Secret Billionaire’s Contract Bride: Marrying My Enemy’s Lover

Chapter 1

*Adelaide

“To the future bride and groom!” My father raised a glass of champagne in the festive air, a proud smile on his lips as he gestured to my half-sister and her fiance. “This is a proud day of union for the Hildebrand and Steyns!”

“Cheers!”

I needed a drink.

My now ex-boyfriend leaned down to kiss his beautiful fiance, and I ducked behind the wall, fists clenched so tightly I felt my nails as they dug into my palms.

The b’stards hadn’t even invited me.

Perhaps, that shouldn’t have been what stung the most, but it was something else that drove a perfectly manicured nail in the coffin that was my heart. I had been completely blindsided.

Then, there was that patent he’d been after… I shook my head, not wanting to think about that at the

moment.

When I first heard the news, I hadn’t believed it. I had been in the airport as I waited for my flight in Los Angeles to fly to New York for a business meeting. The news had been the only channel blaring on every lounge TV.

“Ashton Steyn, the youngest member of Nevada’s First Congressional District, has officially announced his engagement tonight. His engagement to Corinna Hildebrand is being celebrated at a private affair at Caesars Palace,” the blonde on the nightly news had reported.

I should’ve just gotten on the d’mn plane to New York!

Instead, I’d changed my flight and came here in some misguided hope that all of this was some cruel practical joke. The worst part was that I couldn’t even march in there and slap him across the face as he deserved.

“I don’t want my position to affect you.” That’s what he had told me every time I asked why he kept our relationship a secret. And just last night, the exact day before the engagement party here, he called me honey and I said goodnight.

I was too foolish to look past my rose-colored lenses.

To the rest of the world, our grandparents were friends and nothing more. If I had stormed in there, I’d have only humiliated myself further.

I watched as my half-sister, Corinna, smiled, her cheeks pink as the crowd adored her, just like they always did. Her perfectly practiced smile and curled blonde hair were the epitome of the fiancee he’d always wanted. Ashton’s arm wrapped around her shoulders as he held her close for the

cameras.

An inferno had raged inside my chest. It had boiled over until my heart had shriveled up and died. Every moment I’d shared with Ashton went up in flames and left behind nothing but ashes and me.

I snatched a champagne glass from a tray of a passing waiter. I ignored the nasty look he sent my way for snatching the glass, pulled my mask below my lips and downed the champagne like it was water.

I swallowed the bubbly liquid and with it, any remnants of my pride.

With one last resentful glance at the happy couple in their joyous moment, I tugged my mask back into its spot and had just turned to go to the bathroom to calm down when I met a brick wall of a man

Chapter 1

to the face.

as I landed harshly on my elbows and as on the

irritated as I rubbed my sore arms and hopped up. When I faced the offender, my eyes

suit was a wall of muscle, his white shirt was left messy and untucked. The first two buttons of his collar were undone with just a hint of the tan skin underneath. He had a small black freckle underneath his right eye and the realization hit me like a

my face as I could and hoped to whatever universe was out there that he hadn’t recognized

his tall figure to leave, but he stepped in front of me. I frowned and

was so not in the mood for

of my way,” I snapped, arms crossed.

he

face. Instead, I breathed out

I hissed through my

as he moved to the side with a grand flourish of his arm. I eyed him, and the path he made for me to the exit, and before he could

known better.

A large warm hand on my back

stronger than me. The warmth of his hand on my back vanished, and

smirk on his face. He twirled my sunglasses in one hand as I glared

weren’t even going to say hello, Addie?” he said with a mocking

them back, Damon!” I shouted. A few guests turned to look at us, and I flinched, trying not to draw any more

half-brother who’d always been a pain in my *ss.

I had been forced into playdates as children. I might have said we were

came to an engagement party dressed like

I’d been planning to wear to my meeting in New

said bitterly at the

Chapter 1

“Neither was 1, but I don’t look like

teeth at how flippant he was.

I stepped into his personal space. “You knew

get engaged

“you don’t look

until I felt his warm breath on

his mouth to reply, but a bunch of girlish giggles

familiar girls rounded the corner with champagne glasses in their

hands.

the woman in a short green dress called out. “I didn’t know you

to see

from me with a polite smile on his lips.

she stumbled forward

didn’t come to see me,” she pouted, batting her

stepping back and hoping to escape the situation before anyone else recognized me, but I was too late.

stepped forward, a huge grin on her face. “Is that

swore the universe had it out for me.