The Substitute Wife

It was a dim and gruesome basement.

Winter Josh had been dehydrated by three days, and her consciousness was clouded.

Her palm-sized face looked bloodless.

She was unwilling to die like this, but her only relative and grandma still needed her care, and the matter with her mother hadn't come to the surface...

"Water... I need water..." Winter opened her dried and withered lips, forcing out a few words.

Feeling a sudden cold sensation from her lips, she involuntarily opened her mouth and swallowed like a withered sapling welcoming a long-lost rain.

The abuse from a sharp voice went into her ears, "Eek, Winter, lowly bitch, you are still alive after three days!"

Winter slowly opened her eyes when Betsy Josh's enlarged face came into view. Under the dim light in the basement, her pretty face looked extremely hideous.

Her hand was grasping a wad of damp and dirty rag still dripping murky water.

Now Winter realized the coolness in her trance came from it.

This was outrageous! The mother and daughter had been trying every means to torture her. Her father not only turned a blind eye but even added insult to injury.

Unhurriedly Betsy took out her cell phone and played a video clip.

"Take a look at this. If you don't marry into the Lloyd Family, prepare to collect the dead body of your grandmother!" Her cold voice and ferocious expression sent a dull pain through Winter.

She had never expected her father, the mother and daughter should threaten her with the life of her grandmother.

"I'll marry!" She clenched her fists to the point that her nails dug deep into the flesh of her palms, "You'd better ensure my grandma's... safety... otherwise, I'll haunt you as a ghost!" Said Winter hatefully.

One day, she would make them pay for what they did to her today!

"My dear sister, why are you so insensible? The Young Lady position of the Lloyd Family is originally yours, and now I give it back. You should thank me!" As the fiancée of Mr. Lloyd, Betsy felt relieved and said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

The Young Lady position of the Lloyd Family!

Her stepmother and half-sister once racked their brains to snatch the position!

When her grandfather was alive, he concluded the engagement with the patriarch of the Lloyd Family, and she would marry Etan, the grandson of the Lloyd Family.

Unfortunately, her grandpa passed away two years ago, and on the day of the engagement, her father, Dwight Josh, let his illegitimate daughter, Betsy take her place.

But now, the Young Lady title of the Lloyd Family that the mother and daughter had been craving became a hot potato.

Because of a car accident a year ago, the privileged Mr. Lloyd was disabled and reduced to a retard.

Three days later, the Lloyd Family came to fetch the bride.

They kept a low profile, and only a black Rolls Royce was sent over.

The bride escort was the butler of the Lloyd Family, Chester Scott.

The old man was thin and reserved.

Without any dowry, Winter only had a shabby trunk with her. In the trunk lay a few old clothes and her grandfather's legacy. Josh Family had the trunk examined many times before she was allowed to take it.

Although they were once engaged, she only met the man twice. The first time was when she was a teenager, and her grandfather took her to meet the patriarch of the Lloyd Family. The second time was when he came to the Josh Family to send the betrothal gift.

Back then, he kept a straight face and unapproachable air like an exalted king who defied everything.

Betsy tried to please him shamelessly and coquettishly, but he also treated her like air.

In front of him, people would feel inferior.

The aloof and kingly Etan spat a sentence that day. Her tone was indifferent yet hard-hitting.

His eyes were icy, his voice equally chilling, "The old man forces me to bring the betrothal gift, and I need to make it clear. Don't hold any illusion, all that I can provide is a nominal title: Young Lady of the Lloyd Family, and nothing more!"

Following his words, he turned away without the slightest hesitation!

Betsy's cheeks twitched slightly, and then the dissatisfaction in her turned into ridicule for Winter.

With disdainful and biting words, she assaulted Winter, "My dear sister, how about it? Can you tear your eyes away from your former fiancé? His back alone can drive people crazy! What a pity, he is mine now!"

That was sheer flaunt.

When the past event vividly crossed her mind, it sent a pang of bitterness through her.

He was so arrogant and full of himself.

That tall, beautiful, cold, and dashing back was probably her last impression of him.

But the world was unpredictable. In another reversal of fortune, she became Etan's wife eventually.

"Madam, shall we start off now?" Mr. Scott asked politely, interrupting Winter's wild thoughts.

"Wait a moment, Mr. Scott, can I say goodbye to my sister?" Betsy interrupted in a soft and sad voice.

Winter couldn't help but sneer. Her sister was so good at putting on shows that she could definitely win an Oscar.

With a poker face, Winter looked at the pretentious woman. With feigned sadness and shyness, she walked to her and called out with reluctance and sorrow, "Sis, you are leaving the Josh Family today, and I'm unwilling to part with you. I have something private to tell you..."

