The Substitute Bride

Sheryl felt extremely dejected as she came to the back stage. Sue rushed towards her and comforted,"Sher, don't think too much. It's not your fault..."

Sue could understand how Sheryl must be feeling. She tried her best to cheer her up and motivate her. Sheryl tried to stop crying and remained silent for a while. She lowered her head with a gloomy face. Sue kept patting her back to pep her up but of no avail. After a long time, she lifted her head slowly and turned to Sue downheartedly. "Of course it's my problem. Indeed, I had a terrible performance today," she spoke at last.

It was a tough fight for her to justify herself in the modeling business with such intense competition. Sheryl's age was not by her side. And on the top of that she almost messed up the rehearsal just now. When she looked at the furious Director Ang, a chill ran down her. She almost felt her modeling career to be over.

"Come on, Sher!" Sue encouraged, as she tried to help her friend get over it. No matter how much comforting words Sue spoke, it was difficult to bring her out of the depression. At last, Sheryl looked at Sue and requested,"Mimi, I'd like to stay alone for a while."

"Well... Okay, then." Sue nodded at her hesitantly as she stood up to leave. Looking at Sheryl's scowling face, she continued with concern,"Then I'll go back to the rehearsal. Call me if you need anything."

"Sure, I will," Sheryl replied. As she watched Sue walk back to the stage, she rose up, took a deep breath and decided to go for a walk.

As she took her steps forward to walk out of the venue, once again, the onstage debacle that took place during the rehearsal came crowding her mind. How just a stupid stomach ache made her so limp that she could not maintain her grace on the stage! She just lost control on her limbs and expression... She just could not hold back the pain. It made her so helpless.

She felt terrible for this mistake. She felt repented the moment again and again. Now, it would cost her a heavy price for this mistake. Being out of the show at this moment meant...

She shuddered at the very thought of the repercussions this debacle could bring upon her career and financial condition. Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't even notice the steps. As a result, she missed a step and collapsed to the ground. Fortunately she just hurt her ankle slightly.

"What a bad day!" Sheryl grumbled. As she tried to stand up, she realized that the apparently "slight" looking injury was not really so nominal after all. She seemed to have sprained her ankle. She struggled to stand up but failed. She rolled her eyes up and cursed her star

dered expression on his face. She smiled and went on to explain to George,"I just met her here and we had a talk. I like her. Now she is my friend."

Sheryl was taken aback at the sudden claim of friendship by Holley. She felt a bit uncomfortable with her shrill yet tender voice. Although she was grateful to Holley Ye, it was too early to acknowledge her as a friend.

Holley Ye's plastic beauty just like a doll. Her voice and the sudden friendly gesture made Sheryl feel really weird and uncomfortable. 'She seems to appear out of nowhere and I don't even know her properly, ' she thought.

"Let me introduce him to you," Holley Ye smiled at Sheryl, as she pointed at George Han. "This is my fiancé, George Han."

"As it turned out, you are my boss's future wife," Sheryl remarked with a diplomatic smile. "Please forgive me for not being able to recognize you," she apologized in a humble manner.

"Sher, why are you being so formal with me?" Holley Ye pouted, looking a little displeased. "I don't have an acquaintance here. I thought you regarded me as your friend," she complained with a hurt look.

Abashed as she was, Sheryl spoke at last,"It's my honor to be your friend, Miss Ye."

Holley Ye gave a bright and satisfied smile. She turned to her fiancée, took his hand, and pleaded,"George, you see, Sher sprained her ankle. Just let her take two days off. She need some rest."

With an affectionate look at his fiancée, George responded lovingly,"It's all your call."

He then turned to Sheryl and said,"Miss Xia, now that you got your ankle injured, you can take rest in the hotel till the time you recover completely. After that you can get back to work."

"Mr. Han, I'm fine. I can handle my work," Sheryl said to George Han.