The Substitute Bride

"Nancy, can you please take Sheryl to her bedroom? I don't think it's a good idea to let her stay here. She's not in her sound mind so she needs some rest," Charles said impatiently.

Sheryl was still lost in her own world full of shock and distress. Her expression showed absolute indifference to the surroundings. When Nancy walked towards her and held her arm, she exuded a faceless look. She was more like a human puppet without a soul.

When Nancy touched Sheryl's hand, she felt a chilling sensation, like a jolt of electric current, flowed from her body to hers. Nancy felt sorry as well as astounded for her physical temperature. She tightened her grip on Sheryl's hand, trying to give her as much warmth as possible. 'Apart from her cold flesh, her heart may be frozen too. This is not good. She needs help now more than ever!' Nancy thought.

"Sheryl, be at ease! Shirley is a good girl. God always favors and blesses good girls. Bad things will never find their ways to harm her! She will be kept away from danger. You should stop thinking of the worst scenario. Mr. Lu was too anxious just like you but he hadn't put his utterance into second thoughts. You don't have to be too serious about what he has said. Look at you, you haven't eaten anything for the past two days! Let me make you something to eat, okay?" Nancy offered. She managed to look optimistic. But her heart was aching to see her hostess so miserable. Sheryl's pale face and her tottering figure almost brought Nancy to tears.

Still, Sheryl remained silent. When Nancy brought her into her bedroom, her face showed no familiarity. It was as if she was a stranger in her own room. Nancy stopped walking ahead when she reached the side of the bed, but Sheryl didn't. She continued to walk at her original pace and almost bumped into the bed. Afraid that Sheryl might trip, Nancy wasted no time to run to her and hold her arm.

She felt anxious about Sheryl's current condition. In an attempt to pull Sheryl off her daze, Nancy frantically shook her arm, as she called out her name, "Sheryl?" Nancy appeared to be in a complete mess. A wave of fear rose up over her heart. Nancy thought, 'Sheryl is completely unwell! It makes me more worried about her. Even if Shirley comes back, I don't think she might be able to survive to see her.'

To her delight, Sheryl snapped out of her daze. But her face was still covered with distress. Acting absent-mindedly, she forced a faint smile. Nancy could not catch a hint of happiness from her smile, instead, she only detected a heavy blue cast on her mind.

"I am fine, Nancy. You don't have to worry about me. I know Shirley will be okay. I am just as convinced as you of that. My dear Shirley is a good girl, and God will keep her safe!" Sheryl prayed. With her hollow look, Nancy was actually confused whether Sheryl was praying or talk

Now, tell me when you get so ill?" Nancy demanded.

"Is that so? Then that explains why I feel so dizzy lately," Sheryl said bluntly, as she gave Nancy a faint smile. It appeared that she didn't find it a big deal, even after she learned she got a fever. Sheryl's expression even appeared happy and optimistic.

Nancy signed as she shook her head, and then hurriedly fetched a thermometer with a box of antipyretic pills from the drawer. Then she quickly brought a cup of hot water to Sheryl.

"Sheryl, hurry up! Lift your arm so I can put this thermometer on your armpit. Let me check how bad your fever is," Nancy said patiently. Even if it was obvious Sheryl got a fever, she had to accurately measure her temperature.

"Look at you! You are no longer a kid! But you're not acting very much like an adult this way too!" Nancy whined, as she was carefully dealing with Sheryl's fever. Sheryl couldn't help but be moved. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Sheryl entrusted herself to Nancy. She frowned while observing Nancy got all sweaty while busy helping her. In a flash, an image of illusion dawned upon her. She mistook Nancy for her very own mother. At that moment, Sheryl detected motherhood was everywhere around Nancy's figure, especially her kind face and her warm palm. Nancy made Sheryl feel the warmth of motherhood, which she never had a chance to feel when she was a child.

In a daze, Sheryl was lost in deep thoughts. She began a reverie. 'If Nancy is my mother, I will feel more than happy.' In her old memories, her so-called mother never cared about her. She was left a vague notion about maternal love and the like.

Sheryl was physically abused and mentally insulted by that woman. She only showed Sheryl the most wicked face and words. Not only did that that woman not love her as a daughter, on the contrary, she was averse to her. Sheryl thought it was so pathetic!