(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

“Stop talking nonsense, Shelma!” Gerald snapped harshly.

Instead of being silent, Shelma just shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m not talking nonsense, Gerald. I’m just stating what I’ve heard. I’ve heard all this time that the two of them were very close. In fact, extremely close. My sources even say she spent time at his apartment. What else could a man and a woman do in a closed room?” Shelma asked again.

Ariana laughed. “What do you think?” she countered. Shelma looked at Ariana with a sly smile on her face.

“Of course, fulfilling long-suppressed desires and passions. Besides, I heard you’ve been separated for quite a while. For years,” the woman replied arrogantly.

Ariana’s laughter grew longer. She nodded her head slowly. “Is that how you spend time alone with a man in a closed room?” she said flatly. Shelma was taken aback, shocked to hear Ariana’s question directed at her.

“Ma’am, I didn’t mean it like that. But it’s true that a long-separated couple would do nothing but to indulge in their longing,” she stuttered.

Ariana nodded her head. The corner of her mouth lifted as she looked at Shelma. “Yes. You’re right. I thought that’s what you would do with your lover if you haven’t seen each other for a long time,” she continued in a flat tone, laced with a clear undertone of mockery. “Or perhaps, is that what you want to practice with my husband? Satisfy your longings by selling your body to him?” she challenged again. “Unfortunately, I think my husband is only lusting after me right now. Not at other women,” Ariana taunted.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Watch your words; there’s a child here,” scolded Mrs. Isidora.

Ariana shrugged. She glanced at Axel, who seemed indifferent to the adults’ arguments around him. “Believe me, Mother-in-law, Axel won’t understand what we’re talking about right now. Covering his ears will only make him more suspicious that this isn’t something he should hear. But as a child who will grow into an adult man, he has to know. That not all beautiful women sitting in front of him have beautiful hearts too. Not every smile shown by a fairy-like woman has sincerity in it. Axel must learn this while he’s still young. He needs to know that when his hand is held, he has to be wary of other hands that might push or even stab him when he least expects it. Just like what you and others are doing to me right now,” Ariana said coldly.

“I,” Ariana turned to Shelma. “Am not a good woman.” She said firmly. “I admit that.” And her words brought back the triumphant smile on Shelma’s face. “But I am not a cheap woman who would open my legs to anyone with a different gender from mine,” she continued.

Shelma was stunned. She looked at Ariana in disbelief, her face reddening with anger. “You!” The woman stood up and slammed the table roughly, causing the cereal in Axel’s bowl to spill.

“Gerald clearly knows what I mean,” she said without even glancing at Gerald. “He can distinguish that. He has proven your accusations wrong. But you?” Ariana raised the corner of her mouth. “Considering you are someone who has been married before, I doubt he will know who your former lovers were.”

Shelma stared at Ariana with unabashed hatred. “You!” she shouted angrily. “Don’t you dare disrespect Mommy!” Axel’s outburst came unexpectedly, leaving everyone shocked.

“Axel!” Mrs. Isidora scolded her grandson.

“Axel doesn’t like auntie! Don’t come to Axel’s house again!” the boy ordered harshly.

Mrs. Isidora, Selma, and Gerald turned to Axel, who was glaring at Shelma.

“You! What are you doing to my grandson!” Mrs. Isidora scolded Shelma harshly.

“Don’t you dare shout at my wife in front of me,” Gerald commanded with restrained anger.

Ariana looked at her stepmother-in-law and shrugged. “Just a little lesson about ‘avoiding people you don’t like and driving away people you hate,'” she said flatly. A victorious smile appeared on her face again. “I think Axel is much smarter than I thought.” She gently ruffled the boy’s hair and then kissed his head affectionately. “Don’t forget that a child is much more sensitive than adults. Adults might be deceived by fake smiles, fake tears, and cliché words, even worse than rotten food. But not a young child,” she continued.

Shelma growled, clenching her fists at her sides until her knuckles turned white. “You will pay for this humiliation you’ve done to me today, Ariana,” the woman threatened.

Ariana shrugged. “I’ll be waiting. I already have enough enemies in my life. Adding one more won’t matter to me,” she said casually. “And let me tell you. If someday you want to incite others, please provide examples that at least somewhat match and evidence that is truly authentic. Because if all of it is based on ‘gossip,’ you know that can be called slander that leads to defamation. And you can be sued for it,” Ariana replied nonchalantly.

Shelma laughed. “You? Want to sue me?” she pointed to herself. “Go ahead, how rich are you to be able to defeat me? I can even hire the world’s most expensive lawyer to make you suffer in a prison cell,” Shelma replied arrogantly.

Ariana shrugged again. She then chose to lean her back against the chair. Folding her hands in front of her chest, she looked at Shelma flatly. “I won’t sue you. Besides, what’s the point? It will only waste my precious time,” she replied with a sardonic smile on her face. “I won’t pay attention to someone who hates me because I know there are still many people who believe in me. But maybe,” she continued with emphasis. “The Alessandro family won’t accept your insult, and they are the ones who will sue you because you have tarnished the reputation of their eldest son. And in case you forgot, let me remind you. Chris Alessandro is the eldest son and the only heir in the Alessandro family. Because his younger brother has no right to any of the wealth the family now possesses. Because all the wealth owned by Alessandro Group belongs to the late birth mother of Chris.”

Hearing that made Shelma freeze and pale. “And maybe you can ask your acquaintances about how wealthy that family is. Who knows, you might want to know the balance in their bank accounts,” Ariana replied, still in her casual manner. She sat up straight again and picked up the spoon she had ignored earlier. Choosing to enjoy her breakfast and ignoring the unpleasant incident that had just happened.