A Stand-in Bride

Chapter 24

Yibo

I straighten my tie absentmindedly as I stand in front of the mirror, feeling conflicted. I had that same dream about Zhan again last night, and it really fucked with me. Usually I’d shake it off and remind myself that I can’t control my subconsciousness but I haven’t been able to get it off my mind all day and I’m feeling so fucking guilty. Especially because I didn’t instantly realise I was no longer dreaming when I saw her in my bed. I’d been so close to pulling her on top of me, my cock still throbbing.

Seeing Cheng Xiao made me feel even worse.

I’ve loved her for as long as I can remember, yet now I’m married to her sister. It feels like I’ve betrayed her in the worst way and the last thing I want to do is lust after Zhan too. It’s fucking insane. Within the span of a few days, my entire life derailed.

“Where are you going?”

I tense at the sound of Zhan’s voice and look up, my eyes meeting hers in the mirror. She’s leaning against the wall next to the door, her arms crossed. Just looking at her has me feeling conflicted. She looks beautiful in that long silk robe she’s wearing, her long hair draped over her chest. It’s odd to have her in my home. She fits in so perfectly, yet having her around is disorienting.

I watch as she pushes away from the wall and walks towards me, her hips swaying. I’ve managed to avoid her for most of the day, locking myself up in my home office instead, but I should’ve known I couldn’t keep it up.

I turn around to face her and force a smile. “Dinner.”

Zhan pauses in front of me and grabs my tie, pulling it loose. “Is that so? With who?”

My heart starts to race as a different sense of guilt washes over me. Guilt toward Xiao Zhan this time. “Zhan,” I say, my voice soft. She knows exactly who I’m meeting for dinner. She was there this morning, when Cheng Xiao asked to have dinner together and talk things through.

She lets my tie fall to the floor and grabs my collar, her movements betraying her anger. “I hate this shirt,” she murmurs as her fingers brush over the top button on my shirt.

I swallow hard as Zhan slowly unbuttons the blue shirt Cheng Xiao once bought for me. I watch her carefully as more and more of my shirt falls open, unsure what to do or say. She’s never touched me in this way before, yet it feels so right. The possessiveness in her eyes, her touch. This is new territory for me.

“Zhan,” I whisper. “What are you doing?” She’s clearly angry and I don’t want to provoke her any further.

She clenches her jaw and looks at me, her eyes flashing. “Undressing my husband. What are you doing?”

I tense and wrap my hands around her wrists, keeping them in place. “It’s just dinner.”

“Is it?”

I nod. “Zhan… I swear, I’ll keep my promise. Despite my past with Cheng Xiao and my feelings for her, I won’t cheat on you.”

I tighten my grip on her wrists and she looks up at me. “Yibo,” she sighs. “I don’t want to make you unhappy. Cheng Xiao made it sound like it’s nothing but three years is a long time. I don’t really know what to do. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t share well and I can be quite jealous. The moment you and I got married, you became mine. I refuse to be made a fool of and I won’t let you two sacrifice me for your own selfish goals. I won’t be your front while you screw my sister behind my back. I don’t know what our marriage will look like and I’m well aware that you’re in love with her but you’re insane if you think I’m going to stand back and watch you date her.” She pulls her wrists out of my grip and takes a step back. “I want you to be happy, Yibo… but not with her. Not like that. Not after what you’ve both asked of me.”