All Chapters of The Substitute Twin Bride: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

86 Chapters

21. The Last Goodbye

There were no mourners. No one stood with Rose as she followed her mother’s casket to the burial site. Only cemetery workers accompanied her through the funeral rites. Rose stood at the edge of the grave, facing the priest who spoke solemnly.After the coffin was placed above the grave, the priest delivered a short sermon before it was lowered into the ground. Rose steeled herself, her eyes fixed on the coffin as it was buried once and for all.“You must be strong, my child. This is God’s will, and one day, all of us will return to him,” the priest said."Yes, Father," Rose whispered, nodding.She didn’t leave, even after everyone else was gone. Looking up at the gray sky, she knew the rain would soon fall. Still, she remained by her mother’s grave.“Mom,” Rose breathed softly.Would her mother feel cold when the rain came? Would she be all right down there? Restless, grieving thoughts swirled inside her. Rose knelt down and began to weep quietly."Mom... Mom..."The drizzle began, bu

Last Updated : 2025-08-17

22. The Sister's Shadow

"Matteo, I warned you. Don't be deceived by Romilda's tricks!" Letty cautioned.“I understand, Letty.” Matteo sighed and brushed the damp sleeve of his jacket. "I'll go to my room."Without another word, he hurried off, leaving Letty behind with a suspicious look on her face. She thought Matteo's behavior toward Romilda was excessive."Matteo!" Letty called after him, turning around.But her younger brother was already gone. Letty rushed upstairs and quickly made her way to Matteo’s room. She knocked impatiently.When he opened the door, he looked at his sister in confusion."Answer me honestly—why are you paying so much attention to Romilda?" Letty demanded.“Letty, I already told you. I went to the funeral because Romilda’s mother passed away.”"That's not your concern! What does her mother mean to you?""Legally speaking, she was my mother-in-law."Even Matteo himself didn’t understand why he’d given such a flimsy excuse, as though he were covering something up.“Your mother-in-law

Last Updated : 2025-08-18

23. Behind the Closed Door

Rose had locked herself in her room for several days. She had even stopped answering the door, prompting Matteo to order the maids to deliver meals to her door. Rose's behavior deeply unsettled Matteo, filling him with worry and frustration. However, he couldn't just barge in and demand an explanation.That evening, as Matteo returned home, he saw a maid carrying a tray of untouched food back. He quickly stopped her.“Where is that food from?” he asked.“From Mrs. Romilda’s room, sir.”“She didn’t eat?”The maid looked uneasy. "She only ate a little. Most of the time, she won't even touch it."A mix of concern and irritation churned inside Matteo. It wasn’t about the wasted food; it was the thought of Romilda starving herself on purpose that bothered him."Fine. Keep sending her meals, whether she eats them or not,” he instructed.“Yes, sir.”He hurried upstairs, intending to go straight to his room. But as Matteo reached the second-floor landing, his gaze flicked down the opposite ha

Last Updated : 2025-08-19

24. Biscuit Truce

Rose pushed Matteo away and yanked herself free from his grip. She shot to her feet. Her body twisted toward the bed, and her eyes widened with terror.Rose looked like prey caught in the gaze of a predator ready to consume her at any second.“Get out!” Rose's voice trembled.Matteo snorted quietly. "You act like this with me, but then you tell the lawyer something completely different.""Please! Just leave this room. Don't make things harder for me!" Rose’s eyes welled up with tears. "I can't, Matteo! I don’t want to do it!"Her reaction only made Matteo more curious. Why did it feel like he was dealing with two different people? Which one was the real Romilda?Matteo rose from the bed and carefully stepped toward her. As he expected, she kept backing away, fear etched across her face as if he were a monster."I won't hurt you, Romilda. We'll just do what needs to be done, and then it's over."His voice was calm and almost casual, but it terrified Rose even more. The moment his hand

Last Updated : 2025-08-20

25. Under Watch

Rose hurried along the sidewalk until she reached the apartment entrance. As she stepped inside, someone blocked her way.“Miss Baxter! You still haven’t paid your rent!” the landlord snapped.Rose froze and lowered her head. She had been so consumed by her mother’s death and Romilda’s demands that she had forgotten to pay her rent.“You’d better pack your things if you can’t pay! Do you think living here is free?” the landlord scolded.“All right, I’ll pack my things.”"You worthless woman! If you were going to leave, you should have done it sooner!”“I’m sorry, ma’am.”“Clear out your unit now!”Rose didn’t argue. Holding back tears, she went upstairs to her apartment. The moment she stepped inside, she broke down in sobs.With trembling hands, she walked into her bedroom, grabbed a suitcase, and began packing her most precious belongings. Seeing Claire’s clothes still hanging in the closet tore her heart apart even more.“Rose?”The voice outside the room startled her. She quickly

