Filed to story: The Billionaire’s Replacement Wife (River & Noah) Novel Online Free
River walked up to the stage and nodded at Kenny.
Kenny left to invite the journalists inside.
In less than 10 minutes, the journalists arrived at the banquet hall. They looked at River standing alone on the stage in astonishment.
Someone asked, “Is Mr. De Marco not here, Ms. Healy?”
“Is Mr. De Marco not coming to his engagement party today?”
River glanced at the journalists. “Please calm down and take a seat, everyone. I will explain shortly.”
The journalists sat down in succession.
River composed herself and said, “Firstly, I’m very sorry for having everyone come here in vain today. It’s supposed to be our engagement party, but Noah won’t be coming. The reason is personal and lies with me.”
Kenny, Neil, and the others were shocked to hear that.
Kenny exclaimed, “What is River doing? Why Is she putting the blame on herself?”
Neil’s usually gentle expression turned colder.
Greta and Thomas sighed.
Liora was angry. “I don’t like Daddy anymore!”
Tyler kept quiet.
Axel sighed. “What will Daddy think when he sees this…”
The journalists made a commotion for a while before voicing their questions.
“Ms. Healy, may I ask what your personal issue is that led to Mr. De Marco’s refusal to attend?”
“Ms. Healy, did you do something that offended Mr. De Marco?”
“Ms. Healy, so is your marriage completely off now?”
River stated, “It’s not for the reasons you might think. He went abroad because of an unintentional comment I made.”
“What did you say, Ms. Healy?”
River appeared shy as she said, “I mentioned that the engagement seems so rushed that we didn’t have time to get an engagement ring. He traveled abroad this morning to order a ring because of my comment, and he can’t make it back in time due to a flight delay now.
“I’m very sorry about this. I believe he will be able to give everyone a proper closure in a few days.”
The journalists looked at each other in puzzlement. They were doubtful about River’s explanation.
The woman chuckled, then looked up, meeting River’s eyes.
River’s body tensed as she saw the woman’s eyes.
‘Daniella? How did she suddenly show up here?‘ River wondered.
Daniella stared at River with bloodshot eyes filled with intense resentment. Slowly, she put her hand in her pocket and spoke in a voice audible only to River. “Will you die, River?”
Immediately, she pulled out a gun and aimed it at River’s chest.
River’s eyes widened in shock.
“River!” Neil’s anxious voice echoed from a nearby area.
“G! Move away!” Kenny rushed to River swiftly.
“Mommy!” The three children’s voices rang out, but they couldn’t react as fast as Daniella pulled the trigger.
A loud bang echoed as the bullet penetrated River’s chest.
Lucas and Alex stood up in shock after witnessing the scene.
Soon afterward, Daniella pulled the trigger again, shooting River in the chest once more.
Her white gown was instantly stained red.
The scene erupted in shock and chaos.
Kenny and Neil rushed toward River swiftly, and the bodyguards ran over to restrain Daniella.
“Hahaha! You’re definitely going to die, River!” Daniella laughed frantically. “You deserve to die! Would I have been imprisoned if it weren’t for you? Would I be humiliated by Noah? Would I have endured the De Marcos‘ wrongful treatment? I want you to die with me! You don’t deserve happiness!”
Daniella’s words kept echoing in River’s ears. As she collapsed, enduring the pain in her chest, she saw Daniella’s terrifying, frantic expression.
She shakingly asked, “Why… are you doing this?”
Daniella sneered. “You deserve to die! Hahaha! You’re so foolish! Do you believe everyone around you truly cares? You’re an idiot! In fact, the greatest harm is right beside you! You know him-“
Before Daniella could finish, a loud noise echoed through the banquet hall.
Blood spurted from Daniella’s temple.
Her eyes instantly lost their shine as she collapsed to the ground, staring blankly.
The crowd looked around, wondering who had shot Daniella.
Neil did not pay much attention to that as he ran to River in a panic.
His body shook uncontrollably at the sight of River’s upper body drenched in blood and her face turning pale.
