The Substitute Bride

"I will go home later. You can leave," Sheryl replied absentmindedly, struggling to hide her emotions. She focused her gaze on the screen to distract herself.

However, Isla thought that Sheryl was acting strange. 'Even when she was busy with her work, she never spoke to me this way.'

Isla decided to talk to her instead of going home. She closed the door and took a seat in front of Sheryl who was pretending to focus on work. With a concerned look, she said, "What's going on, Sher? If you have something on your mind, you can share it with me. I will always be here for you."

Sheryl shifted her gaze from the screen to her friend. Gazing into Isla's sincere eyes, she didn't know how to mention all that had been happening.

Each time she tried to tell her about the photos, words froze on her lips.

'If Isla learned about it, she would go straight to Charles and reason with him regardless of my opposition.

The situation might go out of my control.

I might end up in a weird situation with Charles, ' Sheryl mused.

"I am all right, Isla. I'm just a little worn out. After I take care of the rest of this work, I will go straight home and get some good sleep. You'd better head home too," Sheryl said with a faint smile.

She hoped that her lie would convince Isla. That way, she wouldn't confront Charles.

"Are you really okay?" Isla asked, raising a brow in doubt. But when she looked at Sheryl's sincere face, she believed her words.

"Yes. If you don't have any appointment tonight, you can stay here and work extra hours with me. What do you say?" Sheryl asked deliberately as she sensed that Isla had begun to buy her story.

"I don't think so. My daughter is waiting to have dinner with me at home. Help yourself. I am not interested in playing with you here," Isla replied, shaking her head with a grin. 'I was buried in wor

s me that she is still hiding things from me. No matter what it is, shouldn't she share it with me so that we can face it together?

Why did Sheryl decide to keep this to herself?' he mused, frustrated inside.

Sheryl was upset for her own reasons, and so was Charles.

It would be difficult for a man if he was being neglected by the woman he cared about the most. And few in Charles' shoes could keep calm and not complain at a time like this.

Dejected as he was, he had faith in Sheryl. 'Maybe if I give her some time, she might think it over and fill me in on what happened.

I have been so nice to her that even our friends can feel the love I have for her. She is not a fool. She will learn to trust me and open her heart to me, ' he reflected.

"I'm fine. Are you coming home tonight?" Sheryl asked gingerly. She shut her eyes to prevent the tears from falling. 'Now that he has chosen to see another woman, why would he be interested in my business?

Is he calling me because he still cares about me? Or is he doing this out of guilt?' she wondered with a troubled look.

She didn't have answers for her own questions. And she was afraid to think further into it, lest she find the answers which might break her heart.