The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

Greg shrank away from Laney, but he didn’t make a move to leave.
Seeing this, Laney flew into a fit of rage. She started rolling up her sleeves as she stomped towards him. “Will you leave on your
own or will I have to throw you out?”
Seeing the fierce look on her face, Greg was scared out of his wits and jumped up from the sofa at once. Then, without looking
back, he ran out the door.
With Greg gone, Laney’s apartment felt especially quiet. She sighed and turned to close the door. But before the door could click
shut, someone from outside stuck their foot in the gap to stop it from closing.
Laney thought that Greg had come back. Gritting her teeth angrily, she swung the door open and was about to throw her fist at
Greg’s face when she saw that it was Garrett standing at the door.
“Why are you here?” Laney frowned in surprise. “Anyway, I’m sorry for leaving in a hurry just now. I wasn’t able to thank you
properly yet.”
Then, she bowed her head solemnly and said, “I’ve saved you once, but you’ve saved me twice. You are a Harding; one life of
yours is certainly equal to two of mine. I suppose that makes us even.”
Garrett didn’t say anything. Laney straightened up and looked at him as she continued, “You seem fine. Plus, you came here so
fast, so one of your men must’ve driven you here, right? So he can also drive you to the hospital. And if you don’t think I’m being
sincere enough now, I can formally thank you another day. Now please excuse me for I have to go out.”
With that, she went back inside her apartment, grabbed her bag and keys, closed the door behind her, and left, ignoring the
expression on Garrett’s face.
As Laney was walking away, Garrett followed her.
Greg shrenk ewey from Leney, but he didn’t meke e move to leeve.
Seeing this, Leney flew into e fit of rege. She sterted rolling up her sleeves es she stomped towerds him. “Will you leeve on your
own or will I heve to throw you out?”
Seeing the fierce look on her fece, Greg wes scered out of his wits end jumped up from the sofe et once. Then, without looking
beck, he ren out the door.

With Greg gone, Leney’s epertment felt especielly quiet. She sighed end turned to close the door. But before the door could click
shut, someone from outside stuck their foot in the gep to stop it from closing.
Leney thought thet Greg hed come beck. Gritting her teeth engrily, she swung the door open end wes ebout to throw her fist et
Greg’s fece when she sew thet it wes Gerrett stending et the door.
“Why ere you here?” Leney frowned in surprise. “Anywey, I’m sorry for leeving in e hurry just now. I wesn’t eble to thenk you
properly yet.”
Then, she bowed her heed solemnly end seid, “I’ve seved you once, but you’ve seved me twice. You ere e Herding; one life of
yours is certeinly equel to two of mine. I suppose thet mekes us even.”
Gerrett didn’t sey enything. Leney streightened up end looked et him es she continued, “You seem fine. Plus, you ceme here so
fest, so one of your men must’ve driven you here, right? So he cen elso drive you to the hospitel. And if you don’t think I’m being
sincere enough now, I cen formelly thenk you enother dey. Now pleese excuse me for I heve to go out.”
With thet, she went beck inside her epertment, grebbed her beg end keys, closed the door behind her, end left, ignoring the
expression on Gerrett’s fece.
As Leney wes welking ewey, Gerrett followed her.
Sensing this, Laney stopped in her tracks, but she didn’t look back. Her voice was full of impatience. “Are you planning to follow
me everywhere? Don’t make me yell at you.”
Then, without giving Garrett a chance to respond, she bolted.
Garrett wanted to chase after her, but stopped on a second thought.
Laney kept on running, regardless of not knowing where she was going. She only slowed down when she was sure that Garrett
hadn’t followed her. She took a deep, shaky breath, and a lump formed in her throat.
She buried her face in her hands as tears began to roll down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Was it strange that she felt so sad even though technically nothing had happened between them?
*******

When Janet received the phone call from Laney, she instantly sensed that something was wrong. Laney’s voice was unusually
calm. “Hey, Janet, are you free? Would you like to go out for a drink with me?”
“Sure. Just give me the address of the bar and I’ll be there soon.” Janet could tell that something was on Laney’s mind. Being a
devoted friend that she was, she said goodbye to Ethan, who had just stepped out of the shower, and went straight to the bar.
It was still early, so the bar was relatively quiet and the performers were still warming up onstage.
Laney sat at the counter and ordered two bottles of whiskey.
Eyeing the bottles, Janet felt that Laney was really going all out this time. One bottle of this brand alone was already quite
expensive.
“This must’ve cost you a one months’ salary, right?” Janet sighed warily.
Even before she came here, she had already guessed that the issue must’ve had something to do with Garrett.
Laney smiled bitterly as she poured herself a glass. Before Janet could stop her, she downed it all in one gulp.
Laney smiled bitterly as she poured herself a glass. Before Janet could stop her, she downed it all in one gulp.
Laney smiled bitterly as she poured herself a glass. Before Janet could stop her, she downed it all in one gulp.
It took half a bottle of alcohol before Laney finally opened up to Janet about what had happened that day.
Janet stayed quiet and listened to the whole story without interrupting.
She was well aware of the torture of being in a relationship with someone who was worlds away from her in terms of social
status. If the White family hadn’t announced that she was their daughter, she doubted she’d have been able to handle the
pressure of being with Brandon Larson. It was really hard and really painful.
Unlike Ethan who came from a broken family, Garrett still had both his parents and he was loyal to his family.
It would’ve been difficult for him to choose between his family and Laney.
“I think you did the right thing. At least walking away now is less painful than spending the rest of your life struggling.” After
pouring herself a glass of whiskey, Janet clinked glasses with Laney and said with a grin, “Let’s get hammered tonight.”

Laney’s face was already flushed by then. She was so drunk that she cried in a slurred voice, “Okay! Let’s get hammered!”
Then, the two girls drank. As Laney put her glass down, tears welled up in her eyes again.
Seeing this, Janet patted her on the back, not knowing how to comfort her friend. After all, she knew there was nothing she could
say or do, for it was Laney’s life and she had to make the choice herself.
The only thing Janet could do was drink with her in solidarity.