All Chapters of THE SUBSTITUTE HUSBAND BECAME HIS WIFE'S BOSS: Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
31 chapters
Chapter 11
Outside the Grand Palace Hotel, Carmen Rodriguez stood on the sidewalk, her face contorted with rage as she watched the entrance. Her expensive jewelry glinted under the streetlights, but her disheveled hair and smeared makeup told the story of her humiliation."That bastard!" she spat, her voice shaking. "That ungrateful piece of trash and his whore!"A sleek car pulled up to the curb, and Isabella emerged in her red Valentino gown, followed by Alejandro in his tailored suit. Both froze at the sight of Carmen's furious expression."Mother?" Isabella's eyes widened. "What are you doing out here? Why aren't you inside?""That bastard Diego!" Carmen shrieked, pointing at the hotel entrance. "He had me thrown out! He's inside with some hotel lobby manager he's clearly sleeping with, and she ordered the guards to drag me out like common garbage!""What?" Isabella's face drained of color. "Diego is here?""He must be trying to sabotage the celebration!" Her shock morphed into rage. "First
Chapter 12
Diego remained seated, his posture relaxed as Isabella and Alejandro loomed over him. The surrounding guests had begun to notice the confrontation, conversations dying down as curious eyes turned toward the main table.Alejandro's lips curled into a sneer. "So the parasite finally shows his true colors. Tell me, Diego, did you sleep with that lobby manager to get this seat? Is that how low you've fallen?""Lobby manager?" Isabella's laugh was sharp and cruel. "Of course! That's the only way trash like him could get anywhere near the main table. He's probably been spreading his legs for her since before our divorce!"Diego picked up his water glass, taking a slow sip before setting it down. "You're making assumptions again, Isabella.""Assumptions?" Alejandro stepped closer, his voice loud enough for nearby guests to hear. "Everyone saw what happened outside. Your whore had Isabella's mother thrown out like garbage! All because you wanted to spite Isabella for choosing a real man over
Chapter 13
Alejandro's face flushed crimson, rage overriding the pain in his jaw. "If not me, then who else—you?" He stepped forward aggressively. "Are you that delusional? That detached from reality?""It was the ancient ginseng root I acquired that saved Esperanza Vega's life!" Alejandro's voice rose, addressing both Diego and the gathered crowd. "Thousand-year ginseng—something your pathetic existence could never even dream of affording! That's why she recovered! That's why this entire banquet is being held in our honor!"Isabella moved beside him, her expression dripping with contempt. "You really don't understand your place, do you? Alejandro and I are the guests of honor tonight. Ricardo Vega himself is celebrating us for saving his daughter's life. Meanwhile, you're just garbage that needs to be swept out."Several guests who had been watching the confrontation began nodding, their expressions turning hostile toward Diego."Mr. Morales is right," an older businessman spoke up. "This man
Chapter 14
Esperanza's powerful aura crushed the ballroom into suffocating silence. The crystal chandeliers seemed to dim under the weight of her fury, and not a single guest dared to breathe too loudly. Even Isabella and Alejandro stood frozen, their earlier confidence evaporating like morning mist under a scorching sun.Alejandro's hand trembled as he touched his burning cheek, his mind racing to comprehend what had just happened. The woman he'd been so confident would celebrate him had just struck him with the force of a hurricane."Miss Vega, I—I think there's been a misunderstanding," Alejandro stammered, his voice cracking. He forced a weak smile, trying to salvage the situation. "Perhaps you didn't hear me clearly. We're the ones who brought you the thousand-year ginseng root. The rare herb that saved your life. Surely you remember—""Shut your mouth," Esperanza cut him off, her voice colder than arctic ice. "Before I have it shut for you permanently."Isabella's face had gone deathly p
Chapter 15
Isabella stood frozen, her chest heaving with ragged breaths. Everything—her comeback, her career, her dignity—had crumbled in minutes.Then something inside her snapped."No!" she screamed, her voice cracking with hysteria. "This isn't right! This isn't fair!"Alejandro grabbed her arm. "Isabella, we need to leave—"She ripped away from him, her eyes wild and unfocused. "She only recovered because of your ginseng! The thousand-year ginseng you gave her! She owes us everything!""Isabella, please—""No!" She turned back toward Espernaza, her hands clenched into fists. "You are ungrateful! After we saved your life, you treat us like this? You'll regret it! Heaven will punish you for this betrayal!"Her voice rose to a shriek that echoed in the party. Several staff members stopped to stare at the unraveling woman who moments ago had walked in like royalty."Isabella, you need to calm down—" Alejandro tried again, his own face pale with terror."Calm down?" Isabella whirled on him, her e
