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Chapter 173
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2024-03-04 23:11:11Related chapters
Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 174
Natalie's lips felt dry. She hesitated whether to stand or sit. Joshua's deep voice broke the silence. "Sit."Natalie couldn't read his mood. She turned to look at him, who seemed calm. She quickly nodded and hummed in reply. Once seated, Natalie picked up her glass of wine to ease the awkwardness.Her gaze casually swept over Natasha. Their eyes met and a sudden thought popped into Natalie's head. "Natasha, back me up! You were there. You know what happened that day."Natasha raised an eyebrow at hearing that."That day, I was on a video call with Zack right in front of you. I just said it and he let you in Radiance immediately, didn't he?" Natalie asked with the urgency of a drowning person reaching for a lifeline.Natasha kept her silence."Zack has always treated me like a sister. You heard it when we talked on the phone, didn't you? The way he called me by my nickname as soon as he was on the line. You heard it loud and clear, right?"Joshua stared at Natasha coldly, and e
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 175
"Say something! Was 'Natty' actually meant for you?" Natalie's voice grew horrible. The more she thought about it, the more she began to believe that what she suspected was true. Lorelei looked displeased. She gave Natalie a scornful look. She couldn't understand why someone like Natalie, who had no manners at all, would even think of marrying into the Grayson family. How could Joshua have such bad taste?Natalie softened her voice. "Quit playing dumb. Just say it." All she got was silence.The name "Natty" brought back memories of Joshua. Suddenly, his mind flashed to the scene of their first meeting at the river. Natalie's face was warm and sunlit. She met his gaze with bright eyes and a dazzling smile. Then came the sound of "Natty."Joshua couldn't believe that Natasha's nickname was also "Natty". He stared at Natasha intently. It was as if he hoped to find something in her."Your silence is a sign of guilt, isn't it?" Natalie pressed further."Why do you feel guilty? Do you h
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 176
Only Natalie and Natasha were present at that moment. Also, the fact that Zack was unfamiliar with Natalie was revealed during the phone call when Natalie put the speakerphone on. This made it clear that Natasha was connected to Zack.If Natasha chose not to admit it now, Natalie could easily turn the tables later and make it seem like Natasha was deliberately distancing herself from Zack. Natalie would insist that Natasha was trying to cover something up.It seemed better for Natasha to come clean now.When Natasha remained silent and toyed nervously with her glass, Natalie taunted, "You must have an intimate relationship with Zack. He called you 'Natty!' Why would he use such an affectionate nickname if you were just friends?"After a moment of thought, Natalie continued, "Natasha, are you going to deny this now? Don't even try."It's just the two of us there. If Zack wasn't calling me 'Natty,' then that nickname must be referring to you! How are you going to deny that?"Natash
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 177
"Why should I talk about it? Joshua hasn't told me anything about his friends, either, has he?" Natasha's gaze turned icy and was laced with contempt.She had kept her identity as a Sullivan a secret and married into the Grayson family as an orphan. But in those three years with the Graysons, she hadn't intentionally hidden anything except for her true identity.No one had ever questioned her about anything in those three years. It was ridiculous that they were questioning her now instead."Are you saying that Josh should report to you? Just who do you think you are?" Natalie replied disdainfully.She continued, "Besides, all of Josh's friends are business associates. You're just an orphan. How could you possibly understand that? It would be a waste of time to talk to you."The more Natalie spoke, the more agitated she became. "And Josh never hid his friends like you did—"Joshua grabbed her by the arm before she could finish her sentence. Her words were abruptly cut off, and she
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 178
The atmosphere was intense as everyone looked in the same direction. A sense of dread was instilled, especially by Joshua's gaze, which was accompanied by a chilling vibe."How much longer are you going to keep up this stubborn act?" he asked.Natasha remained calm and collected. There was no emotion in her eyes. It was as if she paid no attention to the scrutinizing looks.Annoyed by Joshua's question, she furrowed her brow without even bothering to glance in his direction.She felt there was no need to waste her breath since Joshua only believed Natalie's words. She had no desire to respond or to engage in further questioning.As the three of them came to a stalemate, Philip, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up, "Natasha, do you really know the president of Radiance, Zack?"There was a sharpness in Philip's eyes that closely resembled Joshua's.Natalie scoffed. She immediately noticed that Philip had changed the way he addressed Natasha.He'd stopped calling
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 179
Natasha glanced up at Joshua quietly. There was no hint of triumph or remorse for the situation she found herself in. She was simply watching him and waiting for his reaction.On the other hand, Natalie felt a sense of urgency.Joshua had torn up the letter of authorization because of her manipulation. She had shifted the blame to Natasha to avoid the consequences, but now the matter was back on the table.Natasha proved to be far more formidable than Natalie had expected. Natalie's mind raced as she desperately searched for a way to prevent the exposure of her past deception.Natasha caught the look on Natalie's face.Natalie had staged everything to draw attention to Natasha. Though Natasha was innocent, she was unable to defend herself against the presumption that she had sought another man outside of her marriage.It became clear that Natalie had been involved in causing Joshua to tear up the letter of authorization. Joshua was known for his calm nature. He wouldn't tear up s