River’s gaze drifted away gradually, and Neil’s words became distant echoes.
“Mommy!” Liora’s heart–wrenching cries resonated. “Mommy! Don’t leave me, Mommy!”
River’s eyes teared up.
The wind carried Liora’s cries to her ears.
River pondered, ‘Why would I leave the children behind? I won’t. I’ll wait for Noah’s return and witness the children grow old. I’ll hold on.”
A man at a corner massaged his temples after witnessing the earlier scene. He thought, ‘Why did I panic when I saw her being shot?‘
An uneasy feeling gripped him as if something slipped out of his control.
He reassured himself he wouldn’t feel this way again–it was time to part ways.
He looked away, turned, and left.
Meanwhile, Yuliana spotted a familiar figure in a corner of the banquet hall. She took two glances and hurriedly chased after the figure as if recalling something.
Neil called Kenny on his way to the hospital after leaving with River. He instructed Kenny to strictly follow River’s wishes and ensure that all media outlets block news of tonight’s incident.
Kenny took on the task. After settling everything and completing records with the police, he joined Thomas, Greta, and the children.
Thomas and Greta comforted the concerned children.
Approaching Kenny, Alex, and Lucas, Greta said, “Kenny, Tom and I plan to check on River at the hospital.”
Kenny’s expression was solemn. “Let’s go together. Things here are almost settled, and someone will take over for me.”
Thomas and Greta nodded and left with the children.
Kenny, Lucas, and Alex walked outside.
Alex said, “Lucas, inform Noah about the incident.”
“Ah, sure-“
“No!” Lucas accepted the task, but Kenny interrupted coldly. “River insisted that Noah must not be informed about this!”
Alex said angrily, “So, are we going to hide it from Noah?”
Lucas said, “This isn’t fair for Noah! Moreover, there’s no telling if River will make it now. Do you want “What do you mean by ‘what should we do? Let’s go with Kenny’s suggestion!” Alex shot him a displeased look.
Lucas asked, “Alright. Shall we go to the hospital now?”
“Yes!”
The incident tonight didn’t make it to any media platform due to their efforts.
Meanwhile, River was in surgery.
Thomas and Greta arrived with the children to find Neil shaking. He squatted in front of the operating theater, covered in blood.
“Uncle Neil…” Liora walked over and said, “Mommy is going to be alright, right? Mommy’s surgery will be successful, right?”
Neil looked up to see Liora, Tyler, and Axel, sensing intense empathy and bitterness as he saw the children’s reddened eyes.
“Yes!” Neil said with determination.
He held Liora in his arms and reassured her, “She’s going to be fine!”
Liora clutched Neil’s top tightly and sobbed softly.
Thomas asked, “Neil, how long has River been inside? Has the doctor come out to say anything?”
Neil shook his head. “Other than the consent form, the doctor didn’t get me to sign anything else. It has been an hour since.”
Neil loosened his hug on River, stood upright, and looked at Thomas. “Uncle, did they catch anyone from the hotel?”
Thomas shook his head. “However, we’ve already instructed the media to block the news. Neil, River…”
“Uncle Tom and Aunt Greta, don’t worry too much about this matter. Please take care of River when she is out of surgery. As for the mastermind, I’ll do everything possible to capture them!”
Greta said, “Don’t worry, Neil. We’ll take care of River and the children.”
“Hmm.”
Standing next to Thomas and Greta, Tyler stared closely at the red light indicator of the operating theater.
Tyler thought, ‘Even though we don’t know who the mastermind is, Daniella’s gun is the key to solving all problems! I won’t spare the mastermind, and I’m going to avenge Mommy!‘
Axel’s expression was unusually cold. “Ty.”
Tyler turned and said, “Go ahead.”
“Do you still remember what Daniella said before she died?” Axel sounded unusually calm.
However, his presence was as hostile as Tyler’s.
Tyler pondered briefly before he said, “I don’t remember. My attention was fixed on Mommy at the time.”