Secret Wife, Real Billionaire

Chapter 42 Urgent date

RENEE

| frowned, “What are you talking about?”

“Of course | already know that you aren't related to Naomi and | also know you take her as your

Grandmother.Catherine told her that you tied the knot with Marcelo because of her. After getting married, you

becMarcelo’s slave, a laughingstock in the social circul Naomi, all anxious, rushed to see you.”

Andrew’s words slithered in, injecting venom into my heart and squeezing the air out of me.

“Renee, the truth is, you hurt Naomi!!

Andrew had soughtout for this very reason, he knew what had happened from the start. It was no

coincidence that he cdriving around KM Group knowing | would crunning out and that | would need a

ride.

Otherwise, how could there have been such a coincidental encounter where | happened to bump into him?

My lips quivered as | asked, “How... How could Catherine stoop so low?”

Naomi didn’t deserve this!Naomi had also taken good care of Catherine.

Even if their ties weren't tight, Catherine shouldn’t have been so cruel to an elderly woman.

In a sudden epiphany, | recalled Catherine's phone call.

Catherine hoped that | would regret what | had done.

Little did | expect that she would harm an elderly woman.

“Renee, we both know why you married Marcelo,” Andrew continued, reveling in my disarray. “You were

compelled to marry that loser to square off the Hudson family’s debt.”

| stared up at him,angrily.

“True, | was compelled, “I retorted, finding the situation absurd. “And where were you when | was being pushed

into wedlock by the Hudson family? Busy bedding another woman!”

Forced or not, Marcelo was a far better choice than this scoundrel.

*MARCELO*

A few meters away, at the corner.

| observed Renee with my cousin, or rather, with her ex-fiancé, holding hands!

What the hell!

So, Renee wasn't just pressured into marrying me,she also had her heart broken by Andrew’s infidelity.

Renee marriedout of necessity, not deserving to be treated like this.

1 turned around and left.

Luke was waiting forby the car.

Seeingdescending, Luke rushed over. “Mr. King, it’s only been ten minutes. Why the hasty exit? Where is Mrs

King?”

Luke glanced over my shoulder as he spoke, but he obviously didn’t see Rence. Shut up! Don’t talk about her to

me! “I snapped as | got into my Maybach.

+25 BONUS

Luke felt that there was a problem with the atmosphere and refrained from saying anything further

Upon hearing about Renee’s hospital visit, Marcelo swiftly left the party and hurried over, even though he was

already near the banquet hall gate.

This was the first tLuke saw him ditching an engagement for

a woman last minute.

As a result, Marcelo took a trip to the in-patient department, and now he was all fired up.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

Luke couldn't put his finger on what set Marcelo off, but he sensed it had something to do with Renee.

When Marcelo’s temper flared, he wore this stone-cold expression, the quiet before the storm. Yet, as Luke

edged closer, he could feel the stifling gloom surrounding Marcelo.

“Renee, I've told you Marcelo’s a no-go. You can only count on me,” Andrew proclaimed, tilting his head and

expecting Renee to cave in.

“Letbe!"!

With her icy, razor-sharp gaze, Renee untangled Andrew's fingers, one by one.

“Don’t you want to save Naomi?” Andrew gawked at Rence in disbelief.

Saving Naomi was undoubtedly on Renee’s agenda, but that didn’t mean she’d be at Andrew’s beck and call.

“You want to share a bed with me?“Renee suddenly chuckled, saying, “Head to the riverbank bushes at night

and check if the toads there resemble you.”

“Renee, you're asking for trouble.Ctowhile I'm asking nicely!”

Andrew couldn’t believe that Renee had the audacity to compare him to a toad.

He snarled, “Alright, be stubborn. Just wait for your grandma's final curtain call!”

After Andrew stormed off, Renee promptly called Rocco.

For the moment, Renee kept Catherine out of the loop. Instead, she briefed Rocco directly on Naomi’s situation,

hoping Rocco could talk ssense into Andrew.

But Rocco’s response was curt. “Life and death follow their own script. That woman is too fucking old. Who

operates on her doesn’t matter. Besides, surgery might not be a silver bullet. No need to waste money on

Renee got it.

