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A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 7
Ares Vance had died from drowning while attempting to rescue someone. His body had washed ashore only after half a month.The corpse had been so bloated and disfigured by the elements that no one could recognize it was him. This was why Justine had so much trouble accepting his death. She had forbidden anyone to display his photos during the funeral or place them on his grave.The mason looked at her in confusion.Justine hopefully gave him a piece of paper. [This is my favorite picture of him. Please add it to his headstone. Thank you.]The mason nodded. "Ah, of course, young lady!"With that settled, Justine bought her ticket. She still had some unfinished business to attend to.She would return here—her real home—soon.-While at the airport, Justine decided to finally respond to the messages left by Ash's lawyer.She had deliberately ignored everyone from Sol during the funeral, her mind occupied by a growing suspicion of conspiracy.There were too many strange elements s
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 8
"This doesn't count!" Ash declared brashly. "I'm going to draft a new legal document for our divorce. You're signing that one!"The compensation Justine was entitled to in the older version was significant, but it was outdated. After all, she had saved his life.The young woman, however, was only irritated. She tried to pull her hand out of Ash's grip. "I don't need it."Ash's temper flared. He tightened his hold and yanked her closer."I don't know what your problem is, but you saved my life a year ago and sustained a serious injury. I'm not the kind of heartless bastard who forgets that!" he snarled. "This new agreement will give you more property. You'll have a secure future! Your property in Voue—"Voue? Justine had to suppress a laugh. Had he missed her text about her shattered dreams as a prima ballerina? Or had his little girlfriend read it first and deleted it?Not that it mattered anymore. He didn't need to know."That sounds like a hassle. Just add your compensation to
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 9
Jenny bled from the encounter and was rushed to the hospital.By the time Ash arrived, two other acquaintances were already there: Charlie Thorpe, Jenny's adopted father, and Sue Summers, her adopted mother.After Justine had gone missing as a child, Charlie and Sue had taken Jenny in, telling everyone she was "the missing child". They treated her as if she were their daughter, cherishing her deeply.Even after the Thorpes' old patriarch managed to bring the real Justine home, the couple continued to dote on Jenny, giving her all their attention while neglecting Justine."Ash is here!" Sue cried out, wiping her tears. "I'm so glad to see you! I can't believe Jenny would keep her pregnancy a secret after coming back from abroad! How could she stay with you when you're married?! If Justine finds out…"She paused as if a sudden thought struck her. "Wait. Does she know?""Juju does know, Aunt Sue. But—""I knew it! How could my darling Jenny get into such an accident?! Something sme
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 10
Jenny wept quietly, studying Ash's expression. As expected, bringing up that incident was enough to stir his guilt.The elites of Sol might have known these two to be lovebirds marked for each other, but Jenny knew the truth.Before the skiing incident, Ash had treated her like a sister. He had never felt romantic love toward her.In fact, at times, it would seem like they were mere acquaintances. He had never tried to be close to her despite their friendship. His distant attitude had made Jenny think she had received a polite rejection.Later, rumors revealed that Ash had been completely against the engagement.Nobody arranged marriages for children anymore. Even the concept of arranged marriage itself seemed outdated.That incident had given Jenny a chance to secure a promise, but it hadn't prepared her for the twists that followed."I'll fulfill my promise and take care of you, Jenny. That includes the child too," Ash said.This was not what Jenny wanted to hear!She had al
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 11
Sidney knew Justine couldn't speak, yet she kept calling her anyway—almost as if it was amusing in itself.At first, she called to yell at Justine for breaking up her brother and his "long-time love". But gradually, her anger faded, and she no longer shouted.The calls continued, though. Sidney's content shifted to ranting about the heartlessness and scheming nature of the Vanderbilts or the hypocrisy of Sol's elite social circles.Justine, meanwhile, was forced to endure endless upper-class drama.Sidney's calls had become less frequent while Justine was on tour.But now that she was back, Justine wondered who Sidney's latest target would be. Either way, the drama was sure to follow.Sidney seemed emotional—possibly even on the verge of tears. "Aaaaah! Did my brother dump you, Justine? Those old Thierry gossips are saying you and Ash are getting divorced! They even claim he's got a bastard child!"Are all Vanderbilt men hardwired to be horndogs who can't keep it in their pants
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 12
Snow on the curb melted under the day's hopeful warmth.There were still 20-odd minutes before Justine's appointment with the shrink. There was no hurry.Justine walked into a cafe with an elegant design and ordered an espresso to go. She then made herself comfortable in a corner.She skimmed through the papers inside Ash's folder. She had expected some compensation for saving him but hadn't anticipated this much. It far exceeded what she would have received from the earlier divorce settlement.Justine had inherited real estate, funds, a significant number of shares in Ash's company, cash, and a seven-figure monthly allowance.She was so well compensated that one could say she had achieved financial freedom.At least Ash's life had proven to be quite valuable."202, your coffee is ready!"Justine tidied up the folder and stood. As she turned, she bumped into someone.Books fell, scattering across the floor.Justine quickly crouched down to pick them up. When her eyes landed o
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 13
Justine was stunned. The man from the coffee shop had changed into a white coat and put on gold-rimmed glasses. He looked even more gentle and scholarly.She smiled and signed, "God, talk about a coincidence!"Leon slid the book into its place on the shelf, then approached Justine, smiling as though meeting an old friend."Please, take a seat! We can just chat about whatever," he said.Later, Justine realized Leon had been sincere—they chatted as if it were just a casual teatime between friends.More than an hour passed, and Leon still hadn't mentioned her treatment.She was the one who eventually steered the conversation in that direction."Have you thought this through carefully? You'll be reopening a scar you've left untouched for years. 'Sunlight is the best disinfectant,' as they say. We need to identify what's holding you back and work to remove it," he cautioned gently."It's not going to be easy, but we'll do our best together, alright?" he encouraged.'No wonder he's
A Dance of Substitutes with Mr. Vanderbilt Chapter 14
Justine looked at Leon and the book."How odd," she signed. "I bought this exact book as a gift for the man I loved. But now, it's a gift for me because I took the first step to overcome my past scars."She smiled and thanked him.Leon watched her until she reached the ground floor before finally turning away.The receptionist leaped to her feet."Wasn't that your favorite performer, Dr. Tuke?!" she whispered excitedly."Oh, so this is the one who made Dr. Tuke fly home from Hattenberg—before the conference even ended—just to see her perform?" her colleague chimed in.Indeed, Leon had attended a science conference in Hattenberg, one of the largest cities in Libernois, a country across the ocean from Novaris. It was supposed to last three days—until he flew back to Novaris early, just to catch her swan song.Leon grinned. "Keep this lore quiet when she's around, young women. She's just a patient here.""Yes, sir! Definitely, sir!" The young women nodded enthusiastically. "She's
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