My Stand-In Groom Is A Secret Tycoon (Audrey)

Eliza stood at the corner of the stairwell, barely showing half her body, keeping out of sight deliberately.

There was someone else standing in front of Eliza, though half-hidden by her figure. From the slim outline, Audrey could tell it was a young man.

Soon, Eliza pulled a stack of bills from her wallet and tossed it in his direction arrogantly. She said, "Isn't this what you want? Take it and get lost. Don't bother me again." The distance was too far for Audrey to catch the exact words, but she could tell Eliza's tone was anything but pleasant.

The thin young man seemed to flinch, his eyes red as he looked back at Eliza. He threw the money back at her feet before running out from behind the corner. Distracted by his tears, the man didn't see Audrey standing there and crashed right into her.

Still feeling a bit full from lunch, the impact nearly made her stomach turn. Audrey steadied herself against the wall and finally got a clear look at the boy's face.

His cheeks were hollow, his complexion a little sallow, and under his strong brows were bright, clear eyes, yet the furrowed brows gave him a depth far beyond his years. Audrey didn't recognize him, but something about him felt strangely familiar.

The boy looked down quickly, glancing at Audrey as he mumbled, "Sorry!"

With that, the boy dashed off.

Audrey, rubbing the spot where he'd bumped her, stared at his retreating figure, frowning slightly. "Where have I seen him before?' she thought.

At the stairwell entrance, Eliza looked down at the scattered bills, stomping her foot in frustration, though the uneasy look in her eyes didn't fade.

'Damn it,' Eliza thought, 'How did Miles find me? Refusing the money, does he seriously think I'll go back with him? Dream on! I'll be back in the Rhodes family soon.'

When Eliza had left the Harpers, she hadn't told them about the baby switch. She'd been too afraid the Harpers would reach out to Audrey if they found out.

Or worse, that they'd stop her from reconnecting with her real family to keep Audrey with them.

Thinking this, Eliza clenched her jaw and stepped into the stairwell to make a call. "I need you to take care of someone for me. Make sure he's too hurt to cause trouble for a few days."

As Audrey waited for the elevator, her mind was still on the boy who'd bumped into her. She knew she'd seen that face somewhere.

Then it clicked. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through a file she'd looked over recently. The rebellious face in the photo was a match.

That was Miles Harper, her biological brother. 'What's he doing here? And what was he arguing about with Eliza?' Audrey wondered.

Audrey's heart tightened. Even though the Harpers had never reached out after the truth about the switch came out, she'd long since stopped expecting anything from them.

But Miles was still her little brother, and watching him get humiliated like that struck a chord Audrey couldn't ignore.

Remembering the anger in his eyes as he'd run off, Audrey felt a pang of worry that he might do something reckless.

Ding! The elevator arrived, but instead, Audrey rushed out of the office building.

Thankfully, Miles hadn't gone far; he was waiting at a nearby bus stop. Seeing him there, Audrey hesitated, unsure if she should approach.

'Miles doesn't know me. Wouldn't it be weird to just walk up to him?' Audrey thought.

At that moment, Miles stood under the shelter, his eyes red. As he thought about his mother lying in a hospital bed, and Eliza's cold, sneering face, his chest ached like it was being squeezed tight. Miles couldn't understand why Eliza, treated like a princess her whole life, could be so heartless.

Their mother was seriously ill, near death, and Eliza wouldn't even come back for one last visit.noveldrama

Clenching his fists, Miles felt anger boil inside him. 'I can't let Eliza just get away with this,' he thought. Then he turned to head back in her direction.

In the next moment, Miles felt a rough grip on his wrist, and someone shoved his shoulder, slamming him into the hard glass of the bus shelter's ad panel.

"Hey, kid! Were you the one who stole my phone?" The man's gruff voice was filled with menace, his eyes narrowed in a dangerous glare as he loomed over Miles.

Miles' shoulder throbbed from the impact. Startled, he looked up at the guy and shook his head. "I didn't. I don't even know you, man."

The guy scowled, a cigarette hanging from his lips, and blew a cloud of smoke into Miles's face. "Still denying it? You're definitely the little punk. Now hand over my phone, or I'll knock you out." With that, the man raised a fist the size of a small boulder, holding it menacingly close to Miles's face.

Miles shrank back, pushing the man's chest instinctively. "I swear, I didn't take your phone! I just got here!"

"Oh, yeah? Now you're gonna hit me, too? You're asking for it, kid." Without giving Miles a chance to explain, the man raised his fist higher, preparing to slam it down.

The man was huge, with strength to match. If he landed a punch like that, Miles could easily end up with a concussion, or worse.

But Miles wasn't about to just stand there. He tried to dodge, but the guy held his arm in an iron grip.

'Damn it!' Miles shut his eyes, bracing himself for the blow.

"Stop!" A clear, feminine voice rang out.