Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband

Chapter 1499: He Truly Is Cold-Blooded and Heartless

Celeste Linden was stunned. She never expected that Ethan Barnes, sitting on such a massive harem, was actually keeping himself pure?

How was that possible? Then the man who’d stormed into her room and ravaged her that night—wasn’t that him?

In Celeste Linden’s mind, Ethan Barnes’s private life was a complete mess. Born in modern times yet living like some ancient polygamist, with women all over the place. Now that entire perception had just been overturned; she was dumbfounded.

Seeing Celeste Linden’s reaction, Carlotta instantly knew she was the exception. "Celeste Linden, did Ethan Barnes really sleep with you? He never touches other women. You’re the only one he’s touched, isn’t that right?"

Although Carlotta was a plant, infiltrating Ethan’s inner circle to take him out, after spending so long by his side, with his wicked good looks, domineering arrogance and wildness, he’d easily captured her heart. Carlotta genuinely wanted to roll in the sheets with him.

Besides, with her looks, the only man she hadn’t managed to nail so far was Ethan Barnes. That more or less was a blow to her pride.

Carlotta was seething with jealousy and hatred toward Celeste Linden.

Celeste Linden knit her delicate brows. At this point, the truth was already laid bare in front of her—Ethan Barnes really had only ever touched her.

Not long ago, some woman had even claimed she was pregnant with his child. No wonder he was so ruthless, killing two with one stone; turns out that kid wasn’t his at all.

That woman, living in his harem, had slapped a green hat right on his head.

"Carlotta, you grabbed me just to tell me all this? Spit it out—what exactly do you want?"

Carlotta let out a cold laugh and finally went back to the point. "Ethan Barnes likes you so much. Taking you is the same as seizing his soft spot and weakness. We’re going to use you to deal with Ethan Barnes."

Celeste Linden almost laughed. "You want to use me against Ethan Barnes? How is that even possible?"

"Don’t tell me Ethan Barnes doesn’t like you?"

"Just because a man sleeps with you means he likes you? The fact he doesn’t touch anyone else and only touches me doesn’t prove anything. Same way, him touching me doesn’t mean he likes me."

Carlotta’s face darkened. "I don’t have the patience to stand here listening to your tongue-twisters. Ethan hides you away so well and spoils you like that. Of course he likes you."

Ethan Barnes liked her?

Celeste Linden absolutely did not believe that. Ethan Barnes was a cold-blooded animal, a merciless demon. Did he even understand what "like" meant?

Oh, maybe he did like someone once—but he’d given all of that to his first love, Carlotta.

Bang.

Just then, a loud blast—one of the tires suddenly blew out.

"What’s going on, what’s going on? Stop the car, now!" Carlotta barked.

The driver forced the car to a halt. "How did the tire just blow out for no reason? Did someone tamper with it beforehand?"

Carlotta’s heart sank. A bad premonition rose in her chest.

At that moment, dust billowed in front of them. Several tall jeeps came roaring over, their massive wheels crushing the rugged mountain road, surging straight toward them with an arrogant, overbearing momentum.

Who was it?

Carlotta got out of the car and squinted ahead. Her heart instantly went half cold—it was Ethan Barnes’s convoy.

Ethan Barnes had caught up.

How did he manage to chase them down?

She’d made her move in the middle of the night to snatch Celeste Linden. There had been no commotion at all. Ethan should have been back in his own room asleep.

Unless...there was only one possibility—she’d walked right into his trap!

Ethan hadn’t slept at all. He’d been lurking nearby like a cheetah, just waiting for her to slip up.

God.

The jeeps quickly surrounded them. The men in black, all armed, jumped out. The passenger door opened and Ethan Barnes leapt down.

His heavy combat boots hit the ground, kicking up a faceful of dust. Ethan was dressed in black, the very picture of a Dark King stepping out of the night, domineering and razor-sharp, in full control of everything.

Ethan Barnes looked at Carlotta, a hint of amusement on his face. "Carlotta, so it really was you."

Carlotta knew it was over. She really had fallen into his trap.

"Don’t you come any closer. I’ve got Celeste Linden in my hands!" Carlotta yanked Celeste out of the car and dragged her to her side as a hostage.

Celeste Linden’s delicate neck was pressed against the dagger in Carlotta’s hand. She could feel Carlotta’s tension and panic, because the blade was pushed so tight against her that just a bit more force would slice her skin, maybe even her carotid artery.

Death was that close to her.

Celeste Linden lifted her head and looked at Ethan Barnes as well.

Ethan didn’t look at Celeste Linden. His gaze stayed fixed on Carlotta, as if she were an ant at his feet. "A few years ago I was ambushed and almost died. I knew then I had a mole by my side, but I didn’t know who it was."

"You people hid deep. You hid well. Too bad I still dragged you all out. Don’t struggle. You’ve got nowhere left to run."

Carlotta shuddered. She had to admit Ethan had a natural instinct for blood and danger. So he’d been on alert years ago, but all this time he’d stayed quiet, keeping the traitor right at his side. This man was terrifyingly deep.

"When did you start suspecting me?"

"From the moment you laid a hand on Celeste Linden, I started suspecting you." Ethan smiled.

Celeste Linden.

It was Celeste Linden again.

Everything had been ruined by this woman.

Carlotta truly hated Celeste Linden to death, but right now Celeste was the only lifeline clutched in her hand. "Ethan Barnes, you think you’ve won? You haven’t. Your beloved woman is in my hands. Tell your men to back off, right now. I want to leave here safely!"

Only then did Ethan’s gaze fall on Celeste Linden. He slowly curled his thin lips into a mocking smile. "Beloved woman? Who are you talking about?"

Carlotta’s face changed. "Isn’t Celeste Linden your beloved woman?"

"Ha." Ethan let out two low laughs, as if he’d just heard some huge joke. "Carlotta, I knew you were stupid, but I didn’t expect you to be this adorably stupid. You still haven’t figured it out? Celeste Linden is just a piece on my board. Without her, would you have exposed yourselves this fast? Without her, would you have made a move? Without her, could I have wiped you all out this easily?"

Carlotta’s face went chalk white. All of Ethan’s maneuvers had her completely lost.

Celeste Linden, however, understood. She pulled up the corners of her red lips in a mocking smile. At the beginning, Carlotta had even said Ethan liked her—that was the biggest joke of all.

This demon had never once let her down.

"Carlotta, don’t you get it yet? He brought me back on purpose. He gave me that absurd, over-the-top favor on purpose. He deliberately made you all think he liked me, deliberately guided you into believing I was his weak spot. Every bit of it was his scheme."

"I’m just a piece on his board. Now that his goal’s been achieved, I’m a spent piece. And you’re still ridiculously waving a spent piece around like it’s a sword, trying to negotiate with him. It’s laughable beyond belief."