The Billionaire’s Bargain Bride

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CENRIC

I just came from an emergency board meeting concerning my last whereabouts. Even if the stock market was soaring and the corporation’s net was rising, even monitoring my personal affair outside my business, no matter how discreet I was, did not miss their scrutiny.

I wasn’t pissed off or worried. I would feel the same if I was in Cas’ place. I helped people, and that was all that mattered. But my baby brother was concerned about me, and he thought I had just lost my mind. So we fought over keeping secrets from him.

I loved my brother, and I would go to the moon and back to protect him. That was the main reason I kept him out of this mess, and he couldn’t accept my decisions even if they were already over. He was scared that some members of Absolom would retaliate. They could. Even if you cut the head of the snake, some loyal might be able to rebuild the broken organization, and it was possible. I got it.

“Cas?” I called him when he walked out of the office.

He paused. “Look, I don’t hate you, but you are the only family I have left. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt or be dead.”

“I understand.”

“I don’t think you do, brother.” He pursed his lips. His nose flared as he tried hard not to get our employees’ attention. “Think about the people who care about you. You’re being selfish, and all you care about is yourself and your fucking adventure. You are not a Marine anymore. You are a businessman, a founder, a big name in this industry, a hero, a friend, a brother, and a fucking husband. Fort once, Cenric, think of your wife, your family, and don’t ever fucking tell me you’re doing this for her. Now, you already got what you ever wanted, get a good and long vacation, enjoy it with your wife and live the life that you deserve.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you and I are okay.”

“Why do you care? When you should have involved me in your plans, Cenric.”

“I’m a Marine and always will be.”

“Well, brother. Let me tell you this. Your heroic behavior would get you killed.” He walked away.

I didn’t stop him anymore. I didn’t realize the effect of my plan would be this devastating. Everyone wouldn’t be as pleased as I was. I didn’t regret it. It was a fulfillment, but as my brother said, my heroic behavior might just kill me.

I came home and met the guys. They were discussing something about the upcoming football games when they spotted me. I would be surprised if I found Sadie with them. She hated me. Our disagreements had gone too far, and I didn’t know how to end this, and I was afraid I couldn’t save my marriage anymore. I broke her trust, the only thing that made our marriage work for the last few months.

Devin shook his head before I could say something.

“Don’t ever do that again.” Beck pointed right at my face. “Even if Greer is in jail, that doesn’t mean you are safe. And you are too valuable. Anyone could abduct you.”

“I let the company driver drive me. Why does everyone just hate me today? Who else is interested in being on the list?”

“Try your wife,” Linden snorted.

“Where is she?”

“She’s not dealing it well.”

“Who would be? She just lost the only family she knows,” Devin said.

“Wait, what do you mean by everyone hates you today?” Linden asked. “Uh-huh! Cas knows.”

“Yeah.” I slipped my hands in my pockets.

“There’s a game this weekend. Take Sadie with you and join us. We purchased the tickets. I just don’t know how you feel about the seats.”

“Count us in,” I said to Devin.

“Great.”

“Did she get out of bed?”

“You’re a horrible husband. Look for her and see for yourself.”

I glared at Linden. “I’m asking because I leave her in your care. Of course, I will look for her, but I need updates. And we already talked about this.”

He shrugged. “I’m over with it. I’m not mad at you. I moved on.”

It took me two hours to explain to him last night. He was still my brother, and I knew how terrible it felt to keep secrets from somebody, but it might feel as horrible as knowing someone you cared about was keeping secrets from you.

I found my wife asleep in the entertainment room. Even in her sleep, she looked in pain. There was a crest between her brows. It broke my heart knowing I’d caused it. And I didn’t know how she would react if she found out the father she grew up with was not her biological father after all. Would she be relieved?

Then the unexpected question I wasn’t ready to hear just slipped out. I was shocked, myself.

Did she think about it before she asked me? I was still processing when she yelled at me. Out of the blue, the secret just slipped out of my mouth. Before I could take it back, it was already too late.

I knew that look. I knew when someone somehow believed in a bit of possibility.

“What the hell are you talking about? How do you know so much about me?” Her chin trembled. Her tears kept rolling down. When I moved closer to her, as always, she blocked me, and it ripped my heart into two. “Answer me, please?”

“You might wanna sit down.”

“No. I want to know now.” As stubborn as she was, she remained standing.

“Okay.” I took the result from my suit pocket. “Here.”

With a trembling hand, she took it from me. She managed to open it even if she was crying, her hands shook, and her tears kept pouring.

“That’s what I wanna tell you last night.”

She checked the papers, the envelope, the laboratory name. She wiped her tears as she read between the lines. “Is this real? Are you sure you get the sample right?”

I got it. It would be shocking to find out the truth about her life and that the man who sold her to me was not her father after all. And living a life with nothing but a lie, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how she felt right now.

“I wanna talk to him. I want to hear the truth from him.”

“Of course, but not right now, not until his arraignment, and I want you to hear this.” I played the recording I did when I confronted Hanslo.

When it went to the part where he admitted killing Sadie’s father, she just wailed in agony. This time even if she hated me, hit me in the face, I would let her. I pulled her into my arms. I wanted her to know that she was not alone in this struggle. She had me no matter how terrible her day was. She had me before, she had me now, and would always have me even when the time came she didn’t need me anymore.

“It’s okay. Let it out.”

“I can’t believe I’m living this lie my entire life. Why did mom not even tell me?”

“She died believing that I would help you find out the truth.”

“Promise me to unveil her the truth about her father, Cenric.”

“I don’t understand, but I will. Just save your strength, Yelena.”

“I will forever be in your debt.”

I closed my eyes. My jaw clenched as I was finally free from these damn secrets for good. It had been too long, too long that it sucked me into the dark hole of deception and lies.

“He killed my father. How could he do that?”

“I think there’s always a dark side of love. I believe his love for your mother had brought him madness.”

“He’s an evil.” She clung to me as she cried.

I let her.