The Substitute Bride -- CEO's Secret Darling Wife

After receiving her lunch box, Emily found an unoccupied corner on the set to sit and eat quickly. She was both in a rush and terribly hungry. The cold winter made the food even less satisfying—her lunch was bland, the soup watery, and there wasn't even a drop of oil. The lack of taste didn't matter; she had to eat to fill the emptiness in her stomach.

Once the meal was finished, Emily, along with many other extras, was called over to the director's designated area. They were assigned roles as ordinary townspeople, walking along the street, blending into the background. This historical drama, set in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, required a large cast of extras to create a bustling atmosphere.

But it wasn't as simple as walking around aimlessly. The director gave strict instructions: no expressions, no deviation from the planned actions. Everyone had to act like lifeless automatons, devoid of personality. Emily was assigned to be a woman selling roast chicken, her spot in front of a row of fake chicken props that looked so realistic, her mouth watered.

She swallowed hard, wishing she could eat one of those golden-brown chickens instead of just gazing at them. The lunch she'd had was hardly enough to satisfy her hunger, and the cold made it worse.

Nightfall.

The crew wrapped up filming the night scene around nine o'clock. Some of the extras stayed behind to continue filming, including Emily. This wasn't mandatory, but for those wanting to earn extra money, staying was the choice. Others left, content with their daytime pay, but Emily wasn't in a position to turn down any opportunity to make a few more bucks.

Afterward, she went straight to the People's Hospital.

When she entered her father's room, she was relieved to see he had regained consciousness. "Dad, are you awake?" she asked, her voice filled with joy.

But before she could even get closer, a sharp slap rang out.

Bang!

Emily was stunned. Her father, Luo's father, had slapped her hard across the face.

Why? she thought, confused and in shock.

Luo's mother, who had been standing quietly by the side, was equally stunned. She had never seen her husband react this way before. He had never laid a hand on Emily before. Why now?

"Dad…" Emily reached up to cover her cheek, her heart breaking as she looked at him. "Why did you hit me?"

"Don't call me Dad!" Luo's father's voice was filled with fury, his face flushed with anger. "I don't have a daughter like you!"

Emily's heart sank. What did I do wrong? Tears began to well in her eyes, her voice trembling as she asked again, "Did I do something wrong?"

"You don't know what you did wrong?" Luo's father spat, his anger unmistakable. "Why did you want to divorce Alexander? Why didn't you take my company back before signing the divorce? Did you do it on purpose? Did you and he plan this all along? He knew who you really are, didn't he? You were helping him cheat my company away, and he promised you a share of the benefits, didn't he?"

"I didn't!" Emily protested, shaking her head frantically. "Why would I do that? You're my father!"

Luo's father's face darkened with rage. He was convinced Emily had betrayed him, and the fact that she was divorcing Alexander only made him more certain of his suspicions. The company—his legacy—was slipping through his fingers, and he needed someone to blame.

"I don't know you! I don't have a daughter like you!" he repeated, his words venomous.

Emily felt a pang of hurt as she looked at him, still trying to understand what had gone wrong. It wasn't enough to know that her father was angry; he thought she was somehow involved in betraying him.

At that moment, Luo's mother stepped in, realizing things were spiraling out of control. She pushed Emily out of the room before anything worse could happen. "Let your father cool down. We'll talk later."

Once the door was closed, Luo's mother lowered her voice, speaking to her husband, "I'm telling you, you can't bring this up now. Emily can't know about this. Do you think she'd keep working and paying for your medical expenses if she knew the truth? You know how Luo Aiqin treated us after she found out—she ran away, stealing everything she could, including cash, gold, and silver from our safe! That damn girl… she deserves to die!"

Luo's father's expression darkened further as he listened to his wife's words. His eyes lost their spark. No one knew the truth about Luo Aiqin's disappearance—she had been dead for two years, not hiding somewhere, as everyone thought. But the truth was too bitter to share, and in his heart, a heavy guilt lingered. It had been his fault for allowing her to steal everything.

Luo's mother's face twisted with hatred as she spat, "That damn girl… she deserves to die!"

Luo's father didn't respond. He simply sat there, his thoughts clouded with regret and sorrow.

Later, Luo's mother left the ward and found Emily sitting on a bench outside. Without a word, she extended her hand and demanded, "Where's the money for your father's medical bills?"

Emily, still reeling from her father's harsh words, raised her eyes to meet her mother's gaze. She handed over the salary bag the director had given her. Luo's mother opened it, counting the money inside, and frowned when she saw the total—only thirteen thousand.

"This is it?" Luo's mother scoffed. "How can this be enough to pay for your father's medical expenses? Bring me two thousand tomorrow."

Emily's heart sank. "Mom, two thousand might be a bit difficult…"

"Difficult?" Luo's mother glared at her. "Why is it difficult? You see how others make money—by currying favor with producers, directors, investors. You're young, you're good-looking, and you've got a figure. Can't you use that to your advantage? What are you still holding onto? Alexander is already tired of you. Why are you still acting like a virgin? He's done with you, and now you need to stop being so stupid."

Emily's heart twisted painfully at her mother's words. Why did she have to mention Alexander? It felt like a stab to her already broken heart. She had already gone through so much, and her mother was only making it worse.

Luo's mother pushed all the blame onto Emily, accusing her of causing the family's troubles. With one last look of disgust, she turned and went back to the ward, leaving Emily alone in the hallway, her thoughts swirling.

Palm Springs

When Emily got home, she was hit by the strong smell of alcohol. She walked into the living room to find Luo Chenguang lying on the sofa, surrounded by empty beer bottles. He was already fast asleep.

Rather than disturbing him, she quietly went to her room, dropped off her bag, and then headed to the kitchen. She made him some fried rice with egg, hoping to comfort him.

She woke him gently. "Chen Guang, wake up…"

Luo Chenguang stirred, opening his eyes briefly before turning over. "Second sister, what is it?"

"I made your favorite fried rice with egg. Eat something," Emily said softly, offering him the bowl.

Luo Chenguang sat up, and for a moment, he just stared at the food before grabbing the bowl and starting to eat quickly. But as he ate, his eyes welled up with tears.

"Second sister… this isn't true, right? My brother-in-law didn't really steal our family's company, did he? I'm still a rich second generation, right?"

Emily's heart broke for him as she looked at his trembling form, realizing just how much he had been affected by all the lies and the turmoil in their family.