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126. HER FINGER HAD BEEN BURNED
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2024-10-29 19:42:56There was no response from her former boss even after she had waited for nearly half a minute, and Vivian's reflection in the mirror looked even more nervous. She was indeed a person who tended to think of the worst possible scenario of anything. It could be said that she was a negative person, but perhaps that was due to how difficult her life had been since she was a child.
Her family was poor, and she was denied any luxuries since she was a child. Even on her birthday, instead of wishing about what present she would receive from her parents, she would think about how she could be more useful to her parents instead of continuing to burden them.It could be said that there was a small part of her heart that was full of insecurities. Even if it was only a small part, it showed up frequently, especially if she encountered an unexpected problem. In truth, Vivian was a calculating person, and thus she tended to panic if some unexpected trouble came her way.Related chapters
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 127. SAME OLD RULES
Vivian forgot how to breathe. The air around her felt like it had stopped moving, and even time had stopped ticking. "W-what?" She was once again able to breathe, but her heart raced as she asked the question. “That man wants to have sex with me again? But I'm already out of your place, boss. I decided to quit because I'm married to a man now, and I don't want to go back to prostitution anymore.” Even before she allowed herself to be plunged into the dark world of prostitution, Vivian knew that this world was full of thorns that would pierce her skin until there was no blood left on her body. Once she made it out of that world, she didn't want to let herself fall again. Moreover, she also knew that allowing herself to return to prostitution once again would be risky for her. She was pretending to be someone else with her body now, and if she were to sell her body to someone who wasn't her husband, it would only harm her if others found out. Th
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 128. SHE'S JUST A DOORMAT
The phone was still in her grip, but it was no longer pressed against her ear. Instead, she just gripped it tightly as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, and the phone screen went black after she ended the phone call with her former boss. She held herself back when she was still on the phone with Rose, but after the call got cut off, she couldn't hold it in anymore as tears started to roll from her eyes, streaming past her black eyeliner, and they became flowing black tears on her cheeks. “I'm nothing more than a doormat, right? Everyone stepped on me without thinking how I would feel the pain, and they only know how to get all the dirt off their shoes,” she muttered to herself as she continued to look at her reflection. Previously, her flawless makeup managed to hide her pitiful self, but it was all showing in the mirror now. She was totally miserable, and her glamorous makeup and gowns wouldn't be able to hide it. “That guy blackmai
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 129. THE COMPANY WILL GO BANKRUPT
Some people said that once one got married, one's heart would be more at peace, and one would worry less because of someone's presence by one's side. They wouldn't be sleeping alone at night anymore, and if they were feeling down, they would have a shoulder to lean on. Years ago, Vivian still believed such nonsense. Yes, she was now calling that kind of thing nonsense because what she experienced was far from what people believed. She had married a man, and she also lived with that man, but she found no peace at all because of that marriage. On the contrary, Vivian thought that her lifespan had decreased by ten years after marrying that man from the Dahl family. Last night, it was actually not only Steen who gave her a headache, but she still thought that everything was related to that man, and that was why she woke up like a zombie today. After they returned from Stanley's birthday, luckily nothing happened to either of them. It seemed that Steen was i
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 130. WON'T GO BANKRUPT
{“Last night, the CEO of DAHL Electronics, Steen Dahl, proudly announced that their company's new product launch would be on schedule and there would be no delays. This morning however, the CEO of N-HANS, Hans Kritz, suddenly announced to the public that Steen Dahl had stolen his idea for his upcoming product which was said to be a smart dustbin, and he had also shown the evidence he had. Hans Kritz has also said that he will be filing a lawsuit regarding this matter, but there has been no response from Steen Dahl as of this news.”}Steen Dahl heard his name mentioned on the television news several times, but he ignored it as he quickly pressed the red button on the remote control, and the large TV screen in his office immediately went black once again. His assistant, Marlon Robs, was standing by his desk, but the younger man didn't say anything and just nervously waited for what his boss would say after watching the news on television. “That bastard Han
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 131. NOT GARBAGE
