Chapter 1
I am Levias Thorne’s kept woman, his little bird in a gilded cage. In bed, I’m all sultry wiles and coquettish charm, the kind of wornan who can wrap a powerful man around her little finger.
Out of bed, I carry myself like his rightful wife, amusing myself by sparring with the woman he supposedly pines for, his one–that–got–away.
To everyone else, I am a woman madly in love with Levias Thorne, a mere substitute destined to be discarded.
The truth is, I don’t love him at all. I only love his money.
Under the cover of his name, my own business ventures have flourished. I’m on the verge of becoming a new powerhouse in the corporate world. I decide to dump him first, staging a tearful, dramatic breakup. “Levias, I’ve spent five years trying to make you love me… I’m tired. Let’s end this.”
A bead of sweat drips from his chin onto my skin. He looks down at me, a smirk playing on his lips. “Just as I thought. A woman gets a little money and her heart changes. How about this: I’ll bankrupt you, help you get back to your roots.”
Levias rose from the bed and started dressing. “She’s flying back today,” he said. “Prepare a welcome banquet for her at the Serenity Garden.”
“She” was Amelia Garcia, Levias Thorne’s unrequited love, his white moonlight.
I draped myself over his back like a boneless cat, my freshly manicured nails tracing the lines of his abs. His body tensed for a moment.
“Who else will be there?”
“Just friends from our circle.”
My eyes darted around mischievously. I purred, “A proper banquet needs proper jewelry. I saw this gorgeous jade bracelet, top–grade icy jade, but it’s a little… pricey. Eight hundred thousand.”
“Buy it.”
i squealed with delight and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Levias, darling, I love you.”
He was unmoved by my declaration of love, grabbing my wrist instead. “These nails are too long,” he said, his voice flat. “My back is covered in
scratches.”
I gave him a guilty smile. “But they look so good… Should I cut them?”
“Leave them. They do look good.”
His eyes darkened. He pulled me onto his lap and gave me a long, passionate kiss.
Later, at the Serenity Garden, I greeted the guests, the new jade bracelet glittering on my wrist. I had shed my bedroom persona and was now the picture of a dignified, gracious hostess, the perfect wife.
Amelia’s clique of friends were whispering loudly about me.
“Amelia, that’s her. Levias’s little pet.”
“Her eyes look so much like yours, Amelia. Everyone in our circle knows she’s just your substitute!”
“I heard she was just some small–time actress before. She only got where she is today because she looks like you.”
“Amelia, don’t be sad. Levias really loves you.”
My eyes met Amelia’s. She was beautiful, the kind of woman who had clearly been coddled and raised in luxury her whole life.
The rumor was that Amelia had been the one to “save” Levias back in high school, when he was just a poor kid with nothing. But Amelia was in love with Carter Hayes, the heir to a massive old–money fortune. She had married Carter and they had moved to the States. Levias was with me, they said, because I was her replacement.
Now, Amelia was divorced and back in the country. A lot of people were waiting to see me, the substitute, get thrown out by Levias.
I raised my glass and gave Amelia a warm, friendly nod and smile. She was taken aback, clearly not expecting that reaction. She was Levias’s cherished memory, I wasn’t stupid enough to provoke her. Keeping a respectful distance was the smart play.
But Amelia’s friends wouldn’t let it go.
Suddenly, I felt a hard shove from behind. I stumbled into the champagne tower. I lost my balance, about to fall into a sea of shattered glass. I instinctively protected my precious bracelet and squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the pain.
It never came.
A hand grabbed my arm, yanking me upright. I collided with a solid chest, the familiar scent of a man’s cologne filling my senses.
Amelia and her friends had really pissed me off.
Fine. I could be crazy, too.
I wrapped my arms around the man’s neck, looked at the lackey who had pushed me, and said in my most fragile, helpless voice, “Levias, darling~
~I’m pregnant. Our baby… she almost killed our baby.”
The entire room seemed to freeze, a collective gasp rippling through the crowd as they stared, hungry for the drama.
Levias frowned at me, his eyes a mixture of shock, joy, and something akin to awe. His eyes were even turning red.
He used protection every single time. How could he possibly believe my bullshit?!
Did he think I’d secretly poked holes in them?
