Billionaire's Bride

Unusual

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**"Keep your hand on my heart and promise me, 'You'll never leave me.'"**

After returning from her graduation ceremony, clutching an award in one hand and a certificate in the other, Janette noticed something unusual in her backyard. Beside her father's old car was a sleek, black SUV—an expensive one.

Was this the reason her parents had missed the most important day of her life?

Irritation sparked within her. Whoever was visiting had to be the reason her parents weren't there to celebrate her achievement. She decided she'd make this unwelcome guest uncomfortable.

She hung her overcoat on the stand and crept toward the drawing room, which doubled as their dining room.

"Time runs, Mr. Stark," she heard her father say to a man in a black suit with slightly greying hair. The man looked familiar and wealthy.

Her mother stood in the corner, looking like a child who had been scolded, wearing the dress she had bought specifically for Janette's graduation. Janette gritted her teeth, ready to burst into the room, but she froze at her father's next words.

"It feels like just yesterday you left little Janette in my arms."

What on earth were they talking about? Had she heard him correctly?

"Yes, I'm here to take her with me," the man whispered. Her mother gasped, tears beginning to stream down her face.

What was happening?

Steeling herself, Janette stepped into the room, drawing the attention of the three adults. "Is that her?" the old man asked, and her father nodded.

"My daughter," he finished, his voice hollow.

What the hell was this? A joke? A dream? Or a childhood nightmare coming true?

She remembered watching a movie as a child where a girl's biological parents left her on the doorstep of another couple to save her life. She hoped this wasn’t her story—those things were only supposed to happen in movies.

"Sir, did you hit your head somewhere?" she snapped as the man took a step toward her.

"Jane, where are your manners?" her mother, Glenda Cameron, warned, but Janette ignored her. She was too angry to care.

"I'll deal with you both later," she shot at her parents. "I'm really mad at you two, so don't make me say anything I'll regret." The old man narrowed his eyes at her.

Before he could say another word, she stormed off to her room, throwing her certificate and award onto the bed. She shut herself in the bathroom, quickly changing into something more comfortable. When she emerged, her mother was sitting on her bed.

What now?

"Jane, you're not our biological child," her mother blurted out, causing Janette to stare at her in disbelief.

"Mom, where are the cameras? Is this some kind of reality show?" she demanded. Her father entered the room, his face unreadable.

"There are no cameras, Jane. This is real. Be sensible," he said, unable to meet her eyes.

"Have you both lost your minds?" she shouted. But as she looked at their faces, something told her they were telling the truth.

"They are perfectly fine, Jane. You're my daughter—Janette Rose Stark," the old man interjected. She recognized him now—Robert Stark, the famous millionaire known for his devotion to his children.

If he claimed she was his daughter, why hadn’t she received the same attention as his other kids? She didn't follow celebrity gossip, but her friend Anastasia did. She knew Stark had two sons, Aram and Henry, and a nephew, Eric—all handsome and spoiled.

"Sir, what do you want from me?" she asked, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Still so stubborn. Why are you testing my patience?" he snapped, grabbing her hand tightly and dragging her to the mirror.

"Compare your features with mine, and then speak," he commanded.

Reluctantly, she did as he asked, and immediately regretted it.

Twenty-five years of her life had been a lie.

She stared at her reflection, cursing herself for her features for the first time—the same green eyes, the same nose. Tears, unbidden, spilled down her cheeks. She felt an overwhelming urge to break everything in the room. She pinched herself again, hoping to wake up from this nightmare, but it was real.

She had thought that after graduation, she’d build a good life for herself. Now, she felt trapped.

"Traitors," she whispered, her voice trembling with fury and despair.
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