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Carol's escapade
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Carol sat on a park bench that was placed under a tree, totally famished and feeling incredibly stupid. After she left the house, she had flagged down the first taxi that she saw and asked the driver to take her to the bank so she could withdraw some money. Once she had done that, she had proceeded to stroll around town leisurely, just getting a feel of the place. From what she had seen so far, it was a nice place, and she would not mind living here one bit. She located a store where she got some clothes for herself at an affordable amount and armed with her purchases, she hailed a taxi, only for her to stare dumbly at the man when he asked her where she was headed.
“Huh?” She asked, trying to buy time so that she would not look stupid in front of the man and wracking her brain desperately to see if she knew anything about where the house was. No, she did not know where it was, neither had she had the sense to ask Sebastian or even the gateman this morning about the address of thRelated chapters
The Substitute Bride Saga The argument
“Now, let me make one thing very clear to you. You are now my wife, in as much as you and I resent that fact. Do you know what it means to be a billionaire’s wife? I…”“I can’t say that I do, but from the little I’ve seen, apparently it means having to act like a puppet and do everything you’re told without being allowed to have a mind of your own.” Carol cut in angrily. Who did he think he was to talk to her like that?“Well, if you want to put it that way, I can’t say that I’d stop you. However, the fact remains that were in very dangerous times, and you wandering off on your own just because you feel like it is not in any way a wise move at all.”“Meaning what exactly?”“Meaning that you could easily get kidnapped or something equally bad just because you’ve chosen to be pigheaded and then someone else will have to bear the cost of your stubbornness. Now, don’t go thinking that I’d be willing to fork out a shit ton of money if out of stupidity and a desire to show tha
The Substitute Bride Saga The bargain
Jessica stared at the woman unsurely, but nodded politely, wondering if the name was supposed to mean anything to her. The name did not ring a bell, so she had no idea who the woman was, but she was not about to say that.“Do you know who I am?” The woman, Charlotte as she called herself, asked.“No. No, I don’t ma’am.”“That’s okay. Now, I want you to know that I’ve decided that you’re leaving this place very soon. How do you feel about that?”“I’m very grateful to you, ma’am.”“You’re happy to leave then?” Charlotte asked, causing Jessica to pause. What sort of question was this? Was it a trick question? Since she did not know how to answer, she decided to go with the truth.“Yes, I am, ma’am.” Jessica’s heart was beating a mile a minute, but she hoped that this woman was really telling the truth. She would do literally anything, whatever it took to get out of here and see her dear Sebastian one more time. It was the thought of him that had kept her going all the
The Substitute Bride Saga The revelation
“No, ma’am. I can’t say that I do.” Jessica said, lifting her chin in defiance, but she was unable to control the small tremor that shook her bony frame. How on earth did this woman know about it?“It wouldn’t have to do with the fact that you were shagging a man who was old enough to be your father while dating Sebastian all because you wanted quick cash and the man promised you heaven and earth until James got wind of what you were doing?”At this, Jessica’s eyes filled with tears and she averted her gaze from that of Charlotte.“Are you going to tell him then? Is that how you plan to hurt him?”“No, of course not. I am no tattletale. Sebastian has done no wrong to me so I have no wish to hurt him at all. It is the uncle I’m after. Besides, who am I to judge you? We’ve all done things we’re not proud of at one time or the other. In your case, I know you needed the man to break you into the modeling world and that was why you did what you did. That’s a noble reason if y
The Substitute Bride Saga Victoria's 'reappearance'
The weeks passed in pretty much the same fashion, with Carol’s daily routine being sleeping and eating. However, this time around, Carol saw even less of her supposed husband than she had seen before. Sebastian went out before she woke up and most of the time, came back after she had gone to bed. Even on days when he came back before she went to bed, he greeted her as though they were strangers before disappearing into his study, not to be seen again till the next time she happened to come across him.As for Carol, she spent her days sitting in her room and painting. Painting was one of her greatest passions and now that she had more than enough time on her hands to spare, she sought out a shop where art materials were sold and bought numerous art supplies from the money Sebastian had given her. She still hadn’t bothered herself to read the contract or find out what it was about, as she did not care the least about it. After all, her so-called husband did his best to avoid her in
The Substitute Bride Saga The mother from hell
Carol sat in shocked silence for some time after her sister cut the call, wondering what on earth her offense was. So she was now the evil one for deciding to bail their family from those evil people? She knew exactly what was wrong with her sister. Victoria had found out that the marriage was nothing like she had thought it would be and that Carol was not suffering like everybody had assumed she would. So she was jealous and angry, preferring to think that Carol had purposely ‘stolen’ her spot.“What sort of sister and even family do I have for crying out loud?” Carol asked herself. Already, the call had spoilt her mood and she was feeling agitated and saddened. All she had felt was genuine concern for her sister, but Victoria obviously did not give a damn and preferred to think the worst of her sister. She was even threatening Carol, for crying out loud. Deciding to let her parents know that her sister had finally reached out if "reach out" was the proper term for the conversat
