A Stand-in Bride

Chapter 47

Yibo

Xiao Zhan has barely spoken a word since we arrived and I'm worried. She's been smiling for photographs and she's answered every question that's been thrown at her with humor and grace, but she's been acting distant, even though she hasn't taken her hand out of mine unless she had to.

My heart races as we head up to the private balcony that we're watching the screening from. I don't recall ever being so anxious about someone's well-being. I never worried much about Cheng Xiao, not even when she acted jealous about any of the actresses under my management because I always knew she had nothing to worry about and I had nothing to feel guilty for.

It's different with Xiao Zhan. I need her to be okay, regardless of whether or not her worries are warranted.

We take our seats and I lift our joined hands to my lips, kissing the back of her hand tenderly. She looks at me and that look in her eyes hits me straight in my chest. She looks hurt and so fucking sad and I have no idea why. All I know is that I must be the reason for it.

I tighten my grip on her hand and lean in to press a kiss to her shoulder, before moving my lips just below her ear. "What's going on baby? Give me a moment of honesty. Tell me why your beautiful eyes are filled with sorrow."

She turns her face, her nose brushing against mine. I smirk and tilt my head, stealing a kiss. I expected her to kiss me back but instead, she pulls away.

I frown and she shakes her head. "Zhan," I murmur, gently grabbing her chin to keep her eyes on me. "What's going on?"

Her eyes widen as she looks past me and I have no doubt that Cheng Xiao just took her seat right next to me but I couldn't care less. All I care about is the pain in my wife's eyes.

"Yibo," she whispers, her voice breaking. She leans in, her lips brushing against my ear. "I just... I don't want to hurt her. She's my sister Yibo and yeah, she's not been the best version of herself lately but I love her. I remember what it felt like to see you with her at these type of events and I don't want her to feel that same kind of pain. But simultaneously... I'm jealous of the way she keeps looking at you, the photos the two of you kept taking, the interviews you just did together. I'm... I'm just so jealous and I hate myself for it."

My eyes widen and she pulls away, her cheeks flushed. Fucking hell. This woman. I thought she'd want to make it clear to Cheng Xiao that I'm hers, that our marriage isn't the farce Cheng Xiao hoped it'd be. I was so certain that she'd want to stake her claim, yet here she is, suffering in silence because she doesn't want to hurt her sister.

Fuck. I think I'm done for. I think I'm falling in love with my wife. Hell, I think I may have been in love with her for far longer than I'd ever admit to myself.

The movie starts but all I can focus on is my wife. She stares ahead, her spine straight and I'm fucking mesmerized. She looks beautiful in this dress and I love every second of seeing her in it, yet I can't wait to get her home so I can fuck every single insecurity out of her.

Cheng Xiao leans into me and smiles. "Do you remember this scene?" she whispers, just loud enough for Xiao Zhan to hear her too. "You flew out to meet me on set and you watched me film this. Afterward, we went to that vineyard that gave us the idea to get married in one ourselves."

Xiao Zhan tenses and I tighten my grip on her hand.

"I still remember the way you laid me down in that meadow we found as we toured the surrounding areas."

Xiao Zhan bites down on her lip and pulls her hand out of mine and I grit my teeth as I glance at Cheng Xiao. "Enough," I snap, my voice quiet.

Cheng Xiao grins at me provocatively. "Don't pretend you can't remember. I still recall how impatient you were. We should visit that vineyard again and reenact some of those memories."