“So, that's what you're hiding from me, Vivian? You mentioned how DAHL Electronics faced the problem, and that's what you're talking about? How dare you hide something like that from me?"Vivian had just finished taking a shower. Her short hair was still wet, and she used a small towel to dry it instead of using the hairdryer. The noisy woman would surely scold her if she insisted on using the hairdryer at this time. The noise made by the hairdryer would definitely interrupt their conversation, and that was why Vivian chose not to use it. It wasn't actually Vivian who wanted to talk to Lily Vester. She had just stepped out of the bathroom when the screen of her cell phone that was charging couldn't stop flashing because of an incoming call, and when Vivian checked, she found out it was the curly woman who tried to contact her. She really didn't want to talk to that woman, but she knew that the woman wouldn't stop bothering her if she ignored the call, an
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 132. A PHOTO BENEATH THE PILLOW
Vivian used to watch cartoons about heroes and villains during her childhood. Even if her family wasn't rich, they managed to buy a television in their house, and that was why she always sat quietly in front of the television to watch her favorite cartoon on weekends. She remembered how the hero always won against the villain, but she knew that sometimes the villains were strong and smart enough that the hero had a hard time beating them. Besides, a villain usually had sharper senses, and that was why it was not easy for the hero to defeat them. Vivian wouldn't say she was the hero here, but she was sure that Lily was the villain, and that woman also had the sharp senses of a true villain. Even if she hadn't said anything, Lily could already tell that she was hiding something, and Vivian knew that it wasn't a good sign for her. 'That mysterious man seems to be rich and powerful, and judging from this woman's temperament, she might soon hire people to in
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 133. I THINK I SAW YOU
She had a class today, but it was in the afternoon. However, she managed to sneak out of the mansion three hours before her class, and that was because the people in the mansion were too busy to care about her and what she was doing. It wasn't just the people in the company who were affected by today's bad news, but the people in the mansion were impacted by that as well. Just like how Kate couldn't stop answering incoming calls on her phone all day long. She was the famous wife of the president of DAHL Electronics, so of course, her friends in her circle couldn't stop asking her about what was going on inside the company. So, when Vivian came down for breakfast in the dining room, the blonde woman just smiled at her while continuing to talk to her friend on the phone, and even when Vivian was about to leave the mansion today, the woman just nodded at her, enough for Vivian to take the sign as permission. So, it was a very lucky day for Vivian, and that
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 134. MARRY FOR MONEY
Vivian actually hated surprises, but it seemed her mother liked to surprise her. The news of how her mother was finally allowed to leave the hospital so quickly had shocked her enough, but it seemed like it wasn't enough for her. Instead of stopping with only one surprise today, the older woman once again surprised her with an unexpected statement. “W-what do you mean you saw me on TV last night, Mom?” Trying to hide her nervousness, Vivian asked the woman sitting on the hospital bed. "Did you see someone who looks similar to me on TV?" Actually, Vivian knew how news of Stanley Dahl's birthday party was first broadcast last night at exactly midnight. She didn't know the reason, but it seemed the media wanted to give the public a midnight snack, and that was why they had chosen such an odd time to broadcast the news. The TV channel broadcast how the party went, and they also broadcast interviews with important figures in the Dahl family, includ
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I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 304. NO LONGER A PROSTITUTE, NO LONGER A SUBSTITUTE
A name. It was not just a group of letters used to address someone so they would turn to the caller and not ignore the caller. A name had a deeper meaning than that. A name was used to identify a person, used to distinguish someone from other individuals. A name would always stick with a person from the time they were born until the day they last breathed, and even at their final resting place, their name would also be written or engraved to let everyone know that the body buried underground belonged to the owner of the name. A name was indeed an important part of one's life, and that was why one would not feel happy if someone called them by the wrong name. Perhaps that was also the reason why Vivian had returned to wearing a wedding dress today. It was still the same wedding dress she wore months ago when she officially became Steen's wife, but because she was using someone else's name then, she and Steen decided to have another wedding ceremony to announce to everyone that it was
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 303. DON'T LEAVE ME
Their next stop was the penthouse at the Golden Roof Apartments, and it might also be their last stop. Only three people entered the penthouse after Elena was sent to her family's residence. After Lily and her family were arrested by the police, the house was empty, and that's why Elena lived there temporarily. Yes, only temporarily because Elena planned to move after finding a suitable place to live. Vivian had actually invited her to move in with her and Sarah in the small house, but Elena rejected the idea, saying that she didn't want to disturb the two of them and that Sarah might be uncomfortable if she joined them to live in the cramped house. Vivian said that Sarah wouldn't feel that way because that woman also wanted to meet Elena and wanted to live with her too, but Elena still resisted the idea. In the end, Vivian only said that she would try to find a bigger house, and if that could happen, the three of them might be able to move in together.
