Chapter 4

Grace knew she was Brian’s wife, the lady of this mansion. But watching Louise act so calm and collected in front of her, she felt like she couldn’t stay in this house for another second.

gaze Her drifted to the side, and with what she thought was a calm tone, she said, “I’m going to tidy up the room,” and turned to head upstairs.

Louise lifted her eyes slowly, a hint of mockery playing on her lips. Grace’s retreating figure seemed a bit like she was escaping.

Back in her room, Grace felt a pang of sadness but quickly convinced herself it wasn’t worth being upset. She was just a stand–in, something she’d known all along.

She couldn’t even bring herself to enjoy breakfast, lying back in bed, drifting into a deep sleep.

Voices downstairs woke Grace up. Checking the time, it was already 11 AM. Laughter occasionally drifted up, and she opened the door to hear it more clearly.

“Miss Adkins, your figure and style are amazing! You look good in anything! I don’t even know which one to recommend. You can pull off any style!”

Grace watched the scene downstairs, her face turning pallid. Louise was wearing an off–shoulder white wedding dress, hair elegantly tied up, standing tall and graceful. In her mind, she couldn’t help but picture Louise and Brian together in wedding attire. Ironically, she found the imagined couple quite fitting.

Unconsciously, Grace’s nails dug into her palms. She couldn’t help but think that this was the difference between being the real deal and just a substitute. When she married Brian, they did nothing more than the paperwork at the city hall.

Then Louise spotted Grace, her face brightening into a smile. “Is the room cleaned up? Come down, I think you have a good eye. Help me decide which one looks better on me.”

Grace’s heart sank, and she descended the stairs with heavy steps.

“Miss Adkins, it’s your own wedding. Make the decision yourself. After all, it only happens once in a lifetime.”

502 7 6 2 3/22 2 63 6 Listening to her cold tone, Louise’s eyes flashed with a hint of darkness. Just then, Melvin entered, respectfully saying, “Miss Adkins, your chicken soup.”

Louise’s face lit up with a delighted smile as she walked over and took the deep plate. She lifted the lid and took a sniff, the rich aroma wafting instantly into the air. Grace’s stomach churned, and she covered her mouth and nose, rushing out of the living room.

Louise was surprised, quickly following, asking, “What’s wrong? Are you pregnant?”

Grace’s heart clenched. She silently squeezed her fist, hiding the tension in her eyes. She looked up at Louise with a bright smile. “Yes, I’m pregnant, and it’s Brian’s!”

Grace figured the more she concealed, the more suspicion she’d attract. It was better to admit it. This way, Louise wouldn’t believe it.

Louise’s face stiffened abruptly, and then she squinted at Grace for a moment before letting out a crisp laugh. “You can’t fool me. I was just being kind to check on you. But don’t worry. I won’t get mad.”

With that, she turned and went to change her clothes.

Grace breathed a sigh of relief quietly. Thankfully, she hadn’t been found out, but she worried Brian would blame her if he found out.

Louise, now out of the wedding dress, still wore an elegant smile on her face. She turned to Grace and said, “Grace, come here.”

“What can I do for you, Miss Adkins?”

“I’m going to bring Brian some food. The clothes in my suitcase got dirty during the move, so could you wash them for me? Oh, and be sure to hand wash them. Otherwise, they’ll be ruined.”

She patted Grace’s shoulder with a smile, said, “Thanks,” and walked away in her high heels. That gentle smile of Louise’s made it hard for anyone to dislike her.

Grace took a deep breath. She had done laundry before, so washing clothes wasn’t particularly difficult for her.

It wasn’t until later that Grace discovered Louise had three whole suitcases of clothes. Staring at the mountain of clothes in front of her, Grace desperately tried to convince herself it was just three months.

Endure it, and she would be free.

Seeing her sweating and exhausted, the butler approached and said, “Miss Sherman, you won’t finish washing all these clothes even if you work until dark. Let me help you.”

“Melvin, it’s okay. You go about your business.” Louise specifically had her do the washing. If Brian found out Melvin helped, he might direct his anger at Melvin.

Having done various chores growing up, this wasn’t particularly challenging for Grace. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and continued working.

After two full hours of washing, she was parched and about to stand up to get some water when suddenly everything went black.

All she heard was Melvin nervously calling out, “Miss Sherman!” before she lost consciousness.

When Grace woke up again, the scent of disinfectant lingered in the air. Her vision gradually focused, and she saw a tall figure standing by the bed. Realizing she was in a hospital, she sat up abruptly.

Brian was right beside her, making her anxious. She didn’t know when he had come in, and now she worried if he already knew about her pregnancy.

Carefully, she asked, “When did you get here?”

Brian stared at her with a cold expression, unsettling Grace.

Just then, her attending doctor walked in, a woman with glasses who glanced at Brian before turning her worry attention to Grace. “You’re awake. Don’t worry. There’s nothing serious. Just a fainting spell from low blood sugar and anemia. With your health, it’s better to avoid such strenuous activities.”

Brian, standing nearby, suddenly spoke in a chilly tone, “Just anemia and low blood sugar? Does she have any other issues? She hasn’t been eating well lately.”

Grace’s heart raced, but she heard the doctor saying to him, “Poor appetite could be due to excessive stomach acid. I’ll prescribe some relevant medication for her.”

Brian’s gaze shifted to Grace, the icy stare seemingly mocking her for playing the victim again.

Grace, who had been worried about being exposed, finally felt relieved.

“Since you’re fine, I’ll go. Don’t play tricks with me again.” He left with that indifferent remark.

Grace looked at the female doctor gratefully. “Thank you! Thank you for not revealing my pregnancy.”

The doctor replied calmly, “No need to thank me. It’s our responsibility to protect patient privacy. I remember you asked me to keep it confidential last time.”

Grace thanked her again. “Thank you!”

“Besides, that gentleman didn’t say he was your family. He only claimed to be your friend.”

Grace’s heart sank, feeling a sourness in her mouth. Even in the hospital, he didn’t want to admit their relationship. She forced a self–deprecating smile, thinking it might be good that he didn’t say he was her husband. If he had, the doctor would probably have told him the truth, and then the baby in Grace’s belly would be at risk.

The doctor, observing her pale face, felt sympathy and advised, “With a baby on the way, don’t engage in heavy work. If your appetite is poor, try eating smaller meals more frequently…”

Suddenly, the door opened, and Grace looked towards it in fear, finding Brian standing there. His cold voice cut through the room. “What did you say? A baby?”