
The Billionaire's Substitute Bride
King Emerald · Completed · 127.1k Words
Introduction
When her stepsister goes missing under troubling circumstances, a shadow of suspicion looms over her family, thrusting Sophia into a precarious arranged marriage with Ricci Russo—a billionaire known for his relentless ambition and enigmatic presence. Ironically, Ricci is also the very subject of her next explosive exposé, a fact that complicates matters considerably.
Ricci, a shrewd and calculating financier, strikes a high-stakes deal that involves using the daughter of Gerald Williams as collateral. However, with the intended bride vanishing without a trace, he finds himself shackled to Sophia instead.
Unbeknownst to him, Sophia is not just a reluctant bride; she harbors her own agenda. With her sharp instincts and journalistic skills, she is determined to uncover the dark secrets hidden beneath Ricci's polished exterior.
Trapped in a marriage woven with deception and hidden motives, the two are pulled into a treacherous game filled with power struggles, whispered secrets, and forbidden desires that threaten to consume them both.
As the tension escalates and the lines between truth and deception blur, one looming question remains:
Will their forced union ignite a passion that transcends their circumstances, or will the heavy burden of their secrets lead to their ultimate unraveling?
Chapter 1
Sophia
My sister needs help.
I did it! I had finally gotten an achievement to be proud of.
One of the untouchable, corrupt, and monstrous prime ministers in the country was about to go down, thanks to me. The headlines tomorrow would be the very bomb!
After pulling up in the driveway, I practically ran into the building to see my editor and boss. Benjamin King. We had spoken over the phone, and I could literally hear the excitement rolling off him in waves.
I had barely stepped into the office when he pulled me into a hug, taking me by surprise. It also set off a million butterflies in my stomach. I had had the biggest crush on him for a long time.
He gestured for me to sit beside him on the sleek leather couch, and his eyes gleamed. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
He flipped through the pages of my report, eyes shining like he had seen gold. He nodded approvingly before stating, "I always knew you were the very best, Sophia!"
"Thanks, Benjamin," I muttered. Heat crept up my cheeks as he stared at me in admiration.
"You've proven yourself again and I'm so proud of you," he stated.
Walking over to his desk, he pulled out a file and handed it to me. "That's why you're the only one I can trust with this. We need all the information you can get about that billionaire. Sources tipped us off that he has some dirt on his nails. I need you to dig it up."
I glanced through the profile. This was high-class, nothing like before. The world-class billionaire, Ricci Russo.
"It's huge, but the bigger the fish, the bigger the price," he stated, taking a seat close to me again.
"Consider it done," I stated, a smirk crawling across my cheeks.
"As for this victory, will you be chanced for us to have dinner later too—"
My heart leaped but plunged when he was interrupted by the sound of my phone. I had waited for Benjamin to make this move for a long time, only to have it ruined by some annoying caller. Annoyance swirled within me.
"Please, excuse me," I stated to Benjamin ruefully before stepping out to take the call.
Harsh words were on the tip of my tongue until I heard the voice on the other end of the line. "Sophia," a tiny, sniffling voice called from the other end of the line.
I paused, pulling the phone away from my ear to see the caller ID. "Sara?" It couldn't be. How long had it been since she spoke to me.. years?
She burst into tears once I placed the phone back to my ear. Her sobs were heartwrenching.
"Talk to me, Sara. What's the matter? Why are you crying?"
Her words came out, choked and stuttered. "Can you imagine? Dad wants me to get married to a total stranger! He says I have no choice. Can you even believe that he says in getting married in two weeks? Two weeks!!"
My heart skilled a beat. What was Dad up to now? How could he even think of just marrying his daughter off? "I don't understand. Why is he making you get married, and why the rush?"
She sniffled on the other end of the line, sucking in a deep breath before speaking up finally. “His business is in trouble. It has been for a while, but a few weeks ago, it got the final blow. He tried everything to save it. Nothing worked. Then, suddenly, a few days ago, he came home excited, saying he found a way he could finally save his business and his wealth.”
Her voice wavered. “I was so happy for him until he told me the condition. He found an investor… but the deal comes with a price. A marriage alliance.”
I felt my entire body go stiff as the words fell from her mouth. “A marriage alliance? What the hell is this, a Victorian-era drama? We live in the 21st century! Nobody does that anymore!”