For Rocco, this wasn’t a sweet deal. He was not yet Andrew's father-in-law. If he pulled a favor card now, it

wouldn't bode well for future favor negotiations with Andrew.

That was Rocco, a man driven by profit.

Renee stayed up outside the ward all night. The air dried her rain-soaked clothes and hair, leaving her looking a

tad disheveled.

+25 BONUS

She didn’t want to bow to that scoundrel Andrew, but she couldn’t stand by and watch Naomi fade

away.

The next day, the attending doctor approached Renee with two business cards. “Miss, aside from Professor Wells,

you have two other options, Adrian King and Wyatt Moore. Both are Professor Wells prized pupils, but Wyatt

booked for surgery unill next year. Getting an appointinent with him is a tall order.

Renee squeezed her eyes shut, a headache looming

These options weren't anything close to what she wanted.

Adrian was Andrew's cousin, fully under Andrew’s thunb.

Wyatt, on the other hand, was Damian’s big brother and the heir to the Moore’s family.

Andrew must have tipped off Adrian. If Andrew wasn’t on board, Adrian wouldn't lift a finger for Naomi. As for

Wyatt, he was a top-notch brain surgeon.

Renee trusted Wyatt's medical skills more.

But...

Renee and Wyatt weren't exactly bosom buddies. What was worse, she had been locking horns with Damian and

clashed with him during their last encounter. The source of their last tiff? A dice fiasco.

Now, the only glimmer of hope lay in Marcelo. Only he could pull it.

Without wasting a heartbeat, Renee wanted to call Marcelo, it struck her then that she hadn’t saved his number.

Luckily, she had Luke’s number.

“Mrs. King “The call was quickly connected.

“Is Marcelo around? | have something pressing to talk about with him. Is he available?” Renee asked,urgently.

Luke shot a quick glance at the lone drinker on the sofa not too far off.

It seemed Marcelo wasn’t too keen on a chat.

After a moment's pause, Luke said, “Hold on a second.”

He covered the receiver, sauntered over, and murmured, “Mr. King, Mrs. King wants a word with you.”

“Tell her to fuck off!” Marcelo’s smirked, downing a glass of whisky.

Could she hunt him down whenever she pleased?

Marcelo smacked his lips, recalling Renee holding Andrews hand the previous night.

Luke had little choice but to convey the message. “Mrs. King, Mr. King is tied up right now.” The reason for Luke

keeping Rence on hold earlier was pretty clear-Marcelo had turned her down.

Renee's rapport with Marcelo had been on the mend a few days ago, but now, the tables had turned. She was

left wondering what she had done to ruffle Marcelo’s feathers.

They had been getting along well.

Then it hit her-she stood Marcelo up on their styling appointment from the day before. Unbelievably, it seemed

he was holding a grudge about it!

“Could you tellwhere Marcelo is? | can wait if he’s occupied,” Renee pleaded.

Nana's situation was urgent.

Luke hesitated, then after a brief pause, gave an address. “Dove Island.”

Dove Island, an artificial construct set amidst a lake in Critport, was known for its lavish expenses. It boasted

facilities for horse racing, golf, spas, racing, discos, and more.

The island’s most notorious feature was its extravagant club, surpassing, even Venue Bar in opulence and

decadence.

Guided by Luke's directions, Renee located the VIP room.

As she entered, the wild party scene overwhelmed her. The room was crowded with men and women, including

Jason who had just cback from his business trip and Damian, reminding her of the lavish party at Venus Bar.

The difference was, on that night, Marcelo was beside her, without any other women.

Renee had once believed the rumors of Marcelo’s aloof nature.

But now, he was flanked by two women, one elegant and refined, the other alluring and sensual, both from high-

ranking families.

One was pouring him a drink; the other whispered in his ear. Upon Renee's arrival, everyone turned in surprise.

“So, it’s Miss Hudson who intrudes without a clue,” the refined woman remarked with a tone of derision

Renee ignored the sarcasm, focusing on Marcelo. “I need to speak with you. Are you available?”

