The Substitute Bride

Sheryl walked towards Nancy's hospital bed. As she approached, her mind was filled with a lot of hesitation. With a soft smile, Sheryl asked, "How are you, Nancy? Are you feeling any better?" Sheryl's voice was low with a tinge of guilt. She gazed at the soothing smile on Nancy's face and felt the sting in her heart once again for having suspected her for the abduction of the kids.

"I'm fine. The doctor came by and said I would get better soon. All I need is a good rest for a couple of days. I know you are too busy these days. Thank you for dropping by," Nancy replied politely.

She had learnt about Clark's and Shirley's abduction. When she thought of the two kids, she felt guilty.

She had failed to protect them, after all. If anything bad had happened to them, she could never have been able to forgive herself for the rest of her life.

"You are being too formal to me, Nancy. I'm glad to hear that you are getting better," Sheryl said with a slight smile. She understood why Nancy suddenly turned so formal and courteous.

"She needs to stay here for another two days. If everything is okay with her, she will be released." A nursing assistant who was responsible for attending to Nancy came in with a tray in her hands. She gazed at Nancy tenderly and then turned towards Sheryl. When she spoke, the joy in her voice touched both Nancy and Sheryl with a lot of positivity.

"That's good," Sheryl observed with relief. "After you are discharged from the hospital, please go home and take some rest. When you feel that you are absolutely fit, you can join back to work."

"I will. Thank you, Sher," Nancy expressed her gratitude again. Every time Nancy thanked Sheryl or expressed concern about the kids, Sheryl could not help feeling guilty. "Did those bad guys get caught?" Nancy sounded concerned. 'Now that the kids have been rescued, the kidnappers should be arrested and the main criminal who was behind all this should also be put behind bars and punished, ' she thought.

"Yes. They had taken the mastermind behind the abduction under police custody. But his companions are still on the run," Sheryl blurted out the fact.

"So not all the bad guys got arrested?" Nancy asked with disappointment. Nancy's face grew grim as she thought of the culprits roaming free. But considering the case was closed since the prime culprit had been put behind bars, she was much relieved. Drawing a smile, she continued, "At least the one who organized the crime got busted."

"Don't worry, Nancy. The kidnappers will be arrested very soon. None of them will be able to get away with it

les had a very clear intuition about what was going on.

Rachel, on the other hand, was seething in anger. She could not accept her failure. Besides, Charles had humiliated her on purpose which had infuriated her all the more. Hence she had planned to take all the clients away from Shining Company.

Shining Company was the biggest enterprise in the industry, so every big and small organization wanted to partner with them. However, the advent of Tarsan Corporation was posing a befitting competition to them. The monopoly of Shining Company was challenged as the clients had nothing to lose even if they did not work with them.

Charles was aware of all the changing dynamics in the industry as well as the reason behind the changes. He was sure that Tarsan Corporation had its hand behind the long business associations of Shining Company falling apart.

At the same time, he knew Rachel very well. She was extremely adroit in manipulating and bribing the clients for her own benefit. If she hadn't whored herself out to them, the clients would not have had the nerve to go against Shining Company.

He despised the unethical business practices that Rachel employed in order to get her way out. It was intolerable for him to withstand her audacity to steal his clients.

'I can't let her get what she wants. She thought her company could replace mine with those dirty business practices. It's ridiculous! I will show her who the real boss is!' he thought.

"David, call up Silver Corporation's CEO Lance. Tell him that I want to see him. And ask him when he is free for the meeting," Charles instructed. His voice was hoarse and hardly capable to suppress the anxiety.

David was stunned at the sound of his boss' voice.