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

Chapter 3

have any

idea what you’ve done?” My father’s fury was something I was used to but never before had I seen him this angry.

As soon as Damon and I walked through the front door of my house, it was like we’d walked into a warzone. My stepmother sat beside Corinna at the dinner table, as she held her hand and glared daggers at me. On Corinna’s other side was Ashton, who I took particular care not to look at.

I’d lose my cool if I saw that “sshole’s face now,

“I can’t believe you ruined Corinna’s engagement party with this nonsense!” red-faced with a receding hairline.

my father shouted,

“I’m sure Addie didn’t ruin my engagement on purpose, Father,” Corinna said bravely, hands clutched on her chest as she smiled tearfully at me.

“I’m so sorry we didn’t invite you or Damon. I couldn’t bear to make Damon watch my engagement after our horrid split,” she said with a pitying look at Damon.

I eyed Damon’s reaction. He paid her no mind, only picked up his steak knife and began slicing into

his steak.

Corinna turned to me with teary eyes, “And I knew you had an important meeting with. your sponsor, Addie. I didn’t want to make you miss it just for me.”

She looked away, hand on her mouth like she’d suppressed a sob,

“You’re such a good sister, Corinna,” my stepmother, Tabitha, patted her hand with a kind smile. She turned to me with a nasty look, “so unlike Adelaide.”

“Good sister, my *ss-” I retorted before I stopped myself.

“Adelaide!” my father slammed his fist on the table, rattling the dishes and spilling his third glass of red wine. “Don’t talk to your sister that way! I should’ve known you would’ve caused trouble!”

Corinna peeked beneath her hand, a tiny smirk on her face only I saw. I clenched my fists under the

table.

I knew better than to take her provocation, but I still wanted to reach across the table and smack her.

“Don’t blame Adelaide,” Ashton’s smooth voice said. “I doubt this was her fault.”

“Not her fault?” my father raged, “the press is having a field day with us! They think there’s a fight for the inheritance of our families because of what she and that illegitimate child did!”

I peeked over at Damon, but he was unaffected by the accusation. Despite being true, it was rude and callous of my father to point this out,

“Here

down his knife and switched our plates so I had the steak he’d meticulously cut

steak! I glowered at him as he

is too simple-minded to plan something like this,” Ashton said to

anger I’d been holding back reared its ugly

Chapter 3

be Damon’s doing. He must’ve taken advantage of her. I’m so sorry about this. Please forgive Adelaide, Father.” Despite the trash flowing from Ashton’s mouth, my father

her to craft

choked on

this “sshole?

glass, bewildered and infuriated by the accusations that came out of his stupid mouth. His glass was still full so

must’ve infected him with her

he was playing a prank, never considering our family’s reputation,” Ashton said coldly to my father. “Father and I are politicians.

wanted to yell

right,” my father nodded, his anger dying down, “Adelaide would never do this on her own. She

wow, so stupidity

ceremony yet. This mistake can easily be reversed. You will annul the license and marry

“What?” I gasped.

willing to take you as his third wife,” my father said, with no room

looked shocked at my

couldn’t retort or say a single thing back as the room spun around me. Thoughts rushed through

over and over.

my father hate me that

notorious “sshole. Though successful, he was renowned to have a horrid

never my father’s favorite child, but I always assumed he had to care for me a little. Corinna was always

stopped trying to appease my cold-hearted father years

cold.

must not cry. For years, I’d been telling

wrapped around mine. Stunned, I turned to him.

table, cold and confident like everything was still in his control.

me to hear. “I

and looked my

Chapter 3

have nothing to worry about, future father-in-law. She has me

smile faltered, glaring at us furiously before Father looked her way and returned to

dare-” my father sputtered.

a ghost

my father snapped. Most of the servants would’ve cowered, but Piers had dealt with my

is on her

My father

gasped, “Mother-in-law is coming?

Corinna said, pridefully. “Right, Ashton?”

his low response as I watched the room enfold into chaos. Father cleared his throat, and Tabitha brought out her compact make-up kit to do touch-ups. Even Corinna and Ashton fixed