All Chapters of From substitute bride to CEO : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

The doctor stood beside the hospital bed while Chloe adjusted the strap of her handbag over her shoulder. She had changed back into the same clothes she had arrived in; they were slightly creased now, and there were faint marks where dried tears had fallen, but she didn't notice them. Or perhaps she did. She simply didn't care anymore.The doctor watched her carefully. "Mrs Grey, are you certain you don't want us to contact your family?"Chloe lowered her eyes for a moment before responding. "I have one favor to ask.""What is it?""If Mr Grey comes looking for me..." She paused, drawing a slow breath. "...please don't tell him where I went."The doctor frowned slightly. "He is your husband.""I know." Her voice remained quiet. "If he asks... just tell him I was discharged."The doctor hesitated. "I don't usually keep information from family members.""I'm not asking you to lie," she said, meeting his eyes. "Only tell him the truth. I was discharged. And nothing more."The doctor stud

The taxi drove for hours before finally leaving the busy highways behind. The buildings grew shorter, the roads quieter, and the crowds slowly disappeared. By the time the driver crossed into the next city, the morning sun had climbed into the sky, washing everything in a soft golden light.Chloe rested her head against the window throughout the journey. She didn't look at her phone. She didn't check the news. She didn't think about whether anyone had noticed she was gone. She simply watched unfamiliar streets pass by until the driver finally slowed down."We're here, ma'am."Chloe looked out of the window. It wasn't a large city. There were no towering buildings or endless traffic. Small cafés sat beside flower shops. People walked without rushing, greeting one another as they passed. The air itself seemed quieter.She paid the driver, stepped out with her single bag and notebooks, then stood still for a moment. No one looked at her twice. No one recognized the name Chloe Grey. For t

The doctor's question lingered in the room. Chloe looked at him, her fingers tightening around the strap of her handbag."I had one... a few weeks ago," she answered quietly. "In a hospital.”The doctor nodded. "I see." His expression remained thoughtful as he glanced back at the file in front of him. "Were you admitted there?""Yes. For severe abdominal pain."He gave another small nod. "And did they explain their findings to you?"Chloe swallowed. "They told me..." Her voice caught for a brief second before she steadied it. "They told me I was pregnant."The doctor's eyes stayed on her. She lowered hers. "And they said there were complications." The room became very quiet. "They said..." She struggled to finish the sentence. "They couldn't save the pregnancy, so I had a miscarriage." Her voice faded.The doctor didn't interrupt. He simply listened. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then he reached for another file lying beside him. "I'd like to repeat a few examinations," he said

The days slowly turned into weeks. Every morning, Chloe's alarm rang before sunrise. She would sit on the edge of her bed for a moment, one hand resting lightly over her growing stomach before quietly getting ready for the day. Breakfast became a habit she no longer skipped. She had promised herself... and the two little lives depending on her.By seven o'clock, she was already out of the apartment. Her mornings belonged to the small gift shop. She arranged displays, wrapped customers' purchases, cleaned shelves, and greeted everyone with the same calm smile. The owner noticed how dependable she was."You've never been late."Chloe smiled while arranging a display of handmade bracelets. "I try not to be.""And you've never complained, look at your growing stomach, you shouldn't continue to stress yourself, you'll have to do simple jobs from now on."She simply shrugged. "There isn't much to complain about, and besides the doctor says I need to do more exercise so it's part of helping

Lucien didn't move. The document remained open on his desk, the unfamiliar surname staring back at him, Bennett. His fingers rested against the edge of the paper while Caleb stood quietly across from him. He had worked beside Lucien long enough to know when silence needed to be left alone.After what felt like several minutes, Lucien finally looked up. "You said she registered and changed to her mother's maiden name.""Yes.""And that's how you found her trail."Caleb nodded. "The Carter name led nowhere because she stopped using it."Lucien lowered his eyes again. "So... who was her mother?"Caleb took a slow breath before placing another folder on the desk. "I think it's time you see everything."Lucien looked at him. Caleb opened the folder himself and spread several photographs across the desk. One was the old picture Lucien had already seen. Margaret. The woman standing with a little girl whose face wasn't very clear because of the age of the photograph. Another picture showed th