Substitute Wife? I Married His Worst Enemy

The workday was almost over when Madelynn Morgan stopped in her tracks outside the CEO's office, a cup of coffee in her hand.

The office door hadn't been fully closed.

Through the narrow opening, she saw her husband holding a woman against the floortoceiling windows, their bodies moving together in an intimate, unmistakable rhythm.

"Baby, you're so wet. Good. Hold tight."

His thrusts were relentless, their breaths tangled in ragged gasps. The loud, shameless sounds they made sliced through Madelynn's heart like a knife.

The coffee cup slipped from Madelynn's grasp. It crashed onto the floor, shattering into pieces.

Inside the office, both of them turned toward the noise. For one frozen instant, everything seemed to stand still.

A moment later, Isaac Morgan, her husband, slowly straightened up. There wasn't the slightest hint of guilt on his face, only the faint annoyance of someone whose private moment had been disturbed.

His shirt remained unbuttoned at the collar. Turning to Millie Bennett, his mistress, he let out a sigh devoid of any reproach. "I told you to lock the door."

"I forgot," Millie replied in a sweet, coy tone. She pouted before leisurely fixing the strap of her dress. Her eyes drifted toward Madelynn, and a faint smile curved her lips. "So you're Madelynn. You really do resemble me."

The words pierced Madelynn's heart like a poisoned needle.

An icy chill spread through her as her eyes fixed on Isaac. "Who is she?"

Isaac looked at her as though she were nothing more than an employee who had mistakenly walked into the wrong office. He offered no answer.

Instead, he pulled a set of divorce papers from his desk drawer and tossed them onto the table before looking at her with an emotionless expression. "Good timing. Sign them."

Ignoring the documents, Madelynn stubbornly repeated, "Who is she?"

Isaac lit a cigarette, his thin lips resting against the filter. "Millie Bennett. The woman I love. In a sense, she's also the reason you became my wife. If you hadn't resembled her, and if my grandmother hadn't taken a liking to you, you never would've married into the Morgan family. You should be grateful to her."

A bonedeep coldness spread through Madelynn, sinking into every inch of her body.

Three years of coldness and indifference had never hurt as much as those few words.

Everything she had done—her patience, her devotion, her endless effort—had only ever been the duty of a replacement.

Her nails bit deeply into her palms as a bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Isaac, you're disgusting."

Millie absentmindedly twirled a lock of hair around her finger, her voice soft and gentle. "Madelynn, I understand how you feel, but love can't be forced. If Isaac and I hadn't been separated by a misunderstanding back then, you would've never had the chance to marry him."

"Don't waste your time on her." Isaac said with obvious impatience. "I never shared a bed with her."

Beneath the bright lights, his handsome features looked colder than ever. The undisguised contempt in his eyes cut deeper than any words.

Madelynn let out another cold laugh. So that was the truth. He had loathed her from the very beginning.

She had actually believed that, with enough effort, she could win his heart—that persistence could melt even someone as cold as him.

Seeing her remain silent, Isaac pushed the divorce papers closer. "Be smart. Sign them."

Madelynn lowered her gaze to the agreement. Isaac had already signed it, his signature rushed and careless. From the beginning, this marriage had meant absolutely nothing to him.

Her eyes moved over the terms, and her entire body stiffened.

Every asset and every share would remain with Isaac. She wouldn't receive a single thing.

She had never imagined he could be so utterly ruthless.

The words slipped through clenched teeth, low and trembling with anger. "You're leaving me with nothing?"

"With your status, marrying into the Morgan family and spending three years as my wife was already the greatest honor you could ever hope for. So don't be ungrateful."

A mocking smile tugged at Madelynn's lips. Golden Key would have collapsed long ago without her, yet he erased all of her contributions with a single dismissive sentence.

If he was determined to destroy everything she had, then she would make sure he paid just as dearly.

Madelynn snatched up the divorce papers with both hands and ripped them straight down the middle.

The sharp, tearing sound echoed through the office as shredded pages drifted onto the floor.

Isaac's and Millie's expressions changed instantly. Isaac's brows knitted together as his eyes darkened. "Madelynn, have you gone crazy?"

Madelynn's voice cut through the silence, cold and resolute. "You want to divorce me so you can marry your mistress? Fine. But don't expect me to walk away emptyhanded. Bring me a fair settlement. Otherwise..."

With a swift flick of her wrist, she hurled the folder directly at Millie. "She'll never be anything more than a mistress!"

