(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Ariana stretched her body on the super comfy king-size bed, under the thick warm blanket. Her body felt incredibly comfortable, as if someone had massaged her entire body and relaxed all her muscles. And her sleep was deep and dreamless.

Glancing at the wall clock in her room, she smiled. It was exactly five o’clock, and she felt proud of herself and her natural alarm clock. Ariana got up with a better spirit than the previous day.

Last night, after obtaining Chris’s credit card, Ariana had gone to the supermarket to buy her necessities. Change of clothes, toiletries, prayer items, and she even bought new shoes. Well, even though she would have to pay it back eventually, at least for now, she didn’t have to worry about anything. All her comforts could be bought with a small piece of plastic now resting on her bedside table.

She felt lucky to have a wealthy friend. Ariana’s inner self swelled with pride. It allowed her to depend on something during this period of escape.

Escape? Oh God. One word made her think of another question. What was the difference between her and Karenina? They both used escape as their weapon.

But Ariana didn’t care. This was a more fitting course of action. After all, from the beginning, this wasn’t what she wanted. Who wouldn’t be angry if they were cheated multiple times?

Ariana hummed happily in the shower. Coming out of the bathroom feeling refreshed, she immediately went about her morning routine with her new supplies.

By six in the morning, she was already heading towards the kitchen.

Something felt missing. Of course, it was her second day without stepping into the market. For the past two years, she had never missed a day, except when she had urgent matters or was sick.

But at least yesterday, Ariana had given instructions to Jody and Amber about what they needed to buy and prepare for lunch and dinner. However, today she chose not to. She would leave everything to Amber and Jody. After all, it wasn’t the first or second day they worked together.

Today, she wanted to be Ariana, the unemployed one. She planned to spend the day having fun. She clapped her hands in happiness.

Chris emerged when the clock struck six in the morning. His hair was still disheveled. It was clear he hadn’t even washed his face. He yawned widely without a hint of embarrassment. “Pha-ghi,” he greeted between his yawns.

Ariana just chuckled at him. “Good morning, stranger.”

“What’s this fragrance?” the man smelled the air around him.

“Fried rice?” Ariana asked back. He had placed two plates of fried rice with sausage and eggs as toppings.

“Hmm… Fried rice.” Chris sat at the dining table and looked at the plate before him.

Like a chef in general, the man waved his hand in front of the plate, trying to divert the aroma of the food to his nose. Sniffed slowly before nodding and starting to feed rice into his mouth.

“Mm.. 5 out of 5.” Praise the man. Ariana just chuckled while shaking her head. She sat down after pouring water for the two of them. “What will you do today?” he asked between his bites.

Ariana shrugged.

“Go for a walk?” Chris asked again.

Ariana rolled her eyes slowly. Think. Then she shook his head. “Walking isn’t the best option. I’m sure that man is mobilizing his troops to look for me right now.”

Chris visibly grimaced. “You’re overbearing.” he taunted.

Ariana shrugged. “It’s not that he’s arrogant. I don’t think he’s looking for me because he needs me. Not that. But because of pride.” she answered. “How come it hasn’t been a week since I’ve been left twice? Sad, right?”

Chris nodded. “Really. If you have a weak faith, you might have committed suicide. You’ve drowned in a river or even hanged yourself from a watermelon tree.”

Ariana pouted. Answer the unfunny joke with a mocking expression. “Why don’t you just hang yourself from the bean sprout tree?” “That’s stale,” Chris answered casually. “How about we just go on a picnic out of town? Go to the beach, or we can go camping. Or do you have a place you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t had the chance yet?” offered the man.

Ariana furrowed her brow. She could travel far, but if she had to use public facilities like planes or trains, she obviously couldn’t do it given that all her identification was in the wallet left at the restaurant. “I didn’t bring my ID,” she said softly.

Chris slapped his forehead. “Forgot,” he replied. “Let’s think about where to go first. Anything reachable by car,” he suggested. Ariana nodded enthusiastically.

After breakfast, they washed the dishes together. Chris then chose to take a shower, while Ariana sat on the couch, casually browsing destinations for their trip on Chris’s phone.

Chris emerged half an hour later, looking fresher with wet hair, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and jogger pants. “So, have we decided on a destination?” he asked.

Ariana showed her phone to Chris. He simply nodded. Shortly after, they were back in the kitchen, preparing lunch for their journey.

By ten in the morning, they were ready for a long trip.

Ariana intentionally borrowed Chris’s oversized hoodie before leaving the apartment. It was indeed too big, but it felt comforting. It definitely made her look odd, but it was one way to avoid scrutiny. Who knew if one of Gerald’s henchmen happened to see her? So, she was just being cautious.

They went straight down to the basement where Chris’s car was parked. Ariana whistled when she saw the Land Rover Range Rover Velar sounding its alarm, indicating it was unlocked. Its glossy white color without a single blemish indicated that the car was brand new.

“Fresh from the dealer, it seems,” Ariana exclaimed as she got into the luxurious car. Chris just smiled. “Make use of the opportunity while it lasts,” he replied cunningly. Ariana rolled her eyes.

They left the basement parking area, heading towards their destination. Chris had already set the location they were heading to on his car’s GPS.

They were headed to a famous camping site that Ariana had found on the internet.

Before reaching their destination, Ariana and Chris stopped at a supermarket to shop for their camping essentials.

They entered the national park, paid the entrance fee, and headed straight to the parking area. Ariana let Chris go to the information center while she chose to wait inside the car.

Since they were traveling on a weekday, the place wasn’t too crowded. There were only a few cars and motorcycles parked. Presumably, those belonged to hikers aiming to reach the mountain peak.

Chris returned shortly after, steering the car towards the uphill area. The paved road stretched far and was adorned with pine trees. Ariana rolled down the window and breathed in the scent of pine.

“It seems like it would be fun to set up a hammock between those trees. It would be so refreshing. The gentle breeze and the shade of the trees would make for a comfortable afternoon nap. But I remember a children’s cartoon; I’m afraid there might be pine thieves bears that will chase after me.”

“Why are you laughing?” Chris asked.NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

Ariana turned. “Oh, nothing. Just reminded of a cartoon about a pair of bears and a thief. The thief always pranks the bears, but they never get tired of causing trouble. I imagine those bears being there just when I set up the hammock, and then they’ll chop down the pine trees and leave me trapped under them.”

Chris chuckled, shaking his head. Ariana was indeed peculiar. At her age, she still enjoyed watching animated movies. After a fairly long journey filled with twists and turns, they finally arrived at their desired location. Seeing only a few tents around, Ariana felt tonight would be spent quite comfortably.