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 302. SMALLER BUT WARMER
Someone was standing in the middle of the mansion's stairs. With teary eyes, he looked at the people standing in the living room one by one. His eyes were not only filled with tears, but the two of them were also filled with fear and confusion. He looked lost and lonely even if he wasn't alone in the big building. Maybe the adults in the living room kept talking about Stanley before, but they probably forgot that the kid was also in the mansion the whole time, and they also weren't aware of the possibility that the innocent boy had heard everything from the second floor. But maybe Steen was aware of the possibility, but he simply didn't care at all. That was why he looked away from the boy before saying, "Let's go." Both words were aimed at Vivian and Elena, like how he had suggested the three of them leave the mansion immediately. But neither Vivian nor Elena moved from their positions even after hearing the order, and they both focused their
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 301. DIE ALONE
Steen somehow could not directly answer his father's question this time. He was still grinding his teeth to suppress his anger, but no words could come out of his mouth at this moment. Recalling the disgusting memory, he remembered how he did not find any used condoms in the hotel room, and it was easy to tell that he had done it without any protection the night before. He wasn't even sure if it was because he couldn't think straight when he did it or maybe it was Kate's intention, but he was sure there weren't any used condoms in the hotel room at the time. He wasn't stupid, and that was why he could see the possibility of her being pregnant after they had a such activity that night, and it was also the reason why he hated that kid called Stanley so much. Even if he didn't try to find evidence that Stanley was indeed his son, he could see the similarities the boy had with him, and it had the power to terrify him. Because of that, he had alway
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 300. THE DISGUSTING MEMORY
Kate had been dragged from the mansion by the police, and even the man named Peter had also been caught by the police. Hence, only four people were left in the living room after Marlon also left the place. There were only Steen, Stefan, Vivian, and Elena in the living room. Everyone still ignored the presence of plush sofas in the living room as they preferred to remain standing rather than sitting comfortably. They all even continued to stand like statues. Even Steen who previously looked the calmest of them, now looked shaken after hearing what Kate proudly said before being dragged away by the police. "I always knew that the child was not mine," Stefan muttered breaking the tense silence in the living room. “I always knew about it, but I didn't expect the child to be yours, Steen. How are you going to explain it to me? Do you like your stepmother? You have treated her coldly all along, but you even got her pregnant with your child. I didn't expect yo
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 299. HE'S OUR SON
“Recently, that bitch doesn't dare to touch her phone because her phone is haunted by my mother, right? Ah! Even her fear should be enough to tell that she was scared because she had done something to my mother in the past, but I know that such a thing wouldn't be enough to prove that she was indeed a criminal. That's why I focused on finding something on her phones that were ignored by her out of fear in the past week. On one of her cellphones, I found enough evidence to land her in jail.” When everyone was speechless, it was Steen who continued to speak. Turns out that was his real plan. He didn't plan to pressure Kate so she would kill herself just like his mother did years ago, but he just wanted her to ignore her cell phone so he would get a chance to touch it. Yesterday Kate left the mansion without her cell phone, and Steen took the opportunity to look for more evidence in the cell phone. Finally, he found what he was looking for in one of her cell phones.
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 298. KATE'S AFFAIR
"SHUT UP! DON'T TALK NONSENSE IN MY HOUSE!" Kate immediately shouted at Peter, but even her voice sounded unsteady as she looked nervous as hell. Her voice was shaking, her pupils were trembling, and even her breathing was ragged. All eyes suddenly fell on the blonde woman, and it was finally Stefan who opened his mouth to respond to the woman, "Are you sure what he said was just nonsense?" Stefan also looked surprised after hearing what Peter had just said, but he still had time to ask the woman that question. At this moment, the woman no longer glared at the kneeling man, and instead, she stiffly shifted her gaze to Stefan. Stefan was her husband, and he was known for his strict and assertive personality. Many people were afraid of him, even Kate was afraid of him before they got married years ago. But today she somehow looked scared again when she had to face the old man even if the man was her spouse. “D-don't listen to what that
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 297. TRUTH AFTER TRUTH
Steen had revealed everything. He had disclosed how Vivian and Elena were actually part of a family living far away from Haston City, but Elena was kidnapped by Lily and her husband two decades ago. At that time, the twins' parents died in a car accident, and little Vivian was found by a couple after the incident, and she was raised by the couple into adulthood. Steen deliberately did not mention how Sarah had purposely taken Vivian as her daughter instead of returning the child to her relatives, nor did he mention the name of the family Vivian and Elena came from. He didn't think that the information was necessary, and that's why he kept it a secret. And maybe Stefan really didn't need that information, and the story Steen had just uncovered had shocked the old man enough. His pair of eyes widened as he looked at the twins, but he still didn't say anything as he still couldn't overcome his shock. Steen could see how his father was stunned by
I'm a Prostitute, Not a Substitute 296. THE CULPRIT
It was Marlon who had just entered the mansion, but this time he was not alone. His hand was holding another person's arm, and that person's hands were tied with a rope behind his back. After arriving at the living room, Marlon forced the person to kneel in front of the five people. One person looked confident after seeing the person's appearance in the living room, while three other people looked shocked and confused, then one person looked scared as her eyes widened when she saw the person who had just arrived in the living room with Marlon. "So, he's the person, Marlon?" It was Steen who looked confident upon seeing the person's arrival in the living room, and although his question was directed at Marlon, his eyes were glued to the figure kneeling in front of him. “Yes, sir,” Marlon immediately answered his boss's question. “His name is Peter Ford, and he works in a bar in town. He's the one who posted that anonymous article about you, sir.”
