One month before our wedding, my fiancé, Julian Vance, took in a sweet, young college girl. He bought her an apartment, a car, and showered her with millions. He was being way more dramatic and high-profile than when he was chasing me. When my housekeeper, Maria, told me about it, I was picking out photos for our wedding album. My expression didn't even flicker when I heard the news. "Got it." She looked at me, completely frustrated. "Aren't you even a little worried? Chloe Bennett looks even more like Helena than you do!" "If this keeps up, forget about the wedding—your entire position in this house is threatened!" Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed with a message from Julian on Snapchat: "Let's put the wedding on hold for now. Chloe is young and too clingy." "I'll dump her in six months at most. If you're worried, we can go sign our marriage license at the courthouse first." I saved the last wedding photo to my album and replied: "No need. It's just a fling anyway." He always liked how sensible and low-maintenance I was. He replied with satisfaction: "Good girl." Good girl? I smiled. I hoped he'd still think so when he attended my wedding with his uncle.
"You're still laughing?" Maria stomped her foot in frustration. "I seriously don't get what's going through your head. Don't you feel any sense of crisis?" Since I had lost my mother at a young age, I had treated Maria like my own mother ever since I started dating Julian. Looking at her worried face, my smile widened. "It's fine. Julian was never planning on a proper wedding anyway." Maria fell silent. Julian and I had set our wedding date three times now. The first time, I was the one begging him, throwing tantrums just to marry him. He reluctantly got engaged to me. But right before the wedding, he canceled it using a business trip as an excuse. The second time was also me. I faked being sick and played the victim, reminding him of his deceased first love, Helena. He reluctantly agreed again. But it didn't take long for him to see through my act. This third time, he was the one who brought it up. I was thirty now, no longer in my prime. My face, which used to look so much like Helena's, had started showing fine lines. He bought me a bunch of expensive skincare products and casually proposed. He probably wanted to capture photos of our wedding while I still bore some resemblance to her. Too bad that even though we had already taken the photos, Chloe Bennett suddenly showed up. She looked way more like Helena than I did. She had just graduated from college—youthful, vibrant. Especially her eyes; when she smiled, they looked exactly like Helena's. It was entirely within my expectations that Julian would postpone the wedding for her. I just hadn't expected him to be willing to sign the marriage license with me first. "Julian announced that the wedding is postponed for six months? How could he do this?!" Maria's shout pulled me out of my thoughts. She held up her phone to my face in shock. Five minutes ago, Julian had posted on Instagram: "Due to work reasons, my wedding with Clara is postponed for six months. Sorry for the inconvenience, everyone." I sneered in my heart. He claimed it was for work, but everyone in our circle knew the real reason. Within a month, he had spent nearly three million dollars on Chloe. He had also taken her to various high-profile events without hiding a thing. Rumors had been flying around our social circle that I was discarded. Some people were even betting on when I'd lose my mind and try to kill myself. After all, to marry Julian, I had threatened to jump off buildings a few times in the past. Maria looked at me with deep concern. "Clara, what are you going to do?" "Tell Julian to make sure they use protection," I said calmly. "Chloe is still young. I'd hate for her to ruin her health." Maria let out a heavy sigh. "I knew you were still bitter about what happened two years ago." "Actually, maybe it was for the best that you didn't have that baby. Your health was so bad back then, you probably wouldn't have carried it to term anyway." I didn't argue. I just shook my head. "We're even now." She didn't get what I meant. She just sighed again. "You... you're just too sensible." Just then, a message popped up on my phone from Arthur. A voice note played, his deep, amused voice filling the room: "The photos look great. You have amazing taste." "I'll announce our marriage in the family Snapchat group today." Maria froze. Her mouth fell open, and it took her a long time to find her voice. "You... you know Julian's uncle, Arthur?" She couldn't believe the person Arthur was talking about was me. I had no intention of hiding it. "Yes, he's my husband." "We've already signed the papers." Nobody knew. While Julian was busy chasing Chloe with all his might, I hadn't been idle either. His uncle, Arthur Vance, looked far more like the man in my heart than Julian ever did. After clinging to Julian for all these years, I had almost forgotten my original purpose. If Chloe hadn't suddenly appeared, I might have actually believed I was in love with Julian. Signing those papers with Arthur was indeed a bit impulsive. But today proved that I made the right choice.
