Filed to story: The Billionaire’s Replacement Wife (River & Noah) Novel Online Free
“Trying to run? You ain’t gettin’ away from me! If I don’t leave you broken and shattered tonight, I ain’t worth the dirt beneath my boots!” the bald man sneered, pulling back his hand and ripping at River’s garments.
The chilling sensation on her chest snapped River back to reality. Her eyes widened, and she let out a despairing scream, “No… No!!!”
Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the private room, Reuben hastily grasped his phone and barged right into Noah’s private VIP room.
His intrusion disrupted the tranquility of the VIPs, earning disapproving frowns from them.
However, Noah’s face darkened. He knew that Reuben wouldn’t have acted so rashly without urgent cause.
He loosened his tie, his voice cold and commanding, “Speak!”
Reuben’s expression turned grave. “Mr. De Marco, something has happened to Ms. Healy!”
Noah’s features hardened, and his eyes turned dark. “Find out where she is!”
Reuben quickly nodded, his fingers flying across his phone. Soon, he pinpointed River’s location.
He looked up at Noah in shock. “She’s next door…”
Without hesitation, Noah rose abruptly, and a clueless Daniella hurriedly followed behind.
Noah kicked open the door of Room 02.
River’s bloodied and swollen face trapped beneath a bald person ignited a blazing fury within Noah. His intense black eyes exuded a bloodthirsty and ruthless aura, chilling to the bone.
He marched toward the bald man and effortlessly kicked him aside. Snatching a nearby wine bottle, he viciously smashed it against the man’s head.
His chilling presence, akin to the God of Death descending, silenced everyone present.
No one dared to intervene as Reuben shattered the surrounding wine bottles and approached Noah with a coat.
Noah turned around and draped his coat over River’s battered body.
As he wrapped River in his embrace, he noticed tears streaming down her cheeks. His heart unconsciously skipped a beat.
He tightened his embrace, commanding Reuben in a cold tone, “Destroy him!”
Reuben nodded, saying, “With pleasure, Mr. De Marco.”
Meanwhile, Daniella stood at the door in utter disbelief. She watched as Noah carried River past her with a cold indifference.
Her initial shock turned into a mix of reluctance and envy.
Back at Villa Rosa, upon seeing River drenched in blood and injured, Lily Smith’s legs trembled in fear. “Mr. De Marco, Ms. Healy…”
“Get a female doctor,” Noah ordered as he carried River upstairs.
When he arrived at the room, he gently laid River on the bed, her unconsciousness evident.
As his gaze fell upon the bloodstains and swollen marks on her face, his eyes brimmed with profound ruthlessness.
Soon, Lily led a female doctor to the room.
After examining River’s condition, the doctor reassured Noah, saying, “Other than the physical injuries, Ms. Healy appears to be fine.”
Finally feeling some relief, Noah spoke in a low voice, “Ms. Smith, please escort the doctor out.”
Lily complied and guided the doctor to the door.
Once the door closed, Noah took out his phone and dialed Reuben’s number.
With narrowed eyes and an icy tone, he commanded, “Retrieve the surveillance video from that private room immediately and investigate what happened!”
No one was allowed to harm one of his own!
When River opened her eyes in exhaustion the next day, Lily entered the room with a bowl of hot soup.
“Ms. Healy, you’re awake?”
River’s dry throat prevented her from speaking, so she nodded faintly in response.
Lily put the bowl of hot soup down and carefully helped River to sit up. “Ms. Healy, Mr. De Marco cares about you deeply. After the doctor left, he stayed with you until almost dawn before returning to his room to rest.”
Soon, memories began flooding back to River. She vaguely recalled Noah carrying her away before she lost consciousness. However, his decision to stay with her for the entire night exceeded her expectations.
Despite how touched she was, River quickly suppressed her feelings when she thought of Daniella.
Noah’s kindness toward her might just be a result of their three-year relationship, nothing more. Furthermore, Daniella was now the one who held the place beside him.
River pushed aside the blanket, intending to get out of bed when the bedroom door swung open.
Noah appeared before her, dressed in dark home attire. Despite its casual nature, his noble and chilly aura remained unmistakable.
He tilted his head to look at Lily. “You may leave us.”
Consequently, Lily withdrew her hand and stopped assisting River, complying with Noah’s request and exiting the room.
River watched Noah approach, her gratitude unspoken. If only he had answered the call the previous night, sparing her humiliation. Still, in the end, he was the one who rescued her.
“River, you’re quite something, aren’t you?” he remarked, his expression icy.
Confused, River looked up at him.
What did he mean by that?
Noah drew closer, fiercely gripping her chin. “You were willing to use your body to repay the debt! Why? Wasn’t what I gave you enough?”
River furrowed her brows tightly, suppressing the pain as she hoarsely replied, “I never intended to use my body to repay the debt. They were the ones…”
“You know what kind of place Fies Casino is!” Noah’s fury consumed him, his voice a low roar. “You told them you didn’t have the money. Were you hoping they would exempt you from the debt using another method?”
River was taken aback. “I asked for a two-day extension last night.”
Noah’s black eyes turned chillingly cold. “The surveillance video captures your conversation clearly! Yet, you still deny it in front of me!”
River locked eyes with him, her gaze firm. “Noah, I have no reason to deny such accusations. Stop trying to tarnish my name!”
“Tarnish your name?” Noah dragged her out of bed and brought her to the computer in the study.
He played the surveillance video provided by Reuben.
As River watched the scene from the private room, it felt like a nightmare unfolding before her. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
However, her face turned ashen when she realized the part where she asked for the two-day extension was missing.
The remaining dialogue twisted the narrative, portraying River as someone who deliberately sought them out, attempting to evade her debt by offering herself to them instead.
“How do you explain yourself?” Noah’s voice boomed above River her, dripping with cold sarcasm.
She offered a bitter smile. How else could she possibly explain it?
The surveillance video had clearly been manipulated, but she lacked any evidence to prove it.
“Say something!” His angry roar made her involuntarily tremble.
Overwhelmed by a profound sense of injustice, she helplessly closed her eyes. “What else can I say?”
Her indifferent response only fueled his frustration and annoyance.
She always responded this way. Whenever she couldn’t defend herself, she would surrender, leaving herself at the mercy of others.
She had done the same in the surveillance video, as well as now, standing in front of him.
Disgusted, he averted his gaze and issued a cold warning. “From now on, you are not permitted to leave the villa, except for work.”
River looked up at him in disbelief. “Who are you to take away my freedom?”
“I am your superior!” With those words, Noah stormed out and slammed the door behind him.
River was left speechless on the spot. The dull ache in her heart reminded her of how inferior her status was.
Battling physical and mental exhaustion, she steadied herself by leaning against the table. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of a locked drawer in the center.
She stared at it, entranced.
She knew all too well what lay inside—the source of Noah’s vulnerability.
It was the place where he once tightly embraced her while he was drunk. In a moment of exhaustion, he murmured, “River, everyone thinks I’m invincible, but do you know where my weakness lies? It’s in the drawer in the study. Every time I open it, my heart is consumed by excruciating pain.”
That was the first time she witnessed him being so disappointed and dejected.