Sara fell silent at my outburst but soon spoke up. “Please, Sophia. Help me talk to him. I can’t… I can’t do this. I can't get sold into a marriage. There won't be joy. I won’t survive this marriage. I can't survive the alliance.”
Her desperation was suffocating and already giving me the hitch. I sighed, rubbing my forehead to display my confusion even though I was not quite feeling complete pity.
"Okay, okay. Calm down. I’ll talk to him.”
But in my heart, I already knew this wouldn’t end well. He doesn't like me a single bit, and I believe talking to him is a total waste of everything.
“Who the hell do you think you are...huh?”
My stepfather Gerald's voice thundered through his expansive home office, making me flinch slightly. Crippling fear slithered through my body as he slammed his palm on the mahogany table.
“Coming into my house, telling me what I can and cannot do?”
I swallowed hard but held my ground, even though fright threatened to silence me.
“Father, Sara is miserable already. You can’t force her into this....”
“Enough of your shit!” he roared, his face turning pale red. “Do you think I want this for her? Do you think I enjoy watching my daughter cry? I have tried everything I could ever think of! Every single door slammed in my face. I have a family to take care of! Your mother. Your brother. If the company collapses, we lose everything! Will you provide for us? Your little job, can it take care of this family? Can it pay any bills?”
The sneer in his voice as he spat out the words made my stomach churn in anger.
I had worked my ass off for years, trying to gain even a sliver of his approval. But he never cared about that.
Still, I shoved my emotions aside. Now wasn’t the time for feelings. Now wasn't the time to bring unnecessary issues to the table.
"Who is this investor?” I asked, keeping my voice steady and calm, not trying to display my emotions.
He grabbed his jacket and briefcase, preparing to leave. Then, with one last glance, he said, “Ricci Russo.”
Time seemed to pause. “Ricci Russo? The world’s second richest man?!”
His expression was unreadable at this point, as my heart pounded. “Yes. And in two weeks, Sara will be his wife. That’s final.”
With that, he strode out of the house, leaving me standing there, stunned, helpless, furious, and mostly confused.
Sara’s fate had already been sealed, and there was nothing I could do... or could I?
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Last Updated: 11/20/2025
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Accardi
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.
Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
The Contract Wife: Marriage Of Malice
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
I didn't tell him to stop.
Instead, my fingers curled into his shirt, clutching the fabric as though it was my only anchor. Something in him snapped—something he had been holding back for too long. His mouth found mine in a kiss that wasn't tender, but hungry, desperate.
I gasped into him, his hand sliding up to cup my jaw, holding me as if afraid I might vanish.
"You drive me insane," he breathed against my mouth, his lips trailing to my throat. "I can't lose you, Ella. Not you."
My head fell back, a soft sound escaping me as his fingers memorized my waist. My anger melted beneath his desperation.
"James..." I whispered, more plea than protest.
His hand caught mine, fingers threading together tightly. "I'll bring him back. I swear it. Just... don't turn away from me. Please."
The word please—low, ragged, almost broken—undid me more than anything else could have.
Ella never imagined she would marry the man she had secretly loved for years in such a way.
When her brother Theo faced twenty-five years in prison for massive embezzlement, the ruthless business tycoon James Lancaster offered her a deal: marry him in exchange for her brother's freedom.
This wasn't a fairy tale proposal, but a carefully orchestrated revenge. Because in James's heart, Ella was the culprit who had killed his sister Cecilia. He wanted her to pay the price—to atone with a lifetime of suffering.
A pack of their own
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With my heart in pieces, I sought solace in the last place I expected—my Alpha's arms. One night turned into a dangerous entanglement, and now my Alpha refuses to let me go. As the Alpha’s obsession grows, I'm caught in a web of desire and fear.
Curtis, the boy I once loved, still holds a promise I made, but the Alpha’s powerful presence pulls me deeper into his world. Should I forgive Curtis and keep my word, or should I risk everything for a chance at something wild and unpredictable with the Alpha who won’t take no for an answer?
“There are no limits between us,” he chuckled, the mirth sparkling in his gorgeous eyes. “And all of this stems from the night you gave me both pain and pleasure. I’m simply returning the favor.”
He took two steps forward, and I stepped back. “But…” The memory of what I had done filled me with fear, and I knew I had to get out of there. “I…”
“No, Firecat.” He placed an index finger on my lips. “This will take your mind off that son of a bitch.” His strong hands pulled me by the waist until I felt his hard manhood.
