(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Gerald glanced at his watch once again, for what felt like the hundredth time. He looked at Vivan, who stood motionless nearby. “Are you sure you informed her about this?” he asked, probably for the hundredth time too.

“I have given her the information, sir. And she confirmed that she would come,” Vivan replied firmly.

Of course, she would come, Gerald thought. She must be eager to hear the news that the Social Services Department was coming for the adoption process. But the question now was, where was she? Why hadn’t she shown up yet?

Gerald sat back in his chair in his office. More than a week had passed. Deep down, he missed Ariana’s presence. Every night and morning, he felt a void when he realized her side of the bed was empty. He missed her smile, her cooking, her warmth wrapped in her cold demeanor. But this time, Gerald resisted the urge to approach his wife. He didn’t want to be the one always pleading. He refused to be the person begging for love from the woman he truly loved.

“What did your informants say?” Gerald asked again.

“They left about half an hour ago, sir,” Vivan answered the question Gerald had asked multiple times. “He is still monitoring her movements. He said her car is parked on the roadside. She might arrive shortly,” he added.

And indeed, less than five minutes later, Gerald heard news from one of his servants about Ariana’s arrival.

With a heart beating twice as fast as it should, Gerald walked towards the living room where Ariana and the rest of her family were. As he entered, he scanned the room. But he was surprised because it wasn’t just Ariana, her mother, and her grandmother there. Amber and Shelma were present too.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” Gerald replied, his tone cold.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Realizing she was being addressed, Ariana looked up and met Gerald’s gaze, but she didn’t say anything. Gerald furrowed his brow instantly. Something was off, or was it just his imagination? In his eyes, Ariana appeared even thinner, and she seemed so tired. Even the makeup she wore couldn’t conceal the paleness of her face.

Hold on, Gerald. Don’t bother. She never cared about you. Reminded his inner voice.

“What time exactly will the social workers arrive?” this time the voice came from his grandmother.

“They should be here by nine in the morning,” Vivan answered the question. Everyone in the room nodded quietly.

The room fell silent, eerily quiet. No one spoke. Everyone seemed engrossed in their own world and thoughts. His mother was busy flipping through a fashion magazine in her hands. Shelma, sitting next to her, occasionally glanced at and commented on the contents of the magazine. Meanwhile, Ariana, seated between her grandmother and her friend, remained silent and didn’t say much. She didn’t even bother to look in his direction. Frustrated? Of course, Gerald felt frustrated. At least he hoped Ariana would look at him with the same longing gaze she had a moment ago before she tried to hide her feelings.

The sound of footsteps from several pairs of shoes made everyone lift their heads. Two women and two men dressed formally smiled at them. Reluctantly, all the occupants of the house stood up to welcome them.

They introduced themselves and shook hands politely. “We have prepared some questions for each family member. And we have divided our tasks. My colleague and I will interview the family. The others will interview some staff and conduct a survey of the surroundings. Do you mind, sir, ma’am?” one of the social workers asked Gerald.

Gerald raised the corner of his mouth and nodded. The social worker smiled back. “Thank you for your cooperation,” she said. “We can start now. First, I will interview the prospective parents. Where can we have a private conversation?” she asked again.

Gerald stood up, indicating for the social worker to follow him. “Together or one by one?” he asked, noticing Ariana still seated.

“One by one,” the social worker replied. “Perhaps we can start with the prospective Father,” she continued. Gerald just nodded and proceeded, followed by Vivan behind him.

They entered Gerald’s office again, with Vivan standing guard outside the door.

Almost twenty minutes later, Gerald emerged. He looked at Ariana, who was now standing, but once again, she didn’t bother to glance at him. She just passed him and entered his office without knocking.

Without a knock, Ariana entered and received a warm smile from the social worker. “Mrs. Ariana Leonidas?” the fifty-year-old woman asked Ariana. Ariana just smiled and nodded. The woman Ariana had heard was named Mrs. Sri gestured for her to sit on the sofa next to her. “I apologize for asking, are you not feeling well?” she asked again.

Ariana smiled again and nodded. “Is it that obvious, ma’am?” she replied. Mrs. Sri nodded gently. “I’m pregnant,” Ariana replied, her smile still on her face.

The middle-aged woman’s face lit up immediately, and she congratulated Ariana sincerely. “Seeing you like this, it seems you’re experiencing severe cravings,” she commented.

“That’s right,” Ariana answered softly.

Mrs. Sri smiled again, touching Ariana’s hand and patting it gently. “I know what it feels like to be pregnant and become a mother. So, I understand what you’re going through right now. Be strong; all this fatigue will be worth it when the baby is born,” Ariana nodded gently. A smile still lingered on her face, even though the chest pain had returned and felt so heavy it reached her back. “Okay, let’s begin,” the woman said, opening the sheets of paper in her hands. She read it for a moment but then placed the paper on the table. She looked at Ariana with a judgmental gaze. “Let’s keep it brief. From what I hear, you married Mr. Gerald on the basis of an arranged marriage. Is that correct?” she asked.

Ariana nodded. “Yes, that’s correct,” she replied firmly.

“Did this marriage serve as a reason for Mr. Gerald’s family to adopt Axel?”

Ariana nodded again, confirming it. “Initially, yes,” she answered honestly. “But then we forgot about that because we felt like we were a real family. Until I realized that Axel’s position here was still in question, and I asked my husband to speed things up,” she continued.