The Substitute Bride

Sheryl and Charles headed upstairs. As they made their way to the bedroom, Sheryl didn't see any sign of Melissa and wondered if she went out.

As they finally closed the bedroom door behind them, Sheryl couldn't take her curiosity anymore. She decided to go back down and ask Nancy where Melissa was. As soon as she turned around to go, however, Charles stopped her by grabbing her hand.

Sheryl turned around and wondered why Charles stopped her until she saw the flirtatious look on Charles' face.

"Honey, we haven't seen each other for a week. Don't you miss me?" he asked soulfully.

Sheryl was immediately mesmerized by Charles' handsome face and the way he talked to her made her heart skip a beat. It didn't take long to return to her senses. Charles expected to receive a flirty look back, but he only received an angry stare.

'How can this guy still be in the mood to flirt with me? I'm already in big trouble. Leila is still in the hospital, and God only knows if her operation will be successful. I am totally not in the mood to deal with him right now, ' Sheryl whined in her own mind.

Charles noticed this and begged in a sweet voice, "Honey..." He gave Sheryl a pitiful look before he fluttered his long eyelashes.

Sheryl looked at him for a moment. 'What should I do to this man?' Finally, she heaved a deep sigh and gave in. She moved closer and touched his well-structured face. Narrowing her eyes, she whispered, "Charles, I'm really worried..."

"I know, darling. I know." Charles then grabbed her hand which was on his face, placed it near his lips, and kissed it. He looked Sheryl in the eye and promised earnestly, "Don't worry. I will take care of this."

Charles then wrapped his arms around Sheryl, receiving an embrace back from her. His words and being in his arms made Sheryl's anxiety slightly fade away. As she was about to say something, her eyes widened as she heard children's voices downstairs.

Sheryl pulled back and looked at Charles with a huge smile before she exclaimed in joy, "Clark and Shirley are back!"

Sheryl immediately rushed out of the bedroom with Charles following after her. "Watch the stairs, honey."

Sheryl smiled and waved at him to hurry up. Before she could use the stairs, she noticed Melissa coming her way.

Both of them exchanged glances. Sheryl detected the repulsion and schadenfreude in her eyes.

She had no idea when her mother-in-law started to be hostile towards or why she even acted that way towards her. She felt that Melissa's aversion and hostility towards her had increased.

Sheryl pretended to be oblivious of her provocation. She smiled at Melissa and greeted, "Mom!"

Melissa scoffed and made no response. There was no point in hiding that she despised Sheryl and how she never deserved any of her respect, since his son wasn't around anyway.

Melissa's negative reponse didn't faze Sheryl even a bit for she was already used to the way Melissa treated her. Still with the smile on her face, she continued to head towards the stairs.

As they walked past each other, Melissa whispered, "This ti

It happened so fast that Sheryl did not have time to react, because the next second, Melissa's body was rolled down the wooden stairs.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Melissa stopped at the end of stairs, lying down unmoving.

Sheryl froze. Her right hand still stuck in mid-air as she watched Melissa roll down the stairs with a blank expression.

Sheryl was lost for any reaction as she was left there aghast by the situation in front of her.

"Mom!" Charles bellowed in a husky voice and dashed downstairs.

Sheryl managed to slowly look up and saw the dark look on Charles' face. As he ran past her, he bumped into her, causing her body to fall on one side and lose her balance.

The impact of Charles' bump would have sent Sheryl down the stairs as well if she hadn't been able to hold on to the railing.

After managing to stand, with a tremble in her body, she turned and saw Charles holding Melissa. Her eyes opened wide as she saw blood, dripping from Melissa's head.

"Nancy, call an ambulance!" Charles shouted before turning to raise his trembling hand and touch his mother's face. Fear and panic were written all over his face as he caressed his mother. In a hoarse voice, he whispered, "Mom, stay with me. Mom. Say something. I can't lose you. Hold on, Mom. Mom!"

Melissa blinked slowly. She rolled her eyes up and gave her son a quick look. She then struggled to raise her hand and pointed at the terrified Sheryl on the stairs. "Sheryl... Sheryl Xia… pushed... me..." Melissa managed to utter these words, going on with the plan she had came up with.

Charles' eyes dilated in shock and disbelief.

Sheryl wondered what Melissa could have uttered, but after seeing Melissa pointing at her, her face started to turn bloodless with fear and panic.

'I…I d-did nothing. I…I s-swear. I d-didn't p-push her. I d-didn't!' Sheryl explained in her head.

Sheryl hoped that Charles wouldn't believe Melissa as she slowly turned her gaze towards him. She knew it was the end for her as soon as she saw that his eyes held so many different emotions.