The Stand-In Heiress Stops Pretending

The rain poured down with thunder rumbling. When Tessa Garcia went to bring an umbrella to Ethan Robinson, she walked right into them drinking and playing dice games. The loser had to reveal a juicy secret about themselves.

Ethan lost.

He lit a cigarette, and, after a moment of silence, through the white smoke, he said in a low voice, "I once was the guy on the side, and I told myself it was love."

As soon as he said this, the whole private room erupted.

Ethan!

The top heir of Majestic City's elite families, with both money and power at his fingertips, could have any woman he wanted, yet he became a third party for love.

He must have loved her so much!

Among them, Evan Smith, who was closest to Ethan, reacted most excitedly.

"Lila Johnson, right? It's definitely Lila! Back then Ethan liked Lila, Lila liked David Jones, so Ethan became the third party for love! Wow, Ethan!"

Laughter filled the room.

Tessa stood at the doorway, feeling like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her head, bone-chillingly cold.

She'd rushed over so quickly that her clothes were soaked through by the rain. Now she was shivering from the cold, and her stomach was churning and cramping uncontrollably.

The commotion in the room continued.

"I remember now! On the 10th, wasn't the guy in Lila's Feed announcement photo you?" another person exclaimed. "I should have figured it out—when Lila came back to Majestic City, how could our Ethan not be the first to welcome her!"

Evan whistled: "Ethan, come clean—did you two rekindle your old flame and go all in?"

The room was too noisy. Tessa couldn't hear what Ethan said, only feeling her stomach burning with pain.

As if all her organs had been thrown into a meat grinder.

Tearing, suffocating.

The 10th.

The day she had a stomach bleed and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. She'd called Ethan countless times, but he rejected every call, didn't reply to messages, and finally even blocked her.

She thought he was just busy, so she never brought it up again.

Turns out, he was with his first love.

Tessa curled up on the floor, face pale, breaking out in cold sweat, but the harsh voices in the room continued.

"Wait, if Ethan and Lila rekindled their romance, what about Tessa?"

"What about her? Tessa latched onto Ethan with that face that looks like Lila's. Now that Lila's back, the substitute should get lost, obviously." Evan laughed. "Right, Ethan?"

Tessa held on with her last bit of strength, but even as she passed out, Ethan never denied it.

Tessa stayed in the hospital for five days. Ethan didn't send a single message.

Tears slid down her face.

It was time to let go.

She took out her phone and dialed the number she hadn't contacted in three years. "Dad, I know I was wrong. Give me one more month, and I'll agree to come back for the arranged marriage."

Tessa checked herself out of the hospital.

When she returned to the place she shared with Ethan to pack her things and leave, she came face to face with Ethan wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen. His phone was on the counter with a smiling girl on the screen.

Tessa looked down with a self-mocking smile.

So he could cook after all.

Her mind flashed back to the past three years when she was sick but still cooked for herself, because Ethan was picky and would only eat food she made. Even with a high fever, she'd cook for him herself.

Ethan saw it all and took it for granted.

Tessa's chest felt tight.

Whether he loved her or not was already obvious.

Hearing the sound behind him, Ethan only asked dismissively, "You're back," then continued laughing and chatting with the girl on the video call.

That smile—she'd never seen it on his face before.

What more was there to understand?

Tessa went back to her room and packed her things. Then her phone received several messages, all from the same person.

She didn't remember when she'd added this person, but they'd been quietly sitting in her contacts.

Tonight was the first time she'd received messages from her.

Several intimate photos of her and Ethan together. That face—it was the girl from the video call just now.

[Ms. Garcia, you're so generous. If it were my husband, I'd definitely keep a close eye on him. Of course, that's assuming my husband loves me]

[By the way, when Ethan and I went to the hospital last time, I happened to see you were admitted. Were you sick?]

Tessa didn't reply, but the person kept talking to herself.

[That's the one bad thing about Ethan—except for me, he doesn't care about anyone. Don't blame him, I'll help you teach him a lesson when I get the chance]

[Oh, and Ethan's cooking is really good. Have you ever had his food, Ms. Garcia?]

Every word was a provocation.

Ethan's first love... was nothing special after all.

Tessa dragged her luggage downstairs. Ethan was still busy in the kitchen. Hearing the sound, he didn't even look up or acknowledge her.

Tessa smiled bitterly. She didn't even need an excuse.

She placed the house key on the shoe cabinet and gently closed the door that had trapped her for three years.

Along with that man.

Only when Ethan heard the door close did he realize Tessa had gone out. He vaguely felt something was off about Tessa today, but the thought only flashed through his mind before he turned back to pack up the prepared food.

Lila had a sensitive stomach and couldn't eat cold food. He needed to hurry and deliver the meal to her.

Meanwhile, Tessa went to a hotel. Just after she'd freshened up, WhatsApp received another message.

It was from the arranged marriage partner her father had introduced before she ran away from home.

Ryan: [You suddenly decided to come back—did something happen?]

Ryan Williams was her childhood friend. She'd never thought of Ryan in a romantic way, which was why she ran away from the engagement. Ryan was the one who helped clean up the mess.

She thought Ryan felt the same way.

Because in her memory, Ryan had said he liked another girl.

Pulling herself back, Tessa replied: [Nothing major, I can handle it]

Ryan: [Okay, let me know if you need anything]

Tessa: [Thanks Ryan]

The next morning, Tessa was woken up by a call from her shop staff.

"Ms. Garcia, a client wants custom clothing and specifically asked for you. I'll send you the phone number and address."

"Got it."

Tessa had studied design in college. After running away from home, she opened her own shop specializing in custom clothing. Although she'd hired two designers, most clients specifically requested her.

Tessa didn't think much of it. After freshening up, she went straight to the address the client gave.

It was a small banquet hall.

She walked in and came face to face with the woman from the photos, arm in arm with Ethan. Their movements were intimate, like a couple in love.

Her eyes met Ethan's. Ethan froze: "What are you doing here?"