The Substitute Bride Saga Mr. James comes visiting
There was no way to pretend that she had not been crying so Carol did not even bother to do so. She sniffed, wiped the remaining tears off her cheeks, and then smiled shakily at him.“Good afternoon, Mr. James. What on earth are you doing here? I didn’t know that you were coming here. It’s a pleasure to see you.” Carol said, trying to hate the man, but finding that she could not really summon the energy to do so. It wasn’t his fault that her father had a gambling problem.“I can’t say the same about you, my dear.”“Huh?”“I surely did not expect to see you crying. What on earth is the problem? Is my dear nephew not treating you well?”“Oh no. It’s not that. Sebastian’s nice.”“So what then is the problem?” He asked, gesturing at her to make room for him on the bench on which she sat. Carol quickly did so, wishing she could get away. What on earth did she have to say with Mr. James? She barely had anything to say to Sebastian, whom she lived with as it was.“It’s
The Substitute Bride Saga The quiz
Besides, what was her coming into Sebastian’s life supposed to do for him or for her, exactly. Well, she supposed that it benefitted her family immensely, but she did not see the exact good that it was doing for Sebastian or his family. The man could barely stand her as it was, not that she cared in the least bit, but from what she could deduce from what the uncle was saying, she should be caring. Anyway, it wasn’t her fault that his fiancée decided to abscond.“Does he seem happier than he was before?” Mr. James asked her, finishing off the last spoon of food before him and sighing in satisfaction. The man was a ravenous eater.“Well, I certainly did not know him before, so I cannot say whether he is happier or not, Mr. James.”“I know that, but I mean that does he seem happier than when you newly got married? You’ve been married to him for a little over a month now. I daresay that you should be able to note certain differences in the man.” Mr. James said, with
The Substitute Bride Saga The marriage contract
The copy of the contract which her mother had sent over to her after the marriage along with some important documents that her mother had taken from Carol’s former house was kept in a big envelope in a drawer of a table in Carol’s room. After taking her bath, wearing her nightie, and doing a few other things, she brought out the envelope, sat on the bed, and removed the contract from it. All this while, she had put off reading it because she was not sure that she wanted to know what was inside it, but now, she needed to know. At first glance, the contract was just a bunch of legal jargon which Carol did not understand, neither was she willing to go through the trouble of deciphering what they meant. She was wondering whether to call her mother to explain it for her when she happened to come across the part of it that stated what was expected of her.
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The sun was shining brightly this morning, and Carol was in lively spirits. It was her vow renewal day. She and Sebastian had opted to just renew their vows, and this time, make them with more meaning. Her joy knew no bounds, and her face radiated with it, as Mrs. James noted with pleasure. “You look very happy, my dear.” Mrs. James stated, cradling a three-month-old baby James in her arms, her face taking on the radiant look that many-a-grandmother had when they had the pleasure of holding their grandkids. “I can say the same about you, aunty. You’re really glowing.” Carol complimented in turn, taking care not to ruin the work of the lady who was doing her makeup. “I know, right? Baby James here has brought such sparkle into our lives. I’m more than thankful that I live close to you guys. I will be able to see as much of this handsome little face as I want.” Mrs. James said, looking down at the baby she carried in her arms. He stared back at her and babbled some meaningless baby wo
The Substitute Bride Saga Booting out the enemy
The weeks after Sebastian came to plead with Carol to come back into his life were the sweetest ones of Carol’s life. She had thought that Sebastian was attentive and sweet to her before, but now, she knew that that was an understatement. He treated her like a fragile egg that could break at any time, and Carol was happily soaking up all the attention and affection. She still hadn’t gotten used to the way he just seemed to throw money around, but was more than grateful and touched, when he bought two flashy cars and a huge mansion not too far from them for her father, whom she could tell was very lonely.“I know that you’ll love to be close to your grandchild once he’s born." Sebastian had said as though it was nothing, waving away Donald’s thanks when the latter had broken down in tears, telling him that he did not deserve it. Now, Carol could easily hang out with her father anytime she wanted, and she was so happy about it.Sebastian didn’t work as hard as he did before any longer,
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“Carol.” It was just one word, but that one word was enough to break the stupor she had been in as soon as she saw him.“Sebastian.” She said in turn, standing up to go bring another chair for him to sit down, but in essence, she was trying to buy herself some time to get her breathing under control. He looked so good and smelled so nice that it was all she could do not to throw herself straight into his arms and breathe in his essence as though her very life depended on it. She saw Sebastian’s eyes widen at the small bump under her loose gown, and her hand went to hold it selfconsciously.“It’s growing.” She told him needlessly and then slammed her mouth shut. She sort of felt nervous being in Sebastian’s presence and wished that she had worn a more flattering dress than the one that she had on now, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Sebastian collected the chair from her and brought it over to place it i
