Contract Marriage: The Replacement Groom

Oh, they were betrayed by the enemy they cornered. If she had known things would have turned out this way, she would have killed Diana with her hands. She would have killed Jeslyn’s son when she had the chance.

If only... if only she could turn back the hands of time...

Doyenne slowly started to change. From the young and beautiful lady she’d ever been, to the old great grandma she actually was!

Everyone who saw her was shocked, including Diana who had no idea that such sorcery existed. She knew that there was something strange about their Doyenne who never seemed to grow older than thirty. But she never had an idea that she would be this old!

So, young men had been sleeping with such an old woman... Blargh! Diana puked.

Doyenne fell to the side and left the world with lots of regrets.

"Nooo!" Lady Sabrina cried again. She saw this coming, but it was a scattered vision. It didn’t show that they’d die on the day they tried to initiate the new leader. It didn’t show that everyone would die like this... the vision only showed her that Doyenne would be killed with this sword, but...

Valen ruthlessly pulled the sword out of the dead woman. With the weapon dropping blood, he started heading in Lady Sabrina’s direction.

The woman immediately tried to vanish, but her powers won’t work. She tried to launch an offensive attack with her staff, but it failed her too.

She made up her mind to abandon everything and run away but before she could move an inch from her spot, a crystal bullet pierced into the space between her brows.

At that moment, just before her life flashed past her eyes, she finally understood why they became weak.

Rainborite bullets, and Rainborite sword!

But it was too late, just knowing this was of no use to her.

After everyone was killed, Diana entered the room and started pulling off the witches’ hoodies to see what they looked like. She had been curious for years.

Taking off their hoodies, she gasped. Some of them were actually men! And the women were as ugly as hell!

What the hell is going on?!

"So, the witches actually had Wizards. In other words, the Half-heart members were defrauded. They were made to believe that men should be hated, yet men had been around them for decades, acting like them and giving them ’divination’. What exactly were the founders of Half-heart into?" Rex shook his head.

The story is unclear and unfortunately, no one can answer that now. The founders are long dead and those who came after were just chasing clout.

...

Two months later....

It was just another beautiful and peaceful morning for everyone. The sun was right where it should be; balanced as it smiled on the world with shining brightness against the morning sky.

Who would dare feel sad on such a day when even nature was filled with glee?

The flowers around the Lu mansion danced to the soft and calm music of the gentle breeze brushing past them.

The maids had sweet smiles on their faces as they swept away the pruned flowers to give the front yard the elegant look it had always had.

The blue pool sparkled against the sun, competing with sparkling diamonds against light.

Even the trees welcomed happy birds that wouldn’t stop singing about the goodness that morning brought.

What was the occasion?

The college entrance exam results will be out today. So, everyone was happy for Valen. Even though they don’t know his scores yet, the family felt it was already something excellent for a child like him to reach this level at such age.

The family was going to throw him a small party against his wish. Everyone will be attending. Brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, Aunties, Uncles, Grandma, and Cousins.

Piper flew over from SIN City with her husband, Brian and their son. Kimberly came with her husband, Damien and daughter. Inspector Fin came with his wife, Beverly and their son. Matt came with Lolita and their daughter. Not to forget Rex and Celestine, brought their kids, Tatiana and Aiden.

Rex said his brother had two kids, so he got Celestine pregnant, twice, within three years and he’s not remorseful about it, rather, extremely proud and rubs it off everyone’s face, like right now.

Everyone was sitting around the large sitting room, drinking and eating snacks while waiting for the results to be broadcasted on the news.

"Are you people practising a strict three–in–a–family tradition? Look at me and my brother for example. We have two kids! Two kids! A boy and a girl," he pointed from one person to the other. "What is keeping you all from adding another member to the family?" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The ladies rolled their eyes, while the men snorted at their behaviour.

"My wife is a public figure. I don’t want her to get fat like the last time, she almost ripped me apart." Brian shivered when he remembered how Piper made his life difficult when she was pregnant with their first baby.

"My sister-in-law is also a celebrity... My wife is too," Rex snorted.

"Since when did it become a competition?" Kimberly raised a brow.

"The second branch of the Lu family needs lots of members. Take a look at the first branch. Although I can decide to bomb them all one day, it’s still fun to have a big family, right?" he kissed his wife who rolled her eyes at his cheekiness.

"Oh brother Rex, you’re very active. Give the family twenty more children. We’re very sure our dearest Sister-in-law is up to the task," Lolita suggested and everyone laughed.

"I pass the opportunity to Jeslyn, she’s very strong," Celestine replied and picked up a snack to eat.

At that moment, the sound of a car was heard in the compound.

"Who is that? Did you invite anyone else?" Damien asked.

"No?" Everyone answered.

"Who is there? Check who that person is. Send them back if they came from Valen’s company. That child is not working today!"

"Yes, Young Master!" a guard bowed and walked away.

A moment later, Valen, in his pyjamas, bolted down the stairs and started running towards the front door. Everyone was shocked at first but later, their minds immediately registered something they didn’t dare to believe.

They all rushed to the door.

Lo and behold! Maverick and Jeslyn standing beside the car!