He Treated Me as a Placeholder, So I Married His Billionaire Brother

My phone screen lit up with two Snapchat notifications. [Chloe, are you going to confess to me today too? Honestly, I’m actually looking forward to seeing you.] [Location: The Onyx Lounge] Alex and I had an agreement: if I confessed to him 99 times, we would officially start dating. He said he didn’t want to rush into a relationship. He wanted to make sure I was genuine. For the first 98 times, I took his challenge seriously. I prepared flowers, got him gifts, and publicly chased him. He just kept count, casually telling me to try harder next time. Right outside the VIP booth, I heard someone bring up the topic. "Alex, Chloe has been chasing you for five months. It's almost the 99th time. Are you really going to say yes?" Hearing them talk about me, my hand froze on the doorknob. Deep inside the plush sofa, a guy was playing with a Rubik’s cube. It was Alex. His pale fingers flicked the toy boredly. The music outside was deafening, the crowd wild. Yet, he sat there with a cold, gloomy aura that completely isolated him from the warmth of the room. He glanced at the teasing looks from his friends, then shifted his eyes back to the amber liquid in his glass. After a clink of glasses, a drunken voice laughed. "A fake is always a fake." "She’s just like this toy in my hand. I play with it when I’m bored. When I don’t need it, I can throw it aside." The guys exchanged glances and burst into laughter. "Come on, we all know why Alex didn't reject Chloe. He’s just trying to make Elena jealous." "Am I right, Alex?" Alex’s sharp, handsome face was half-hidden in the dim light. Nobody could read him. Unlike his trust-fund friends, Alex had a clean private life. He was polite, though he carried a strange, antisocial coldness deep down. My chest tightened. I waited for his answer. Alex didn't deny it. The tear mole under his eye, which usually made him look gentle, now seemed incredibly cold. "I never said that." "But if Chloe confesses again, I won't have a reason to say no." The booth erupted into jeers again. "Poor Chloe. She’s being used as a rebound by a bad guy like you." "Alex, if you don't want her, let her be the appetizer. It's not like you're losing anything." "Or introduce her to me… she's totally my type." Suddenly, Alex walked over and patted the guy's face mockingly. He didn't say a word, but the threat was loud and clear. Someone quickly tried to smooth things over. "Shut up, dude. She has the exact same face as Elena..." "Even if Alex doesn't want her, she’s out of your league." These rich kids' conversations were always vulgar. Behind closed doors, their jokes were probably even worse. Standing outside the door, my heart didn't even ache. After being his puppy dog for five months, I already knew he had a first love locked in his heart. No wonder his friends always looked at me with mockery and amusement. Was I sad? Not really. Honestly, I felt a tiny spark of… relief? Well, since he felt this way… Then I didn't need to feel guilty about sleeping with his brother Stuart during our "talking stage," right?

I waited ten minutes until they changed the topic. My phone buzzed. It was a text message—short, cold, and professional, just like the sender. [Where are you?] I sent him my location. A second later, another brief reply popped up. [Wait for me.] I pushed the door open and walked into the booth. There were two new faces inside now. It was Elena and her broke scholarship boyfriend, Liam. Alex's dark gaze slowly retracted from them. Seeing me enter, his drunken eyes warmed up instantly. "Chloe, you're finally here. Sit next to me." "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?" He raised his voice intentionally so everyone in the room could hear. Especially… Elena, who was sitting across from us. His words sounded like his usual gentle self, but they carried a hint of showy affection. Alex always wore a mask of a gentle, polite gentleman, but deep down, he was emotionally distant. As expected, Elena’s gaze flicked over to me. "Alex, is this your girl?" Once she got a clear look at my face, her eyes filled with disdain. "Your taste has really gone downhill. If you can't get the original, I guess you don't mind a cheap knockoff." Alex suddenly let out a low laugh. "Then tell me, Elena, what kind of girl is worthy of me?" His eyes were filled with jealousy, his jaw clenching tightly. This was the first time I saw his perfect composure shatter. He grabbed Elena’s wrist tightly. "Elena, I don't have the patience to crawl behind you like a dog forever." Just then, his phone rang in his pocket. He answered it with irritation. Two seconds later, his face cleared up. He turned to the group. "Put out your cigarettes. Stuart is coming." Alex had been terrified of his half-brother since childhood. The Williams family was elite. Their parents were powerful figures in both business and politics. But Stuart was a legend. In just five years, he took a dying company and listed it on the stock market. His power was unmatched. Alex had always tried to follow Stuart’s footsteps, feeling crushed under his shadow yet deeply admiring him. On my phone, the dark gray profile picture sent a message: [I’m here.] The next second, the door opened. Everyone’s eyes locked onto Stuart. He was tall, wearing a charcoal-gray tailored suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. Stuart’s eyes were deep