A Second Chance with my Stand-in Love
Synopsis
Skyler Rees, the only daughter of the Rees family in Ijofield City, defies familial resistance by tying the knot with a member of the Woods family. She goes the extra mile, even taking on the role of a stand-in and becoming the target of everyone's playful banter. The girl of his dreams rolls back into town, and Mel Woods just coldly hands her divorce papers, saying, "Let's call it quits; Sophia's back." A divine doctor, a genius pharmaceutical expert... Skyler's different identities are exposed one by one, countering that prude and turning the tide. Mel: "Hey, since your love for me burns so fiercely, how about I give you a second chance?" It's only later that Mel stumbles upon subtle cues revealing her lack of love for him! Turns out, he was the stand-in for her! Mel, in a desperate attempt to win back his wife, realizes he had misunderstood her all along! She was the one meant for him, and regret consumes him! Skyler calmly gazes at the man. "Dreams are meant to be awakened."
A Second Chance with my Stand-in Love Free Chapters
Chapter 1 Let's Get a Divorce | A Second Chance with my Stand-in Love
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Moans, shoves, gasps. The dim room felt cramped in the entanglement of the two, with misty water vapor spreading on the glass amid their rapid breaths.
A thin mist rose in Skyler Rees' eyes as her pale fingers unconsciously scratched Mel Woods' taut back, rising and falling with each breath.
After the ambiguous atmosphere lingered for a while, footsteps finally echoed outside, signaling someone's departure.
Skyler looked at the slightly intoxicated man before her, breathing gently as she turned her head away from Mel's sweaty nose. His breath hit her delicate collarbone, causing her body beneath him to tremble uncontrollably...
"Grandpa has left..." Skyler looked at the man, gently reminding him that there was no need to continue the act.
Mel seemed to ignore it.
He stared absentmindedly at the woman before him, a layer of mist seeming to rise in his eyes, making it difficult to discern.
"Sophia..."
The man's voice was low, with a hint of huskiness, like sandpaper rubbing against seaside sand, carrying a magnetic quality.
Slowly, he reached out to touch Skyler's face.
Skyler wasn't wearing makeup, only her lips were exceptionally red, and her nose was slightly upturned. Perhaps influenced by desire, her round nose tip had a faint tint of red.
His breath and voice approached together.
Skyler heard that "Sophia."
It was another woman's name.
She looked at Mel, whose eyes were veiled in mist, at that familiar handsome face, and, as if enchanted, leaned closer to him, hooked her neck, and kissed him.
She didn't care.
Her gaze looked somewhat infatuated as she stared at Mel's profound eyes, like the man in her memories who haunted her dreams.
When she snapped out of it, she saw Mel's face inches away. A hint of strangeness crossed her mind, and she felt a bit nauseous.
Before she could push the man off her...
The mist in Mel's eyes suddenly dispersed, leaving only clarity.
He abruptly pushed her away.
Skyler, still not reacting, stumbled forward, almost falling to the ground.
Feeling a bit out of control, Mel wanted to reach out and help Skyler. His hand extended halfway, but he remembered the scene just now. His expression turned gloomy, and he withdrew his hand, turning to use it to tidy up his shirt that was still wrinkled but not yet removed.
Skyler, unfazed by Mel's recent actions, stabilized herself. Her gaze remained warm, devoid of anger.
"Mel, are you feeling unwell?" Despite being rudely pushed away, Skyler still subconsciously cared about the man's well-being.
She could tolerate everything Mel did to her, whether good or bad. No matter how excessive Mel's actions were, Skyler remained calm. Whatever he did, she would forgive him. It was known to everyone that Skyler loved Mel to the point of obsession.
However, everyone also knew that Skyler was just a stand-in.
Everyone regarded Skyler as a joke, thinking that she willingly played the role of a substitute. Though she loved Mel deeply, she still couldn't gain his true love. He loved his so-called dream girl.
Everyone pitied Skyler for being kept in the dark, unaware that in the eyes of the man, she was just a substitute.
A woman filled with a hazy expectation for love, long ago abandoned her self-esteem, and became the subject of ridicule.
"Skyler, let's get a divorce."
Mel finished adjusting his clothes and suddenly uttered these words.
"Sophia is back; there shouldn't be any more entanglement between us."
Mel continued.
Skyler remained silent.
Mel didn't bother to look at Skyler's expression. She must be unwilling, perhaps even pestering him. Now, he needed to find a way to end this marriage smoothly.
He had promised Sophia, and as a man, he had to keep that promise.
Feeling his tone was too harsh, which would be cruel to Skyler, a lone girl who had finally found a home, abruptly suggesting divorce would undoubtedly hurt her deeply.
Moreover, Skyler had loved him for so many years; she wouldn't easily agree to a divorce.
To successfully divorce, he should mellow down a bit...
His voice suddenly became gentle, with an extra touch of softness. He spoke in a low voice.
