Novel Palace
Chapter 2 Both Substitutes
Chapter 2 Both Substitutes
Chapter 2 Both Substitutes
Stella's mind went blank.
She felt a warm chest pressed against her back and heard the rapid beating of his heart. The scent of
male hormones enveloped her. She took a deep breath, but her limbs remained stiff.
The man suddenly stopped moving.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
Stella was taken aback.
He was implying that he was her husband and that it was natural for such things to happen between
them on their wedding night.
Failing to comprehend his meaning, Stella timidly answered, "Yes. You're Liam."
His eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his lips rose gently.
Liam... He didn't expect her to remember the name.
It was a shame that he was not Liam Anderson.
And she was not Amelia Taylor.
In fact, from the moment she entered the door, he could see that she was just a substitute. Although he
didn't know the details, given the character of the young lady of the Taylor family, she would never be
married to a villager.
But it didn't matter. She was a substitute bride, and he was a substitute groom. They were even.
"Liam..."
He returned to his senses and lowered his head to meet her watery eyes. Her shy and soft look
seemed to reach deep into his heart, stirring emotions in a place he couldn't quite comprehend.
"I'm sorry. I was too nervous," she said, biting her lip and tentatively throwing her arms around his neck.
"You're my husband, and it's only right for you to do this. So, let's get started."
Small beads of sweat lined the tip of her nose as she awkwardly moved closer to him, but her whole
body shook uncomfortably.
The man's heart stirred. Just as she wanted to kiss him on the lips, he suddenly took hold of her hand
and pushed her away.
Stella froze. The redness on her face had not yet receded, and confusion filled her big eyes.
"Forget it," he said, looking at her. "You're tired today. Take a good rest."
"Liam, I..."
"I think it will take you some time to get used to having a husband. Until then, I won't push you."
With that, he rolled over.
Stella looked at his bare spine in shock. It wasn't until she heard his faint snoring that she took a closer
look at him.
He looked very handsome as he slept, with an angular profile and a pair of bushy eyebrows. His robust
arms were pillowed under his head, revealing muscles that made her blush.
Stella's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly turned away.
She was sleepy, and her mind was scrambled with thoughts of her stepmother's and Amelia's taunts
toward her before she got married. They told her that the Andersons had been their family friends for
generations and that they had a marriage contract. Unfortunately, something happened to the
Anderson family, and they had been hiding in a small mountain village since then. Their family was now
dirt poor, and their son was a notorious hooligan. It was said that he frequently ended up in the
detention center.
"How can I marry a punk?" Amelia sneered. "You're more suitable anyway since your mother has been
with many men and your siblings are all wild."
"People like you can only be matched with punks!"
"Stella, think about it," her father said coldly. "As long as you're willing to take Amelia's place and marry
Liam, I'll give you a sum of money, with which you can treat your mother's disease." Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
Her stepmother poked her head in and scoffed, "You should feel grateful that we let you marry as the
second young lady of the Taylor family."
Stella woke up with a start to find that the sky was already bright and the man beside her was nowhere
to be seen.