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 180
"The incident about the letter of authorization is over. There's no point in going pursuing it anymore."It's better to think about how we can get the authorization again. That's the whole point," Joshua quickly spoke in Natalie's defense.Natalie was relieved when she heard Joshua speak up for her. She looked up at Philip and waited for his reaction.Philip's expression was unreadable. "Forget it. I won't hold you responsible."Natasha was surprised at the outcome. Philip had decided not to pursue the matter after Natalie played the victim.In the three years she had been married into the Grayson family, Natasha had had no contact with Philip other than to take care of him daily.She knew nothing of Philip's nature. She had no idea what Philip's thoughts could be when the anger on Philip's face was instantly gone."Thank you, Grandpa Philip!" Natalie smiled and looked gratefully at Joshua. She quietly held his hand under the table.Joshua had mentioned that Philip was a very o
Last Updated : 2024-03-04Who's the Substitute Now? Chapter 181
"You used to blame me for not helping the Graysons back then. Isn't Natasha doing the same thing?" Natalie looked earnestly at Lorelei and seemed somewhat hurt.Lorelei refused to believe Natalie. Her heart was in Natasha's defense, but the words caught in her throat. Natasha had already said she couldn't do it.Lorelei dropped her head silently.Joshua's expression remained unchanged.He had expected that Natasha would say no. After all, when he invited her to dinner at Gwen's restaurant and then to Philip's banquet in exchange for the authorization letter, Natasha declined.What he didn't expect was that Natasha didn't even want to explain herself. She seemed completely indifferent.Joshua's eyes narrowed as he remembered Natalie's words earlier. Natasha couldn't possibly care about the Graysons anymore. She already had Zack.His hand tightened on the wine glass. The pressure seemed as if it could shatter the glass in the blink of an eye."Tasha, are you not willing to help o
Last Updated : 2024-03-04
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He didn't know where this sense of loss came from, but it hung over Joshua like a low-pressure system and seemed impossible to dispel. His expression visibly darkened. Yet, he seemed to want to maintain his dignity and didn't want Natasha to discern his sense of loss. So Joshua pursed his lips, forcefully suppressing the feeling and putting on a blank expression. He seemed indifferent to Natasha's proposed condition."How about it? Does Mr. Grayson need more time to consider?" Natasha sat calmly in her chair, tilting her head slightly. She was confident this time that Joshua would definitely agree. Although she felt a bit uneasy about using Philip's life as leverage against Joshua, she believed it was the best option at the moment. Given Joshua's personality, using trivial things as leverage wouldn't pose any threat to him. Besides family members' lives, everything else was insignificant to him. She had no other choice.As Natasha spoke, her eyebrows furrowed lightly, and her
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As soon as Joshua heard Natasha mention there were conditions, he instantly had a bad feeling. Although Natasha didn't explicitly state the conditions, Joshua understood that they definitely wouldn't be easy."What conditions are you talking about?" He propped his chin up with his hand, looking at Natasha seriously.Natasha smiled and raised her lips. "What are the conditions? You should know."Joshua was slightly stunned. He knew what the conditions were?He furrowed his brows earnestly, trying hard to figure out what conditions Natasha was talking about.Could it be…"Are you trying to make it a condition to drive Natalie away from the Grayson Villa?" Joshua raised an eyebrow. Considering recent events, Joshua couldn't think of any other conditions.As soon as this was said, Natasha was momentarily dumbfounded.What was he talking about?Natasha tried to find a word to describe Joshua's thoughts, but after a long time, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Joshua's train of
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Natasha blinked her eyes. It seemed that Joshua was anticipating her rejection in advance."Since you can enter the Sullivan residence, your relationship with them must be extraordinary."It's not like people with Joshua's and Natalie's status could enter. But Natasha could, which undoubtedly indicated that she still had something to hide from him."Since you have this relationship with the Sullivans, helping Grandfather should be a simple matter."As soon as these words came out, Natasha sneered, "Simple matter?""Although I do have some connection with the Sullivans, it's not to the extent where I can freely arrange the Sullivans miracle worker's schedule."The position of the Sullivan's miracle worker is well-known. Since you are aware of it, you shouldn't say such things. You're overestimating me."Natasha was blatantly lying and trying to deceive Joshua."Someone with the status of the Sullivan's miracle worker would only save someone if he wanted to. If he doesn't have th