"As compensation, I'll write you a check. Write whatever amount you want; I don't know how much money can make up for it. Write as much as you want..."
This was a significant temptation for a normal person, and Skyler wouldn't refuse...
"After you married into the Woods family, I didn't let you work. If you want to work, you can choose any company under the Woods family, and any position..."
If she wanted to pursue a career, the Woods family could provide it for her, as long as they could get a divorce!
Skyler had been a gentle and virtuous wife since she married into the Woods family. He knew she did well.
Exemplary, clear, gentle yet not ostentatious, her demeanor was calm and stable. Standing with other women at every banquet, she appeared elegant compared to others.
She did everything exceptionally well. She endured so much. Even though his attitude towards her was far from good, she still loved him.
But she was not Sophia after all... Sophia was getting back, and it was time for her to leave...
He knew Skyler would definitely cry and refuse, would desperately try to keep him, would be very sad, but he didn't have her in his heart...
"I can fulfill whatever you want, no matter what... you..." Mel looked at Skyler with a gentle expression and a hint of certainty.
However, before the words could be finished, he was interrupted by a gentle and firm statement.
"Alright," she said.
Chapter 2 Regret Sooner or Later | A Second Chance with my Stand-in Love
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Skyler suddenly interrupted Mel's words; this was the first time she had interrupted his speaking.
This was also a rare moment of tenderness from a man towards her.
Although it represented the cruelest meaning, she didn't care much.
Since his dream girl had returned, her mission here was also completed.
She had done a lot for the Woods family, owed them nothing, and owed nothing to the person in her memories.
Her dream should wake up now.
Mel instinctively looked at her; the woman's eyes were like water in a deep pool, calm and unruffled.
The words Mel had originally wanted to persuade her with were stuck on his lips; he looked at Skyler in surprise.
The woman still had a calm and tranquil appearance, just like every day since they got married, giving a sense of peace and comfort. The calm tone seemed to be answering a mundane question like "What's for dinner today."
She agreed so easily? Without crying... without trying to keep him...?
Mel suddenly felt a bit irritated; he inexplicably felt annoyed.
He didn't like this feeling.
He hated being influenced by others' emotions and hated being controlled by others.
Especially in something he was certain about.
Such a calm agreement... He stared at Skyler intently, trying to see the sadness in her eyes; she must be pretending to be strong...
Skyler loved him so much; how could she agree to a divorce so calmly?
But Skyler's calmness didn't seem fake at all, without any hint of pretense, as if the intense love from before had never existed.
He awkwardly averted his eyes.
"We'll talk about the divorce tomorrow," Mel picked up his coat, a gloomy expression on his face.
This woman was up to something tricky.
Anyway, the marriage must end!
"If Grandpa asks tomorrow, just say I'm away on business."
After Mel finished speaking, he looked at Skyler with a heavy expression.
"Okay," Skyler replied calmly.
In fact, there was not a lack of ripples in her heart. Divorcing Mel meant that her last attachment would be gone.
At the same time, it also meant bidding a final farewell to that person.
Sophia Lynn's return just accelerated everything.
Hearing the woman's indifferent response, Mel glanced at her several times in succession. Seeing that she showed no emotional fluctuations, he turned around and left with a gloomy expression.
Mel's figure disappeared completely from Skyler's sight, and she quietly stood up to take a shower.
Jesse Cole, the housekeeper, had just returned from buying groceries outside and ran into Mel, who had a stern expression.
He looked cold, and his bones were even colder. Coupled with the stern expression on his face, it gave an inexplicable sense of oppression and tension.
"Sir, where are you going so late? Aren't you staying for breakfast tomorrow? Madam heard that you were back today and specially asked me to go out and buy the vegetables you like."
Mel looked up; Jesse was carrying a large plastic bag filled to the brim. The top part revealed a piece of fresh and tender green vegetables, the same kind Skyler used to make vegetable noodles, exactly like Sophia's.
He had mentioned to Skyler a few days ago that he wanted to eat the vegetable noodles she made.
Skyler's calm eyes appeared in his mind again.
Mel's face darkened; what was this woman up to?
He didn't answer Jesse's words, turned around, and sat in the nearby luxury car. He stepped on the gas pedal, the car darted towards the entrance at an angle, then made a sharp turn, emitting a piercing roar. Finally, only two streaks remained on the road, showcasing the owner's gloominess.
Jesse shook her head; judging from the master's expression, he must be thinking about Miss Lynn again.
Only Miss Lynn could make the master's emotions fluctuate so much; usually, the master looked very indifferent, but he rarely lost his temper.
Having seen the master think of Sophia, Jesse speculated that Madam must be in for a hard time now.
Since the master married Madam, he should treat her better, but since Madam came, the master had never shown a good expression...
Thinking of the gentle and virtuous Madam, Jesse felt a bit unfair to her. Such a good Madam, the master actually didn't know how to cherish her. Sooner or later, he would regret it.