Her breathlessness indicated she had rushed here.

Murmurs spread through the crowd, with someone whispering, “Looks like Renee really set her sights on Mr.

King.”

Marcelo responded with a mocking-smile.

The elegant woman taunted, “Miss Hudson, aren't you observant? Can't you see Mr. King is occupied?”

Suddenly recalling something, the woman's curiosity piqued. “Wait, weren't you once engaged to Andrew? And

now you're approaching Mr. King...Goodness!”

Before she could say more,Marcelo abruptly picked up a crystal glass from the table and smashed it near her

feet, startling everyone.

“Fuck off!” he spat disdainfully.

What a sharp-tongued bitch!

The woman, shaken, quickly stepped back, confused about how she had provoked Marcelo.

Among the crowd, only Jason and Luke knew the full story: Renee was not just Andrew's ex-fiancée, but also

Marcelo’s current wife.

The woman's comments were perilously close to crossing a line.

“Mr. King, if you're busy, | can wait outside. I'll stay as long as necessary.” Renee maintained her composure,

ignoring the cutting remarks.

This was a rare instance of humility from her, unseen in the past two decades.

The room fell into an uneasy silence. Everyone's eyes were on Marcelo, his expression dark and unreadable.

Renee’s audacity in confronting Marcelo was unusual.

Anyone who knew him understood his temper was not to be tested lightly.

“Just enjoy our fun,” Marcelo ordered coldly.

The others exchanged glances, quickly acting as If Renee hadn't appeared. Sdeftly shifted the conversation,

and the lively atmosphere soon resumed.

Jason, not deeply involved in their social circle, quietly asked Damian, “Does Alyssa have a history with

Marcelo’s... uh, Renee?”

Damian nodded. “Back in school, people often said Alyssa was just a poor copy of Renee. Imagine the

resentment.” Alyssa Ramsey was the dignified lady in question.

Jason, sensing something more, looked at Damian quizzically. “Damian, why do | get the feeling you're quite

familiar with Rence?”

Damian, momentarily thrown off by Jason’s inquisitive look, regained his composure. “We've always been at

odds since high school. It is said that knowing your enemy well ensures victory. So, naturally, I'm familiar with

her.”

Jason simply replied with a “Yeah,” not pressing further. He then leaned towards Marcelo, whispering, wife's

outside waiting.” He subtly nodded towards the door!

“four

Marcelo, after finishing his whiskey, looked up and noticed Renee's silhouette standing outside.

Her figure was slender and poised, radiating a dignified air even from a distance.

Yet, here she was, seeking assistance.

Around the room, the party continued superficially, but many couldn’t help stealing glances outside, particularly

the men, their gazes almost lingering.

Minutes later, to everyone's surprise, Marcelo’s wheelchair headed towards the exit.

“Mr. King?” someone called, but Marcelo didn’t respond.

His wheelchair continued outside, and Renee caught up, asking, “Marcelo, where are you going?”

He moved through a private hallway, heading up to the third floor, away from the disco’s pounding music and

lively atmosphere.

The third floor was serene, with only the soft sound of footsteps on the carpet.

Reaching a room, Marcelo appeared impatient with Renee’s pace. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her inst

Renee stumbled and fell onto the carpet.

The door slammed shut with a resounding bang.

“Marcelo, you...”

Renee began, but before she could finish; Marcelo, no longer in his wheelchair, grasped her chin, forcing her to

meet his gaze.

A wave of frustration washed over her, yet she remembered her purpose for being there.

5/6

Renee inhaled deeply, striving to remain composed. “Marce not showing up. There's a significant reason |

needed to see

“Urgent issue?” Marcelo cut her off.

His smile was tinged with mockery. “Urgent date with Andr

Renee inhaled deeply, striving to remain composed. “Marcelo, | had an urgent issue last night, and I'm sorry for

not showing up. There's a significant reason | needed to see Wyatt, and I...”

“Urgent issue?” Marcelo cut her off.

His smile was tinged with mockery. “Urgent date with Anderw?”