel that wouldn’t even cover his entire thigh.

Ariana opened the bathroom door slowly. In her heart, she prayed that Gerald had left her room. It is nothing. She didn’t feel embarrassed. After all, they had done more than look at their naked bodies. It’s just that Ariana didn’t want to be accused of flirting with the man.

Luckily, Gerald wasn’t there. It was proven that the bedroom door was half open. Ariana walked quickly towards the door and was about to lock it from the inside. But somehow, the man moved faster and entered the room with a mischievous grin.

“You look fresher.” The man commented.

Ariana gripped her towel tightly. “What are you doing? Get out there! I want to change clothes.” Throw her away roughly.

Instead of retreating to leave the bedroom. Gerald instead went deeper. “If you want to change clothes, go ahead. Why do you have to throw me out of the room?” asked the man, still teasingly.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“This is my room, and I freely ask you to leave this room. Besides, I need privacy. At least respect that.” Gerald raised an eyebrow. “Do you need privacy, or are you embarrassed to get dressed in front of me?”

Ariana gaped. How could that man ask like just now? But then Ariana smiled. She turned back and walked closer to Gerald. Even though her hand held the towel tightly, she still wanted to reply to the man.

“Are you sure you want to know what’s on my mind?” Ariana asked in a teasing tone. Now Gerald looked back at him, confused. “I know. I have a good enough body that makes men want to touch me all the time, and so do you. It is not like that?” Ariana asked again.

Gerald still looked at Ariana with a wary gaze.

“I’m just being kind to you, Mr. Aarzu. I know how easily you are tempted.” Ariana touched the tip of her index finger to the man’s right chest.

“And I just don’t want to hurt you anymore because you want me to. Won’t it hurt if you want me, but I can’t give you anything?” Ariana pushed Gerald slowly.

The man reflexively stepped back because of the gentle push.

“So, before you suffer anymore because of your excessive desires, you better… Retreat!” Ariana pushed the man out of the room and quickly locked herself in from the inside.

She then leaned he back against the door. She was trying to calm her heartbeat. Unlucky! It wasn’t Gerald who was tempted by Ariana. But Ariana’s body was drawn by the man’s body.

Ariana herself didn’t understand why. But every time she caught a look from his eagle eyes, she felt as if she was bewitched. His body suddenly shook violently, and she always wanted to be touched.

And after the man managed to touch her. Ariana always felt as if her body was being shocked by a small electric current.

Her body always felt hot instantly. And one touch made her want another touch. And that other touch always causes another sensation.

Ariana knew that was what they called passion. But Ariana didn’t understand why her body only showed that response to Gerald even though Gerald wasn’t the only man close to her all this time.

Aren’t there still Jody and other male employees in this restaurant? There’s also Chris. But Chris… never mind, forget about that guy.

What is clear is that from the start, her body’s response to Gerald was wrong. And now, the longer she was close to that man, Ariana felt that her body was becoming more and more abnormal.

Ariana quickly changed clothes. She took a short-sleeved T-shirt and his favorite jeans. Her eyebrows knit together momentarily when she realized that the stock of clothes she had left at the restaurant was almost running low. And she was sure that the dirty clothes she had previously kept would have been given by Amber to the laundry.

She quickly rubbed his hair with a towel. Combed it roughly, and then Ariana opened the bedroom door. Gerald seemed to be sitting casually, watching the flat screen in front of him with the remote in his right hand.

“Where are you going?” asked the man when he saw Ariana, who ignored him again and left the room.

“Get something to eat,” Ariana answered briefly.