Refusing To Be His Perfect Replica I Choose The Arranged Marriage

Chapter

1

For seven years, I've been in a secret relationship with Castro Harrison, my brother's best friend.

Just as I was hoping he'd propose, I tracked his location to a private lounge at an upscale restaurant, where I found they were joking about me.

"Castro, now that Oriana's back from London, what are you going to do about that replacement?"

Castro remained silent, his lack of response speaking volumes.

The tension in the air was broken by another friend's sardonic laugh.

"You've got to hand it to Castro-having the nerve to pursue William Blackwood's sister while Oriana was away. Now that you've had your fun, and Oriana's back..."

"Well, Oriana deserved it after how coldly she left. A replacement was just what she needed to teach her a lesson!"

The next day, Castro took me to Oriana's welcome-home party at the Blackwood Estate, lavishing attention on me with an almost theatrical display of affection.

But when Oriana ran out in tears, her Chanel dress stained with wine, Castro pushed me aside without a second thought and rush out.

I returned home alone, my cream silk blouse ruined by scalding soup and my skin was still burning.

With trembling hands, I finally opened the door to his study---the one room he'd always declared off-limits.

his mahogany desk, was a photograph of him and Oriana

ice as I dialed my brother's number in

about that arranged marriage—I'll do

with concern, catching the

wrong? This doesn't sound like you

formed in my throat, but I forced a

I just realized - marriage is inevitable,

I continued, trying to keep

Even for a business merger marriage, I know you would have

was audible through the

you coming back? Would you like

the company's crisis. Go ahead

back in town.

No wonder Castro never let me tell my

my eyes, concealing the pain that

bother him, Will. We're... not

quickly said

Castro leaning against the doorframe,

"Not close to whom?"

"You."

answer only made his smirk widen as he pulled

"Should we discuss just how 'not close' we are? All those nights

hot against my ear, and for the first time, his intimate gesture made my skin crawl instead