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

are,” Damon smirked as he laid down his knife and switched our plates so I had the steak he’d

can cut my own steak! I glowered at him as he leaned back

is too simple-minded to plan something like this,” Ashton said to my father with a placating smile.

reared its ugly head, ready to

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 believed it wholeheartedly as his

craft this plan,” Ashton

choked on

this “sshole?

out of his stupid mouth. His glass was still full

must’ve infected him with

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

I wanted to

his anger dying down, “Adelaide would never do this on her own. She would never

stupidity is

me coldly, “you have not held a ceremony yet. This mistake can easily

“What?” I gasped.

Bradshaw is willing to take you as his third wife,” my father

shocked at my father’s

into silence at my father’s words. I couldn’t retort or say a single thing back as the room spun around me. Thoughts rushed through my brain in a whirlwind but only

over and over.

my father hate me

successful, he was renowned to have a horrid temper and

had to care for me a little. Corinna was always his

appease my cold-hearted father years ago.

was beyond cold. It was downright cruel.

couldn’t. I mustn’t. I must not cry. For years, I’d been telling myself to be strong, to be tough,

Stunned, I turned to

table, cold and confident

whispered for only me

with all the sincerity of Corinna’s tears and looked my

Chapter 3

about, future father-in-law. She has me now.”

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

my father sputtered.

as a ghost as always,

would’ve cowered, but Piers had dealt with my father’s temper for a

is on her

My father

“Mother-in-law is coming?

congratulate me, obviously,” Corinna said, pridefully. “Right,

cleared his throat, and Tabitha brought out her compact make-up kit to do touch-ups.