The Substitute Bride

When Melissa finally finished the call, she headed back to Sheryl's office with renewed vigor. Right before she knocked on the door, she paused, remembering something and turned on her heel, catching the eye of Phoebe, who was watching her. Melissa stared back and headed straight towards her.

Phoebe had watched Melissa exit Sheryl's office to answer a call, and so she was confident Melissa had left the company. But seeing Melissa stand in front of her after being caught watching made her freeze in her seat and forced to hold Melissa's gaze.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to stand and flash a polite smile. "Ma'am, is there anything I can help you with?"

"No...It's nothing. What are you working on?" Melissa glanced down at the different files and paperwork that covered Phoebe's desk.

After studying the papers for a moment, Melissa suddenly felt that Sheryl was a very capable woman. 'She not only handles her personal life well, but does a great job in running this company as well. She's a perfect match for my son!'

The longer she thought about it, the more determined she became to match Sheryl and Charles to each other.

"Phoebe...I have some questions that I hope you can answer. Are you busy?" Melissa had thrown away her earlier arrogance and was now suddenly more polite.

"I'm not very busy right now, so I have some time. Ma'am, what do you want to know?" Even though Phoebe still didn't like Melissa, it was Sheryl who had brought her here. As long as it was for Sheryl, Phoebe would be patient with her.

"I'm just wondering...Is there a man wooing Sheryl recently?" Melissa didn't see the point of beating around the bush and asked directly.

However, the question was rather hard to answer for Phoebe.

'Was there anyone wooing Ms. Xia?

Who was it?

Could she be talking about Jackson?

Oh, my goodness! If it's like that then...'

Phoebe's imagination quickly painted a rich drama in her mind.

When Phoebe suddenly became silent, and her eyes turned glassy seemingly in a daze, Melissa gently nudged her arm. "Phoebe? Did something happen?

"No...Nothing, Ma'am. I'm just not sure how to answer that. Sorry." Phoebe's shoulders drooped, and her eyes remained fixed on the ground; she looked entirely lost and helpless.

It wasn't for her to tell, and so Phoebe understood that she shouldn't reveal anything to anyone. Even if someone was indeed wooing Sheryl, she wouldn't tell Melissa. Who knows if Melissa would use it against Sheryl or not?

"Okay...I see. Thank you." Her face a little red from embarrassme

ondered.

She had so many questions that she wanted answered. 'I have to ask her on Charles' behalf, ' Melissa thought to herself. 'Even if that man is wooing Sheryl, I'll definitely think of ways to drive him away!'

"Sheryl, who gave you the flowers? It seems rather expensive. This must be from one of your close friends." Melissa continued probing Sheryl after she thought everything through.

"It's a gift from a client. Why?" Sheryl's polite smile became a bit strained at the continued questions.

Of course, Melissa didn't buy her explanation. Even if the person was indeed a client, he must be a client with some special feelings. Since Sheryl wasn't willing to talk about it, Melissa gave up on pushing for more. She returned to the couch, deciding to wait until Sheryl finished working. As the minutes passed and she was left to her thoughts, she became all the more anxious.

Melissa was jarred out of her thoughts when Sheryl's phone suddenly rang and was swiftly answered.

"Understood. I'll be in the meeting room in five minutes." Melissa listened in and sighed. It seemed that Sheryl had a meeting soon.

There was a shuffling of papers as Sheryl arranged the documents she was working on. When the time was up, Sheryl stood to go to the meeting. "I have a meeting now," Sheryl said. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave you here."

Internally, Sheryl was hoping that Melissa would take the chance to leave.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be right here." Melissa failed to read Sheryl's hidden intentions, but even if she did, she still wouldn't leave because she didn't want to go.

Sheryl gave Melissa another polite smile and heaved a sigh in her heart before she opened the door and left.