Substitute Marriage: The Billionaire's Hidden Queen

Cassie gently swirled the dark red wine in the crystal glass. The liquid caught the light of the chandeliers, looking like thick blood. The corner of her mouth twitched upward into a cold smile.

Kailee saw the smile and her face twisted with anger. She stepped closer, voice rising to a screech.

"What are you smiling at, you freak? Everyone knows Frederick only married you to torture you! You're nothing but a scarred toy to that pervert!"

The guests gasped, then began whispering furiously, eyes darting between Cassie and Kailee.

Jamey leaned in close to Cassie. He lowered his voice, his breath smelling of expensive champagne and deceit.

"Get on your knees and beg, Cassie," Jamey whispered, his eyes gleaming. "Beg me, and I might throw you a few thousand dollars to fix that disgusting face."

Cassie let out a short, sharp laugh. The sound cut through the murmurs.

People stared, faces contorting in confusion. They thought she'd finally lost her mind.

Cassie's arm snapped forward.

She threw the entire glass of red wine directly into Jamey's face.

The dark liquid splashed violently against his skin, soaking into the pristine white fabric of his custom tuxedo. The red stain spread rapidly across his chest like a massive wound.

The entire banquet hall sucked in a collective breath. Absolute shock paralyzed the room.

Jamey stood frozen, wine dripping from his nose and chin. His eyes widened in disbelief. His face rapidly turned a dark, furious purple.

"You crazy bitch!" Jamey roared. He raised his right hand, curling his fingers into a fist.

Cassie didn't flinch. She planted her feet, twisted her hips, and swung her left hand with every ounce of strength she possessed.

Her palm connected with Jamey's jaw with a sickening, explosive crack.

The sheer force whipped Jamey's head to the side. Blood sprayed from his split lip. His expensive glasses flew off his face and shattered against the marble floor. He stumbled backward, clutching his face, completely disoriented.

Kailee let out a bloodcurdling scream. She extended her hands, long acrylic nails aimed right at Cassie's eyes, and lunged forward.

Cassie easily sidestepped the clumsy attack.

As Kailee rushed past, Cassie stuck her foot out.

Kailee's high heel caught on Cassie's ankle. She lost her balance entirely, pitching forward, arms flailing wildly.

She crashed headfirst into the massive, ten-tier champagne tower.

The impact was deafening. Hundreds of crystal glasses shattered simultaneously. The tower collapsed in a spectacular explosion of glass and sticky alcohol. Kailee hit the floor hard, buried under a mountain of broken crystal, screaming in agony as glass cut into her skin.

The banquet hall erupted into total chaos. Women in expensive gowns shrieked and ran backward.

Cassie stood tall amidst the destruction. She looked down at Jamey, who was struggling to stand.

"Jamey Reeves is bankrupt!" Cassie shouted, her voice ringing out clearly over the panic. "His company is drowning in debt!"

The guests stopped moving. All eyes snapped back to Cassie.

"He is only marrying Kailee to steal the Gilmore family dowry to save his own pathetic life!" Cassie declared.

Jamey's face went completely pale. "Shut up! She's lying! She's a crazy bitch!" he screamed, panic bleeding into his voice.

Cassie calmly reached into her handbag. She pulled out her phone, tapped the screen, and held it up.

A crystal-clear audio recording blasted through the phone's speaker. Jamey's voice, begging a loan shark for money, explicitly detailing his plan to drain the Gilmore accounts the moment the ring was on Kailee's finger.

The recording ended. The silence in the room was absolute.

Jamey's knees gave out. He collapsed onto the floor, chest heaving, reputation annihilated.

Suddenly, a heavy man pushed through the crowd. Ricky, Kailee's uncle. His face was red with rage.

"You ungrateful little whore!" Ricky bellowed. He raised a massive fist and charged at Cassie.

Before Cassie could raise her hands, the heavy double doors exploded open.

Two men in black tactical gear rushed in. They moved with terrifying speed. One bodyguard grabbed Ricky's extended arm, twisted it violently behind his back, and slammed him face-first into the marble floor. The sickening pop of a dislocated shoulder echoed in the room.

Ricky screamed in agony.

Hotel security guards finally ran into the room, reaching for their radios.

The bodyguards didn't hesitate. They reached under their jackets and drew heavy black handguns. They racked the slides in unison. The sharp metallic clack of bullets entering chambers froze the blood of everyone in the room.

The bodyguards aimed the muzzles directly at the crowd.

"Get down!" one of the guards roared.

The wealthy guests screamed in terror. They dropped to the floor, covering their heads, sobbing uncontrollably.

Then, a slow, heavy footstep echoed from the hallway.

The crowd near the door scrambled backward on their hands and knees, parting like the Red Sea.

Dane Frederick walked into the banquet hall.

He wore a long black tailored overcoat. The aura of pure, unadulterated violence rolling off him was so intense it made the air hard to breathe. His dark eyes swept over the cowering guests like a god looking at insects.

He spotted Cassie standing in the center of the broken glass. The tight, murderous tension in his jaw relaxed just a fraction.

Dane walked straight through the mess. He stopped in front of Cassie, reached out, and pulled her hard against his chest. His large hand wrapped around the back of her head, pressing her face into his coat.

He held her tight, his physical presence an impenetrable shield against the entire world.