The Substitute Bride: Idiot Or Not?

However, Xavier didn't let Yulissa hold him for long.

He pulled her arms from the back of his neck a few seconds later.

"There's something I'd like to show you."

Yulissa traced Xavier's gaze and turned her attention toward the couch.

To her surprise, there was a black velvet box, and inside was obviously a piece of jewelry.

"Is that for me?" asked Yulissa, pleasantly surprised.

Xavier murmured an affirmative reply and said, "Open and take a look. If you don't like it, I can have someone exchange it for something else."

"No," replied Yulissa gleefully. "I love it as long as it's from you."

As she spoke, she opened the box.

The sparkly diamonds inside shone brightly the second the lights hit them.

It was a complete diamond set with a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a necklace. Even the extra diamonds were all at least two carats. The real deal, the necklace, had a diamond that was almost as big as a dove's egg.

Yulissa's eyes lit up.

She was absolutely delighted with her gift.

Just a few hours ago, she was jealous of how Xavier had gotten a bracelet for another woman.

That bracelet is nothing compared to the set of diamonds in front of me. It would be better if he got me a diamond ring as well, though...

Greed overtook Yulissa at that moment. She felt that the pieces of jewelry weren't good enough.

"Xavier," said Yulissa as she picked up the necklace happily. "This is so beautiful. Will you help me put it on? I can't do it on my own since I can't look at the back of my head."

To her surprise, Xavier turned down her request stoically. "There's a mirror in the dressing room."

Of course I know there's a mirror in the dressing room. Is he really that dense, or he's just pretending?

Annoyed, Yulissa went into the dressing room and tried out some dresses. "Xavier, I can't reach the zip at the back of my dress. Can you come in here and give me a hand?" Xavier rendered her speechless once again. "Didn't you say you were gonna wear a traditional gown? Traditional gowns don't have zips."

Xavier knew exactly what game Yulissa was playing, and he didn't want to participate.

The only reason he gave her those pieces of jewelry was because Winnie accidentally broke her bracelet.

Having been turned down yet again, Yulissa removed her dress entirely and walked out of the dressing room with nothing but her undergarments on.

"Xavier." Yulissa climbed onto the bed and hugged him from the back. "You promised to give this a shot, and we both need to make an effort to make this work. I can't be the only one making a move."

"I know I hurt you when I left without saying a word all those years ago, and my actions have undoubtedly caused a rift between us. It's only natural that your shield is up, and you can't take me back right away. I understand if it's hard for you to make a move, but please don't turn me down. Let me stay here tonight, won't you? Please, Xavier. Don't make me sleep in that cold, empty guest bedroom all on my own again."

Her voice was sweet and alluring, and the way she pressed her body against his back made Xavier frown. He reached out and turned off the lights in the room.

"Go to sleep."

"Hey, come here. I've got some hot gossip to share.”

"Huh? What's going on? Why the mysterious tone?"

Winnie had just left her grandmother's room when she overheard two housekeeps sharing some gossip.

As she liked to gossip as well, she stopped to listen.

"Well, it's about that stranger Mr. Xavier brought home."

"Stranger? She's not a stranger. She's Mr. Xavier's ex-girlfriend and first love. I started working here before you did, and I actually met her a few years ago"

"Really? That means she has been here before?"

"Yeah, that's exactly right. Oh, stop asking me about the past. Tell me what happened today."

"Uh, he's a virile man, and she's a beautiful woman. What else could happen? Earlier, Mary asked me to clean the guest bedroom and take the woman's luggage there. I assumed Mr. Xavier was going to make her stay there. But who would've thought that the two of them would end up sleeping in the same room?"

"No way! It's only nine o'clock, and they're asleep already?"

"What else could they be doing in that room? They turned off the lights, so I bet they're doing it right now."

"I guess that makes sense. It's only normal that a man and a woman would want to do that together. Ms. White is beautiful and has a sexy figure. On top of that, she's his first love."

"I wonder how strong Mr. Xavier is..."

"What were you thinking? But I heard that taller men are..."

The gossip was getting wilder and wilder, and it got so awkward that Winnie couldn't bear to hear it anymore.

She walked further and further away from that place. When she walked past the guest room, she glared at the door.

Ugh, that is so disgusting. He isn't even divorced yet, and he's already messing around with another woman in front of his wife.

Xavier felt as though he had done enough, so he kicked off the blanket and got out of bed.

Yulissa had been touching and caressing him. He didn't stop her the first time, and they both understood that it was tacit permission. In a way, he had allowed her to flirt with him.

He could stop himself from complaining the second time as well, but he couldn't stand it anymore after that. Every touch was disgusting.

"Xavier?"

Xavier remained silent in the dark, but a soft click later, a single glow showed up in the room. He had lit up a cigarette and was smoking.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Yulissa had heard from Josiah about how Xavier had started and stopped smoking. He would only do so if he was upset. What she didn't understand was why he was upset or what was so disturbing about her touching him.

I'm ready, so all he has to do is take me. Why is he still upset?

"Xavier, come on up, will you?"

Xavier put out the cigarette. "Don't worry about me."

After saying that, he made his way to the balcony.

No one knew how many cigarettes he smoked before he suddenly opened the door and walked out.

In the master bedroom on the second floor, Winnie was sleeping in a daze when she suddenly felt something warm caressing her arm and jolted up.

She saw a pair of dark brown eyes right in front of her in the dark.

Before she could respond, she felt a pair of strong arms pulling her in and embracing her.

The unpleasant scent of tobacco filled her lungs soon after.

She recognized the man immediately. It was Xavier!

"Who are you? Let go. Let go of me right now." What is wrong with him? Why is he suddenly here and hugging me?

Winnie mercilessly punched his chest as hard as she could.

This b*stard just slept with another woman, and now he's here. Ugh, that is so disgusting.

Unfortunately, the more she hit him, the tighter he hugged her.

"Ah, let go of me. Let me go!"

"Shh, calm down, Winnie," said Xavier. He was simply hugging her, but even that was enough to get his throat dry. "It's me-Handsome."

"Pfft." Winnie punched him again. "You are the mean Mr. Xavier. You are not the Handsome I know. I hate you. You're disgusting, and you smell. Let go of me. Help! Mr. Xavier is evil, and he's bullying Winnie. Help! Mr. Xavier is hurting Winnie! Ah!"

"Shh, stop shouting, Winnie." Perhaps it was because the lights were off. Winnie's voice seemed extraordinarily loud in the dark. Xavier wanted her to keep quiet because he didn't want anyone to hear her or barge in because that would interrupt them. Despite the darkness, he managed to find her lips and kissed her to shut her right up.

She struggled, but she couldn't make a sound. He had covered every part of her, including her voice, under the soft quilt.