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Chapter 63
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A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 64
"Justine, I'm just looking out for you! Afraid you'll fall for the same trap and run back to your ex. Why can't you just appreciate that?" Allan's tone was laced with frustration.Justine stopped typing and unexpectedly slipped her phone into her pocket.Allan stared at her, dumbfounded, then let out a dry laugh.'Seriously? You're just going to ignore me now? This mute act is really something…' he thought.But before he could say more, Justine calmly pulled a small notepad and pen from her bag. With swift, elegant strokes, she scribbled something.Allan frowned, curiosity piqued as he craned his neck, trying to see what she was writing.Before he could get a good look, Justine tore off the note, grabbed Allan's hand, and slapped it into his palm.Without another glance, she turned and disappeared into her chalet.Allan stood there, bewildered, watching as she shut the door behind her with a finality that left him standing alone in the cold wind.It wasn't until then that he g
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 65
"Ashie, you're finally awake!" Jenny burst into tears and threw herself toward Ash's chest.Before Jenny could reach him, Sidney, who had been by Ash's side the whole time, let out a piercing shout. "Ash!"Startled, Jenny froze in her tracks.Sidney, sitting in her wheelchair, clung to Ash's arm and sobbed dramatically. "You're finally awake! I was so worried!"Ash did not acknowledge Sidney. Instead, he pulled his hand away from Jenny's grasp and scanned the room.Martha stood in the corner, her eyes red from crying as she looked at him. Other than her, no one else was there."Where's Justine?" he asked.Sidney's sobs, conspicuously dry of any real tears, came to a halt. "Justine? She didn't come."A wave of confusion washed over Ash. "She didn't come?"But he was certain he had seen her by his side in his feverish haze—he had even heard her humming a tune to soothe him."Ash, you must have been delirious from the fever and imagined things," Sidney said, casting a sidelong g
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 66
After Jenny left, Ash remained silent.The joy Sidney had felt earlier quickly faded, leaving her restless and uneasy."Ash, if you're just going to scold me because of Jenny, then I might as well leave now," she said."I had a high fever that turned into pneumonia. Did you tell Justine about it?" Ash asked emotionlessly, without even looking at her."No," Sidney replied.Ash frowned and shot her a sharp look. "Why didn't you tell her?""I didn't want to bother her," Sidney blurted out without thinking.Ash glared back at her with bloodshot eyes.The next moment, he coughed violently, struggling to catch his breath."Mr. Vanderbilt!" Martha hurried over.After a few tense moments, as Ash regained some composure, he demanded in a hoarse voice, "So, just mentioning me to her irritates her?"Sidney nodded nervously.To be honest, she wasn't that close to Ash.When their father passed away, she was still underage, and he became her guardian, which brought them slightly closer.
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 67
With that, Sidney darted out of the doorway, terrified that her brother might explode in anger."I was worried that Ms. Vanderbilt would become despondent after her injury, but it seems she handled things quite well," Martha said, then fell silent.What she actually thought but did not say out loud was, 'For someone who has lost the use of her legs, Sidney is surprisingly agile, though she looks a bit pale.'She then turned to Ash. "Mr. Vanderbilt, if you want to see Ms. Thorpe, I can give her a call."Ash remained silent for a long time.Even Sidney did not fully understand what was going on with him, and frankly, neither did he. He wanted a divorce, but he never intended to keep Justine as a secret lover.Yet, the constant disregard from Justine—each instance more dismissive than the last—was something he could not stomach.After what felt like forever, Ash finally spoke, his words ice-cold. "I don't want to see her. No need."Martha had assumed he would not respond at all by
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 68
The wind howled fiercely as if trying to sweep Justine up into the sky.Justine looked around, finding herself alone on a desolate, dimly lit wasteland.The bus had vanished. She stood barefoot, her feet stinging from the sharp grass that pierced her skin, causing both pain and an unbearable itch.Amid the howling wind and static, Leon's voice echoed around her, mingling with the calming music she had grown accustomed to hearing every day."I'm here. I'm watching over you. Go ahead, find the reason why you can't speak. When you find it, come back and tell me," Leon instructed."I'm safe," she assured herself, clutching her hands to her chest and repeating the words in her head repeatedly as if they were a spell."I'm grown now."I can protect myself."No one can hurt me anymore."Gradually, the overwhelming noise in her ears softened into the sporadic sound of the wind.The incomprehensible static began to transform, revealing itself to be the trembling voice of a woman.The
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 69
When Justine was young, she was always an obedient child, just as her mother had told her to be. Even though her mother never returned and that memory had faded, she never forgot her mother's parting words.And that was the root of her mutism.When Justine awoke, an overwhelming pain tore through her heart, and she sobbed uncontrollably.Leon said nothing, simply staying quietly by her side.By now, the therapy session had run over. The next patient in line, Allan, stood outside the treatment room, listening to every sob with startling clarity.Leon's assistant whispered to him, "Perhaps you could wait in the lounge, sir. The previous session is taking longer than expected."But Allan, with his usual swagger, settled onto the sofa just outside the room, crossing his legs and folding his arms."I'll wait right here," he declared.The assistant, too cautious to argue, reached for his phone to contact Leon."Don't you dare disturb that session," Allan warned, his sharp eyes narro
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 70
As Justine walked home, one thought dominated her mind, 'Who killed my parents?'The Thorpe and Thierry families had both investigated the matter thoroughly. With all their wealth and influence, how could they not have uncovered a single clue?Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the thin layer of uncleaned ice at the edge of the road. She slipped suddenly."Careful!"Leon, who had been following closely behind, caught her just in time.Justine's face turned pale as she snapped back to reality, meeting Leon's worried gaze.Instinctively, she raised her hand to sign, but then paused, considering she should speak instead. She opened her mouth to say "thank you," but her throat tightened, and she couldn't get the words out."Don't rush into it," Leon reassured her with a gentle smile as he helped her regain her balance. "Spring is still a ways off. You've got plenty of time."His presence alone was soothing. The knot of anxiety that had formed in Justine's chest began to loosen
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 71
"Do you like fireworks?" Ash's voice from last year echoed in her memory."Next New Year's, I'll take you to see them," he had promised.'Time truly flies…' she thought.Justine quickly pulled herself from the thought, smiling as she nodded.Sol's tradition during the New Year's transition was the grand firework display, and each year's display was unique. Last year, the theme had been small animals, while this year, she had heard it would be flowers."But can we find a good spot last minute?" Justine signed, concern creeping into her voice.After all, tickets for the show were always in high demand, and booking nearby hotels or restaurants was next to impossible."Relax. If I'm handling it, you've got nothing to worry about." Leon patted his chest confidently, his presence as reassuring as ever.Justine nodded and didn't press further.After escorting her to her chalet, Leon hurried off to tend to Allan again.Silence quickly filled the space around Justine, leaving her alon
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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
