The Substitute Bride

"Miss Ruan, I've got everything ready. Are you going to start cooking?" Stella asked Vicky with a bright smile.

Vicky looked towards Stella and said after thinking for a second, "Yeah, I'm going downstairs. Can you go ahead and do some preparations?"

After she sent Stella away, Vicky changed her clothes before going downstairs.

Despite being baffled by Vicky's strange behavior when she was usually so arrogant and difficult, Stella had gone downstairs to do as asked. Why is it that she suddenly wanted to cook steak on her own today?

The idea wasn't born from impulse, Vicky intended to please Charles by cooking meals for him, and so she asked Stella to buy ingredients for her.

It took Stella half an hour to teach Vicky how to cook steak in the kitchen.

Steak was one of the simplest dishes, but Stella was resigned to Vicky's clumsiness that still managed to make it very difficult.

After she learned how to cook the steak, Vicky excitedly called Charles immediately.

Ever since she left the hospital, Charles had only called her a few times, but he didn't come to visit her.

"Charles, are you busy right now?" Vicky's voice was sickly sweet as she called Charles on the phone.

"I am, but did something happen?" Charles answered impatiently.

"No, nothing. I've just missed you. I haven't seen you for so long. I can go to the company if you're too busy to come here and see me." Vicky bargained quite directly, so she wouldn't have to hear Charles reject seeing her.

There was a pause after Charles heard that, and he frowned. "I'll come to the villa after work."

"Really? That's a promise!" Lips spread wide into a childlike smile, Vicky perked up instantly.

"Yes." Charles' voice was even, but he felt very impatient and was suppressing his anger.

After hanging up the phone, Charles was fuming with rage. He hadn't thought that this woman was so sly.

Still holding the phone in her hand, Vicky was ecstatic, and she was all smiles. She gave herself a moment to shake in excitement before calling to Stella, who was in the kitchen, "Stella

ou." Charles helped Vicky up and hurried her to the kitchen.

"Okay! Wait for me!" Since Charles said that he'd stay, Vicky giddily went to the kitchen.

A hint of disgust flashed across Charles' face. He couldn't control how he felt about Vicky. The only feeling he felt when thinking of her was disgust.

"Mr. Lu?" David gently said when he saw how Charles was rooted in his place.

"Any progress with the supervision?" Charles questioned without turning to look at David.

David shook his head and replied, "No, sir. It's possible that I'll get some information after an hour."

"Fine, keep tracking." Charles waved off David to do his work, and he prepared to stay here with Vicky.

"Understood. I'll do it now." David felt guilty, thinking he was becoming less effective.

It took only a few more minutes after David left for Vicky to get the steak ready.

Her anticipation and excitement was a contrast with Charles' complete indifference. The meal was silent as they barely talked while eating.

Any conversation that Vicky tried hard to start was immediately killed as Charles barely bothered to reply to her words.

"Charles, is it good?" Vicky was filled with anticipation as she asked.

"Not bad," Charles said casually and continued to eat without raising his head. But he mostly ate what Stella cooked. He only tried one bite of the steak Vicky had cooked.