He Too Is A Substitute

oned divorce before, and I didn't agree. This

's face d

ved Leyla Hardy. I wa

llin Holt, and Jake was me

turned, I no longer ha

ke rushed back, travel-worn, and

ghter and ignited the can

my bi

d Jake to come home earl

ke hadn't appeared. H

table, still displayed Le

a, who resembled me slightly. Jak

t also the day Leyla r

without hesitation, fo

o pick up his true l

matter what, I want to ce

ocial media post on my phone, he guiltily tucked t

off, leaving only the f

, my eyes softly tr

so much li

light, ev

turned his face aw

ntle. "I hope I can be with the one I lo

ion grew heavy

ickly dampened my mood. "Wishes don'

nd looked at him, my tone si

t, at

finding another substitute s

hday, Jake rar

greement, he never b

nsion, watching entertainme

ry woman for a week, strolling sweetly and carrying

with excitement, while the

n and glanced at my expression. "These gossip reporters ar

t chase rumors." I handed Madison a cup of co

don't believe it, that's enough."

eciate it. He refuses to take over the family business and insists on fooling ar

family will be fine

or to update Madison on th

amily had

nsumed by the entertainment career, unw

e endlessly tolerant

ace, I married into the Holt famil

ought s

g interrupted my conve

wered

ing and got cornered by a bun

chorus of mocking a

d. Madison's face

Madison. I'l

r's entrance. I hesitated br

s Nathan Thorpe, Jake

and rushed over. "

led me to a priv

n, and waves of mocki

ll playing

Not afraid your wife will divorce you in

t Jake could cheat in front of her,

pushed the

kids froze, their sneers sti

two people sea

ere soaked with alcohol, his eye

la noticed me and delibera

reassuringly. "Don't wo

dice on the table, su

er bottle of beer as t

and a nobody. When Laura drank for you until h

ened. The rich kids noticed and

ned just after the

ering money he no longer had, yet he ke

lege graduate, couldn't outp

to the scene after getting word. I

ke, they're cheat

ought the Walton heiress? What, trying t

e snapped back. "Keep barking, and I

the s

everythin

rse, he lo

se the rich kids' tricks, but Jak

them to la

eir laughter or l

to meddle in

t him in d

yet he humiliated me

uld keep losing

thing, he still c

want your money. Lose ten grand,

." I stop

sted look, ignored m

he lost thi

drink to cover the debt

after glass, his face

it. I frowned. "

and away, knocking over the beer b

ohol, my expre

earing my anger, and relented. "For

deal. What, you thin

hed at Jake's

want to meddle? If you're my girlfri

ich kids gasped. "Damn, Laur

ave? Let Jake die o

s fragile. I ended up in the hospital wi

a had sent Jake an

g, bought a plane tick

in the hospital was to bor

the hospital, only to catc

my composure. "C

king lot, Jake spoke.

ink supercar, built for

ter-of-factly. "Give me the

keys and sped

augh. "Your wife really lov

g the supercar's taill

ords were meant

elf. I caught them tog

n Jake cheris

et Leyla drink a drop o

at the rich kids

ere in the wrong, flashed app

ich kids and couldn't get out. I had no choice

." Jake took off his jacket and d

agile but shot

dious. I turned and w

Jake asked, "A

ence, so I drank for you, but you never thanked me. Now, to s

hed when Jake'

m Jake's deliberate ins

ed to let me use my infl

lover, he swallowed that pri

ld indeed cha

recious pride meant noth

. You're just a stand-in for Leyla. You know

gave you. What more do y

he resembled the man I loved,

Jake's expression

car. I'll driv

o I ge

o teach you?

gh my bag, grabbed

absurd, but habit kept

bar, a thoug

been dr

, always cau

my phone ra

the hos

hed at an intersection. He wa

ing him increas

I suppressed my irritation, hailed

news of Jake's drunk

d, "Jake has so many fans. You're the twen

ne minute ago; the n

ed the hospital to c

bright yellow caution ta

the emergen

rough was worth it, Jake emer

itation, he pulled

you okay? A

e you out with

in your car? And wh

"His hand's barely scratched, and that's called hurt? Liv

blunt words

mirk, though I stifle

fine, why c

mergency surgery room's

y and needs a transfusion. The hospita

screamed, worried, or goss

n. Instead, he called me, his wife,

, that woman wa

room, saw me. and asked Jake, "Is

y. pushed me forward

erious about having me, your wife,

ned, her gaze darting

's gossip

's with your attitude? Are you

at him

by drunk driving, yet he was angry be

epeatedly. The nurse, impatient, nur

ly answered, softening toward

face silently,

last time I'd indulge

, I glanced at

was deat

massive, and the hosp

lied i

ed Leyla being whee

ked tense, trembling as

eded, he relaxed and follo

a huge amount of blood and was sti

sitated before bringing me a cup

t I lacked the st

cked it up and he

dis

c. "Laura, Jake's in troub

she tried to comfort me. "Don't believe those tabloids. That wom

eement, and Ma

ous. "You're really Jake'

sh, but I knew

ate at night? How could he call me to d

"Please don't

ead, sighing. "You mu

I wond

't res

ating her offered food, I felt stronger,

s lover, too preoccup

donated blood,

a t

remained, but the cr

quieter and less lik

gaze fixed on

back but s

, I opened news

ake Holt Drunk

Holt Risked Dr

's the Link Between Her, Jak

sessed over

clear photos

f myself beside Jake's

ped his face

ke, no surprise th

relentless, unearthing

, had left him after graduation to st

d Jake met often, hintin

fans dug, they fou

ed my information, making

dentity but wouldn't dare ex

me tied to Jake's, splashe

officials to remove my in

scent fill

thick cloth c

but gently. A light

e blindfold, a warm figur

ainst him, feeling

ma

rt ski

ng brought

h brushed

died m

this stranger, leaving no ch

mask him. Seeing a crimina

? What do you want? Money?

s, assumed I was tied to Jake

n's grip tightened, a suppresse

voi

y stif

our money from? Your husband, or

oice, I summoned all my

ged me, relea

In the dim light, I star

, high nose

by half but was ev

ked on his

inted it's not

ession

ollin leaned in, try

at him. "I'm your