and cold. He swept his gaze across the room and finally landed directly on me. "Why are you here?" Alex asked, walking toward him. "I thought you hated loud places." The two brothers stood side by side—one soft, one hard. Compared to Alex’s delicate, pretty-boy looks, Stuart was ruggedly handsome and mature. Just standing there, he commanded the room. "Just finished a dinner with a client. Stopped by for a drink." Alex started introducing his friends. When it was my turn, he glanced at Elena, who was watching him with crossed arms. She seemed to be waiting to see how Alex would label me. "My classmate, Chloe." Alex tried to read my expression, but I kept my head low. Everyone in the room assumed I was heartbroken by his distant introduction. "Chloe, this is my brother. You've met him before." Alex used to invite me to the Williams mansion all the time. Back then, I was so proud because I thought I was special—he had even given me a spare key. I bit my lip and forced out a dry, "Hi." Stuart curved his lips into a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. Hearing my raspy voice, Alex paused, frowning with concern. "Do you have a cold?" I met Stuart’s dark, unreadable gaze, quickly looked away, and nodded. Actually, I didn't have a cold. It was just that yesterday, some dominant man had forced me to call him "Sir" on his bed all night. My voice was completely shot. Looking at the straight-faced, elegant Stuart, I sneered in my heart. What a hypocrite. He really knew how to act.

Elena let out a cold snort and suddenly pushed me right in front of Stuart. She covered her mouth, acting innocent. "Don't you think Chloe looks exactly like me?" "Alex is so funny. Even his rebound has to look like me… Anyone would think he’s still obsessed with me." Alex’s pursuit of Elena years ago wasn't loud, but both families knew about it. She was bringing this up to humiliate me and make me back off. Even if she didn't want Alex, she wouldn't let another girl have him easily. Stuart looked at my face, then at hers. His eyelashes fluttered as his deep voice echoed in the quiet room. "They don't look alike. Chloe has much better class." With just one sentence, Elena’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. She stared at him in disbelief. "Stuart… are you kidding me?" He answered calmly, perfectly polite. "Just an objective observation." Elena didn't dare snap at Stuart, so she could only grit her teeth and stomp over to Alex to vent. "Is Stuart blind? He actually said Chloe looks better than me!" "You guys tell me! Who’s prettier?!" The guys looked between us, their voices weak. "Well, Chloe is a dance major. Her posture is really..." Elena stomped her foot in anger. "You guys are all idiots!" Under the table, I kicked Stuart's leg. Was he trying to start a war for me?! They started playing a game of Truth or Dare with cards. Alex looked at Stuart. "It's just some simple party games. Want to join?" Stuart kept his eyes half-closed, looking bored. Then, he leaned slightly closer to me. His hot breath brushed against my neck, his deep, raspy voice sending shivers down my spine. "What about you, Chloe? Are you playing?" He took off his glasses. His deep, dark eyes caught mine, reflecting my flushed face. Under the table, his hand grabbed mine. Stuart slowly rubbed his thumb against my palm, his skin burning hot. I tried to pull my hand away, but he gripped it tighter, refusing to let go. Suddenly, someone dropped a card and leaned down to pick it up. Fearing we’d get caught, I yanked my hand back. My heart was pounding like crazy. Stuart’s face remained completely stoic. He parted his lips slightly. "If you play, I'll play." Fortunately, the lights in the booth were dim, so no one saw my burning red cheeks. I blindly grabbed a glass of water to gulp down, but Stuart’s hand quickly clamped around my wrist. "That's vodka." He took the glass away and poured me a cup of orange juice himself. "Drink this." "Wow, why are you so attentive to her?" Elena asked, her voice laced with jealousy. "Anyone would think you have a crush on Chloe." Stuart smiled but didn't answer. Alex quickly cut in. "What are you talking about? My brother has a girlfriend." "He’s probably just looking out for Chloe because she's shy." "Elena, don't talk nonsense." Alex had easily convinced himself. Yes, Stuart was famous for being a clean, cold businessman who never got involved with women. Having feelings for Chloe? Impossible. At that moment, Stuart’s large hand suddenly rested on my thigh, smoothing down the hem of my skirt that had ridden up. I looked up and met his dark, possessive eyes. He stared at me silently, his eyes dark with desire. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly looked away. The inner side of my thighs still ached slightly, and the love bites that were starting to fade felt like they were burning up again. Alex had no idea that the "girlfriend" Stuart had was me. Soon, the game turned in Elena's favor. She had her friends look at everyone’s cards, easily figuring out who had what. "I’m the King this round." Her mocking eyes locked onto me, a cruel smile on her lips. "I want Number 3 to slap Number 9 ten times. Hard. Consecutive slaps… if you pause, you start over." Elena wasn't joking. Instantly, everyone turned to look at me, waiting for the drama. Alex had already bragged about having card Number 3. And my fingers tightly gripped my card. Number 9. Chloe.