Her hypocritical face was filled with grief, and she choked with sobs as if tears were about to fall.

To an outsider, they looked like affectionate sisters. When her sister was about to marry, the little one was reluctant to part with her. What a touching scene!

She held Winter, lowered her head to Winter's ear, and whispered in a voice only audible to the two of them, "My dear sister, bad news, that dumb and disabled Mr. Lloyd is impotent now. Enjoy your life as a grass widow, I give you my blessing!"

Winter pushed the vile person away.

Slap!

A resounding smack stunned everyone there and then.

Winter looked coldly at Betsy who covered her cheek and snapped, "This smack is for someone who talks shit early in the morning!"

In her dying bed, her mother told her not to live like a coward, but people would walk all over her. Debts should be paid, and the smack was just the start.

Betsy trembled in anger. Originally, she planned to irritate Winter before her departure but was unexpectedly beaten.

Before Betsy lost her tempter, the butler of Lloyd Family spoke, "Madam, now it's the auspicious time, please get in the car!"

Dwight checked Betsy in case she stirred up more trouble. He could only play up to and not offend the Lloyd Family.

In the car, Winter saw Betsy's contorted face out of rage.

She sneered and looked on. To her, the Josh Family was a cage and the hell. Although the Lloyd Family was not much better, at least, she wouldn't need to face her vile family members.

The Lloyd Family!

It was a tiger's lair!

Rumored had it that the all-powerful patriarch was seriously ill, so the wedding is kept simple. She received nothing other than a wedding dress from the family.

The moment when she stepped into the living room of Lloyd's house, she felt the atmosphere abruptly turned cold.

Hunter Lloyd, the goodman of the family, and Mrs. Lloyd were sitting in the hall and expecting the arrival of their son's bride.

Under the support of two servants, Winter walked to the hall, and Mr. Scott announced, "Kowtow to your parents-in-law!"

While Winter was hesitating, her shoulder was pressed, and she was forced to kneel.

"Chester, have you done your task?" Asked Hunter.

"Mister, it's done. This is Mr. Lloyd and Ms. Josh's marriage certificates!"

"Put them away!" Hunter ordered in a bland tone without looking at the two red certificates.

To his son, the certificate was probably no different from waste paper.

But to Winter, it was sort of bondage.

Now that the certificates were claimed, the Josh and the Lloyd families had cut off her retreat.

"Go invite the Young Master." Chester instructed the servants.

Soon, Winter saw a servant pushing over a wheelchair, on which sat none other than Etan.

The man was once insufferably arrogant and aloof.

"Etan, this is your bride!"

There was no response.

"From now on, she will take care of you!"

Then a chilling gaze landed on her face. He was sizing up her face with his beautiful slanted eyes full of estrangement and strangeness.

Although he was disabled and dull, his cold and lofty air persisted. At a glance, she was afraid of approaching him.

"Etan, this is Winter, daughter of Dwight and the granddaughter-in-law chosen by your grandfather!" Mrs. Lloyd said blandly, "Support Ms. Josh up!"

Because Winter had been kneeling for quite some time and hadn't fully recovered from her former injury in the Josh Family, her knees already went numb. When she was just helped up by the servants, she staggered and fell into the soft arms of the man in the wheelchair. Immediately, she was alarmed and bewildered.

She cast her eyes up and saw that stunning face just inches away.

After their gazes met briefly, his dashing eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes were tinted with ruthless anger before he snarled, "Get off me!"

No sooner had his voice died away than Winter was shoved forcefully to the floor.

Chester hurriedly helped Winter up.

"Get her out of here!" Full of hostility, Etan glanced at Winter, opened his thin lips, and snapped loudly.

Mrs. Lloyd's eyebrows furrowed. After the car accident, her son became unapproachable to strangers.

This was agonizing!

Mrs. Lloyd comforted her son, "There there, Etan, be a good boy. When you get married, your grandpa may get better. Chester, bring Etan to his room!" Mrs. Lloyd instructed, "I need a talk with Winter!"

As Winter watched others push him away, she felt her heart was gripped and wrenched.

After Etan left, Mrs. Lloyd silently heaved a sigh.

"I'll go to the study and give you the room!" Hunter got up and fled to the study.

Only Mrs. Lloyd and Winter were left in the spacious living room.

"Winter, come, sit over here!" Mrs. Lloyd's anxious face softened a little.

"I'm fine!" Winter stood to one side somewhat restrainedly, waiting for her mother-in-law to speak.

The corners of Mrs. Lloyd's lips twitched, and she forced a smile not heartily.

In her heart, Winter was mulling over Mrs. Lloyd's upcoming instructions.