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Chapter 35
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A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 36
Rosemary panicked. "It's just a child being disobedient! Why do we need to bring the cops in? Listen, Mr. Vanderbilt, I can explain! It was an accident! About your investment..."Ash guided Justine into the car, shielding her head with his hand. He shot a cold glare at Rosemary, silencing her.The woman stammered under the pressure and couldn't continue.She realized, with a sinking feeling, that she might be done for.-The Mercedes-Maybach sped toward the nearest hospital.A pale-faced Justine sat in the backseat, her focus entirely on Kitty. She gently caressed the girl's flushed cheeks, warm from a high fever.The heat of Justine's coat seemed to revive Kitty. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and Justine offered a reassuring smile."Don't be scared. Ms. Thorpe is here," she signed.Kitty moved her hand slightly.Justine grasped her small, dirty hand, gently massaging the girl's back with her thumb to comfort her.Kitty's finger grazed Justine's palm in response—an attempt to
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 37
It had sounded grim, causing Leon to panic and race to the hospital.Ash glared as he watched Justine sign to Leon, reassuring him that none of it was his fault and that she was no longer in pain.She was so patient with him—unlike how she had treated Ash earlier.His ire rose to a fever pitch."You're coming with me to see a doctor!" he snarled.Leon turned to him, startled, as if he had just noticed Ash. He then turned to Justine."Ex-husband," she signed.Ash's eyes grew even colder."You should be Mr. Vanderbilt, right? I've seen you in financial magazine interviews before," Leon greeted, smiling. "Hello! I'm Leon, Jean's friend. No offense, but she doesn't seem to enjoy seeing you here, so maybe you should give her some space. I'll take care of her, don't worry.""Friend," not "therapist."Ash didn't acknowledge Leon at all. He shot one last look at Justine and turned away in silence. He left.Kosta followed. "Mr. Vanderbilt, are you sure we should leave Ms. Thorpe like
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 38
Charitas Home's child abuse scandal went viral the next morning.Someone had taken pictures not only of Kitty in the ICU but also of other children's wounds.The Internet erupted with outrage.The investigation was swift.By noon, Rosemary and the rest of the organization's crimes were exposed. They had lied to their donors, abused the children, and were even involved in illegal blood and organ trafficking.They were arrested. A preliminary report of their crimes was quickly publicized. Hashtags and search terms related to Charitas Home trended repeatedly on social media.-Kitty woke up that evening, thanks to the continuous efforts of the doctors and paramedics. Her lung infection persisted, but she was finally out of immediate danger.As she slowly opened her puffy eyes, Kitty scanned the room.When she saw Justine, a small, difficult smile spread across her face.Justine grinned, signing, "Don't be scared, Kitty. The police have taken the bad people away. From now on, no
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 39
'Sweet summer child?' That was the first time anyone had ever called Justine that. It was a compliment, right? She shook her head.By the time she went online to search for any news, all traces of it had already been wiped clean. "You allegedly robbed your sister of her boyfriend. You're supposedly a slut who wrecked other people's relationships. Yadda yadda. Couldn't be arsed to remember it all," Allan said, smirking as he leaned against the back of the bench.Despite his inferior vantage point, he seemed superior to her. Justine typed on her phone and showed him. [Fake news.]Allan cocked an eyebrow and raised his chin, gesturing toward her chalet. "Just go to your room already."He was simply concerned about her getting sick in this weather. She looked so frail and petite that he was sure a cold could knock her out. Justine found him puzzling, but no one who lived in this residence was normal anyway. She decided to leave. Just as she was about to head to her chalet, Al
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 40
Allan's record label was quick to capitalize on the surge of positive fanfare. They confirmed the events to be true, which made the news go viral once more.Every social media platform seemed to be fanning the flames.Then, one of the big verified accounts suddenly posted another piece of security footage with the caption: "Allan is cool and shit, but the volunteer who's with him? Icon. She found the deaf-mute kid in the basement who was about to die, okay? That aura she had when she risked her own life to get that kid to the hospital!"In the footage, a woman in thin clothing could be seen hugging a scarred child as she bolted toward the entrance. Allan followed her while guards tried to swarm them from behind.They almost made it out when the gate shut right in front of them.The netizens watched with bated breaths and stomping feet. There was no audio, but everyone could tell she hugged the child even more tightly as soon as they were surrounded.Allan and the guards engaged i
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 41
[I've suspected that all of this was disinformation since the controversy started because it was just hearsay, wasn't it? There wasn't any evidence. In contrast, we have proof of her trying to save a child at the risk of her own life. Isn't that evidence of who she truly is? Debate me on how someone like that could possibly be behind all the accusations people made against her.][Guys, I don't want to be that guy, but isn't it lowkey disgusting and messed up that the Internet has been trashing Justine when her husband knocked up Justine's sister while they were still legally together? Why did she go viral with allegations and a maliciously edited photo while those two were treated like the good guys? We have no proof of Justine's "controversies," but that pregnancy is proof of the man's problem. Are we really going to be this blatantly sexist?]Not everyone suddenly supported Justine. So what if she saved a child? How did that absolve her of her problematic behavior?[I think the fa