Last Updated : 2025-08-21

26. Highway to Disaster

"Oh my God!" Romilda looked angry. "I want to get out of here right now. I’m sick of dealing with stupid, clueless people like those earlier.”Her boyfriend chuckled. “Don’t stay mad, Romilda. Anger will ruin your beauty.”“Next time, don’t ask me to pick you up at the station. Don't you have another option? A plane, maybe?”"You know my parents live in a small town. The only public transportation is the bus and the train.”Romilda bit her lower lip, annoyed by Cox’s answer. Cox wasn’t born in a big city; he was a naïve young man dazzled by the glamour of urban life. Deep down, Romilda knew that her life would never prosper if she depended on him.On the contrary, he seemed more and more reliant on her. Still, Romilda loved Cox; there was something genuine about him. He reminded her of her first love, someone she had never forgotten.Matteo. Yes, him.Romilda hated Matteo, but another part of her felt trapped by her emotions. After he dumped her without warning, bitterness and disappo

Last Updated : 2025-08-22

27. A Stranger in My Arms

Rose returned to the Cavanaugh residence feeling somewhat relieved. Although not all of her problems had been resolved, at least she had secured her belongings in storage. She walked down the corridor toward her room.Just as Rose was about to climb the stairs, she heard footsteps behind her. When she turned around, she saw that it was Matteo, who had also just gotten home."Did you finish your business?" Matteo asked casually.Rose only gave a weak nod. The two of them walked up the stairs side by side. No words were exchanged, and the silence made Matteo feel even more awkward."Hey, are you..."Before he could finish, he saw Rose’s body sway. Matteo immediately caught her and held her tightly. Rose gasped for breath, nearly tumbling all the way down the stairs."Ouch," she winced, trying to climb another step.“Careful. Let me help you.”They slowly made their way up the stairs until Rose collapsed onto the floor, clutching her right leg. Her face turned pale as she tried to endure

Last Updated : 2025-08-23

28. Aftertaste of Secrets

With the help of her crutch, Rose stepped into the restaurant. Her eyes widened in amazement at the elegant decor. Tables were filled with a variety of dishes that guests could help themselves to freely."Can I eat anything I want? Really?” Rose asked, sounding like an excited child.“Sure, until you’re full.”"Great!"Matteo watched her as she eagerly browsed the buffet table. With quick movements, she grabbed a plate and began piling on food, unaware of the faint smile tugging at Matteo’s lips.“Where should we sit?” Rose mouthed silently.Matteo pointed toward a window seat, and she nodded. He sat down and flipped through a menu of items not available at the buffet. Before long, Rose returned with a server carrying her plate.Matteo frowned when a dish of clams was set in front of her. A wave of unease ran through him. What if he was right to worry? If her allergy flared up, it could be dangerous.“Are you sure you don’t have any allergies?” Matteo pressed.Rose shook her head. "No

Last Updated : 2025-08-23

29. A Wife Worth Saving?

"Oh, you just got back?"Nicole greeted Matteo as he walked toward his room. She had just come upstairs. She hurried over and pecked his cheek.“Where were you?” Nicole asked."I just had dinner with Romilda," Matteo replied honestly."Oh."Nicole's expression turned uneasy, but she knew her brother was fighting for the family's rights. She didn't want the Cavanaugh family to be trampled by someone like Romilda. Romilda was a leech who only knew how to suck the life out of others."Well, then go take a shower," Nicole said dismissively, waving her hand. "Who knows? Maybe some of Romilda’s germs stuck to your skin."Matteo chuckled lightly. "Yeah, yeah, of course."As he reached into his jacket pocket, Matteo was surprised to feel something inside. When he pulled it out, he saw that it was a packet of vitamins. They belonged to Romilda, who hadn’t received them from him earlier.“What’s that?” Nicole asked curiously."Romilda's vitamins. She sprained her ankle, so I took her to the hos

Last Updated : 2025-08-24

30. A Dangerous Bargain

Rose felt both guilty and relieved when she saw Matteo walk into the room and approach her. Without saying much, he sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her. He gave her a faint smile."Thank God you're getting better, Romilda." Matteo gently patted the back of her hand. "I worried all night.""I must have troubled you, didn't I?"“No, I should have been more aware. You had food poisoning—thankfully, it wasn't anything worse.” Matteo let out a long sigh. "If something had happened to you, I could never forgive myself."Rose was stunned by Matteo’s words. He wasn’t flirting with her or trying to sweet-talk her. Everything he said felt painfully sincere.This left Rose unsure how to respond because she was oddly touched by his honesty."I've asked the maid to prepare breakfast according to the doctor's recommendation. Get plenty of rest and try not to think about anything else, okay?” Matteo patted her hand again."Thank you, Matteo. I’ll be more careful about what I eat from n

Last Updated : 2025-08-24

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