Lahat ng Kabanata ng The bride's stand-In: Kabanata 81 - Kabanata 88

As soon as Evelyn pulled open the cage door, she stepped back, her fingers gripping the doorknob tightly. Just in case Snow White decided to lunge at her, she wanted to be ready—ready to dart out and call for Rion and Raven to help put the wolf back inside its cage.Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears like a war drum. Snow White remained inside the cage, his pale eyes watching her with an unreadable expression. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t baring his fangs, wasn’t doing anything she had feared he might do.Evelyn swallowed, uncertainty gripping her. Had she made a mistake?Then, slowly, the wolf tilted his head. The movement was so small yet so deliberate that it almost seemed… questioning.Somehow, that made Evelyn feel guilty.She let out a soft breath and, instead of standing there frozen, crouched near the open door. She extended her hand, palm facing up, voice gentle as she coaxed him. “Come here, baby…”For a moment, the air hung still between them.Then, to her shock, Snow White

Micheal just stared at her in silence. The words she had spoken moments ago seemed to echo in the air between them, heavier than before. Evelyn had dropped her gaze, almost as if afraid to meet his eyes again, and now leaned her forehead against the wolf curled in her arms. It was as though she were trying to shield herself, wrapping around the creature like he was her only anchor.The sight of it made something dark and unfamiliar stir within him.Her small shoulders trembled faintly, her fiery hair spilling over the wolf’s thick white fur. The contrast was striking—like blood on snow, something pure being swallowed by something far too heavy, too painful. And yet, she clung to the animal with a quiet desperation, as if letting go would mean losing the only thing grounding her in this moment.Micheal pulled back slightly, his movements slow and measured. He didn’t want to startle her. Not when she already looked so fragile. Not when he could sense something in her that felt too close

The moment Evelyn turned her back to him and walked away, the dam that had been holding strong all this time finally crumbled. Her tears, long restrained, gushed forth like a deluge of rain.It had been so long since she had allowed herself to cry outside the suffocating confines of her darkened room. She had trained herself to never shed tears in the presence of others. Crying made her feel exposed, fragile—something she had fought against for years. Especially in front of her father and Brandon Haze, she had refused to break. No matter how deep their words had cut, no matter how much pain they had inflicted upon her, she had never given them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. Silence had always been her weapon, a shield stronger than any steel. And she had wielded it perfectly.But with Michael… everything was different.She did not understand why, but around him, it was unbearably difficult to hold back. She had thought she could at least hold in her emotions until she reached

"You can't remove that yet! Not unless your doctor says it’s okay to do so." Michael’s voice was firm as he stood beside Evelyn, watching her with a gaze that allowed no room for argument.Before she could reply, the door swung open, and a woman in a white coat stepped in. Her sharp eyes landed on them, catching the tail end of Michael’s words."Actually… it’s perfectly fine for her to remove it," the doctor interjected with a calm smile. "Sir."Evelyn lifted a brow, shooting Michael a knowing look. Her eyes practically shouted, See?Michael let out a slow, heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if fighting an unseen battle. "Fine," he muttered. "But let the doctor do it." His voice was still firm, but he stepped back, allowing the doctor to proceed before he turned and exited the room.By the time everything was settled and Evelyn was ready to leave, she saw Michael speaking with the doctor, his tone low and controlled. When she shifted to stand on her own, he was there in an