The Substitute Bride

"What I told you was absolutely true," Sheryl looked up at Anthony and explained to him patiently. Anthony was fuming in rage. She understood that he was not in the position to judge the situation rationally. Any man who suspected that his girlfriend got involved with another man would be mad. It was useless to reason with him at the moment. So she suggested,"I know you are angry. We will talk about it when you calm down."

Anthony was rather amazed at such a cool reaction from Sheryl. It seemed she had no repentance for what she did! "You would rather keep that a secret and never let me know, huh?" Anthony said. In the past three years, Anthony had done so much for Sheryl while she still maintained a vague distance with him. And just now she confessed to him that she had spent the last few days with Charles in his house! Anthony could suddenly feel that all his efforts to win her heart had gone in vain. He was deeply hurt. He could not put up the all forgiving benevolent self in front of her any more. He blurted,"Sheryl, do you think you can do anything even if it hurts me just because I love you? Do you think I am an idiot? Do you have no heart? Do you think I can always tolerate you and forgive you no matter what you do? Do you think I won't mind being a weak cuckold? When you were with Charles, have you ever thought about the fact that you have a boyfriend? And on the top of that you have no repentance for it!"

Sheryl was shocked to hear Anthony's accusation. She had thought Anthony loved her and trusted her. The fact that Anthony's faith in her was so frail that it broke so easily hurt her feelings deeply. He didn't even care to hear the entire thing. She sneered,"In your heart, I am such a cheeky shameless woman. That's your real thoughts, isn't that?"

"Isn't it true?" Anthony retorted. Sheryl's question struck him like an arrow leaving him sad and dejected. He knew Sheryl very well and trusted her. However, he couldn't restrain his anger.

Jealous.

Yes, he was jealous. His lips curved in a painful and sarcastic smile.

He thought, 'Three years ago, I really envied Charles because he had met Autumn before I could express my feelings for her. And now, three years later, Charles still has his own charm to bring Sheryl to get close to him. I am so jealous of him.'

"Get out! Get out of here," Sheryl shouted, looking at Anthony angrily. Sheryl could not tolerate Anthony's suspicion towards her. Is this how he loved her? That his trust broke so easily. Little did she know why Anthony reacted in that way at the very mention of Charles. What actually made him so insecure towards Charles?

Yes, last night she went out with Charles and stayed with him for the whole night. Although there was nothing between them beyond friendship, she knew her behavior was not proper for a committed woman like her. She had intended to make a sincere apology. She had never expected Anthony to react like this. His harsh criticism made her disappointed.

She calmed down and said,"Anthony, we'd better take a break. You have not in right mindset to talk about this. We will talk about it, after you have calmed down." Sheryl looked at his face and wondered what happened to him? This was the first time she saw him react like this.

Anthony glared at Sheryl and insisted,"I am

persuade her mother.

"No, I can handle it myself. I will call you when I have checked in," Laura replied in a firm voice.

She wanted to observe Sheryl secretly. After figuring out what kind of person she was, she would make further plans. As the saying goes,"Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat." With Junia agreeing to help her, she thought it wouldn't be difficult to make Sheryl get away from her son.

"Carry on with what you are doing. I'll hang up now," Laura said and hung up.

Anthony glanced at Sheryl who was sitting on the sofa sulking and announced,"My mother is coming next week. I'll pick you up and we will have a meal together."

Although they were in the middle of a ferocious argument which was not resolved yet, the meeting couldn't be delayed. Laura might refuse to meet Sheryl if they missed this chance. That was why Anthony informed Sheryl about the news at once.

Sheryl didn't reply. Nor did she move. Anthony walked out and slammed the door behind him. Sheryl heaved a deep sigh and reflected over the argument.

'Perhaps I was wrong. I should have kept a distance from Charles after I felt his intentional approach. Anthony must be furious. I must apologize to him when I see him.' Sheryl could understand the reason behind Anthony's rage. Even though she did not do anything wrong, yet, her staying at Charles' house could not be justified to Anthony. She was repentant for what happened.

After Sheryl calmed down, she hid her anxiety and went to her daughter's room. As soon as she opened the bedroom door, she saw Shirley sitting on the bed with tears in her big eyes. It was evident that she had heard the fight outside the door and had got scared. Sheryl quickly walked to her and sat down beside her. Then she put her arms around her and asked,"Are you scared?"

Shirley stared Sheryl with a gloomy face and asked her with a mix of doubt and tears,"Sher, what's wrong with Tony? Why did he look angry?" Anthony was always kind to both the mother and daughter. His sudden and abnormal anger was something that Shirley had seen for the first time in her life. This made her really very much frightened.