Seeing my pale face, Elena laughed out loud. She tilted her head, her voice sweet and toxic. "Alex, she’s your guest after all. If you can't bring yourself to do it, I can gladly do it for you." My card had definitely been swapped by the dealer under Elena's orders. She wanted to embarrass me to get her revenge. I looked at Alex with wide, innocent eyes. "Alex, this is a bit too much. Why do we have to resort to slapping people?" Elena slammed her glass onto the table. "Alex, your girl is such a party pooper." "Usually, everyone plays along. What, are you trying to make me look bad?" Alex knew Elena’s temper. If she wanted to humiliate me today, she wouldn't stop until she got her way. He looked at my hurt expression, then at the stubborn Elena. "Chloe is shy. Let's change the dare, Elena." Hearing Alex defend me, Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just slapping is boring anyway." She smiled like a snake. "Classmate Chloe is a dancer, right?" "Thirty-two fouetté turns should be a piece of cake for you, right? Do it on the table." She looked around the room, enjoying everyone’s shocked faces. "But, if you lose your balance and fall… or if you can't finish them, you lose." "If you lose, you have to get down on your knees, bark like a dog three times, and admit that you, a cheap rebound, aren't even worthy of dancing on stage." "So, Chloe, do you dare to play?" Even Alex frowned at this. Everyone could tell Elena was actively destroying my dignity. I looked up, forcing a look of fear and helplessness as I looked at Alex. "Alex, this is too much. This isn't even a game anymore." My weakness only fueled Elena's arrogance. She sneered, "If you can't play, don't come. Why act so pure?" "Alex, you have two choices. Either you drink these three glasses of neat vodka for her and we end our friendship, or… let her dance." Alex hesitated for a few seconds. Between Elena and me, I was obviously the easier one to sacrifice. "Chloe, just dance. I believe in you." My heart sank, but I almost wanted to laugh. "What if I can't do it?" I asked. If I failed, would he make me kneel and bark like a dog too? Just as he reached out to pull me up, I slowly flipped my card over, a smirk flashing in my eyes. "Though I’d love to dance, I have card Number 7." "Oh my gosh, whoever has Number 9 is so unlucky! They have to bark like a dog!" Since I wasn't Number 9, then… Everyone’s eyes instantly shifted to the corner. The man leaning against the leather sofa finally moved. Stuart slowly threw his card onto the table. He didn't look at Elena. Instead, he looked at me, his tone laced with a faint, dangerous amusement. "Wow, Elena, you've got some nerve. You want Alex to slap me ten times? Or do you want me to kneel and bark like a dog?" His voice was ice-cold, sending shivers down everyone's spines. Did they have a death wish? Slap Stuart? Who would dare? Elena scrambled to check my card. It was indeed a 7. Her face turned deathly pale. "How? I thought..." There was no way Stuart could have swapped cards with me. It had to be the dealer's mistake. Stuart stared at her coldly. "You thought what?" Elena didn't dare admit she had rigged the deck. She could only vent her anger on the "innocent" dealer. "Nothing..." Stuart pushed the three glasses of vodka toward Alex. His tone was absolute. "Drink." "And call yourself an Uber later." Alex looked at the three full glasses of high-proof alcohol, swallowing hard. "Stuart… I…" But the moment he met Stuart's dark, commanding eyes, the words died in his throat. Helpless, Alex closed his eyes and began to chug the alcohol. As he drank, a cold light flashed in my eyes. The moment I got my card, I felt a slight crease on the corner and secretly swapped it with Stuart when we touched hands. I had planned to leave peacefully. But now, there was no need to be nice.