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As soon as Joshua said the name "Jacob", Natasha felt like her throat was being choked, and was unable to breathe properly.Her breathing became somewhat erratic."What's wrong? Do you know him or not?" Joshua spoke, narrowing his eyes. His pupils contracted, and he looked sharp and almost menacing.It seemed like any slight movement from Natasha couldn't escape his gaze."I…" Natasha began.She seemed a bit hesitant but also seemed not at all. Finally, she calmly spoke, "I don't know him.""Don't know him?" Joshua raised an eyebrow.He seemed somewhat incredulous, repeatedly confirming, "You really don't know him?"Natasha nodded, her expression very firm. "I don't know him."She looked somewhat puzzled, her tone confused as she asked, "Who is Jacob? Is he also from the Graysons?"Joshua stared at Natasha motionlessly, as if trying to find a flaw on her face.But Natasha remained calm. Her expression was very normal and without any flaws.Joshua stared for a long time. Eve
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"Please help us remove all these dishes and replace them with some new ones." Natasha pointed to the dishes on the table.The waitress was startled, instinctively asking, "Is there any problem with these dishes? Please point them out, and we will correct them immediately."Natasha smiled gracefully. "No, there's nothing wrong."It was just that these dishes accidentally touched Joshua's nerve."Is it because the dishes don't suit your taste?" the waitress continued to inquire."Not really." Natasha shook her head.Although, she hadn't even taken a bite. She didn't even know if these dishes were good or not.If Joshua's gaze hadn't been so intimidating, she would have tried them so as not to waste them.Next time, she had to bring Austin to try the dishes at this restaurant."So what's wrong with these dishes? We can convey your feedback to the kitchen, or we can replace them with new dishes for you free of charge. Would that be acceptable to you?" the waitress asked.The wait
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Joshua had been the president for a long time, and his whole demeanor was daunting, seemingly suffocating others with his pressure.Natasha sat in her seat. Even if she deliberately avoided looking up at Joshua, she could still feel the scalp-tingling sensation.His gaze was just too sharp. She couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to."Uh… Didn't you just say you don't like these dishes? Do you want them all removed?" Natasha awkwardly changed the subject."I'll listen and remove it now. I'll call the waiter in to take them away." After saying that, Natasha lowered her gaze and pressed the button on the table to call the waiter outside on standby.Joshua remained silent. His gaze fixed on Natasha without wavering.It made Natasha feel even more trapped.Her mind was already in a mess at the moment. She regretted that she had spoken too hastily earlier without thinking.She had never let slip of anything during her time in the Grayson Villa.What was happening now? Just a few
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She was trying hard to change the subject.But Joshua looked at the dish, his mind filled with the image of Jacob's face and the various rejections he had faced during his youth.This made him very uncomfortable."I won't eat it. Take it away," Joshua said coldly with disdain."This dish… actually tastes very good. You can try it. Don't have a prejudice against it." Natasha tried to calm Joshua's mood.But he clearly had little patience. He roared angrily, "Take it away!""I don't want to see this dish!"The sound made Natasha's hand tremble as she held the plate."Alright, alright, I'll take it away. Why are you so fierce?" Natasha bit her lip, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her rising anger, and then withdrew the dish of delicious cheese curds."Then have some other dishes." She gestured to the several dishes on the table.But unexpectedly, Joshua's face turned even worse. His gaze swept over the dishes on the table, his brows deeply furrowed, looking very dissati
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Joshua's tone sounded casual and his expression indifferent, as if discussing something unrelated to him. Yet, it gave the impression that he was talking about his own affairs."Is it worth it?" Natasha murmured, repeating the question.Perhaps because Joshua exuded a melancholic air, Natasha stopped in her tracks and earnestly answered the question. "If this mother is willing to do it, then it must be worth it."Upon hearing this, Joshua looked at her, his melancholy seeming to deepen."Is that so? Do you also think that everything this mother does is worth it?"The sorrowful expression in his eyes seemed so thick that it was unbreakable.Natasha was surprised to see Joshua like this. She didn't understand why Joshua had suddenly changed."A parent's love for their child involves careful planning. Every mother who selflessly sacrifices for her child is great…"Natasha considered her tone carefully. "A mother who wholeheartedly loves her child would do this, wouldn't she?"Bef
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They were different people.In a flash, Natasha instinctively pushed him away.She stood up straight, her tone serious as she said, "Joshua, please behave yourself." Her gentle fingers brushed against Joshua's shirt, seemingly carrying her fresh fragrance with it.The sudden push caught Joshua off guard.Looking up, he found Natasha wanting to keep her distance from him as if he were a ferocious beast.This look even made Joshua doubt himself. Was he that bad to warrant such a reaction from her?Before he could come to a conclusion, Natasha had already picked up her bag, seemingly ready to leave."If Mr. Grayson has nothing else to do today, I'll be taking my leave first."Joshua's behavior just now caught her off guard.Anyway, from the looks of it, he probably wouldn't agree to a divorce.Since Joshua had made up his mind, it was pointless for her to linger here. It was better to go home and avoid hearing any more of Joshua's "seductive" words."Wait," Joshua called out
