The Substitute Bride

"Clark!" Sheryl reached out another hand to hold her son as she bent down to bury her face on the shoulders of her kids. She was crying now.

Joan had also come out to help with all of Sheryl's things. As she watched the loving scene between Sheryl and her kids, she nodded to Nick and said, "I can help with Ms. Xia's other things."

Nick followed Joan to help her put Sheryl's things away.

Sheryl kept hugging Clark and Shirley before pulling back and asking them, "Hmm, have you not been eating these past few days when mommy was gone? You're getting thinner!"

Clark didn't say anything while Shirley pouted as she said, "Mommy, we missed you so much when you weren't here!"

"Well, it's my fault. I promise I won't leave you ever again!" Sheryl pulled her kids close again for a hug, tears streaming down her face.

"Mommy, we've been so good! We always finish our homework early, and we're always in bed early!" Clark updated his mother about how they'd been behaving these past few days when she was in the hospital.

Sheryl nodded her head in approval, patting their heads, and beaming.

As long as she was with Shirley and Clark, she knew she could easily feel better no matter how upset she was.

She then told the kids to take a shower and prepare for bedtime. They nodded with understanding and went to take a shower. They knew they had to learn to be independent.

She saw Nick waiting for her downstairs in the living room as she walked out of the children's room.

"Sher, are the kids asleep?" Nick intended to leave as he knew it was already late.

"They're taking a shower." Sheryl couldn't help but feel sentimental as she hadn't seen the kids in so long, and she was so happy to be reunited with them. She said, "I felt so empty when I was in the hospital as I couldn't see the kids. I feel much more fulfilled now that I'm with them again."

Nick nodded, smiling. Then he said, "Well, you know what they say, your family is incomplete if you don't have kids. I'm glad you're feeling much better, Sher."

"Thanks. I won't indulge myself in things that won't make me happy anymore. I'll let them all go."

"That's great. I'm happy to hear that."

Sheryl saw Nick off at the door. Once he'd driven away, she went back inside the apartment.

Joan had cooked a bowl of Braised Bird's Nest with Crystal Sugar. She had placed it on the table. She then greeted Sheryl with a smile as s

.

This man, Damian, was outright trying to be with her while she didn't feel the same way. She couldn't help but think of Charles, the man she longed for. He probably didn't even think about her.

With a resigned smile, Sheryl finished the bowl of sweet soup she was eating. She put the bowl away and went upstairs to shower before sleeping.

When she woke up the following morning, it was already a bit late. The kids had already gone to school.

Looking around in the quiet and empty house, Sheryl started to feel uneasy.

She missed the good old days when her kids were playing and clowning around and making all kinds of noise in the house. She also started to yearn for the days when she could share her ups and downs with one person.

She thought she could move on and get used to a life without Charles, but she realized that she was wrong.

She was only pretending to be fine for the sake of the people around her and partly to fool herself too, but she knew that she was just creating an illusion that she knew wasn't real.

Pouring herself a cup of warm water, Sheryl sat on the deck chair on the balcony, watching the clouds drifting over the blue sky. She couldn't help but feel downcast.

She wanted to stop thinking about him already, but she just couldn't get him out of her head. What was wrong with her?

She'd almost moved on from Charles. But with everything that'd happened, she was back to square one—she found herself unable to stop thinking about him.

What kind of magic did Charles have over her that she couldn't forget about him despite everything he had done to her?