Chapter 16
Isabella's face contorted with desperate rage, her mascara streaming down her cheeks in black rivulets. She stumbled forward, pointing a trembling finger at Diego."He's lying!" she screamed, her voice cracking with hysteria. "He's making all of this up to slander us in front of Miss Vega! He's bitter and vindictive and he'll say anything to destroy me!"Diego's expression remained utterly unchanged, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. He simply watched her unravel with the detached interest of someone observing a mildly entertaining spectacle."Call an expert!" Isabella's voice rose higher, bordering on shrieking. "Call a traditional medicine expert right now! Have them examine the ginseng and prove this bastard is lying through his teeth!"Several guests shifted uncomfortably, their expressions a mix of secondhand embarrassment and morbid fascination.Diego's shoulders lifted in the faintest suggestion of a shrug. "Go ahead."The simple, indifferent response only seemed to fu
Chapter 17
Esperanza watched Diego's face carefully as the implications of Alejandro's debt scheme settled between them. His expression remained calm, but she could sense the wheels turning behind those composed eyes."So," she said quietly, "do you want to tell Isabella the truth? That the man she believes is her soulmate is actually just using her to pay off his gambling debts?"Diego was silent for a long moment, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. "I'm not sure it would matter.""What do you mean?""Even if I told her, she wouldn't believe me." His voice was flat, matter-of-fact. "She'd think I was lying out of jealousy or spite. She's already convinced herself that I'm a vindictive bastard trying to destroy her happiness.""That's probably true," Esperanza admitted. "But doesn't she deserve to know the truth?"Diego exhaled slowly. "We're divorced. What she does with her life is no longer my responsibility.""But?"He met her eyes. "But I don't want to watch anyone be deceived like that,
Chapter 18
Esperanza climbed the stairs to her bedroom, her heart still racing from the conversation downstairs. The moment she closed the door behind her, her phone buzzed with an incoming message.Father: Did you successfully invite him to stay?She smiled, typing back quickly. He's here. He agreed to stay temporarily.The response came almost immediately. Excellent! This is your chance, Esperanza. Get closer to him. Find out what he needs. If you need any help creating opportunities, just tell me.Esperanza stared at her phone in mild disbelief. Her father had never been this enthusiastic about setting her up with anyone before. In fact, he'd actively discouraged most of her previous relationships, claiming the men weren't worthy of her.She typed back: Father, why are you so eager about this? What makes him so special?You'll understand in time. Just trust me on this—Diego Herrera is not an ordinary man. Get to know him. You won't regret it.But his medical skills aside, what else is there?
Chapter 19
The kitchen filled with the aromatic scent of herbs and broth as Esperanza finished preparing the noodles. She carried the bowl carefully, leaning over to set it on the table in front of Diego. As she bent forward, the silk nightdress shifted, revealing a glimpse of pale skin at her chest."There's something here," Diego said suddenly, his hand moving toward her.Esperanza froze mid-motion, her body going rigid. Her mind raced with a thousand conflicting thoughts. Was he using this as an excuse? Should she refuse politely? Scold him?But Diego's fingers simply pinched something small from her cleavage, his touch was making her feel jittery in her stomach and sensation on her skin as he pulled back with a faint smile."Just a bug," he said calmly, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. "I didn't want it falling into the bowl."Esperanza exhaled shakily, relief flooding through her. "Oh, I—"The insect wriggled between Diego's fingers."Ahh!" Esperanza shrieked, her CEO composure
Chapter 20
The ride back to Isabella's house was suffocating with tension. Alejandro gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white, while Isabella stared blankly out the window, her mascara-streaked face reflecting in the glass.When they finally pulled into the driveway, Carmen was already at the door, her face bright with expectation."Well?" she called out eagerly. "Did that lobby manager come crawling to apologize? Did Ricardo Vega himself grovel at your feet for the precious gift you gave his daughter?"Isabella stumbled out of the car, her legs barely supporting her weight. Her mother's face fell instantly at the sight of her daughter's destroyed appearance."Isabella? What happened? Why do you look like—""She wasn't a lobby manager," Isabella whispered, her voice hollow. "The woman... she was Esperanza Vega. Ricardo Vega's daughter."Carmen's mouth fell open. "What?""His daughter!" Isabella's voice cracked into a hysterical laugh. "The woman I accused of sleeping her way to the top, th