My Substitute Wife Wants A Divorce by Lucy Arabella
Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Maria felt as though she would go crazy. She explained in exasperation, “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Didn’t know?” Frank snorted coldly, clearly not believing her.

He approached Maria with long strides, his voice as cold as ice. “I underestimated you. You’ve even washed up and are waiting for me!”

His approach forced Maria to move back, clutching the bath towel tightly. Panicking, she said, “I didn’t. I was going to change my clothes.”

Frank smirked disdainfully and thought, ‘How coincidental is it that she came out just at this moment? Not one second too early or late. The first time it happened, it can be explained with coincidence. But what about the second time? Who would believe her?‘

“Maria, why are you shying away? You have done this repeatedly. It seems like you want me to do something to you!” Frank advanced, his tone dripping with contempt.

Retreating nervously, Maria’s lower leg hit something, causing her to fall backward onto the bed.

Frank looked down at her. He couldn’t deny that she appeared like a flower covered in morning dew, ready to be plucked. Her entire being emitted an aura inviting him to plunder her.

However, the more she seemed like this, the more Frank hated her.

The more innocent she pretended to be, the easier she could deceive others.

He bent one knee on the bed, his hand near Maria’s ear, almost touching her semi–transparent earlobe. He encircled her in his arms as he towered over her.

Yet, his eyes were filled with disgust and disdain. It felt like her heart was being pricked repeatedly.

Her breath hitched at the man’s proximity. Her chest rose and fell as she panted. She clutched the towel before her, her teary eyes begging him. Her clear voice now stuttered due to excessive nervousness. “I–I didn’t. I didn’t know you were here.”

‘Why couldn’t you believe me just once?‘ she thought.

The fear, anxiety, pleading, and despair in the woman’s eyes made Frank pause. It washed over him like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the blazing desire inside him.

“You truly didn’t want me to touch you!‘ he thought. ‘You didn’t want it? Why did you seduce me if you didn’t want it? Could it be just a coincidence?”

He quickly dismissed the thought. Maria was cunning and deceptive. She was probably planning a bigger conspiracy!

Suddenly, Frank thought of something. His black eyes filled with a chilling aura.

He sneered, and his cold voice slowly sounded. “Maria, you used so many tricks to seduce me just to have me impregnate you. This way, you would take advantage of the baby to claim the identity of Mrs. Johnston and enjoy the privileges that went with it!”

“I didn’t.” Maria raised her head and frowned. She stared at the man in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I never thought about having your child.”

Frank snorted disdainfully, clearly not trusting her.

He didn’t believe that Maria drugged him and married him because she liked him.

In Frank’s eyes, she was after the status of Mrs. Johnston. Even if the man weren’t him, she would still do the same.

Regardless of whether Frank believed her or not, Maria continued, “I will return the identity of Mrs. Johnston to Nina. Since you love Nina, you shouldn’t lay a hand on me. This way, you won’t betray Nina.”

“Shut up!” Frank impatiently interrupted Maria’s words. His cold and stern expression was dark as ink.

If she didn’t bring this up, everything would be fine. But as soon as she mentioned it, Frank’s anger flared up. “Who made me betray Nina? Now you have the nerve to accuse me?”

12:05 Tue, 9 Apr Y