The Ultimate Substitute

My husband is on his knees, shaking, begging to know why I got rid of our baby.

His tears soak my hands. This is Dominic ZhouHollywoods king, the man who publicly humiliates me with his first love, Margot, every chance he gets. The man who treats me like a convenient placeholder. He thinks I did it out of jealousy. He thinks Im broken.

I look down at him, my expression perfectly calm. I don't feel grief. I feel... free.

He grips my shoulders, his voice cracking with raw agony. "Nora, we could have started over. I was finally... I was finally falling for you. Why?"

I reach out, tracing the jawline that looks so much like his. "Because, Dominic," I whisper, my pulse steady, "I don't love you."

I never have. I only loved the ghost you see in the mirror.

Your dead brother, Griffin.

Chapter 1

The whole world knew the truth: Dominic married me to make Margot jealous. Their breakup was explosive, right on the eve of the wedding. Margot stormed off to Europe in a fit of rage. Dominic didn't chase her. He turned around and married me instead.

I wore a dress that wasn't meant for me. I said "I do" to a man who didn't. Everyone whispered that the moment Margot came back, I'd be tossed aside like yesterday's trash.

But by year three, something shifted. Dominic... he seemed to actually start falling for me. He made me breakfast. He coaxed me out of bed with soft kisses. When I pouted, he'd silence me with his lips. In our sweetest moments, we were inseparable.

In the dark, his voice would drop to a husky growl, sending shivers down my spine. "Baby girl... give me a child. One just as sweet and obedient as you."

We played the part of the perfect, happy couple. Until the day the stick turned pink. I didn't even get the chance to tell him. Because Margot came back.

And just like that, they were back in each other's orbit.

The day she returned was the night of their college reunion. Rumor was, her family had gone belly up. She was desperate, hitting up everyone for cash. When Dominic walked me in, hand in hand, we saw Reida loaded, sleazy classmateforcing drinks on her.

"One shot, ten grand," Reid sneered.

Margot choked, tears streaming down her face, but she kept that plastered-on smile and downed every drop. When she saw Dominic, she froze. Shame washed over her face, and she ducked her head, trying to disappear.

Someone jeered, "Margot, if you're that broke, just beg Dominic."

"Considering your history, just give him a show. He won't shortchange you."

Dominic's gaze was ice-cold. He drawled, "Don't make me sick."

He had a cigarette dangling from his lips, leaning his weight onto my shoulder. "Anyone who upsets my wife can shut the hell up and get out."

Laughter rippled through the room. They called me "Mrs. Zhou," "Dom's girl," gushing over how much he adored me. No one knew the truth: If Margot hadn't shown up, Dominic wouldn't have bothered coming at all.

Margot glared at me, biting her lip until it turned white, holding back tears.

Reid, the guy feeding her drinks, rested a heavy hand on her shoulder, kneading it possessively. "Looks like the big shot doesn't want you anymore," he mocked. "But hey, his loss. I'm interested. Strip for me. Keep me happy in bed, and I'll give you some pocket money. Deal?"

Dominic crushed his cigarette into the ashtray. The air around him dropped ten degrees. He was hurting for her.

Margot fought the tears, lifting her eyes to look straight at Dominic. "I won't," she whispered. "I only love one man in this life. Even if he doesn't want me, I won't let anyone else touch me."

Dominic's grip on my hand tightened. It hurt.

Reid, humiliated by the rejection, laughed darkly. "You think you're some kind of saint? Bitch, I'm giving you a chance. Tonight, you're mine."

He grabbed her arm, dragging her towards the door. Drunk and weak, she stumbled against his chest, her struggles feeble.

Dominic's eyes were locked on her. I saw the look in his eyes. He was ready to kill for her.

Chapter 2

Before Margot could leave, Dominic snapped.

He lunged forward, kicking Reid so hard the man crashed to the floor. Dominic was on him instantly. Pinning him down. Fists flying. His eyes were bloodshot, feral. He roared, "Touch Margot again, and I'll chop off your dirty hands!"

Chaos erupted. Screams. Glass breaking. Phones went up. Recording.