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 42
Jenny had assumed she had won the battle when she managed to incite a mob against Justine a few days ago.What she had not expected was the threefold return of mob justice directed at her.Justine had no idea the Internet's fervor had mutated beyond recognition.She had fallen asleep after reading some tweets about Allan.Jenny wished her situation were different. Ash had been so busy these days that it took a lot of effort just to secure a dinner date with him.Midway through the evening, as she returned from the bathroom, she overheard Ash talking on his phone."I need that house renovated before she flies to Charlemagne. Make sure her retinue of maids and chefs has their licenses and other procedures ready. Everything must be in place before she arrives!" he instructed.Jenny could not tell what he was feeling, but his directives screamed care and concern for Justine.For whom could he have purchased a house in Charlemagne? Ash didn't even know that Justine had lost her chan
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 43
Justine would never deserve anything that belonged to Jenny!"You should incarcerate her in a mental hospital already, Ash. I know how it sounds, but we have very little choice left! If we don't, she's become a real threat to both you and Jenny!" Charlie said, his voice pained."Exactly, exactly! Lock her up in an asylum. Tell everyone that this whole viral thing was staged after she had a breakdown—""Shut up!" Ash roared.Charlie and Sue went silent, trembling slightly.They suddenly recalled that Ash's mom suffered from a mental disorder too…"Please, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Sue, stop describing Justine that way. This might not be her doing," Jenny said. "Ashie will find out."She sniffled, her petite frame contrasting against her protruding abdomen. She looked as if she might faint at any moment."I'll suffer without complaints, even if it's her doing. I did take over the life she deserved, and I…" She paused, considering Ash before continuing. "I've always loved Ashie. I know
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Any rage Ash could have felt about Justine's antics vanished. Any thought of punishment was gone."I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling her gently into his arms.She sobbed like a wounded animal, and a while later, she fell back to sleep.Kitty rubbed her eyes groggily. A familiar stranger was hugging Justine and patting her back.Her eyes widened.Ash placed his index finger on his lips, signaling her to keep quiet.He remembered now. This girl was a deaf-mute. Justine had suffered a brick attack to protect her.Kitty regarded Ash warily, her finger hovering close to the nurse-calling button.Ash sighed helplessly."I'm her husband," he signed.Kitty was shocked."You can sign?!" she exclaimed via signing. "No, wait. You're lying! Ms. Thorpe is Dr. Tuke's girlfriend!""Who told you that?" he asked."I guessed it! I'm very smart, you know! So let her go, or I'll call the police, and you're dead, old man!" Kitty signed warningly.Ash stared at her, speechless. It was just a g
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 99
'Mrs. Vanderbilt never learns,' Ash thought.-Justine got herself a cab quickly enough. Where should she go?Ash could find her easily enough if she stayed in a hotel. The residence was out as well—it was too obvious.In the end, Justine instructed the driver to take her to Kitty's hospital.Dusk had fallen, and Justine felt exhausted. She closed her eyes and recalled how, when she had turned around mid-run, Ash stood alone in the middle of the crowd.He appeared almost pitiful.How insane was that? Anyone else deserved more sympathy than he ever could.-Justine arrived at the hospital just as visiting hours were about to end.Due to the sensationalism surrounding Kitty's case, many strangers wanted to visit her. To protect Kitty, the hospital had restricted visits, allowing only Leon and Justine to see her.Kitty had been transferred to a regular ward during the few days Justine had been absent.Seeing Justine filled the girl with such joy that she clung to her without a
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 98
Ash had taken over Vanderbilt Corp. from his uncle only a few months earlier. He had a mountain of tasks to tackle—how could he possibly afford to be out of town right now? That was why Justine believed he had been merely floating the idea without any real commitment.Ash had always prioritized his work far above Justine—even when she had suffered a grievous injury while saving him.Who would have expected him to mean it?"No!" Justine refuted.Her treatment was showing results, and Benji might be bringing Dennis back at any moment. She would not leave at this point.Ash's expression darkened slightly. She would decline treatment for something that was hindering her career? Who was she staying for?Justine sensed his mood shift."Look. You've just taken over Vanderbilt Corp. Many people are probably plotting to gain control of the company, right? My injury isn't that bad. As long as I don't dance, I'll be fine," she signed.Ash knew she was pretending to care. He had experien
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 97
