The Substitute Bride

"After all the conversations, you just don't want to be with me, do you?" A sarcastic smile was etched on George's face as he probed something out of Holley.

Holley's face took on an unnatural expression when she heard George's question. She stared at his angry face and felt slightly flustered. She immediately walked toward him and held his hand before she made an explanation. "George, please calm down. That is not what I mean."

She then gave him a wry smile as she continued to squeeze his hand. "What I mean is..." Her voice faltered. Then catching his gaze, she earnestly pleaded, "We have to separate from each other temporarily. When you gain a firm foothold in the company, your mother will no longer have the energy to meddle with us. When that time comes, and we still want to be together, then so be it! There will be a lot of opportunities for us by then."

Holley then tried lacing their fingers together. "I know how you feel at this moment. But George, please trust me, I even feel more heartbroken than you. Right now, the most important thing for us is not our love. Do you understand?"

"So what you are saying is that when I gain my footing in BM Corporation, you will come back to me, right? Is that what you exactly mean?" George stared at Holley indifferently and said in apparent disbelief.

"Of course," Holley nodded agreeably as she gave her commitment. She then briefly added, "George, I think you should understand how deeply I am in love with you. But given those things happened at such hard times..." She paused eyeing him tenderly. "I feel like I am overwhelmed. I am kind of confused of these mixed feelings. But I promise you, I will wait here until you come back and be with me again."

"I can't believe my ears. You still keep lying to me at this point." George curved his lips into a sardonic smile. "Wait for me?" he probed as he watched her. "I think you only want to get the money and the company. Soon after, you will discard me outright. Is that so?"

George stood there unblinking, staring hard at Holley and gauging her reactions with his cold eyes. "Holley, never did I imagine that I would be a person who could understand you the least. You disgust me."

"George, what do you mean by that?" Holley's?face suddenly?got pale as if her blood had been drained out of her. She forcefully pu

a place with fascinating mountains and rivers. We are both capable. More likely, we will succeed."

"What do you mean by that?" George was confused, and he stared hard at her. When the meaning of her words dawned on him, he was fuming mad. "So everything you promised me earlier are all lies? You just want the money!"

"No, please let me finish my words." A wry smile escaped Holley. She started speaking out her plan. "What I mean is that we must pretend to break up and then get the money. And we will not have to worry about our future together. Do you understand?"

"No way!" George adamantly refused. "All you need to do is to trust me. Even without this money, I can assure you that you will live a good life. I am more than capable. And I can support you. And regarding this money, we cannot accept it at all," George expressed assertively, clearly defining his attitude.

"Even if I can wait for you," she softly countered, "the child in my belly can't." Holley declared as she forced one corner of her mouth into a wry smile.

"What… what did you say?" George stammered. And he couldn't believe his ears. He was stunned. He stood motionless, stared at Holley in shock and then asked nervously, "You are pregnant? Really?"

"Yes…" Holley answered guiltily. She was so desperate that she had to tell this lie. But she had no other choice. She was trapped in a dilemma just now. She must get that money by any means.

Holley pulled George's hand on her belly and uttered in mock helplessness, "George, we have no other option at this point…"