Alex leaned in. "Chloe, I just didn't want us to fight because of me. I'm sorry you had to go through that." "Elena has always had a bad temper. If you want to be with me, you have to tolerate these things." Taking advantage of the dim light, I rolled my eyes. Elena was still looking for a chance to target me. But this time, both Alex and Elena fell into a trap. Someone suggested a couple's push-up game. Elena feigned annoyance at the guy who made the rule. "Oh my god~ my boyfriend is literally right here!" Even so, she didn't try to avoid it at all. She covered her face and lay down on the floor, ready. The guy smirked. "Doing it face-to-face is boring! You should do it the other way around!" Elena squealed and stomped her foot. "Ugh, you guys are too much!" Elena put on a high-pitched, fake voice, while her broke boyfriend’s face grew darker by the second. Before Alex started, he glanced at me. I was eating fruit, occasionally clapping along. I looked completely indifferent to the fact that he was about to get physically intimate with another woman. Alex walked over to me, explaining, "Chloe, it's just a game. If you mind, I won't do it." Everyone was waiting for me, the loyal puppy, to look devastated. Instead, I smiled brightly. "I don't mind at all. Go ahead." Alex’s eyebrows knitted together. "You're not jealous? You're just going to watch me touch another woman?" I replied calmly, "Didn't you say it's just a game?" "I can handle it." His expression turned complicated. "Right. It's just a game." My reaction was too calm. Usually, a girl who liked a guy would show some emotion, right? A seed of doubt planted in Alex’s mind, but it quickly vanished. Chloe was just too obedient. Girls like her were too easy to control. He’d make it up to her later. The game started, and the two of them ended up flushed and panting. Alex’s ears were red, and Elena looked thrilled. She didn't want to admit she was blushing, so she pushed Alex off her. "Enough! Alex, I told you to work out more. Are you trying to crush me to death?!" Alex sat up. "Elena, you're blushing. Didn't you say you'd never fall for me?" He looked mockingly at Elena's boyfriend. A month ago, this would have broken my heart. But now, it just looked childish. Soon, the bad luck of the card game fell on me again. This time, the dare came from another guy. "Either drink three glasses of vodka, or grab any guy in this room and hot kiss him for three minutes. Choose." Disgusting. I scanned the faces of the men. Alex looked annoyed. And Stuart sat there, expressionless. Everyone started chanting. "Alex, you gotta save your girl!" Alex picked up his glass but didn't drink. "Who else would she choose besides our Alex?" Just as I took a step forward, Elena and her boyfriend started screaming at each other over the push-up game. They slammed a glass, shattering it all over the floor. Crying hysterically, Elena pointed at the guy who was about to walk out. "Leave if you dare!" He gave her a cold look and slammed the door behind him. Elena collapsed to the floor, sobbing. Alex frowned and immediately rushed to her side. A smug smile flashed across his face. "See? I told you he wasn't right for you..." Slap! Elena swung her hand and slapped him hard across the face. The slap was so loud that even I winced at the red mark blooming on Alex's cheek. "You're happy to see us like this, aren't you?!" "If we break up, it's all your fault!" Being slapped in front of everyone made Alex snap. He grabbed her slender wrist. "How long are you going to degrade yourself for that loser?!" "Can't you see me?!" Alex’s eyes turned bloodshot. He grabbed her neck and kissed her brutally. It was a messy, heated kiss, and Elena melted in his arms. "You bastard!" She sobbed, pushed him away, and ran out. The room fell into complete chaos. At that exact moment, a warm scent of pine enveloped me, and a large hand cradled the back of my neck. Before I could react, Stuart pulled me into the dark corner of the hallway and kissed me. When it ended, I looked around in panic. Fortunately, no one saw us. Wait, actually, I saw one petrified face. It was one of Alex's friends. Stuart noticed his gaze. He slowly raised a finger to his lips, his eyes full of silent warning. The guy nodded frantically, watching us slip out of the lounge. Back in the booth, Alex wiped the blood from his lip. The room was dead silent. When he finally snapped out of it, he looked around for me. "Where’s Chloe?"