While Leon had a modest number of patients, scheduling all of their appointments for noon would still take a considerable toll on him. The assistant thought it was a terrible idea."I need to return to Sol every afternoon," Leon replied.The assistant was stunned. "You can't be serious! You'll be going back and forth from Sol to the residence from now on?"Leon paused for a moment before remarking, "Doesn't sound very sustainable, huh?""Of course it doesn't! The journey from here to Sol takes three to four hours!" the assistant replied."Well, then please help me hire someone dependable who can drive that much every day," Leon instructed.He left without waiting for his assistant to respond.Leon went to his room in the residence to grab his car keys. On his way out, he bumped into Allan.Allan had not been attending his treatments lately. Instead, he had been cooping himself up in his room, caught up in a manic phase of songwriting and music composing.Leon checked on him fr
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 96
Justine never believed Jenny would give up. Hell, she had been counting on that woman to be more persistent.'Just seduce Ash already so he will divorce me and marry Jenny instead,' Justine prayed.Justine even reconsidered her stance against Jenny. If the latter could manage to seduce Ash away from her, Justine would forgive every petty thing Jenny had done. She would let Jenny live so that these two could be happy together!Ash declined the call and activated the "Do Not Disturb" mode."If anything's happening to her, they'll do better calling a doctor than me," he said.Besides, Ash had already placed some of his people around Jenny. If anything happened to her, they would notify him.Justine gawked at him as if he were an alien. Her frustration grew. Why was he treating his childhood sweetheart like this?-Sue hurled her phone onto the couch and shouted, "Fuck! That succubus' seduction has become so powerful that he isn't even picking up our calls!"Charlie took a deep pu
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 95
"I thought I saw Ares, but he also… didn't look like himself?" the man answered, scratching his head. "That dude was expressionless! He really sent a shiver down my spine."The woman slapped the back of his head. "I knew you drank too much! This is what I was saying! Come on, Ares has been dead for years! You saw a ghost in the middle of the day!"The man trembled. She was right! Ares had died in a drowning while trying to save someone!He scanned the airport but could no longer see the man from before. His skin crawled.Did he really see a ghost?-The simple explanation for why the man could not find him anymore was that Ash had left the airport.Justine saw Ash as soon as she got out of the car. She looked rather haggard—the lack of clues in Aurora's home had ruined her sleep the night before, not to mention how many times she had cried earlier that day."Are you feeling unwell?" Ash asked, placing his hand on her forehead.She didn't have a fever.Justine was too tired to
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 94
"You and your stories. If there's no picture, don't spread rumors!" The woman patted the girl's back. "Now quit dragging your feet. You have homework to do!"Penny Parkman pouted and mumbled to herself as she left. On the day that fuckboy and his bitch trended on Twitter, she had been taking a school exam. Just when she wanted to save those pictures, Ash had scrubbed the platform clean of any searches.The adults exchanged glances and silently decided not to bring up the topic.No matter who he was—or what he looked like—a man with foul behavior was as good as nothing. Justine was young and could still find herself a good husband if she chose.The townsfolk refused to accept Justine's payment for the gravestone, so she thanked them with a large feast at a local restaurant.After lunch, the town's older women began discussing renovations for Aurora's house.Suddenly, the driver called her, but Justine declined immediately."Time to go, huh?" Nyla asked.Justine nodded, smiling.
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 93
Justine searched every inch she could see but found nothing of interest. She fell to the floor, dismayed.Aurora was not usually like this.Justine bit her lip.This place was too clean. Aurora must have wiped every possible hint away, ensuring Justine could not uncover the identity of the real culprit, allowing her to remain in the safety of ignorance.At that moment, Ash's video call came through.Justine wanted to ignore it but knew it was better to answer him.Besides, she was visiting the grave of someone recently deceased. It was natural for her to look forlorn and teary—she didn't have to hide her emotions."What is it?" she signed.Ash noticed her puffy, red eyes and sensed her mood."I just finished work," he said gently. "Have you had your dinner?"Justine reeled.Dinner? She had forgotten even lunch."No, not yet. I'll eat now. Goodbye.""Jean."She paused. Ash had always called her "Justine". He never used her nickname."Don't cry alone. You can always talk t
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 92
In their three years of marriage, Ash seemed to care about Justine only when they were having sex. Outside of those moments? He was apathetic.In the last two days, he had hugged her more times than he had over the entire three years."What's the hurry?" Ash tightened his grip on Justine's chin—but gently. "Have you forgotten what you usually do at this moment?"Justine glanced at him and brushed his lips with hers."Happy now?" she signed."Wow. Where's the effort?" he protested."You didn't always let me kiss you goodbye before, either!" she protested back, signing emphatically.Ash moved in and kissed her lips."You used to do it like this," he murmured, pulling away.She couldn't read his expression, but it looked almost like… grievance.'Grievance? What grievances? Since when had he been denied anything he wanted?' she grumbled inwardly.Justine looked away. "Whatever."She couldn't bear to see Ash look like that.Ash hugged her, ruffling her hair. "If you need anythi
