The Substitute Bride

This box was once where she had stored all her jewels, from delicate earrings to magnificent necklaces. When Vicky opened the box, her pupils dilated—a sapphire ring was twinkling at her. It looked delicate and gorgeous.

She couldn't help but reach her hands towards it, and brush the ring with her fingers. Her fingertip was quivering at the touch.

The sapphire was hollow inside. She knew what was inside it.

When Rob gave it to her, she knew that there would come a time when she would have to use it on someone.

Little did she know that the day would arrive this early.

Did she really have to do this?

Vicky suddenly felt a sense of coldness surging into her heart. She looked out of the window—there was not a trace of wind.

The sun was blazing outside with all its warmth, but her heart was icy cold.

Her mind was whirling with the reminders of her undefinable past. The images of the days she had been locked in a dark room, like a beast, came flashing before her eyes. There had been no escape from there. All her activities had been confined to that space.

She had lost track of the time. She didn't know how long she had been there.

One day, the door that had kept her locked inside was suddenly opened from outside. A piercing beam of light bounced into the room. It was only then that Vicky remembered she was still alive.

It took Vicky a long time before she could adapt to the sunlight. She saw her reflection in the mirror for the first time in a very long time. She was looking dirty and unkempt. Vicky wasn't surprised at what she had witnessed, as she had expected to look grotesque. However, when she saw herself again, clean and fully-dressed, she had blacked out.

Just when she thought that her fate had been terrible enough, her beautiful, delicate face, which she had always been proud of, was rotten and disfigured.

When she had woken up again, her entire face had been wrapped with a bandage. She couldn't see a thing. She wanted to cry and scream at the sight of her face, but she had lost control over her body. She would never forget the agonizing pain that was piercing through her.

eave when her phone blared with Isla's call.

"Hey, Sher. What's up? Are you resting at home or going out?" Isla asked nonchalantly. "Are you feeling better?"

Sheryl immediately thought about Shirley. Isla didn't know about her, and Sheryl didn't have the intention of opening up to her either. She didn't want Isla to get worked up about the issue.

"Isla, I was reading in the morning. I'm going to pick up Clark now," answered Sheryl.

"You don't have to go today. I'll pick up the kids for you. Just stay at home," Isla said.

Sheryl was surprised. She wondered why Isla had offered to pick up Clark.

"I'm already on my way now. You've got to take care of the company and your kid as well. It must be tiring for you," Sheryl replied, hoping that Isla would listen to her.

"It's not a big deal. I'm your best friend. Moreover, I haven't seen the kids in a long time. They have probably forgotten me already," Isla said, smiling. "Just stay at home, alright. I've already reached their school." She hung up the call.

Sheryl smiled wanly. If Isla saw Clark, she would find out about everything.

Sheryl felt that she was left with no choice. Even if she rushed to the school right away, Isla would have already picked up Clark by now.

Sheryl knew that Isla would get mad at her if she found out about Shirley. She felt that she'd better come up with a way to deal with her as she let out a huge sigh.