The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

In Seacisco, the Larson Group building.

Ethan had just finished his video conference. He glanced at the clock on his desk and dialed Janet’s number.

When the call connected, however, his face instantly darkened. “Honey, can you tell me why I’m greeted by your palm instead of your pretty face? What’s going on? I’ve been dying to see you.”

“I’m right here, Honey, just a little busy. I’ll call you back in a while, okay? Mr. Wesley sent back my designs for further modifications.” Janet pulled back and glanced at her phone once before focusing back on her computer screen.

Ethan’s tone grew somber. “Honey, don’t you realize that you’ve been working on these designs for more than a week? You’re working every single time I called you.”

As a matter of fact, Janet had only been having four to five hours of sleep each day the past week.

And it showed. Even the beauty filter of her camera couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes. She looked exhausted.

Janet nodded lightly to acknowledge Ethan’s words, but her hand didn’t stop moving, and her eyes never strayed from her computer, either. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought she had gone mad over her passion project.

Ethan sighed heavily. “Well, since you’re so busy, I won’t be keeping you. Sorry to disturb you.”

That seemed to jolt her back to her senses. Janet dropped her digital pen and snatched her phone in a hurry. “Oh, Honey. I’m so grateful you called. I wouldn’t have realized I was overworked if you hadn’t pointed it out. But you know what? I’m always amazed by Mr. Wesley’s criticisms. They are surprisingly constructive, and he spots a lot of problematic details that I wouldn’t even have thought about. I feel like a new world has opened up before me, and that I’m welcome to learn new things without fear of judgment.”

how her eyes lit up with excitement as she talked. He could tell that she was having the time of her life at work. “I would never stop you from pursuing your dreams,” he said sincerely. “You know that, right? I just can’t help thinking that your boss is being too hard on you, and I say that objectively. Even the busiest department here at Larson Group wouldn’t force their staff to

I’m

again. He could only shake his head and smile bitterly. What else could he say at this point? Janet was her own person, with her own free will. He had known the moment he let her go to Barnes that it wouldn’t be easy getting her

*******

and was making breakfast in the kitchen. After hearing some rustling noises in the living room, she poked her head out of the kitchen and saw Janet. Johanna

You haven’t

putting her shoes on. “I spent last night revising my

are busy, but you still

late at night, and as if that wasn’t enough, Janet left so

of Janet’s attention was focused on her designs. Even now, she was only thinking about what Draco Wesley would say

had no choice but

a strict and demanding boss—he wouldn’t be standing at the pinnacle of success otherwise. Perhaps,

studio, she made a beeline for Draco’s office and handed him her

the times she had altered the designs until she was finally

times she had altered the designs until she was finally satisfied with

and unreadable as he took the folder and went over the drafts. Only when he turned to the last