The Substitute Bride

It only clicked in Isla's head that she didn't come here to goof off when she saw the flowers on the table.

The bouquet Sheryl received yesterday was much bigger and prettier than the one in front of her, and Isla heard from Phoebe that someone picked Sheryl up last night.

There was no proof, but Isla felt that the bouquet in front of her eyes was sent by the same person from last night.

Sheryl shook her head before she answered Isla. She could never hide anything from her friend, so she said, "We're just friends, Isla."

"A friend? You're telling me that you and Damian are just friends?" Isla asked Sheryl in disbelief, her eyes widening with each word.

"How do you know Damian?" Sheryl blinked perplexedly at Isla because she didn't remember ever mentioning Damian to Isla.

"Tell me the truth. Who's this guy? What did he promise you to make you forget about Charles?" Isla grinned teasingly at Sheryl.

There was a light flush on Sheryl's cheeks because she was a little embarrassed by Isla's question, but she also knew that she had no choice but tell Isla the truth. There was no way Isla would stop bothering her until she got the answer she wanted.

In short order, Sheryl told Isla what happened between her and Damian the previous night.

Once Sheryl finished explaining, Isla nodded in satisfaction and said, "So… what do you think about him? How about dating him?"

"What are you talking about, Isla?! We're just friends! You're thinking too much."

"I'm thinking too much?" Isla squinted at Sheryl and asked flatly.

Sheryl rolled her eyes at Isla and raised her hands in surrender and said, "Fine, whatever you say is true. I'll do whatever you say. Are you happy now?"

"Promise?"

Isla pressed Sheryl before saying, "I think Damian is a good man. It won't hurt if you try hanging out with him…"

They had never even met, but Isla was already telling Sheryl how good Damian was. Sheryl wondered whether Damian had "bribed" Isla.

"Alright, Isla, that's enough. Go back to work." Sheryl prompted Isla

how set him up with Sheryl.

But it was already too late, and, besides, she couldn't make that decision for Sheryl. She needed to respect Sheryl's opinion.

She waved as Damian drove away, and once he was out of sight, Isla took her phone out and called Sheryl.

Sheryl took a quick glance around her to make sure no one was watching her before she picked up the call, her heart had tightened when she saw that it was Isla's number.

"Hello?"

"Sheryl, Damian is amazing!"

The amount of excitement on the other end of the call was too much, and Sheryl couldn't help but wonder what Damian had done to Isla to make her sound like that.

"Your attitude changed too fast, Isla!" Not long ago, Isla had made fun of Sheryl and Damian, but now she was getting ready to set them up. Sheryl was just speechless at her friend and could only shake her head.

"But he's so perfect, Sheryl! Men like him don't exist in the world anymore," Isla said to Sheryl.

"So? We're still just friends, Isla."

There were no other words Sheryl could say. Isla made it sound like Sheryl would throw away the entire universe if she didn't take Damian.

"Sheryl, you know what I'm saying. I mean, he sent you flowers and presents, and he even waited for you to get off work. Now you're telling me you're just friends? No one's buying that, okay?!" Isla said point-blank.