I rushed forward, grabbing Dominic's sleeve, desperate to stop the scandal before it started.

He whipped his head around. His glare was ice. "Since when do you tell me what to do?"

I froze. My fingers went slack, dropping from his arm.

Margot threw herself at him, sobbing. "Dominic! Stop! Don't fight for me... you're hurt... I can't bear it! I was so scared... I thought you didn't want me anymore..."

Dominic didn't push her away. He pulled her into his chest. Shielding her. Treasuring her.

In front of everyonethe classmates, the cameras, mehe walked out with her.

Leaving me behind.

Dominic didn't come home that night.

At 3 AM, Margot posted on social media. Caption: You said you'd never hold anyone else's hand.

The photo showed two hands, fingers tightly intertwined. The man's hand had a small, crimson birthmark on the back. Dominic.

And me? I was the "anyone else." The outsider. The mistake.

Ten minutes later, the post was trending #1 worldwide. My haters flooded Margot's comments: Yes queen! You and Dom are endgame! I don't care about the cheating scandal. I support true love! Anything to see Nora cry! That manipulative pick-me!

The whole internet was waiting for my downfall.

Some fans tagged Dominic, desperate: Bro, tell me that's not you. I've stanned you for years. Nora treats you like a king. Don't do this to her!

We had millions tied up in joint endorsements. The breach of contract fees would be astronomical. A scandal like this was a nuclear bomb.

Avery, my agent, couldn't reach Dominic. She called me, frantic. "Nora, fix this. Lie to them. Post something. Make them believe you two are together right now."

I sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through my camera roll. Three years of marriage. And I had almost no photos of us. In the few I found, I was the only one smiling.

Finally, I found one from ages ago. Dominic sitting under a lamp, reading a script. The soft, hazy light haloed his profile. He looked exactly like the man in my dreams. The one who used to make me cry.

I posted it.

Comments poured in instantly. See? Dom is home with the wifey! Haters can shut the hell up now!

The tide turned. Everyone started bashing Margot for being a delusional attention-seeker.

Until a few minutes later.

Dominic reposted Margot's photo. Underneath those intertwined hands, he wrote two words: It's me.

He owned it. He admitted he was with her. He publicly shredded my attempt to save his reputation. He exposed my lie. Once again, for Margot, he threw me to the wolves.

Margot's fans swarmed my account. LMAO the embarrassment! Caught lying in 4K! Nora, you pathetic liar. Three years and you still couldn't keep his heart. Useless.

Who said I wanted his heart?

I stared at the screen, my eyes dry. I selected every message. Every photo.

Delete.

I'm done.

I want a divorce.

Chapter 3

The next morning, the agency summoned me to clean up Dominic's mess. Bad timing. I ran straight into Margot. Dominic must have brought her alongcouldn't bear to be apart for a second.

She launched into a performance immediately.

"Nora! I'm so sorry about last night. I was wasted, and Dom just played along. I hope we didn't cause too much trouble. I already scolded him. He's so dense sometimes. Just blindly taking my side without thinking about you. The internet is so toxic, saying you're just my placeholder. Hilarious, right?"

She smiled sweetly. "But seriously, thank you. For taking care of Dom all these years..."

I smiled back. Ice for ice. "I'm his wife. Taking care of my husband isn't a job for an outsider to thank me for. And you... don't let the 'homewrecker' comments get to you. People talk."

Margot's mask slipped. Her gaze dropped to my hand. To my ring.

"Nora," she chirped, "you're wearing my wedding ring. Give it back."

She grabbed my hand. Hard.

I yanked it away, annoyed. "Get off."

My arm barely grazed her face. A feather-light touch.

Margot snapped. She swung her designer bag with full force.

Smack.

The metal clasp sliced my forehead. Pain exploded. Warm blood trickled down my temple. My ears rang. I raised my hand to strike back.

A hand caught my wrist in a vice grip. Dominic.

His voice was lethal. "Nora. Don't you dare."

I turned. He saw the blood running down my face. He froze, then frowned at Margot. "Did you do this?"

