Bargain Bride: The Billionaire’s Forced Wife

FROM THE OUTSIDE, you see a woman without worries, without sadness, and living a good life. The way she carried herself towards her “newly found friends” made her look like she had no emotional baggage inside.

However, when you look deeper, you will see that everything is just a mere fadace. It’s just a strong and thick wall she made in order to hide the looming shadows of sadness. Behind those seemingly normal woman is a widow mourning for the death of her late husband.

And she’s here for revenge.

Sophia graciously walked from the entrance of a restaurant with foreign cuisines, that is reserved just for them. She wore a friendly and innocent smile as she grew nearer to those women waiting for her inside the restaurant.

“She’s here!” Isadora, who is wearing a casual maroon peplum top with flared pants, spoke when she noticed her.

Sophia smiled wider, hiding the disgust and anger she felt towards the woman. She subtly hid her first phone inside the secret compartment of her bag before stopping beside their table. Sophia gave her a cheek to cheek kiss before wandering her eyes on the other ladies inside.

“I’m sorry for being late, ladies,” she said in an apologetic yet gentle voice that can captivate many. “There’s been an emergency on the road. I hope you didn’t wait for me that long.”

Isadora quickly dismissed her apologetic demeanor, and forgave her immediately. “You don’t have to apologize. You’re not really late,” she motioned for Sophia to sit beside her chair.

Once Sophia was resting on the chair, the same as the other ladies, Isadora touched her back and introduced her to others.

“Ladies, this is Sophia Leon,” Isadora spoke while pointing her whole hand to Sophia. “She is also a friend of mine. I hope you could get along.”

Sophia shook hands with the other ladies who introduced themselves. The lady with thick eyeliner was named Amanda. The one with the darkest shade of lipstick was named Clarisse. Lastly, the one who looked youngest with blond highlights on her hair introduced herself as Milca.

The ladies ordered their food first. They talked about businesses of their family, but most part of the conversation circled about jewelries and other shiny things.

Sophia wasn’t really engaged in the conversation, as she was more interested on antique collection. However, she has some knowledge about it that made her look like one of those ladies who liked crystals like diamonds and jade.

It didn’t take long for them to finish their lunch. As the servers cleaned their table, the ladies engaged on a more personal conversation.

It was Clarisse who first asked a personal question to Sophia. “I hope I wouldn’t hurt you in anyway, but I’m just curious. Are you Marco Leon’s wife? You know… the one that…”

Clarisse wasn’t as bold as the color of her lipstick. It was supoosed to stirred up emotions inside Sophia, but years of practice of hiding her true emotions came to fruition today.

“It’s fine, ” she responded, looking unaffected on the woman’s question. “To answer your question, yes. I am his wife. My husband is Marco Leon.”

Sophia can hear small gasps from the ladies, aside from Isadora, which she already expected. From her peripheral vision, she saw Isadora grinning a little bit.

“Oh my,” Milca spoke. “I’m sorry for your lost. I know it’s difficult to experience that thing. I witnessed my auntie going through the same thing.”

“Yes, ” Amanda agreed on her friend’s remark. “You’re so strong, Sophia. If that would happen to me, but God please no, I don’t know if I would want to see another day.”

The ladies were emphatic, giving words of courage and comfort to Sophia. Until Milca asked something that Isadora wanted to open.

“I heard from my other circle that Mr. Leon was a suspect of attempted murder before he died,” Milca asked with caution. “I believe that’s not true. You are a kind woman, and I’m sure your husband is the same. Don’t you want to clear his name?”

Milca’s question and statement was harmless for herself, but it made Sophia build doubts to the woman. From the moment her husband died, she doesn’t trust anyone aside from Chiara, Ezio, and her late husband’s family.

This time, Isadora entered the conversation. “Milca’s right. Sophia, if your husband wasn’t a criminal, you should clear his name even if he is already dead. That way, his sould can really rest in peace.”

Sophia nodded, hiding her true emotions and desire to slap and roll Isadora’s face on the ground. She alreadt practiced what to say as a response to this question.

“Don’t worry, I am already working on that, ” she replied. “However, I still do not have the connections and capacities to clear my husband’s name. I need to have people to help me. Those who accused my husband are powerful, and fighting against them will take a lot of effort.”

Sophia smiled inwardly, because she knew that by saying that, Isadora will be willingly extending help, which is what they planned in order to get closer to her and Giovanni.

