Love Beyond the Substitute: A Tale of Survival and Discovery

oman doing my

ed to me, his long-lost idea

I was nothing more than

ok off the ring and strode confidently towards him,

e pan

ove Korbin

was beneficial

I would help him complete the hundred things he had once promised to do wi

nd end my life of renting houses, s

Mountains, ride horses on the prairies in the Midwest, and wait for the spectac

eeply moving, even more captivatin

he ring on Scarlett's fi

Scarlett might misunder

eard Korbin speak of you. He loves you very much. We're just friends and have never done anythin

ried back to Korbin's mansion to pack my

into my suitcase, the door t

dam

rlett who

eel uneasy and with

misty with surprise, "You

the verge of tears, that even I coul

course not. His housekeeper had something to attend to, s

ings, she finally relax

loaded my things into the car. Scar

nly brought out a stack of photos from the maste

out, I would have complet

photos?" She asked, her brigh

on't." I

she tossed the photo

t because it felt odd to see my pictures in the trash. Out of curiosity

, knowing that Korbin

quickly retrieved the photo from th

milar. I didn't notice."

seeing so many photos of me with Korbin. As

tated, and finally spoke, "Tessa, could

skipped

im wasn't

I deleted him, w

ived the five

ome financial matters to settl

add each other on WhatsApp, and I'll trans

uch a go

phone to add Scarlett on WhatsApp. Then, right

a second would be di

..

buy a cat. I had wanted a cat for a l

on was that Scarlett w

ed a bank transfer notification. The weight on my heart was finally lifted, a

g lights, and the loud elect

e on the shoulder, "Drink as muc

ncern, "Tessa, is it real

, my phone rang. It w

is

ocking and deleting me righ

ic voice came fr

blocked and deleted you before I go

eth, "You think you're so clever? You haven't worked in three years. C

five million wisely." I said, decisively h

was truly

..

ght, leaving me with little mone

eyes landed on the luxu

e as a substitute. Then, they didn't suit me,

m all into a large woven bag and hauled it to the mall. I reme

only to see Scarlett and Korbin walki

I quickly ducked int

said haughtily, "Ma'am, this is a high-end skinc

eek. Her eyes widened in shock as I walked out wi

ent store. Under the staff's watchful eyes, I took

iate, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure stood out

ch new sto

high school classmate, Elsie Johnson. She was a spoiled rich kid who loved to

ned, and I sig

ple I didn't want to see, not once but twic

uldn't just leave them behind, so

d me like a radar, and then she smiled with

ther reason I could possibl

ings." I replied with a sligh

ly accepts luxury items. Who would want your

absurd, they made

unable to suppress my amusement, "How can you say

he necklace back as if it were burning her

, and I, unfortunately, had to

e sales assistant to check the purchase receipts to avoid acceptin

d looking at me strangely, a

were gifts from my boyfrie

having such a wealthy b

mber you have quite a few luxury items

re you? Even if I buy second-hand, I'm still better than a country girl like

called an old man bef

sending a shiver down my spine. I turned to

Patek Philippe 175th Anniversary watc

ing money could

es like treasure detectors, in

with a stark contrast to how they treated me, wh

I found Korbin so pleasing to the e

anding there for

t, wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and his com

d with him as Scarlett, never se

ll the...t

was stut

Money is the las

into the bag, then took my hand and

seemed as light as

was sure Elsie couldn't see us, I tried to pull my

and thought Scarlett was inside. To avoid misunder

ase me. Instead, h

What does it look like to be pu

really bold. Be careful not to get targeted." He stopped in

looking at hi

ars, he had never ca

my name a

him to show concern for me, excep

ys been cold and indifferent towards me, to suddenly express

in a daze, he pull

in in the middle, with Scarlett and me

here turne

f us remained silent, each lost in our own tho

without asking where I lived or ins

nk and get a taxi home, but he wouldn't

ou want to take back th

t him, inc

looking at me with justified arrog

e had no goo

arm, and the two of them looked like a newly

, we have nothing to d

their hou

straight at me. "The five million was what we agreed upon. I keep my word, but those gifts were for 'Scarlett'.

there,

ed, and he was even using my prec

neither poverty nor

ed to fight the greedy

a month, deal?" Korbin looke

ary preferences, si

ron with a fa

as just a woman doin

like a magician wear

d I didn't retort. Then, while cookin

lly didn't have a high tolerance for spicy food, while I, a nativ

e in the tea room, acting all lovey-dovey. Through the gl

a s

umptuous spread of spicy food, filli

tt, his cold demeanor suddenly warm and gentle. "She do

ly food that

tly rolle

t on gloves, eager to pe

e triangle scen