The Substitute Bride

When Isla returned after buying breakfast, Mike and Joanna were in Aron's ward. Through the small glass window of the door she saw them sitting beside Aron, wiping tears from their eyes. "Why throw your life away like that, Aron?" they cried. "Why would you go out when you knew you were in poor health? What are we going do if you had an accident?"

They knew that Aron had always been mature and composed. He had mastered his emotions and his mind was ruled by logic and reason. When he steered away from that, it was only because of Isla.

"Sorry, grandma, I won't do such a thing again, " Aron promised, looking at his grandparents apologetically. Yesterday, when he learned that Isla had gone on another blind date, he cut off the drip in the IV infusion attached to his arm. This terrified his grandparents, causing them to stay awake all night.

Although Aron called them as soon as he woke up to reassure them, they did not breathe a sigh of relief until they saw that Aron was safe and sound. "Why didn't you think about our feelings when you left the hospital without permission? Didn't you know what would happen?"

Listening in to their conversation, Isla clenched her hands that she almost dropped the breakfast bag she was holding. She felt partly responsible for the ordeal that Mike and Joanna had to go through.

When Joanna went to see her yesterday, hoping that she and Aron would get back together, she told her that she would never have anything to do with Aron again. Hours later, Aron fainted because of her. Isla didn't know how to explain it to them.

"Grandma, I'm fine. Don't worry, " Aron consoled them. "I know myself. If I don't get Isla back, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

Hearing this, his grandparents fell into silence. They knew that he liked Isla, but neither of them expected her to be that important to Aron.

Isla, standing at the door, was moved by what Aron just said. For the first time, she didn't want to run away from this thing between them. She realized that she wanted to be with Aron.

Isla entered the ward and said to Aron, "Aron, here's your breakfast. I don't know what you like, so I

you want?" Leila asked, ready to punch Paula. The sooner she got rid of this bitch, the better.

"As I said, I just wanted to have a talk with you. Do you have time now?" Paula sneered. With that, Leila hesitated but reluctantly agreed. Paula laughed at her naivete.

They went into a restaurant where there wasn't a lot of people. As soon as Leila sat down, she coldly asked, "Seriously, what do you want from me?"

"Oh don't be such a killjoy. We haven't seen each other for so long. Shouldn't we chat first and catch up?" Paula said slyly ignoring Leila's irritated look.

"Paula, " Leila said impatiently, "if you don't tell me what you want now, I'll take my leave."

"Look at you, you're as hot-tempered as ever!" Paula exclaimed. She pushed Leila, who was already up, back onto her seat and said, "Then I will be straight with you. Leila, I know you like Charles. How about this, let's join hands, and I'll help you take Charles from Autumn?"

Leila frowned suspiciously at Paula and warily asked, "And why do you want to help me? I know you like Charles, too. So why are you going to help me get him now?"

She wasn't born yesterday and she didn't think that Paula would help her for no reason.

"I?" Paula paused for a second and went on, "Do you think Charles will ever be attracted to me? No, I don't think so. But you, your situation is better. You see him almost every day. You still have a chance to snag him."