“I know you will find the right person to help you,” Isadora spoke, pertaining to herselc. “If you will need any assistance, you can call us. We are friends, after all.”

The ladies continued their conversation. It was casual and harmless, yet Sophia kept an eye on every word they will say, especially those that came from Isadora. Sophia also took notes on what she shared to them, keeping on saying the truth but not those critical information.

By the time the three women left, Isadora invited Sophia to take a walk inside the mall, the one that Giovanni owns – the Giordano Malls.

They entered one botique that Isadora stated was her favorite. She casually looked around, staring at the dresses and clothes without the interest to buy anything. Just from one look, she knew that the boutiques in Luminosa have better quality.

“Sophia, ” Isadora called her while holding a clothing in a hanger. “You can choose anything you want. It’s on me.”

“Oh, thank you for your generosity, but there’s no need for that, ” Sophia immediately dismissed her. “Just enjoy shopping, and I’ll accompany you.”

Isadora gently pulled her towards the lines of clothing. “I won’t take a no as an answer, ” she cheekily said with hidden intent. “It’s a tradition for me to treat my friends on our first get-together. Come on and choose! Don’t be shy.”

“If that’s what you want, then -” Sophia pointed on a silver dress in a glass container, just beside the entrance of the store. ” – I want that one.”

Isadora’s smile remained on her face, even if she was shocked that Sophia will choose the dress with the highest price. However, she just dismissed it. In her mind, the more expensive she will give to Sophia, the more she will be loyal to her.

They just stayed in the boutique for almost half an hour. Isadora bought a lot and ordered some of her body guards to send those purchases to her home. Meanwhile, Sophia decided to put the dress inside her car before they walked around the mall’s garden.

“Sophia, ” Isadora called her. “I hope you don’t mind talking about your husband.”

Sophia silently shook her head. “It’s fine. What do you want to talk about him?”

Isadora grabbed that answer as an opportunity to start her plan. “You told us earlier that you needed people to help you clear your husband’s name, ” she said, and with a glint in her eyes, she continued. “You’re lucky. The right person is just in fromt of you.”

“She took the bait,” Sophia thought to herself while supressing a devilish smile.

Sophia pretended to touched and shocked. “Really? You will help me?” she asked like an innocent girl who was given hope at her dark times.

“Yes,” Isadora answered. “I will help you, but you have to tell me who those people are so that we can know how to fight them.”

In Isadora’s mind, she can already hear Sophia saying the names of the Vitali. And she wanted her confirmation.

“Ezio and Chiara Vitali,” Sophia answered, moving to another phase of their plan. “They are the one who accused my husband.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Isadora grinned inwardly, feeling the sense of triumph now that she has gathered another enemy for the Vitali – an ally for her and her lover, Giovanni.

With a pitiful and innocent look, she gently touched Sophia’s hand. “I can help you, but you have to listen to what I will say. Will you trust me, Sophia?”

Sophia nodded immediately. “I will do everything you will ask, as long as it will help me clear my husband’s name, ” she responded. “Tell me what to do. How can I get back to those who wronged my husband?”

Isadora felt like the success is now within her hands. “You and your husband were investors in their companies, right?” she asked. “You have to keep an eye on those two, especially on their new partners and those shipments of their products,” Isadora said as she remembered that Vitali has a company that ships hygienic products.

“Just keep an eye on them?” Sophia asked. “How would that help in clearing my husband’s name?”

Isadora’s smiled grew wider, as she can already foresee what will happen to their plan. “If you want to clear your husband’s name, we must first get back to the Vitali, ” she explained. “Your husband’s image and company was tarnished. Don’t you want to do the same for them?”

“Just give me everything you can get from them. Schedules, names, anything. Then I’ll tell you what we will do next, ” she added. “It will be a slow process, but I assure you, you can clean your husband’s name and have your revenge on them.”

Sophia nodded. “I will do that. I will do whatever it takes for my husband.”

After a few minutes, the two women headed towards their home. Isadora, was ecstatic that she relay the information immediately to Giovanni when she went home.

“You’re really the best, mia principessa,” Giovanni whispered in her ear.

The woman giggled as she brush herseld on the man’s body. The two didn’t even mind that Giovanni is still married, as they tangled each other under the sheets, sharing each other’s heat.

On the other hand, Sophia arrived at her house. She immediately opened her original phone before sending a message to her friend.

“Phase 1, complete, ” the message read before deleting it after sending.