(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Gerald emerged shortly afterward, a towel hanging low on his hips. Ariana went back into the bathroom to replace him. “Where are you going?” Gerald asked, confused. Ariana didn’t answer; she just went in and started cleaning herself again.

Less than five minutes later, Ariana returned to the room, her body shivering and her fingers wrinkled. Gerald was sitting on the bed, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and pajama pants. “Are you alright?” he asked, concerned. Ariana just nodded and walked back to the walk-in closet, grabbing her own sleepwear.

She clearly wasn’t alright now. Wasn’t she running a fever just yesterday? And today, correction, tonight, she had already drenched herself in the bathroom three times.

Ariana quickly dressed, choosing clothes randomly. As a result, she ended up wearing a thin silk nightgown. Fortunately, the bottom of the gown touched her ankles, although the top almost revealed her chest. But Ariana promptly covered it with a matching robe.

When she stepped out of the walk-in closet, she glanced at the wall clock, which displayed midnight. It had been quite a while, it seemed.

Gerald had propped himself up on the bed. He patted the empty space beside him, silently inviting Ariana to join. She complied, crawling onto the bed. Whether he noticed it or not, when Ariana was seated, he knelt next to her and started the hairdryer. Without many words, he gently began to dry Ariana’s hair.

The warmth from the hairdryer and the gentle touch of the man’s hands made Ariana sigh. Shortly after, Gerald placed the hairdryer on the nightstand and started arranging the pillows for them to sleep. Ariana lay down beside him. Gerald slid his left hand under Ariana’s neck. “I know you’re cold,” he murmured. Ariana remained silent. She let the man’s warmth envelop her, spreading through her body. In a matter of minutes, Ariana fell asleep in Gerald’s embrace.

As usual, her body’s alarm woke her up. An arm was wrapped tightly around her stomach, making Ariana feel warm, and for some reason, she hesitated to let it go. She glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was almost ten minutes past five. Ariana winced as she tried to get up. The throbbing in her head was very strong. Perhaps it was the effect of bathing multiple times the night before.

Gerald then got up from the bed. “Are you okay?” he asked, looking at Ariana’s face. His hand gently touched Ariana’s forehead. Ariana’s body felt warm again. “You have a fever again,” he said.

Something was different. Very different from her current feelings when she received Gerald’s attention. Her head still throbbed when she lowered it. And it seemed to catch Gerald’s attention. Perhaps it was because of her pale face or the crease on her forehead every time the pulsing pain struck. Gerald gently placed the back of his hand on Ariana’s forehead once more.

“Rest first. Your body hasn’t fully recovered,” he suggested, but Ariana ignored him. How could she take time off again when she had just returned to work yesterday after her escapade?

A knock on the door diverted their attention. Gerald walked towards the door and opened it. The face of a woman in her forties appeared with Axel’s hand clasped in hers.

“Mommy!” the child’s shout coincided with the release of the babysitter’s grip. Axel ran quickly and threw his tiny body into Ariana’s arms. Ariana, unprepared, stumbled before regaining her balance. “Mommy, where were you? Axel missed you,” the child said, hugging Ariana’s thigh tightly. Ariana just smiled and gently stroked the child’s head.

Gerald closed the bedroom door, leaving the three of them confined in the spacious room. “Mommy doesn’t feel well, why did you come here so early?” Gerald asked, approaching and sitting on the edge of the bed. He tousled Axel’s hair, the child still holding onto Ariana’s leg.

“Grandpa Yosef said Dad brought Mommy home,” the child said, reaching out his arms, asking Ariana to pick him up.

Before Ariana could do so, Gerald had already lifted the small body and placed him on the bed. “Dad said Mommy isn’t feeling well, so don’t ask Mommy to carry you,” he warned. Axel glanced at his father briefly before looking at Ariana.

“Mommy, come here,” the child said, patting the bed. “When Grandma and Grandpa are sick, Axel likes to massage them. Does Mommy want Axel to massage her?” the child offered sincerely. Ariana just smiled. She then sat on the bed. The little boy approached and started massaging Ariana’s calves gently. Ariana smiled as she watched him. She truly liked the handsome little boy.

“Do you want me to massage you too?” Gerald offered teasingly. Ariana looked at him with her sarcastic gaze. Gerald chuckled. He then raised both hands in surrender. He got up from his seat and walked towards the walk-in closet.

He put on his pajama pants and a short-sleeved shirt again. “Dad will go downstairs. Take care of Mommy, okay?” he instructed the child, who was still busy massaging Ariana. Axel just nodded without diverting his attention from Ariana’s legs.

“Did Axel go to school yesterday?” Ariana asked after the bedroom door closed.

The child nodded. “Dad said if Axel behaved well at school, Dad would bring Mommy home again. Why didn’t Mommy take Axel? Mommy doesn’t love Axel, right?” the child asked, his expression turning sad.

“Why would you say that?” Ariana asked, confused.

“Because Grandma said, Mommy Aliana won’t love Axel. The one who will love Axel is Mommy Kalen, not Mommy Aliana,” the child explained. Ariana furrowed her brow.

“Mommy Kalen?” Ariana repeated the name.

“Not Kalin, Mommy. But Kalen,” the child said, struggling with the pronunciation of the letter ‘R’. Ariana frowned.

“Mommy Karen?” Ariana tried to correct him. Axel nodded innocently. “Grandma said, the one who will be gentle and be Axel’s Mommy is Mommy Kalen, not Mommy Aliana.”

And the innocent words of the little child made Ariana grateful for the decision she made last night.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.