Substitute Bride For The Dying Billionaire

a stop, its engine sputtering

a pristine two-story house in suburban West Virginia. The lawn was perfect. The flower

adlights and swung herself

er dark brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, loose strands catching the afternoon

nching on the clean asphalt of the driveway. Her hands, calloused and capable, gripped the han

t and let it res

a solid, expensive slab of oak that

ed the starter cord, and ga

ttered, then r

hood's peaceful fabric. Birds scattered from a nearby oak t

ight on the sofa, sloshing beer onto his

urned up loud. The sudden, high-pitched s

n on a Saturday?" he grumbled,

ke it stop! It's giving me a headache!" Her bleached-blonde hair, a shade

capture the perfect selfie. The noise was a dull buzz through her noise-canceling headpho

in lifted t

t hesitate. She aimed for the center of the do

s explode

rrifying blur of spinning metal and flying debris. He stumbled back, hi

rrrr-

ough the other side, a silver fang appe

out a pierc

he chaos from downstairs was unmistakable now. Annoyed

e down, then across, then up, carving a rough rectangl

e gave the weakened panel

g on the plush beige ca

dden silence was almost as sh

the jagged doorframe and stepped

as in

They took in the cheap but flashy furniture, the family photos o

child. Later on, he remarried and started a new family. After the girl was take

y disbelief. "Erin? What the..

ious hen protecting her rooster. Her voice trembled, but it was

n. She saw the ruined door, the strange woman in dirty clothes, and

, dismissive glance, but it was filled with a

Her voice was quiet, but it cut

or my mothe

tus's face. His eyes darte

ristled. "Your mothe

ox. And in that box, a necklace passed down from her grandmother." Her eyes flicked bac

d turned

décolletage, lay a delicate, vintage silver

clutching the necklace. "You're lying! My dad boug

a single s

silent pressure. Tiffany flinched and took a step

river stone. "I'm here for two things today: my mother's ashe

is stepdaughter, his face a pathetic

rigid with fury. "You get out of this house,

licker of a humorless smile. She glanced

ked onto Brenda,

berate, "we should start by talking about