The folder shot across the room. Millie shrieked and tried to duck, but it slammed into her forehead with a solid thud, making her cry out in pain.

Isaac froze for a split second before rushing to her side. "Millie!"

Turning to look at Madelynn, he yelled, "Madelynn, you..."

Before he could finish, Madelynn had already turned and walked away. The office door slammed shut behind her, silencing whatever furious words he had been about to shout.

The moment Madelynn walked out of the office, she submitted her resignation.

Almost as if on cue, her phone started ringing. She saw the caller ID and answered. The cheerful voice of Paige Harris, her best friend, came from the other end of the line.

"Madelynn, tonight's the grand opening of Velvet Lounge! As the owner, you have to be there. Don't tell me you're still working unpaid overtime for your husband!"

Only then did the reality sink in. "Not anymore," she replied. "I'm getting divorced."

Paige let out an excited squeal. "Finally! I've been waiting forever for this! I kept telling you, Isaac was nothing but trouble. You're still at the office, right? Stay there. I'm sending someone to pick you up!"

Madelynn softly agreed and sat down on the front steps to wait.

It was the end of the workday, and employees streamed out of the Golden Key building as they headed home.

Quite a few of them recognized Madelynn. News of her resignation had already begun making the rounds, and whispers quickly followed in her wake.

"Did you hear? Madelynn resigned!"

"Seriously? Why? Wasn't she the CEO's righthand woman? Did they fall out?"

"I heard she was sleeping with him. Now that he's got a new girlfriend, I bet he kicked her to the curb."

"So he dumped her. That's pathetic."

Just as the gossip reached its loudest point, three red Ferraris thundered into the plaza. The cars pulled off a perfectly coordinated drift before stopping flawlessly right in front of Madelynn.

The doors opened simultaneously. A row of tall, sharply dressed chauffeurs stepped out, bowed in perfect unison, and declared together, "Ms. Dawson, your car is ready."

Madelynn paused in surprise. These were the people Paige had sent?

The crowd was left speechless by the extravagant display, and astonished gasps rippled through the plaza.

Without the slightest change in expression, Madelynn gracefully crossed her long legs into one of the cars and settled inside, leaving countless jealous eyes fixed on her.

Half an hour later, Velvet Lounge was alive with music, its dance floor overflowing with people moving to the pounding beat.

Paige, dressed in a breathtaking royalblue backless gown, walked over to welcome her.

"There you are!" Standing by the bar, Paige uncorked a bottle of champagne. "And congratulations on finally coming to your senses and dumping that jerk!"

Madelynn had already changed into a fiery red bodycon mini dress that perfectly accentuated her stunning curves. Her makeup was bold and flawless, a dramatic contrast to her usual modest appearance, making her so captivating that she drew every eye in the room.

She lifted her champagne glass. "You're right. I wasted far too much time being foolish. It's time I woke up."

She recounted everything that had happened in the office, leaving out none of the details.

By the time Madelynn finished, a vein was visibly throbbing on Paige's forehead. "What the hell! That cheating bastard! Not only did he betray you, but he expects you to leave with nothing? He's going to regret this. I'm finding you the hottest male escort in this place right now. You deserve someone who'll help you forget that worthless asshole!"

The memory of Isaac's betrayal flashed through Madelynn's mind. Tilting her chin slightly, she curled her lips into a lazy smile. "Alright. Go find me one."

Without another word, Paige hurried off.

Madelynn returned to sipping her drink, but moments later, a greasy, pudgy hand landed on her bare shoulder from behind.

Following the hand upward, she found herself facetoface with a balding, overweight man.

He let his gaze trail over her without a hint of shame. "Hey, gorgeous. With curves like those, why not slip into a bikini and give us a show? I've got cash to burn—I promise I'll make it worth your while."

Madelynn's eyes turned icy cold.

Upstairs in a private lounge, Isaac commanded the head of the table. Dressed in a sharp, perfectly fitted suit, he idly leafed through the contract before him.

Seated beside him, Walter Wright, the head of Radiant Entertainment, could barely hide his excitement. "Mr. Morgan, I can assure you that Radiant Entertainment offers the finest resources and contract terms in the industry. If Ms. Bennett signs with us, we'll turn her into a superstar."

Isaac's expression remained unreadable. Millie had graduated from drama school, and pursuing an acting career had always been her dream.