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
To protect what’s mine
Game of Destiny
When Finlay finds her, she is living among humans. He is smitten by the stubborn wolf that refuse to acknowledge his existence. She may not be his mate, but he wants her to be a part of his pack, latent wolf or not.
Amie cant resist the Alpha that comes into her life and drags her back into pack life. Not only does she find herself happier than she has been in a long time, her wolf finally comes to her. Finlay isn't her mate, but he becomes her best friend. Together with the other top wolves in the pack, they work to create the best and strongest pack.
When it's time for the pack games, the event that decides the packs rank for the coming ten year, Amie needs to face her old pack. When she sees the man that rejected her for the first time in ten years, everything she thought she knew is turned around. Amie and Finlay need to adapt to the new reality and find a way forward for their pack. But will the curve ball split them apart?
From Sacrificed Slave to the Dragon King's Obsession
His fangs glinted as he gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. Dragon scales shimmered along his neck, breath scorching my skin.
"Your Majesty... I beg—" He shoved me onto the bed. Silk tore with a sharp rip, cold air rushing over my exposed body.
"Scared?" He smirked, palm sliding down my waist, fingers tracing slow, burning circles. "Yet you shiver... not from cold."
I lunged for the candlestick, but he caught my wrist, pinning it overhead. His knee forced my legs apart.
"When your father gave you to me," his lips brushed my ear, voice a dark rumble, "you were already mine."
On the eve of freedom after ten years of servitude, Lina Valeria stood one night away from reuniting with her betrothed. But Dragon King Augustus condemned her to the Abyss Mines on false charges—a trap forged from obsessive desire.
Augustus Ashenwing, Supreme Sovereign of Skyhold Citadel, is ruthless and feared by all races. His obsession stems from ancient grudges and dragonkind's most dangerous instinct: possessive desire. He demands her submission, binding her to his throne as his consort.
From prisoner to queen, Lina battles him through court intrigue and twisted passion—fighting for her mother, her freedom, her dignity.
Yet this cold-blooded tyrant reserves all tenderness for her alone. He indulges her temper, bends his pride, compromises without limit—anything to see her smile. Gradually, her heart wavers. But loving him means betraying Kain, who waited eleven years. Torn between duty and desire, she drowns in agonizing guilt.
Love and hatred intertwined—a forbidden dragon romance in a realm of oppression.
Omega Bound
Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life.
Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice
Her escape leads her to Alpha Rowan, the commanding leader of the Blackwood Pack, who offers shelter, protection, and an unexpected chance at a new life. But Rowan’s fierce and jealous fiancée sees Lyla as a threat, and the pack’s charming Beta is drawn to her quiet strength.
As a dangerous attraction simmers between Lyla and Rowan, they begin to unravel a dark web of secrets that implicates Kaiden and threatens both their worlds.
With her hidden power awakening, Lyla must navigate treacherous loyalties, face the alpha who shattered her, and decide: Will she follow the destiny fate forced upon her, or claim the love and strength she has chosen for herself?
Ruined : You will always be mine.
“Fuckkk”, I couldn’t help but scream.
“You need to learn to be obedient” he said as he kept thrusting into me. When I felt his hands on my clit my body shook.
“Asher please, it’s too much”.
“No. if I really wanted to punish you, I would give you all of me”, he said against my ears and my entire body froze. Suddenly he moved and I was standing again. This man was insane.
I felt him behind me. “Ten Lashes for your disobedience”, he said
“Asher please”,
“No”. His voice was cold and void of any emotion.
Asher was what I wanted , what I truly craved until it was too late. An orphan should never fall in love with someone out of their reach. I thought loving him was the right thing to do until he revealed his true identity and Ruined me. I was ruined for everyone one else . I could still feel his touch, it was as if it was etched into my skin. I tired to avoid him but fate wouldn't let it happen.
The Sterling's were the most powerful in Havenwood and Dorian Sterling was off limits.
As an orphan finding out you still have people looking for you is hard to take but when it turns out to be people of wealth and standing I took the other road and ran, but running led me right back to the place I was avoiding and the person I was avoiding.
Asher and Dorling Sterling one and the same. When his first love shows up and along with everyone that has set out to ruin me, I prayed that he could protect me.
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms
I’d appreciate all your support, thank you so much!
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.
On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...
Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.
George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.
His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"
Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.
When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.
"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"
George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"
"I'm afraid that's impossible."
Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."












