Substitute Wife for the Mafia King R18-Chapter 378: Entwined Fates

If we were to talk about things right from the beginning, it was only natural for me to ask him about the first time I met Anthony, or at least the guy I thought was supposed to be Anthony. I had always been certain that the person I met on that day was Anthony; after all, there was no reason for me to believe otherwise. However, after learning that Bradon had taken Anthony’s place before in the past, it felt like I could no longer be sure about anything. The ability to tell the two of them apart was a skill that I mastered not so long ago. I felt slightly conflicted, and I hesitated before asking the question on my mind because I realized that before I could seek the truth from him, I had to make my own confessions first.

"Actually, the first time my sister was supposed to formally meet Anthony, I was there in her place. I guess for me, that’s when everything started," I confessed softly before shifting my eyes to Bradon’s face to observe his reaction to my confession.

My heart clenched uncomfortably in my chest, and I realized that I had started to fear hearing his response. What would I do if he told me that the one I met that day was actually him and not Anthony? I wasn’t sure how I would feel, and I wasn’t sure what kind of truth I was hoping to hear from him.

Did I secretly wish that perhaps the man I met on that day was actually Bradon and not Anthony?

"I met Anthony, and everything seemed to be going well until that incident occurred," I said before trailing off.

"One of the Vulkan family’s heirlooms broke," Bradon said casually.

"Did Anthony tell you about that?" I asked, wondering if he knew the truth behind the incident.

I could still vividly recall how my body turned cold with fear after witnessing the teacup breaking into pieces right before my eyes. It felt like the world had come to an end when I messed up at the worst possible time and place.

"He didn’t," Bradon replied before he grinned slightly at me.

"He didn’t tell you about it? Then...?" I asked, my eyes widening as I could no longer ignore the possibility that had formed in my mind.

Was it really him?

"Anthony didn’t tell me about it because there was no need to. After all, I was the one who was there that day in his place. It was the other way around; I had to tell Anthony all about it. He was quite shocked, but it wasn’t like we hadn’t seen it coming," Bradon said before letting out a scoff as if recalling an unpleasant memory.

"What do you mean?" I asked, his words surely taking me by surprise.

I didn’t know what was more shocking: finding out that Bradon was there in Anthony’s place the first time I formally met him, or the fact that he seemed to believe the incident was somehow planned in advance. How else could they possibly see it coming?

"I thought that I was supposed to meet my brother’s fiancée in his place and that everything was supposed to go smoothly. It was the first time that I would meet Diana, although I guess I ended up meeting you instead," Bradon said before he smiled slightly.

I wondered what kind of memory he was recalling or what his impression was of me the first time we met. So many questions swirled in my mind that I didn’t know which ones to pursue first.

"I had no idea that it was you that day," I said in a whisper as my mind struggled to process what Bradon had revealed.

I wondered why Anthony wasn’t present that day. By some twist of fate, Bradon and I were both somehow destined to take our siblings’ place, and that was how we ended up meeting. Although at that time, I had no idea that the person I met was Bradon and not Anthony.

"Back then, you told your sister that Anthony seemed trustworthy and reliable, right?" Bradon asked, breaking my thoughts.

"Yes," I replied as I nodded.

Those were the words I reported to Diana when I returned home after meeting Anthony. I hadn’t expected that he would step in to save me when I needed saving the most. It was his words of defense and how he volunteered to take the blame for me when the heirloom broke that saved me from so much trouble on that day. I had no idea how the relationship between our families would deteriorate or what kind of punishment I would be dealt at the mercy of my father when I returned home had Bradon not stepped in to take the blame in my place. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

I bit down on my lower lip when I realized that I had thought Bradon was a trustworthy and reliable person who would be able to take care of me. That was the impression I got the first time I met him. I remember so well how I told Diana that she would be in good hands if she were to marry Anthony. Back then, I was honestly extremely relieved that my sister would be marrying a guy like him. It was because of his intervention that ensured the Vulkan family couldn’t cause any drama about that broken family heirloom. I was extremely certain that the story would have ended very differently had everyone realized that the person who broke it was actually me, or Diana, who I was supposed to be impersonating.

Wait, but if the guy back then was really Bradon then...

I gasped in shock as my hand flew to cover my mouth. The implications of what happened that day hit me like a truck, and I couldn’t hide my reaction.

"Why did you do it? Why did you lie and say that you were the one who broke the teacup? Why did you step in to take the blame in my place?" I asked, my voice shaking with emotion.

–To be continued...