The CEO Substitute Lover

"Mom, dad, I have graduated from school today and I want to share my happiness with you both." I smiled, staring at their gravestones, but I was crying inside.

I tried hard not to cry and be strong in front of them but I failed. Tears fell from my eyes dripping down my cheeks. "I miss you both so much. I wish you both were here with me," I said what my heart wished for.

I blame myself for their deaths. My mom wouldn't have died if she hadn't given birth to me and my dad wouldn't have had liver cancer if he didn't drink alcohol often to forget his longing for my mom.

My dad died two years ago. I'm 18 now. He loves me and my mom so much. He didn't remarry until he died. He devoted all his affection to his daughter and was faithful to his wife. I love my dad with all my heart.

I wiped my tears and put a white rose in my hand on my mom's grave. "Mom, I brought you this flower," I said, smiling at her gravestone. She really loved the flower and so did I.

When I heard thunder, I looked up at the sky. The sky was getting cloudy. I moved my gaze back to their gravestones. "I have to go back now. I'll come see you two again. I love you both," I said and took a step.

It startled me as I bumped into someone's hard chest, making the white roses bouquet in his hand to fall to the ground. "I'm so sorry," I said in a panic, taking the bouquet and standing up straight.

As I looked at him, I couldn't blink my eyes, struck by his handsome face. My heartbeat quickens, and my cheeks heat up. The feeling of admiration and nervousness took over me at the same time.

He's tall, dressed in a fine black suit, white shirt, and black tie with dark brown hair that is neatly slicked back. His gray eyes were so beautiful, but I could see the deep sadness, pain, and tears in his eyes.

He couldn't take his eyes off me as if he had just found something so precious that he had lost. "Roselyn ..." he said in a sad whisper.

I quickly take a step back as he caresses my cheek. "Why you touching me?! And why you calling me by that name?" I asked, curious. "I-I'm not Roselyn."

He kept his eyes on my face, confused. I think he's struggling to convince himself that he's not dreaming right now.

I handed the flowers in my hands to him. "Here are your flowers. I - I have to go now," I said, nervous. Fear took over me as his domineering eyes gripped mine. "You ruined the flowers and you have to pay for it," he said sternly.

I bit my lip in panic, avoiding his eyes. 'Oh, what should I do?' I asked myself. 'This bouquet must be expensive.'

I brace myself to look back into his eyes. "I-I'm so sorry, sir. I can't pay for the flowers. I only have money to pay for the bus to take me home," I told him honestly.

A hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Then give me your ID," he said, holding out his hand to me. His sharp gaze frightened me, made me unable to think at all and could only obey him.

I took my ID card from inside my bag and gave it to him. Fear gripped me even more when I saw the way he looked at my ID. Somehow I feel he wanted so badly to torture me and make me beg for his mercy.

He took his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and took a photo of my ID before he handed it back to me. I quickly took it from his hand and put it in my bag. All I can think of right now is running away from him.

He gave me his gentle smile, but his gaze still frightened me. "Emily White. I'll see you again," he said as a farewell before he left me.

I put my cold hands on my chest, struggling to get my breath. I could hear my rapid heartbeat in my ears. I was so scared of him and I would never want to see him again. I thought he was a gentle, handsome man, but I was wrong. He is the devil behind his handsome face.

The raindrops that fell on my cheeks woke me up from my fear. I immediately ran to the bus stop and got on the bus to go home.

As soon as I got out of the bus, I immediately ran into the old apartment in New York. It's still raining now. Since my dad died, I have lived with his sister. I love my aunt as much as she loves me. I don't know how to live this life without her. My aunt worked as a singer in a bar. She rented this apartment for us to stay.

When the elevator stopped on the 3rd floor, I walked out to our apartment room. "You bitch! Give me the money now!"

My heart was beating fast. Worry gripped me firmly as I heard Eric yelled from inside the room and heard my aunt cry. Eric is my aunt's boyfriend.

I quickly opened the door. "No! Please don't hit her!" I said, crying as I saw Eric hit my aunt in the face. I ran over and hugged my aunt, who was standing by the wall crying in fear.

I glared at Eric, trying to be brave. "Get out of here now! Or I'll call the police!" I yelled at him. I gasped in fear as he grabbed my face. "Dare to threaten me! I'll fuck you and kill you both!" He threatens.

"Please, Eric, please ... Let her go," my aunt pleaded in tears, holding his arm. "I'll give you the money."

Eric moved his gaze from mine to my aunt's and smirked evilly before he released me from his grip.

I quickly stepped back, struggling with my fear while my aunt rushed to our room to take the money she had hidden in my stuffed bunny, and quickly back to us, standing in front of Eric. "Here, take this money," she said, handing him the money. "Leave us now." Her voice and hands trembled.

Eric took the money and smiled gently at my aunt. I clenched my fists, holding back my anger as I watched him slip his dirty hand behind my aunt's neck with his eyes on my aunt's. "You should have given me this money before I hit you. I didn't want to hit you. You know I love you," he said. His voice was soft but threatening.

I looked away in anger and tears in my eyes when I saw him kissing my aunt's lips, squeezing her breasts. My aunt could do nothing but shed tears in fear.

He stopped raping my aunt's lips and gave her another gentle smile. Then he walked out of the room casually while whistling like nothing happened.

As I saw my aunt crying, I hugged her. I couldn't help but cry, too. Seeing her like this made my heart suffer so much. This wasn't the first time Eric had beaten her. He always did that when he was angry with her. My aunt once reported him to the police, but he was only in jail for a few months and when he got out of jail, he did worse to my aunt. My aunt almost died being beaten by him. From then on, we dared not against him and could only obey.

I let go of our embrace, looking into my aunt's face. Seeing the blood dripping from her nose made me so worried about her. "Let me take you to bed," I say and she responds with a nod.

I wrapped my arm around hers, and we walked into our room. This apartment only has one bedroom, so we slept together. When she lay on the bed, I covered her with a blanket and sat on the bed next to her.

I took a tissue from my bag on my lap and wiped her blood with it. Not a single word came out of our mouths, only tears were falling from our eyes.

She held my hand after I cleaned the blood, looking into my eyes. "Emily, today is your graduation day. I'm so sorry you had to see this," she said in a quavering voice.

I fell silent, staring at her. Tears filled my eyes. I'd be lying if I said I'm not sad right now. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. I could tell she was struggling with her sadness and so was I.

She looked back into my eyes. "I saved the money so you can go to college, but he has taken the money and I don't have money anymore," she said, crying.

"Auntie, it's okay. I don't want to go to college. I want to find a job. You know I'm not good at studying so it's useless for me to go to college," I say and I try to smile to comfort her.

She stared at my smile with her sad eyes, tears dripping from the corners of her eyes. She put her hand on my cheek. "Emily ... I love you so much," she said sadly.

"I know, so never leave me, always be with me," I say, hugging her, and we both cry.