(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Ariana brought the instant broth upstairs. Making broth was not supposed to be this quick, but what could she do? She couldn’t let Gerald wait for two hours just for a bowl of broth and risk aggravating his acid reflux, could she?

Ariana opened the bedroom door slowly. Her husband hadn’t moved at all since she last left him. Ariana frowned. She placed the tray on the nightstand and approached him.

“Gerald. Are you asleep?” Ariana got closer and tried to shake his body. Gerald remained still. Ariana climbed onto the bed and approached him further. She wiped Gerald’s forehead. He then opened his eyes and looked at Ariana with his still red eyes. “Still having a headache?” Ariana asked sympathetically. The man nodded his head weakly.

Ariana helped him sit up, placing a pillow behind Gerald’s back so he could sit comfortably. “Eat first, then take aspirin. Or do you want to go straight to the doctor?” Ariana asked, berating herself internally. Hello, was Gerald the type to go to the doctor? More likely, a doctor would come to him. Fortunately, Gerald didn’t seem fully concentrated; otherwise, he would have undoubtedly mocked her words.

Ariana helped Gerald eat. She patiently spoon-fed him until all the food on the tray was finished. Ariana then left the room, opened the drawer where she had last stored his headache medicine before returning to hand it to Gerald. “If your headache persists into the evening, I’ll ask Vivan to call the doctor. So, be here later, and pick him up.” Ariana ordered firmly. Gerald just looked at her and then nodded without many words.

For the first time, in the third month of their marriage, Ariana saw Gerald sick. And apparently, apart from being pampered, there was a silent side to him too. And it actually scared Ariana. But she couldn’t say anything other than frown.

Gerald lay back down, and Ariana covered him. “Stay with me,” he begged softly. Ariana, who was about to return downstairs, turned back. She sat outside the blanket, and shortly after, Gerald put his head back on Ariana’s lap, curling up like a baby with his head against Ariana’s stomach.

Slowly, Ariana stroked his head and back until she felt Gerald’s breaths become calm, indicating he had fallen asleep. Once she was sure Gerald wouldn’t wake up, Ariana gently lowered his head and tried to leave the room quietly.

Outside the room, she immediately tried to contact Vivan. His phone was picked up on the first ring. “Do you know what happened to Gerald?” Ariana asked directly.

“The boss just said he caught a chill, ma’am.”

“Really? Has he been like this before?”

“Not often.”

“Is he always this pampered?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is it really just a chill?”

“Maybe.”

The short questions that actually sounded ridiculous. But Ariana only had Vivan as an informant. But the answers she got from Vivan were not satisfying at all.

“I told him if his condition doesn’t improve by evening, I will ask you to call the doctor. So, make sure to come here and pick him up later.” Ariana instructed gently.

“Yes, ma’am,” Vivan replied from the other end. Ariana could only sigh deeply and then hang up the phone. Ariana went back to the kitchen and resumed her activities.

As evening approached, Ariana decided to rest. Because the restaurant had started to empty, and the children had begun to prepare the menu for dinner. She went back upstairs and was quite surprised to see Gerald sitting casually in front of the TV with the remote in his hand. He looked fresh with a black T-shirt and knee-length jeans that Ariana thought Vivan brought there while she was busy in the kitchen.

“Are you feeling better?” Ariana asked, surprised. Gerald had left no trace that he was sick earlier. He looked perfectly fine.

“Very well,” he replied proudly. A sly smile appeared on his face, making Ariana frown. “My body is very healthy, so even being sick doesn’t take long.” He answered arrogantly. “And you don’t need to ask Vivan to call the doctor because I’m perfectly fine now.” He said still with his arrogant tone.

Ariana scoffed. He really had no self-awareness. Didn’t he remember how spoiled and whiny he was when he felt sick earlier?

But Ariana chose to keep her words to herself.

“Where are you going?” Gerald asked when Ariana didn’t stop and instead walked further into the room.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

“Taking a shower,” Ariana replied, entering the room.

Gerald just watched her. But then a smile appeared on his face. He got up from his seat. Walked to the door, and locked it from the inside. He deliberately removed the key from its place and placed it on the cabinet near the door. He then walked into the room, following his wife.

But before the woman reached the bathroom door, Gerald grabbed Ariana’s hand and turned her body slowly.

“What?” Ariana asked, confused.

“Can I?” Gerald asked his wife in a spoiled tone.

Ariana’s forehead wrinkled deeper. “Can I what?” she asked, puzzled.

But instead of answering Ariana’s question with words, Gerald put his hands on his wife’s waist. He slowly pulled out the shirt Ariana had tucked into her jeans as if asking for Ariana’s decision. Ariana saw her husband’s movement and then gently placed her hand on his chest.

“Aren’t you feeling unwell?” Ariana asked, surprised.

“I’m fine, and I’ll be even better after this.” Gerald replied confidently. He slipped his head into Ariana’s neck and kissed it softly. Ariana tilted her head and gave her husband permission to do whatever he wanted.

But then Ariana stopped him again. “Is it okay if my body smells of sweat?” Ariana teased. Gerald shook his head. He pulled Ariana’s top off her arms.

“I like your body odor,” he said honestly.

Ariana chuckled. “I know that men can do all this with anyone, anytime, anywhere. Even with strangers.” Ariana’s taunt made Gerald’s movement stop. He looked at Ariana with cynicism.

“Is this how you reject your husband, Mrs. Aarzu? By revealing my dark past with women out there?” Ariana shrugged. But what Gerald didn’t expect was that his wife just removed her tank top herself. A smile spread across his face instantly.

“You know what I’m like, Mr. Aarzu. If I don’t like it, I’ll say it. And if I don’t want to, then I won’t do it.” Ariana replied and then pulled Gerald’s shirt off his head. And you can imagine what happened next.