The Substitute Bride

Isla put her arm around Autumn and assured her friend. "I will be right outside. If he dares to hurt you, just shout and I'll come in, " she said before stepping out.

Autumn watched as her friend left, grateful for the support.

She then turned to Roger and said, "Have a seat."

Taken aback by her calmness, Roger sat opposite Autumn and thought to himself, 'This is weird. Why isn't she driving me away?'

Eyebrows raised, Autumn started, "So what brings you here? Have you come to apologize again?"

Roger tried not to squirm in his seat as the woman stared at him.

She already caught him off-guard with her calm exterior.

"Yes… yes, " he stammered.

Roger was surprised that Autumn got straight to the point, not even expecting her to ask about his reason for coming.

Composing himself, he continued, "I am truly sorry for what happened between us before. Miss Ye, I really wish you would accept my deepest apology."

Eyes flat, Autumn remarked, "I remember you attended my birthday party. So that means you're aware I am no longer Miss Ye. Please address me as Miss Zhao."

She paused, making Roger even more uncomfortable. "I already told you the last time we met that I've already put all of that behind me. Yet you're still here, persistent on following me to apologize for that, twice or thrice already? It's totally unnecessary, " she said, indifferent.

Leaning forward a little, she then added, "I'm beginning to think you're just looking for excuses to get close to me. But let me tell you now, I know exactly what you're up to, Roger. And I hate your scheme." The truth was he was harassing Autumn on orders of Rachel. Since she was close to a few directors, Roger thought doing her bidding would increase his chances of getting more movie roles. With Rachel repeatedly telling him to seduce Autumn, he had no choice but to create opportunities for them to meet in order for him to carry out his plan. He had already told Rachel that Autumn had romantic feelings for him. But today's confrontation with her was likely going to spoil his plan.

Roger needed to think fast. In his rush to see Autumn, he hadn't carefully thought of what to say to her. Apologizing several times wasn't going to work.

"Well?" Autumn prompted. "You've run out of excuses?" she asked him while he said nothing in return.

Heaving a deep sigh, she told Roger, "If you have nothing to say, please leave. There's a lot of work to do with the New Year coming and I just don't have the time to listen to such nonsense."

Her words spurred Roger to action. "No! I have something to say."

He kept thinking about Rachel

at what you want to happen?"

She retorted, "Of course not!"

Autumn was enraged that some part of Roger's argument, however silly, did make sense.

"So, why not go ahead with the plan?" he said.

Grinning, Roger remarked, "So you see, we save both of our careers by maintaining a friendship without getting into a serious relationship. Wouldn't it be great to go out on dates occasionally?"

Fed up, Autumn blurted out, "I cannot believe you! What kind of a person are you to think of such things!"

Roger's ideas were so absurd that she looked him in the eye to make sure he would listen carefully to what she was going to say. "Hear this… a woman usually cheats on her husband for three reasons. First, because the man treats her badly. Second, because the husband has a mistress. And the third?" she paused, looking him straight in the eye.

"Because her husband cannot satisfy her sexual needs. Other than these, she will never commit infidelity!" Hoping to get a rise out of Roger, Autumn mocked, "And just suppose I am stupid enough to choose you as my lover, which reason do you think applies to me?"

Roger's face finally turned dark with embarrassment. He didn't know what to say. The man had gloated when Autumn outlined the idea. He was so confident she would be impressed if he agreed with everything she said.

Then it dawned on him that Autumn would never choose him as a lover, even if she entertained such thoughts. Compared to Charles, there was nothing he could brag about.

Yet defeat was not in Roger's vocabulary. It suddenly hit him what his edge was over Charles. "At least I'm younger than your husband, right? And because I am, I bet my sexual prowess will surely give you more satisfaction, " Roger said smugly.