Maria looked utterly shocked. "So when you were with Julian, you weren't just a willing stand-in—you were using him as a stand-in too?" I gave a bitter smile. Stand-in or not, this wasn't some cheesy soap opera. I just wanted to survive. Seven years ago, my fiancé, Leo Wood, died on our wedding day. My soul died with him that day. Now, only this empty shell remained, desperately needing something to hold onto. I told Maria to keep quiet about this and sent Arthur a reply: "If Julian makes a scene, please handle it." "I'm already looking at houses. I'll move out in a few days." Maria's face went pale. "Clara, are you just saying this because you're disappointed in Julian?" "Trust me, I know him. You are the most important person to him. Chloe is just a temporary amusement!" I knew that. My seven years with Julian couldn't be replaced by Chloe overnight. But he had found someone who looked more like Helena, and I had found someone who looked more like Leo. I looked down at my new lock screen. Arthur was in a tailored suit, his eyes cold and sharp, yet they softened into a smile when he looked at me. He looked exactly like Leo. I knew I couldn't wait any longer. If I waited any longer, I wouldn't even recognize myself anymore. That evening, Julian came home unusually early. He smiled as soon as he walked in. "Do you remember my uncle Arthur? He suddenly announced in the family group that he's getting married next month. He wouldn't say who the bride is. Keeping it so mysterious." I raised an eyebrow. "Is it the person we had dinner with last time?" "Yeah, him." Maria opened her mouth several times but said nothing in the end, retreating to the kitchen to make dinner. Then, Julian suddenly ordered: "Maria, practice making some Mexican dishes over the next few days. Chloe is going to stay here for a while." Before I could say anything, Maria couldn't hold back. "Julian! How can you bring her here? Clara is still living here!" Julian frowned. "So what? There are plenty of rooms." "Chloe just graduated. The house I bought her needs remodeling. She can't just sleep on the street." "You—" "Let her move in," I interrupted Maria. "There are empty rooms upstairs. I'll stay on the first floor. We won't get in each other's way." Seeing how submissive I was as always, a flash of guilt crossed Julian's eyes. "Clara, I know this is unfair to you." "Don't worry. I'll definitely make her leave in six months." "Sure." I nodded smoothly and went into the kitchen to help Maria with dinner. Julian didn't think much of it and immediately called his driver to pick up Chloe. That night, the three of us sat down for dinner. Seeing a table full of plain, boiled dishes, Chloe frowned deeply. "Julian, didn't you tell the housekeeper that I like Mexican food?" "These dishes have no color, let alone flavor. How is anyone supposed to eat this?" Maria glanced over and clattered the plates in the sink on purpose. Julian patted Chloe's head affectionately. "Just eat this for a few days. Clara has a sensitive stomach and can't eat anything too spicy." "I'll have Maria cook separate meals for you later." Chloe looked over at me. It was her first time looking at me closely. Our eyes met, and a look of "she's nothing special" flashed across her face. She reluctantly put down her fork and pushed her plate forward. "Forget it. I won't eat. I'll just count it as a diet." With that, she got up and walked over to the sofa to watch TV. Julian immediately chased after her. "How can you not eat? You'll get a stomachache. Be good, just have a few bites." Chloe glanced at me and crossed her arms. "She must have told the housekeeper to do this. If you didn't want me to move in, you should have just said so." Julian grabbed her hand and coaxed her humbly, "Clara wouldn't do that. I just told Maria too late. It's my fault."
Chloe pouted. "I don't care! That food is practically dog food. I'm not eating it!" Watching them, I felt like I was back to when Julian and I first met. Back then, because I wanted to accompany him in eating spicy food, I ended up in the ER with acute gastritis. His eyes had been red with panic. "Clara, I'm so sorry. I didn't know your stomach was this sensitive." "Tomorrow—tomorrow I'll eat bland food with you!" He kept his word. For the rest of our time together, he never touched a single spicy dish. I knew he was only good to me because of Helena. So I never dared to tell him that my stomach was ruined because of the heavy drinking after my fiancé died. I didn't dare to be spoiled and demanding like Chloe. Because I was afraid. Afraid of losing someone who looked so much like Leo. "I'll take you out to eat," Julian continued to coax Chloe, helping her put on her high heels and pulling her up by the hand. As he passed the dining table, he said coldly to Maria, "Starting tomorrow, everyone eats spicy food. Including Clara." Maria was shocked. "But Clara has chronic gastritis. If she has an attack..." "A little bit won't hurt. Gastritis isn't some terminal illness. She won't die from it." He grew impatient. "It's settled. If you can't cook it, I'll find a housekeeper who can." For the next few days, every meal in the house was heavy, spicy Mexican food. Julian had eaten bland food with me for years, so his stomach wasn't used to such greasy, spicy food either. But to accommodate Chloe, his face flushed red from the spice, yet he never complained once. Maria tried to cook separate, bland meals for me a few times, but Chloe eventually found out. Her face darkened, and she dumped my food right in front of Julian. "What is this garbage? It makes me want to throw up!" "Julian, can you tell Maria to stop making this stuff? It totally ruins my appetite." I frowned, meeting Julian's slightly guilty gaze. He looked away. "Maria, don't make separate meals for Clara anymore." "Let her eat with us. It's no big deal." At his words, my expression finally turned cold. "I can't eat spicy food." "I've accommodated you for so many years. Can't you accommodate someone else for once?" The guilt in Julian's eyes vanished instantly. His gaze turned heavy and cold. "You didn't say anything for the past few days, and I thought you were actually being sensible. Turns out it was all an act? Now you finally can't hide it anymore?" "Chloe is only staying here for six months. Can't you just bear with it for six months?" Right. The anger inside me slowly dissolved. Since I was leaving soon anyway, there was nothing worth arguing about. Without saying another word, I turned to head to my bedroom. But Chloe suddenly grabbed my arm. "Where do you think you're going?" "Someone has to keep me company when I eat!" This was just pure harassment. I yanked my hand back. "Chloe, I am not your servant." "Ah!" As soon as the words left my mouth, she suddenly tumbled backward. With a loud crash, her lower back slammed hard against the chair. Blood quickly stained her dress. Everyone froze. I stared in shock, my fingers tightening as I stood there, speechless. Julian's face went pale. He rushed to help her up, his voice trembling. "Chloe! Are you okay?" "Julian... why am I bleeding? Am I... am I pregnant?" Chloe looked utterly dazed and terrified. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she clutched Julian's sleeve. "What do we do..." Julian suddenly snapped his head up to look at me, his face terrifyingly dark. "You pushed her! How can you be so vicious?" "If anything happens to the baby, I'm never letting this go!" "I didn't even use force—" "Chloe, I'm taking you to the hospital right now!" He didn't wait for me to finish. He scooped Chloe up in his arms and ran out. The bloodstains left on the floor made my face turn pale. I had also lost a child once. In our second year together, I found out I was pregnant and started pushing for marriage. He kept making excuses. In the end, when he couldn't stall anymore, he said coldly: "If you're only forcing me to marry you because of this baby, then go get an abortion."
