The Substitute Bride

Despite everything that had happened, Sheryl still did not want to give up. She was determined to visit Charles' mother in the hope of moving her heart even just the tiniest bit. Even though she was aware that the chances of Melissa putting aside her hatred towards her was slim, she was still convinced to give it a shot. Otherwise, if she chose to give up, then it would already be impossible for her to live a happy life with her husband and their children. That was one reason. The other was because she wanted Charles to know that she was sincerely and truly cared and worried about Melissa's well-being.

With an insulated lunch box in hand, Sheryl walked past the people and nurses in the corridor of the hospital.

As she was about to turn the corner of the corridor, familiar voices had reached her ears.

She stopped in her tracks as soon as she recognized the speakers and listened.

Sheryl glanced and sure enough, she was right about the two people standing in the hallway.

Leila gave Charles a coy look, and in a sweet voice, she said, "Mr. Lu, it is my deepest gratitude that you paid for my medical expenses and even hired a nursing assistant to take care of me. I really appreciate your help, but I don't know how to repay your kindness."

Without any expression on his face, Charles replied flatly, "I just did what I had to do. After all, you fainted in my premises. I should be responsible for your accident. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

Charles looked at her, devoid of any facial expression. As a matter of fact, he just inquired about her condition out of courtesy. However, for Leila, she interpreted this gesture differently. She thought that what Charles had said was the sweetest words she had ever heard.

"I'm okay now, thanks to you. The nursing assistant you hired also does her job very well, and oh, she often speaks well of you as well." After saying these words, Leila pretended to be shy and lowered her head.

Any man who saw a beautiful girl like Leila acting this way would surely be attracted and drawn to her.

Then again, Charles wasn't just any man. He was an exception. In a casual tone, he asked, "What did she say?"

"Well, she said you were filial and responsible, and she also said…" And there she paused in purpose to give way for the dramatic effect. She cast him a quick glance and looked down at her feet before she continued, "She said you were really nice to me, and that I was lucky to meet you."

It was clear that those words were not from the nursing assistant but from Leila. That way, she could confess her feelings for Charles.

Even then, Charles was ke

Perhaps, it was just a coincidence, and Sheryl didn't mean to hurt me..."

"What are you talking about? She clearly did it on purpose! She wanted you gone! She even wanted me dead! I was just talking to her in the staircase, and when I said something that upset her, she gave me a push and sent me falling down the stairs. She is such an evil woman. And it's so unfair! Why do I have to live such a tough life? I was separated with my son for fifteen years, and while I was gone, he married such an evil woman. Oh, Charles, if you don't divorce her and kick her out of our family, I'm telling you, I don't want to live any longer." Melissa then buried her face in her hands and started to break out crying. She wiped off her tears as she whined.

Hearing the hostility of Melissa towards Sheryl made Leila happy inside, but she knew she had to put on a fake worried look on her face. She immediately grabbed the tissue on the bedside table and helped wiped the tears off Melissa's face. She comforted her and persuaded her to calm down.

Without attempting to move beside her mother to console her, Charles just stood frozen still, his face dimming with anger and frustration. His fists started to clench, making his veins pop under his skin.

Ever since Melissa woke up, she wouldn't stop urging Charles to leave Sheryl and send her away from their house almost every day since.

Charles had made great efforts to defend and stand up for Sheryl at first, but each time he started to speak in his wife's favor, Melissa would get emotional and break into tears. It even came to the point where she hit her head against the wall, freaking him out entirely. At this point, he was stuck in a fork road, and for the first time, he didn't know what to do.