The Substitute Bride

"Fine, I will apologize to her! I will apologize to Sheryl, if it means so much to you." Melissa had to force the words out of her gritted teeth and even Charles could sense the reluctance in her voice. But he didn't care. As long as Melissa was willing to make amends, he didn't bother with the details.

After he felt convinced by Melissa's promise, he turned around and walked out of the living room. Leila finally came out of hiding and patted Melissa's back to comfort her.

"Aunt Melissa, please don't be upset. Sheryl managed to frame us and fool Charles at the same time. Charles was clearly speaking out of anger. I don't think he meant to be so hard on you. After all, your are his mother," Leila said softly, comforting Melissa, but her mind was mulling over another matter.

Leila had underestimated Sheryl. What a nice trick! By remaining silent, Sheryl made concessions in order to gain advantage. She successfully won Charles' sympathy by showing her weakness and vulnerability. Melissa, on the other hand, was so impulsive. She was more brave than wise. She couldn't even convince her own son to take her side. Instead, she ended up angering Charles. Leila really needed to reconsider whether she should continue with Melissa as her ally.

Fortunately for her, Leila managed to stay out of this incident. If not, she would have had to apologize to Sheryl too. Leila felt disappointed at Melissa for failing to get the simplest things right. Melissa was stupid enough to let her emotions dictate her actions. Leila realized that the only person she could count on to win Charles' heart was herself.

Yet in spite of her disappointment, Leila feigned concern towards Melissa. Although she had already made up her mind about no longer co-operating with Melissa, it would be foolish to burn her bridges so soon as Melissa still could turn out to be a valuable friend at some point. Besides, it was better to have a friend than an enemy.

Melissa wiped the tears off her face as she tried to get a hold on her emotions. The remorse and sadness that inhabited her face was gone now. All that could be seen on her face now was anger and disdain.

"Leila, you don't need to worry about me. I swea

n tirelessly.

Well, they were kids. They didn't know how to hide their feelings, especially Clark. The way his face contorted at the mere sight of milk amused Sheryl. But this was essential for their growth. How could they avoid the nutritious benefits they could gain from drinking milk?

"Mommy, will I be as tall as Daddy if I drink milk?" In Shirley's eyes, her dad was the tallest person she knew.

Charles and Sheryl burst into laughter at Shirley's words. Charles rubbed Shirley's nose and smiled, "Do you want be as tall as me when you grow up?"

Shirley nodded her head at Charles, while Clark, sitting next to Shirley, pouted his lips. He thought it would be odd if his sister grew up to be as tall as his father.

"Then you should drink milk every day." Charles passed a glass of milk to Shirley. As he had expected, Shirley furrowed her brows immediately and covered her mouth with her hands.

Suddenly, the sound of high heels tapping on the stairs caught their attention. The sharp and ear-piercing footsteps interrupted the harmony in the dining hall. Out of curiosity, Clark and Shirley turned their heads and looked to the stairs in anticipation.

"Grandma, Aunt Leila, good morning." The children greeted Melissa and Leila politely.

Finally, Melissa and Leila were ready to join them for breakfast. Charles shifted his sight to Sheryl without a conscious thought. The woman was cutting her bread silently, showing no emotions on her face.