Why? Why wasn't Julian this frantic back then? Why could he coldly tell me to get an abortion back then? "It's okay, Clara. Don't... don't cry." Maria gently took my hand, her voice choked with tears. I mechanically reached up to wipe my face, only to realize my cheeks were already soaked with tears. "I saw it! Chloe fell on her own. It had nothing to do with you!" Maria said as she pulled out her phone to call Julian. "I'll tell him right now!" "He won't believe you." I held Maria's hand down, my voice hoarse. "We're even. We're completely even now." Julian didn't return all night. At dawn, I was still tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Thinking back to the absurd years I spent with him, I felt a deep sense of guilt toward Leo. He had given his life to protect me, and his only wish was for me to live a good life. But what was I doing? What on earth was I doing? Suddenly, my phone buzzed, interrupting my thoughts. I picked it up and saw a friend request on Snapchat from a girl with a cartoon avatar. After a moment of thought, I accepted. I clicked on her profile. Her pinned post was a side profile of Julian. Along with a photo of them holding hands. The caption was incredibly intimate: "Stay with me forever, okay?" It was Chloe. I didn't message her. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, she couldn't help herself. "You're Clara, right?" "Julian is with me right now. He's not coming home tonight." I still didn't reply, pretending I didn't see it. She waited for a while before finally getting to the point: "I won't hold the baby thing against you, but on one condition: you have to give Julian up to me." "You know his heart only belongs to Helena. Now that I look more like her than you do, you have no advantage left." "I don't care what others say. I'm willing to be her stand-in." Indeed, youth is always full of reckless passion, ready to dive in headfirst. Just like how I had risked everything when I first approached Julian. "You don't need to ask. He's already yours." After replying, I blocked Chloe. The sky outside was gradually brightening. Before packing my things, I called Julian. I wanted to meet him one last time to clear everything up. After last night, I had completely let go. There was no longer any need to hide anything. Once we talked, I would start my life with Arthur. But I called him several times, and he didn't pick up once. He was doing it on purpose. I put my phone down and stopped trying. Seeing me packing my luggage systematically, Maria paced back and forth in panic. After pacing for a while, she called Julian. This time, he picked up. But his voice was extremely impatient: "If you're calling to talk about Clara, save your breath. I don't want to hear anything about her right now." "Chloe is still in the hospital. I'll settle the score with Clara once she's recovered!" "Julian, Clara is leaving. She's packing her bags—" "Where could she possibly go? She has no parents, no friends. Aside from the Vance house, where else can she go?" Maria, interrupted, was sweating profusely with anxiety. "She's going to find—" "I don't care who she finds. Chloe is awake, I'm hanging up." With that cold remark, the call went dead. Maria frantically tried to call back, but I smiled and spoke up: "Don't disturb him, Maria. I'm leaving." "If you ever need anything in the future, call me anytime." I gave her a warm hug. Maria burst into tears. She watched me leave with my luggage, reluctant to say goodbye. For the next two weeks, Julian barely contacted me. Occasionally, he would send weird texts in the middle of the night: "Clara, where did you put my white shirts?" "We're out of toothpaste. Which brand do you usually buy?" "I'm thinking of moving. If you're never coming back, I won't bother telling you the new address." ... I didn't reply to a single message. And on his end, he finally received a call from his friend who ran a wedding planning agency. "Julian, what's going on with you and Clara?" He frowned, his tone dark. "Even you know we had a fight?" "Did she go to your agency? Is she trying to force me into marriage again?" The voice on the other end hesitated. "She did come, but not to force you. In fact, she's getting married..." Julian laughed, his tone completely indifferent. "Getting married? To whom? Is she trying to pick some random guy off the street to make me jealous?" "I'm not falling for that." "Oh, come on!" His friend got anxious, his voice rising: "Her groom is your uncle, Arthur Vance! The scale is huge—they booked our entire grand ballroom!"
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