If that was what she wanted, he didn't mind letting her try her luck in the entertainment industry. Making it happen was effortless for him.

At that moment, a piercing scream cut through the lounge, rising from the bar downstairs.

Incidents like this were nothing unusual in a bar, and Isaac had no interest in interfering.

Then Walter suddenly blurted out, "Isn't that Ms. Bennett?"

Isaac frowned, convinced it couldn't be possible. Millie should have been at home.

Following the commotion with his eyes, he spotted a woman whose figure looked remarkably similar to Millie's smashing a beer bottle over the head of a heavyset man.

She wore a red halterstyle mini dress with flowing tassels, her long hair falling in loose curls. In one smooth motion, she drove her knee into the man's stomach, sending him crashing onto the floor.

Dusting off her hands, she uttered a single icy word. "Scram."

As she turned around, her breathtaking face came fully into view. Isaac's eyes widened in surprise.

It was unmistakably Madelynn.

Walter stared in disbelief. "I had no idea Ms. Bennett could fight like that."

Isaac said coldly, irritation evident in his voice, "That's not Millie."

Walter stiffened in embarrassment. He had only met Millie a handful of times, and the resemblance between the two women was uncanny.

But after taking a closer look, he realized they weren't quite the same. Something about them was different.

Madelynn possessed sharper, more captivating features, with a fierce edge that Millie simply didn't have.

The fat man's companions rushed over and helped him back to his feet.

"You bitch! Do you even know who you just attacked?"

"Forget talking! If we don't teach her a lesson tonight, the Black Tigers will become a complete joke!"

The gang members quickly surrounded Madelynn, relying on their overwhelming numbers.

Walter sucked in a breath. "The Black Tigers? She actually picked a fight with them? She's finished."

Isaac's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he shoved his chair back and stood up.

Whether he acknowledged it or not, Madelynn was still his wife. Anyone laying hands on her was openly disrespecting him.

Just then, Paige's furious voice rang out behind them. "Stop! Who dares touch her? Have you all gone insane?"

The music stopped at once. A squad of bodyguards showed up, forcing the crowd apart and breaking the circle around Madelynn.

Paige strode through the crowd, immediately looking Madelynn over from head to toe. "Are you alright?"

The onlookers exchanged rapid whispers. "That's Paige Harris, isn't it?"

Isaac stood frozen, genuine surprise flickering across his face. Since when had Madelynn become connected to the Harris family?

The fat man had still been hurling curses moments earlier, but the instant he heard the name "Harris," every trace of his drunken arrogance disappeared.

The Harris family was one of the city's most prestigious oldmoney dynasties, powerful enough that few dared provoke them.

Paige herself was famous for being ruthless and impossible to offend, and Velvet Lounge was her domain.

"Ms. Harris!" The man's knees nearly buckled beneath him, and his vicious expression instantly transformed into a desperate, flattering smile. "It was all a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding! I had no idea she was your friend!"

To show his sincerity, he repeatedly slapped himself hard across the face.

Fresh red handprints quickly bloomed across his already swollen cheeks, making his bloated face look even more pitiful.

Paige's eyes were as cold as ice. "You harassed my friend in my bar, and you think saying sorry will settle this?"

She then turned to Madelynn, silently leaving the decision in her hands.

The man who had been so arrogant moments ago was now drenched in cold sweat, bowing over and over before Madelynn. "Ma'am, I'm truly sorry! I didn't know who you were. Please show me mercy!"

Had he known she had such powerful backing, he would never have dared approach her.

Madelynn looked at him with utter indifference. Men like him had probably ruined countless women behind closed doors. Letting him off would only invite more victims.

Her voice was calm and utterly merciless. "If he can't control his hands and feet, then break them. After that, hand him over to the police so he can reflect on what he's done."

At her command, the bodyguards dragged the group away. The fat man didn't even dare cry out, his face drained of all color as despair consumed him. His carefree life was clearly over.

Once everything was resolved, the music at Velvet Lounge gradually resumed.

The crowd slowly scattered, though countless curious and astonished glances continued to follow Madelynn.

After all, anyone personally protected by Paige was obviously far from ordinary.

Yet every moment of the scene had been observed from the SVIP suite on the top floor.

The man sat with one leg crossed over the other, his hands resting casually on his knee, exuding effortless authority.

Gently swirling the amber liquor in his glass, he let out a soft chuckle. "Mrs. Morgan... she's far more interesting than I expected."