Chapter 1 This Is All You're Worth

• Morning light filtered through the curtains.
• Natalie Shepherd awoke, her body aching as if her bones were disintegrating.
• The night before, after discovering her boyfriend's infidelity, she sought solace in a bar, drowning her sorrows in alcohol. In a moment of impulsiveness, she had called for a male escort.
• But the experience was a far cry from what she had expected. The man was rough and inconsiderate, ignoring her pleas for him to stop and keeping her up all night.
• Who treats a paying customer like this? Especially considering it was her first time ... couldn't he have shown a little more tenderness?
• As she finished dressing, the "male escort" stirred awake.
• Natalie was prepared to give him a scathing review, but before she could speak, he uttered coldly, "Leave."
• Wait ... What?
• Confused and offended, Natalie wondered if this was how a customer should be treated!
• However, she didn't want to waste time arguing. She pulled out her phone to transfer the payment. "How much for the night?"
• Isaac Foster's expression remained unchanged. This woman had practically thrown herself at him in the nightclub, and now she was talking about money.
• It was to be expected, he supposed.
• Given that it was her first time, he settled on a figure. "Seventy thousand dollars?"
• Natalie's jaw nearly hit the floor. Was he joking? Did he think he was made of diamonds? How dare he demand such an amount?
• "Are you out of your mind?" she retorted.
• Isaac frowned slightly, misinterpreting her reaction as dissatisfaction with the price. "How about one hundred fifty thousand dollars?"
• "You're insane! I'm reporting you to your agency! A male escort like you will be out of a job in three days!"
• Trying to scam her? No way! She slipped on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and stormed towards the door.
• At the threshold, she turned back, retrieved a coin from her bag, and tossed it onto the bed with a disdainful flick of her wrist. "Terrible service! This is all you're worth!"
• The door slammed shut behind her, and only then did Isaac Martinez realise she had mistaken him for a call boy!
• A male escort?!
• She wasn't asking for money; she was trying to pay him ...
• His eyes fell upon a brooch that had tumbled out of her bag. Isaac bent down to pick it up, along with the coin, his grip so tight that his knuckles whitened.
• He dialed his assistant, his voice cold and menacing. "Find out everything about that woman from last night."
• "Sure, President. What are you planning to do?"
• "I want her ... " A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. "Completely ruined!"
• ...
• Returning to the Shepherd residence, Natalie was met with a harsh reality.
• "Smack!"
• The sound of her father's slap echoed through the entryway.
• Seething with rage, Philbert Shepherd pointed an accusing finger at her. "You shameless girl, where have you been all night?"
• "I ... "
• Natalie was stunned, caught off guard.
• "The wedding is in an hour! We've been worried sick waiting for you!"
• However ...
• Natalie retorted, "I'm not the bride, why wait for me?"
• "Your sister has disappeared! And since you two look identical, you're taking her place!"
• It became clear that Philbert's concern wasn't for her well-being after a night out.
• "Are you joking?"
• Natalie's anger flared, the situation ludicrous.
• How could something as significant as a marriage be so easily substituted?
• "Enough with the nonsense! If I tell you to marry, you marry! Don't you want your grandmom to receive her treatment?"
• Grandmom?
• "What are you gonna do to her?" Natalie's voice was laced with fear.
• No one could harm my grandmom!
• "If you don't want anything to happen to her, then do as you're told!"
• The threat against her grandmom, Melissa Todd, silenced Natalie. She had no choice but to comply.
• Hastily dressed in an ill-fitting wedding gown, with no time for makeup, Natalie was veiled and ushered into the wedding venue.
• But the Foster family had expected Ella Shepherd. Natalie knew she would be despised as an imposter.
• Not only did she endure the ceremony alone, but even after several days of marriage, she hadn't glimpsed her groom's face.
• Her husband had been absent from the wedding and hadn't returned home since, a clear indication of his disdain for her.