The Sick Tycoon's Unwanted Substitute Bride

The cold rain of Manhattan hit Frieda the second she pushed through the fire exit into the alleyway. She shivered violently. The icy water soaked through her thin trench coat in seconds. She dug into her clutch with trembling fingers and pulled out her phone to call a cab. Her wet fingers slipped. The phone tumbled from her grasp. It hit the wet asphalt with a crack. Before she could bend down to grab it, a garbage truck roared down the narrow alley. The massive tires rolled directly over the device. Frieda stared at the crushed plastic and shattered glass. She closed her eyes. The rain mixed with the cold sweat on her face. She kicked the useless pieces into the metal storm drain. She pulled her coat tighter around her body and walked toward the subway station. An hour later, Frieda pushed open the heavy front door of the Dillard family villa in Long Island. She stood in the entryway, dripping water onto the marble floor. The massive living room was fully lit, but the air was suffocating. The sharp smell of whiskey burned her nose. Her adoptive father, Russell Dillard, paced across the Persian rug. He gripped a gold-plated phone to his ear, begging the bank executive on the other end for an extension. The line went dead. Russell let out a roar of frustration and hurled the phone at the marble fireplace. It shattered into pieces. Frieda shrank back into the shadows. She wanted to slip down the stairs to her basement room before anyone noticed her. A glass shattered in the dining room. Blair Dillard hurled her red wine against the white wall. The liquid dripped down like fresh blood. Blair stood there, her makeup flawless, screaming at her mother, Meredith Dillard. "I'm not marrying some dying freak who could drop dead any minute!" Blair shrieked. Meredith reached out, trying to soothe her daughter. "The Terrell family trust fund is endless, Blair. Think about the money." "I don't care!" Blair yelled. "I am not throwing my life away just because Dad got caught by the FDA. I won't be a widow for Dillard Pharmaceuticals!" Frieda stopped breathing. FDA scandal. The words clicked in her head. The family business was on the edge of bankruptcy. Russell stormed into the dining room. He pointed a shaking finger at Blair. "You ungrateful brat. We raised you for this. You will do your duty to this family." "You ruined the company!" Blair screamed back. Meredith sobbed into her hands. The family was tearing itself apart. Frieda felt sick to her stomach. The cold from her wet clothes seeped into her bones. She took a step back, trying to retreat. Her elbow clipped a blue-and-white porcelain vase on the entryway table. It wobbled and tipped over, hitting the floor with a sharp crack. The screaming stopped. Three pairs of eyes snapped toward the entryway. They locked onto Frieda. Blair's eyes swept over Frieda's soaked, shivering form. A nasty, calculating light sparked in Blair's eyes. The corners of her mouth curled up. Russell straightened his tie. His face shifted instantly. The rage vanished, replaced by a sickeningly fake smile. He walked toward Frieda. "Frieda, sweetheart," Russell said. His eyes assessed her like a piece of meat on a butcher's block. "Why are you out in the rain?" Frieda avoided his gaze. "I had an accident. I just want to take a hot shower." Meredith walked over. She shoved a dry towel into Frieda's hands. Her grip was tight. "Stay right here." Blair's high heels clicked against the marble. She stopped right in front of Frieda and reached out. Her red fingernails tipped Frieda's chin up. "You are a part of this family too, Frieda," Blair said. Her voice was sweet, dripping with venom. "It's time you did your part." Frieda slapped Blair's hand away. "I'm a medical student. What can I possibly do?" Blair turned to her father. "The Terrell family just wants a Dillard bride. The contract doesn't specify which one. And that dying freak hasn't left his room in years. He doesn't know what I look like." Russell and Meredith froze. They looked at each other. A silent, horrifying agreement passed between them. Frieda's heart slammed against her ribs. The air left her lungs. She was surrounded by predators. Russell turned back to Frieda. His voice was soft, but heavy with a threat. "We need to talk about how you are going to repay us for raising you, Frieda."