Chapter 1 Merely A Stand-In

It was late at night.

Janice Payne got an urgent call from the hospital. There had been a fire at a luxury five-star hotel in the heart of the city. As she rushed to the scene, a thought hit her all at once. Her husband, Karl Brooks, was attending a meeting in that very hotel.

Janice grew panicked. She tried to force her way toward the hotel despite the firefighters stopping her. "My husband is still inside. Please, let me go in and find him!"

"Ma'am, the fire is out of control. You're not allowed to enter!"

Unable to get through, Janice could only stand there, tears pouring down her face as she stared at the blazing building. She clasped her hands together, silently praying that Karl would come out alive.

Time dragged on painfully. Then, at last, someone was escorted out of the hotel by the firefighters.

The moment Janice recognized the figure, her eyes lit up. It was Karl. Thank God he was alive!

She was just about to run toward him but suddenly stiffened.

A woman was cradled in Karl's arms, her body wrapped loosely in a bathrobe.

Today was Janice's birthday. She and Karl had planned to have dinner together, rare as their time together was, but he had suddenly said he needed to attend a meeting. She never imagined that the meeting was just an excuse, and that he was actually having an affair with another woman in the hotel. If it weren't for this fire, she might never have discovered the truth.

Janice's hands began to shake uncontrollably, her face turning pale behind her mask. She wanted to walk away, but Karl headed straight in her direction.

Karl's usually sharp, composed face was pale, and blood slid down from a wound on his forehead. Despite being injured more seriously himself, his entire focus remained on the woman he was holding.

He locked eyes with Janice briefly before he spoke in a tense voice. "Doctor, please check on her right now. Is she hurt anywhere?"

Janice's chest tightened painfully. Dressed in a mask and protective goggles, she was completely unrecognizable to him.

"I am actually..." she started. But before she could say anything more, the woman in his arms winced.

"Karl, it hurts so much..." Joyce Gordon whimpered, her eyes glassy with tears.

Karl glared impatiently at Janice. "Why are you just standing there? Treat her immediately! Can't you see she's in pain?"

Being a doctor, Janice swiftly steadied herself and replied calmly, "We'll clean and assess the injuries in the ambulance."

Inside the ambulance, Janice picked up the disinfectant and approached Joyce. As she did, she couldn't help but study the woman's face. She appeared a couple of years younger, her frame small and delicate. A diamond necklace, one of the latest designs, rested against her collarbone, its price obvious at a glance.

When Janice finally got a clear look at Joyce's face, she froze for a brief moment. Joyce resembled her far too closely, especially around the eyes and brows. The difference was that Joyce's face was softer, her beauty gentle and tender in a way that naturally invited care and protection.

Only then did Janice begin to understand why, three years ago, Karl had agreed to marry her after just one glance. She had merely been a stand-in for Joyce.

The instant the sterilized cotton touched Joyce's skin, she broke into tears. "Karl, it hurts so much. Am I going to die?"

Karl frowned slightly. He pulled Joyce into his arms with his uninjured hand and said curtly to Janice, "Please be gentler."

Another sharp pain tore through Janice's heart.

Before Janice could respond, Joyce reached up and gently tugged at Karl's collar, her voice soft. "Karl, don't be so harsh. I'm sure the doctor didn't mean to hurt me."

Karl's voice softened with affection. "You're so kind and considerate, always thinking about others."

Janice watched the tenderness on Karl's face. This side of him was alien to her. During the three years of their marriage, Karl had always been distant and aloof. But with this woman, he seemed to abandon all restraint, handling her with utmost care.

Janice tended to Joyce's injuries mechanically. She bit her lower lip, but it did nothing to stop the cold seeping into her chest.

Joyce looked up at her and offered a gentle smile. "Thank you, doctor. He just worries too much about me. Please don't take it to heart."

Janice's expression remained icy. She dropped the used swab into the trash without a second glance. "It's fine. I'm used to it."

She then picked up the suturing instruments and turned to treat Karl's injuries.

Karl was already on the phone with his assistant, Armando Clark. "Armando, it's my wife's birthday today. Order a cake and send it to my place. Check past orders and get the most expensive one."

Janice's pupils constricted. So every birthday cake she'd received after marriage had never been chosen by him at all. She couldn't help but wonder how much genuine effort he had ever put into their relationship.

Lost in thought, she accidentally pressed the cotton swab hard against Karl's wound.

Karl scowled. "Are you even qualified as a doctor? You've been distracted since the beginning."

As he spoke, his eyes shifted to the name badge pinned to Janice's chest.