The Substitute Bride

"Aunt Laura, I really have something important to deal with right now." Sheryl looked at Laura anxiously. Her daughter was still lying in bed helplessly. She didn't have time to engage in a verbal fight with Laura right then.

"Stop with your excuses. Knock it off!" Laura sneered, "Sheryl, I really don't understand how a girl can be so shameless. You are beautiful and can have any man you want. So, why do you want to trap my son? My son is so blinded by your charms that he has nearly abandoned his own mother. He is unwilling to even see me now. So, tell me, how can you remedy things between me and my son?"

Laura was not afraid to lose face, so her voice was really loud. This attracted a lot of people's attention. On hearing Laura's words, people gathered around them. They pointed at Sheryl and whispered amongst themselves. Sheryl felt really uncomfortable but she couldn't say anything.

As Laura was Anthony's mother, Sheryl responded politely and patiently, "Aunt Laura, the relationship between Anthony and me is over. Please let me go now."

"Stop all your lies," Laura sneered again. "I've seen many women like you. You say that your relationship is over, but you are only saying it to deceive me. And when my back is turned, you will be back with Anthony again. You are just a single unwed mother with a child. I know you will never let a successful and rich man like my son out of your clutches."

Laura's words increased the whispers of the people around. Hospitals are often crowded places, and where there are people, there is chatter and gossip. The crowd stood around Sheryl and gossiped about her and Laura's son. These people judged Sheryl with mean words and cast her in the role of an immoral woman.

"I didn't expect such a beautiful girl to be so immoral. She looks so decent," a woman said.

"Neither did I. You can never judge a book by its cover it seems," a young man looked at Sheryl with disgust and said.

"Yes, you are right. If my son is to marry, I pray his future wife not be like her," another woman fervently said.

Listening to all these insulting words, Sheryl was pained. She was almost reduced to tears. Their words were sharp like knives

your career. Anthony gave up his chance to be a well-paid doctor and became a businessman for you. And you? You are just a nameless model. Besides, you are a single mother and Anthony is a prize catch. No one would ever want a daughter-in-law like you."

After belittling Sheryl for a long time, she started to persuade her to give up on Anthony. "Miss Xia, I know that you are an educated person. You should know the saying that only a well-matched marriage can succeed. Even if you two get married, you will not live happily in the future. I just want to remind you that Anthony will be happier in the future with a girl like Junia who is a good match for him and his status. Trust me, I will never accept you into my family."

So, I need a promise from you. A promise that you will break up with Anthony as soon as possible and that you will never contact him again in the future. Can you make that?"

Laura watched Sheryl closely.

'A gold-digger like her must be using every trick in the book to trap and seduce rich men. She will never easily give up a man like my son. If she still insists on clinging onto him, I will offer her money to leave my son alone, ' Laura thought to herself.

However, to her surprise, Sheryl made the promise without any hesitation.

She glanced disdainfully at Laura and said, "Aunt Laura, I agree to everything you said. I promise that I will never contact your son or see him again. Can I leave now? I am in a hurry."