The Substitute Bride Saga Meeting at last
It was a warm, sunny, and bright day, but it was also a slow one. Carol sat in the tiny bookshop in which she had gotten a job the very day she got here, waiting for customers to come in and fighting sleep. She was the only one in the shop, as the owner had dashed off to prepare for her birthday party, leaving Carol all alone in the shop.“Don’t worry. You’ll be able to handle it. Price tags are on every book, so you don’t need to worry about not knowing the prices. If you need anything, my number is pasted on the wall over there, so you can call me. Bye now.” The middle-aged woman had said, sailing out the door before Carol could even say anything else, so here she was, bored beyond measure and counting the seconds as the time ticked slowly by. She had managed to sell two books, but it seemed that the shop did not get any customers, because, for the remainder of the time, she just sat there alone, staring into space … and missing Sebastian,
The Substitute Bride Saga The search
Sebastian fought the urge to retch as he observed his surroundings and the woman in front of him. If this was where Carol was staying, then he would drag her home with him today, even if he had to drag her kicking and screaming. He would not have her stay with this woman who did not like her and was clearly very irresponsible.“Hello, Belinda. Sorry to disturb you, but we’re looking for Carol. Is she here?” Mrs. James asked.“How the fuck am I supposed to know where she is, huh? Anyway, what is it to you? Is the contract not supposed to be over? Why are you still looking for her?” Belinda asked suspiciously, and he could see that she was also high on drugs.“Well, um, we had a little altercation, and I haven’t seen her since then, so I was wondering if she was here. Do you perchance, have her number? Her dad is also not answering his calls.”“Look, I don’t have any business
The Substitute Bride Saga Finding Carol
It was raining cats and dogs once again, exactly as it had been raining on that fateful day when Carol had left him till now. Sebastian was sitting in his aunt’s house, sipping a mug of hot coffee and ignoring everything that she was currently saying. He looked like a shadow of himself, which was not a surprise, considering the fact that most times, all he did was drink and have to deal with a nagging Jessica, who was still in his house, even though he had taken her name off the deed to the house. Because of her, he was hardly ever in his house again, but preferred to stay here at his aunt’s for a better part of the time he was not working himself to death … literally. “Are you even listening to anything I’m saying, Sebastian?” Mrs. James asked, shaking him a little to get his attention.“No, aunt. I can’t say that I am. I’m sorry, but I think I zoned out a little there. What were you saying?” He asked finally. Mrs. James shook her head, reminding him of when he was still a recalcitra
The Substitute Bride Saga The threat
“Wh…what does he mean by this?” Donald asked at last, after scanning the text message. “Your guess is as good as mine,” Carol replied, rubbing at her face, hardly able to believe the level to which Sebastian was willing to stoop to be cruel to her. If he thought that she was going to just lay low, act like a sheep and allow him to ride all over her, then he had another thing coming. She just couldn’t get the image of that text out of her head. Good morning, Donald. How are you doing? So, have you heard from your daughter yet? I just wanted to let you know that she’s with something of mine. Something invaluable. I don’t know if she told you about it or not, but she’s pregnant with my child and according to the contract that she signed, if such a thing were to happen, then I’ll have full custody of the child. Tell her to come out of wherever
The Substitute Bride Saga Crippling loneliness
“I don’t think that what you are doing makes any sense at all, Carol,” Donald said worriedly, looking at his daughter, who averted her gaze and tried in vain to stop the tears welling up in her expressive blue eyes.“Why do you say that, dad?” Carol asked him, wiping away her tears.“Well, maybe because you’re pregnant and you choose to slave away at doing a regular job instead of taking proper care of yourself.”“A lot of pregnant women work at regular jobs, dad.”“I know that, but not a lot of them have huge lumps of money lying in their bank accounts untouched while they look malnourished. Why are you punishing yourself this way, my dear? I mean, it’s only been one month since you left Sebastian. In that one month, you’ve become almost as thin as that girl Jessica., whom we do not like at all.”At this, Carol burst out laughing despite herself. Her father was acting like a
The Substitute Bride Saga Nowhere to be found
It was with a growing sense of urgency that Sebastian drove away from the hospital, Jessica's insults and curses trailing after him until he could no longer hear them. It was a sad thing indeed that she was now the way she was, but there was nothing that he could do about it. He had offered to help her, but she kept turning down his help at every turn, so there was nothing he could do for her anymore. He could not do the very thing that she wanted, which was to be with her, as he did not love her anymore. He stopped by a flower shop on his way back to the house to get some flowers for Carol, knowing that women loved things like that. Hopefully, she would forgive him, and even if she did not, he would keep trying until she did. He still did not know how she managed to wind up pregnant, if she was taking her pills like she had claimed, but he knew that sometimes, those things were not foolproof, especially if the lady who was taking them fell sick during the period. He remembered that C
