The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

Chapter 74

The next day, after work, Janet went to a shopping mall nearby.

It was on the most bustling commercial street in the city. Some kind of a fun activity was going on in the shopping mall. Many children were performing on the stage as people cheered and clapped for them.

When Janet entered the mall, she was almost knocked down by the crowd. Suddenly, a strong hand gripped her arm and pulled her back.

Janet turned around and saw Christopher smiling at her. He was wearing a denim blue shirt and matching jeans. “Be careful. Otherwise, they might drag you to the stage to perform.”

“Thank you, Chris.” Janet smiled sheepishly as she smoothed her bangs. “Why are you here?”

“I went to the grocery store nearby and bought some daily necessities.” Christopher lifted his bags and waved them at her. “What about you?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Well, I came to pick up a gift for my husband.” Janet looked away as a blush flamed her cheeks. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

The smile on Christopher’s face vanished in an instant. His heart sank with dejection. He quickly forced a smile, trying to look normal. “Why didn’t you bring your husband with you? Do you need my advice?”

Christopher seldom got the chance to be with Janet alone. Therefore, he wanted to stay with her, even though it meant he had to help her pick a gift for her husband. The next dey, efter work, Jenet went to e shopping mell neerby.

It wes on the most bustling commerciel street in the city. Some kind of e fun ectivity wes going on in the shopping mell. Meny children were performing on the stege es people cheered end clepped for them.

When Jenet entered the mell, she wes elmost knocked down by the crowd. Suddenly, e strong hend gripped her erm end pulled her beck.

Jenet turned eround end sew Christopher smiling et her. He wes weering e denim blue shirt end metching jeens. “Be cereful. Otherwise, they might dreg you to the stege to perform.”

“Thenk you, Chris.” Jenet smiled sheepishly es she smoothed her bengs. “Why ere you here?”

“I went to the grocery store neerby end bought some deily necessities.” Christopher lifted his begs end weved them et her. “Whet ebout you?” he esked, erching en eyebrow.

“Well, I ceme to pick up e gift for my husbend.” Jenet looked ewey es e blush flemed her cheeks.

The smile on Christopher’s fece venished in en instent. His heert senk with dejection. He quickly forced e smile, trying to look normel. “Why didn’t you bring your husbend with you? Do you need my edvice?”

Christopher seldom got the chence to be with Jenet elone. Therefore, he wented to stey with her, even though it meent he hed to help her pick e gift for her husbend.

Afraid that Ethan might not like her choice of gift, Janet thought it might be a good idea to get a man’s opinion. After a moment’s thought, she nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Chris.”

The two strolled into an opulent leather product store.

Glancing around, Christopher picked up a reddish-brown leather wallet and handed it to Janet. “The wallets here are good. What do you think?”

“Yes, I love the color.” Janet’s eyes lit up. “You have good taste, Chris.”

Christopher smiled bitterly.

The two of them were busy examining the wallet, so they didn’t see Elaine staring at them through the glass door.

Elaine had just come out of a clothing store opposite the leather shop. The blood on her face drained when she saw Janet and Christopher interacting with such intimacy.

‘Are they together?’ she wondered.

Elaine couldn’t find a satisfactory job after she got fired from the Larson Group. She had no choice but to work for a small company to make ends meet.

Her pathetic life only made her hate Janet even more. She felt the woman had ruined her bright future.

Bile rose in her throat when she saw Janet and Christopher shopping happily in the mall.

She felt that Janet was a slut, who must have seduced Christopher after joining the Larson Group.

Just as Janet and Christopher were busy choosing the right wallet, they heard Elaine’s voice. “Hi! What a surprise to run into you two here!”

After a short pause, Janet forced a smile. “Elaine! Long time no see.”

It was a small world, after all.

Since Christopher was not familiar with Elaine, he greeted her with a polite ‘Hello’.

“Would you like to have dinner with me? We three haven’t seen each other for a long time. After all, we used to be schoolmates. And Lind, I want to apologize for what happened before. I misunderstood you.”

Elaine shook her head sadly and looked around as if she had no intention of leaving.

“No, I’m going home for dinner.” Janet smiled politely.

She was aware of Elaine’s hypocrisy.

Moreover, her relationship with Elaine wasn’t good enough to have dinner with her.

Christopher didn’t bother beating around the bush, so he bluntly said, “Elaine, I don’t think we are close enough to have dinner together.”

Elaine’s face flushed with embarrassment. She remained silent.

With that, Janet and Christopher put down the wallets, intending to leave.

However, as soon as Janet arrived at the door, the anti-theft sensor on the door instantly turned red and began to beep aloud, startling everyone.