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Unsolicited Advice

Penulis: Golden Butterfly
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-17 14:55:02
ARIA

The walk back to the guest house is a blur of hurt and anger… of tears threatening to fall but held back by sheer force of will.

I refuse to give anyone who might be watching the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

Inside the guest house, I strip off the wet swimsuit and stand under the shower's hot spray, finally allowing the tears to come as the water washes away the chlorine and the shame.

Later, dressed in jeans and a sweater that haven't passed Genevieve's approval but are the most comfortable items I've managed to smuggle into my suitcase and I sit on the small porch of the guest house, staring out at the mountain vista without really seeing it.

The beauty of the landscape seems to mock my misery.

A movement at the edge of my vision catches my attention. An elderly man in work clothes makes his way along a path that skirts the edge of the property.

He moves with the unhurried gait of someone who knows every inch of the grounds, pausing occasionally to inspect a plant or adjust an
Golden Butterfly

Sorry I missed yesterday's update. I'm feeling really burnt out and trying hard not to let you all down. Big shoutout to K.C., J., A., J.P., C.C.U, and S. for the awesome new gem contributions! :)

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  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Poison

    ARIAThe next morning brings another visitor to my luxurious sanctuary.A knock sounds at the door while I'm finishing breakfast, and Harrison enters, followed by a distinguished younger man carrying a leather medical bag."Ms. Taylor, this is Dr. Blackwell. He's been overseeing your care since your arrival."Dr. Blackwell has the kind of polished appearance you’d expect from a physician on a high-end magazine cover. Sharp jawline, dark hair styled with effortless precision, and eyes that miss nothing behind sleek, rectangular frames.The tailored suit beneath his white coat fits him to perfection, projecting an authority that feels far older than his thirty-something years."Good morning, Ms. Taylor. I'm pleased to see you awake and eating." His voice carries authority without arrogance.He sets his bag on a nearby table and approaches my bedside.Harrison discreetly exits, closing the door behind him."How long have I been here?" I ask."Five days. You were unconscious for the first

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    The Butler

    ARIAThe sound of a door opening wakes me up. I blink away the sleepiness and focus on the person coming in.Sunlight streams through the windows, suggesting I've slept through the night and into another day.I feel slightly stronger and more present in my body, though still weak.An old man walks toward me with measured steps. He's dressed formally, not modern formal, but old-school formal. Perfect morning coat, striped pants with sharp creases, a vest without a single wrinkle and his shoes gleam with a polish that reflects the light.He stands completely straight, carrying a big silver tray so steadily that nothing on it moves as he crosses the room.Not a teacup rattles, not a spoon shifts position. Years of practice evident in every step.He sets it on a table near the bed, then turns to face me with an expression that’s professional yet kind."Good morning, Ms. Taylor. Hope you slept well." His voice has that classic upper-class British accent. However, there's a warmth underneat

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Luxurious Recovery

    ARIAI drift in and out of darkness, floating somewhere between being awake and completely gone.I can't tell how much time passes. Pain hovers nearby… present but dulled, like hearing thunder from a storm that's miles away.Sometimes I think I hear voices, feel gentle hands, but these sensations slip away before I can grasp them fully.Sensations start filtering through bit by bit. Softness under me. Warmth all around. The smell of lavender and clean sheets. No more rain. No more cold. No more rough pavement against my skin.My eyes crack open slowly. Light pours in, not harsh fluorescents or the dim shadows of an alley, but soft sunlight streaming through sheer curtains.I blink a few times, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. For a moment, I wonder if I've died, if this is some elaborate afterlife my brain has conjured up.The ceiling isn't cracked plaster or hospital tiles. It's high with fancy trim work framing a huge crystal chandelier.Definitely not a hospital. Not a chea

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Rainy Night

    ARIAThe rain hits me again, somehow colder than before.The brief respite in the café has only made the contrast more painful.Midnight approaches. The streets empty as even the most dedicated night owls seek shelter from the relentless storm.I walk because stopping seems worse somehow, though each step becomes harder than the last.My expensive shoes that once cost more than some people's monthly rent are ruined, squishing with each step and rubbing blisters on my soaked feet.A violent shiver runs through me. The cold has moved beyond discomfort into something more dangerous.My thoughts begin to scatter, focus slipping away like water down a drain. I need to find shelter, any shelter before hypothermia sets in.Downtown buildings offer few options. Unfortunately, everything is locked, alarmed, protected against intruders like me.I finally find a recessed doorway of a closed boutique, a small space barely protected from the direct downpour and huddle into the corner, making mysel

