The Substitute Bride

It was a busy morning for Anthony. At noon, he called Autumn to check if she had eaten lunch.

It pleased him to hear Autumn's tender voice on the phone. He could even imagine the scene that she held Shirley in her arms with a meek expression.

Deep inside, Anthony desperately wished that Autumn would stay with him indefinitely. But he knew no matter how hard he hoped, the woman and her baby belonged to someone else. And one day, they would have to leave.

"Well, I have to go now. See you later," he said. Anthony could not help smiling.

Autumn spoke up,"If you're busy, you don't have to call me. I can look after Shirley and myself."

"Got it!" Anthony replied. Anthony settled back in his chair, dreaming of the mother and baby.

He knew Autumn was not a child and could handle herself and care for the baby. But it felt good to take care of her and do everything for her sake.

Anthony ended the call and turned around.

He was startled to see Andy, standing afar, but with eyes fixed on him. The gaze made the doctor feel uncomfortable.

As his uneasiness increased, the doctor nervously put his phone behind his back. "Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Xu?" he asked, his voice carrying fluster.

"Yes," Andy replied, his lips pursed. He noticed Anthony suddenly looked panic-stricken and was more certain the doctor was hiding something.

"What is it that you need?" Anthony asked again. Slowly, he calmed his nerves and now looked composed as he went on talking to Andy,"Please tell me what I can do for you."

Andy hesitated to check Anthony's reaction. "Well, I do have several questions for you," he told the doctor. Anthony wanted to fidget under Andy's gaze.

"Okay, I'm listening," he said in his professional tone.

Andy opted to be frank and went straight to the point. "You must have heard of Autumn's disappearance," he said while watching Anthony's reaction. "Charles has scoured the whole Y City looking for her. I want to know if…" he paused. "If Autumn ever contacted you," Andy finished.

The doctor schooled his features to hide any reaction. "What? Why would she get in touch with me?" he asked. He attempted a laugh, but it was an awkward sound that came out. Anthony thought of how to respond. "I am only the physician in charge of Autumn. If ever she has problems, wouldn't she turn to you, her

a terrific cook. And I bet your restaurant will be a big hit."

Anthony teasingly pouted. "No thanks! It's already hectic taking care of you, and you still want me to cook for others? You wish!" he joked.

Autumn gave him a faint smile. Since she moved into Anthony's apartment, their relationship became closer. Each time the doctor would crack a joke, his patient would smile.

Autumn slowly straightened herself.

The first time Anthony brought her to his home, Autumn looked like she would take her own life the minute he left her.

Suddenly he remembered the news that Autumn needed to know. Anthony scowled at the memory. "There is one thing you should know," he began. "Abby gave birth to a boy. They're both in the hospital," Anthony said without emotion.

Autumn froze at the news of her aunt's giving birth early. She tried her best to smile. "Did she?" she asked.

"I was told it was a premature delivery. Your aunt became stressed after learning about your accident. So she had an early labor. The baby was incubated for several days, but he's strong now," the doctor reported. He fixed his gaze on Autumn, and asked gingerly,"Are you truly going to keep hiding here for the rest of your life?" Their secret was slowly taking a toll on the doctor. "Charles has no idea you're here. But Andy…" he paused. "I think he suspects I know something, and I don't know how long I can keep him in the dark," Anthony admitted.

"As long as you can," Autumn said firmly. "I'll think of something else when they're close to finding me here," she declared.