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Hotel Rejection

    ARIAI stand outside my apartment building, staring up at the familiar facade. The doorman who once greeted me with respectful deference now blocks my path with his expression uncomfortable yet firm."I'm sorry, Ms. Taylor. Your lease expired three weeks ago.""That's impossible. I pay annually. The renewal isn't due until September." My voice sounds hollow even to my own ears.He shifts uncomfortably. "According to management, the lease was terminated early. They received documentation..." He trails off, avoiding my eyes."Documentation from whom?" I already know the answer."Harrington Legal, ma'am. Everything was processed through proper channels."Of course it was. They've thought of everything."My belongings—""Were packed and placed in storage. I can give you the facility information." He hands me a card with an address printed on it. "Though I believe there may be outstanding fees to access the items."Fees I have no way to pay with frozen accounts. I take the card anyway, sli

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Financial Ruin

    ARIAThe morning light filters through the hospital blinds, casting prison-bar shadows across my bed.The kind nurse enters with discharge papers and a plastic bag containing my personal items."The doctor has approved your release, Ms. Taylor. Someone will be in shortly with a wheelchair to escort you out.""Thank you." My voice sounds mechanical, detached. I've barely spoken since signing those papers yesterday.I dress slowly, my body still weak. The clothes they brought hang loose on my frame.The Armani suit that once symbolized my power now drapes over me like a costume.I catch my reflection in the bathroom mirror and barely recognize myself. My skin looks ashen against the crisp white collar. The dark circles under my eyes make them appear sunken and my hangs limp despite my attempts to style it.A different nurse arrives shortly with the wheelchair. "Hospital policy," she explains when I protest that I can walk. Her kindness feels like pity, which makes it worse somehow."My

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Broken Spirit

    ARIAMy fingers twist the thin hospital blanket, grabbing for something real while my whole life falls apart."Don’t be unreasonable, Aria," Xavier says. "We're offering you a dignified exit. A clean break.""There's nothing dignified about this." My voice sounds strange in my own ears. "You're trying to erase me."Xavier sighs. He reaches into his fancy leather briefcase and pulls out a manila folder."I didn't want to do this." He opens the folder, spreading photos across my bed. "But you leave me no choice."The images hit me like punches to the gut. Me, looking drunk at some club I've never been to. Me, wrapped around a guy I've never met. Me, walking into a hotel room with someone just familiar enough to seem real but too blurry to actually identify. The dates, the places...all perfectly picked to tell a story about me cheating and being reckless."These are fake." I push them away, my hand shaking. "I was never there. I never did any of this.""It doesn't matter what's real anym

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Final Confrontation

    VIVIANThe hospital room door swings open and the sight of her almost makes me smile, but I catch myself.Aria looks terrible. Pale and small on top of the white sheets. Her skin has a grayish tinge, her once-lustrous hair limp around her face. The IV in her arm makes her look fragile. Nothing like the confident woman who stole my place at Harrington Consolidated. Nothing like the usurper who took the husband that should have been mine.The satisfaction that floods through me is almost physical in its intensity.I remember how she looked at the charity gala a few months back, radiant in Valentino, commanding the room, accepting the Businesswoman of the Year award that should have been mine.How everyone fawned over her success, her brilliance, her beauty. Now look at her. Broken. Defeated. As she always should have been."Aria, darling," Mom coos, rushing to her bedside. "We came as soon as we could get through those dreadful reporters. How are you feeling?" She takes Aria's hand betw

  • The Substitute Bride's Revenge    Final Confrontation

    VIVIANI smooth my Chanel dress as we step out of the Limited-Edition Bentley.The reporters part for us like the Red Sea. They know better than to block a Harrington.The thrill of power courses through me, intoxicating and sweet. This is what I was born for. This moment of triumph after months of watching from the sidelines while Aria took everything that should have been mine.Questions about Aria's HIV status flies around us in a relentless torrent. Reporters are desperate to get a statement from us upon seeing us at the hospital.“Miss Taylor and Mrs. Pierce-Taylor, is it true Aria got HIV from drugs and a wild lifestyle?” someone yells, shoving a mic right at mom.“Xavier, did you see it coming? Were there signs?” another reporter calls out.“Is this why you’re divorcing her? Was the diagnosis the final straw?” a guy in a wrinkled suit demands, practically shoving his way through the crowd.“Vivian! Are you taking over Taylor’s Tech now that your dad’s out and Aria’s reputation

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