Margot instantly dissolved into tears. "Dom! She called me a whore! She tried to hit me! I just blocked her with my bag... I didn't mean to hurt her! I'm sorry!"

Her tears were his kryptonite. He rubbed her head, soothing her like a child. "Good girl. If someone hits you, hit them back. I'm here. You never have to apologize."

I watched them, feeling a sudden, sharp envy. Not jealousy. Envy. I used to cry too. But the only person who ever cared about my tears was gone.

Avery couldn't take it anymore. She pointed a trembling finger at Dominic. "That is your wife! Are you blind, Dominic? You're cuddling that snake while Nora bleeds! How is Nora any less than her? Have you forgotten? You said you wanted a child with Nora! You said she gave you a home!"

"You're destroying her. And one day, you're going to regret it."

My hand instinctively drifted to my stomach. Inside me, a tiny life was just starting to grow.

Chapter 4

Dominic smirked. His gaze swept over me, empty. Cold. "Maybe I liked Nora once. But Margot is back. Nora, Laura, Flora... doesn't matter who. They all take a backseat now."

In the past, Dominic might have loved me. Briefly. Shallowly. But now, his first love was back. He had a real woman to love.

I slid the ring off my finger. The ring that never really belonged to me. I held it out to him.

Dominic's smile faded. His expression went blank. Silence stretched. Slowly, he reached out to take it.

Avery grabbed my arm, her eyes darting to my stomach, frantic. "Nora, don't be stupid. You're already..."

Margot cut her off. She snatched the ring from my hand. She jammed it onto her own finger. It was too small. It stuck at the knuckle. Her smile faltered. She yanked it off and tossed it into the trash can.

Clink.

She clung to Dominic's arm, pouting. "Forget it. Don't be mad, baby. I don't want a ring another woman has worn. It feels... dirty."

Dominic ignored her. His dark eyes locked onto mine. "You're already what?"

I gave him one last, flat look. Then I turned and walked away.

Dominic. I'm pregnant. And you don't deserve to know. Not anymore.

Dominic was sharp. Scary sharp. Avery's hint was about as subtle as a neon sign. He probably guessed most of it.

I had health issues. My medication made the pregnancy impossible. The baby was an accident, and the doctor advised termination. I didn't want to be tied to Dominic anymore. Not by a child. Not by anything.

Before the surgery, I moved out. Ghosted him. I figured he wouldn't care anyway.

He didn't come looking for me. He just went on living his best life.

Avery sent me a video a few days later. It was from a charity gala. Dominic was gifting Margot a massive diamond ring. She laughed, throwing herself into his arms. A match made in heaven.

Right. How could I forget? Dominic said it himself: Margot is back.

Nora, and Nora's baby? We were just background noise.

Good.

The day before the surgery, panic hit me. I remembered the jade amulet my mom prayed for. It was still in the safe at the house. I had to go back.

When I got there, the passcode didn't work. I stood at my own front door, locked out. Humiliation burned in my throat.

Suppressing my rage, I called Dominic.

Margot answered. "Hey, Nora!" Her voice dripped with smugness. "It's my birthday today! Dom insisted on taking me to watch the meteor shower. We won't be back tonight. I told him lovers who wish on a shooting star stay together forever. I can't believe he remembered! I'm so happy."

"Sorry about the code, though. Since we're not home, it's kinda weird for an outsider to just let themselves in..."

I hung up.

I walked to the keypad. Entered today's date.

Beep. Click.

The door opened. The password was Margot's birthday.

Inside, every trace of me was gone. Erased. The wedding photo on the TV stand? Replaced. Now it was Dominic and Margot, young and beaming in each other's arms. My succulents were gonethrown out, pots and all. My study had been turned into Margot's piano room.

I stood there, numb.

I ran to the bedroom. Threw open the closet. My clothes were gone. Replaced by a row of sexy, lacy lingerie that wasn't mine.

I knelt by the safe. Pressed my fingerprint. My hands shook as I emptied it. Jewelry, cash, documents. But the jade amulet wasn't there.

It was the only thing my mother left me. Margot knew that.

So she threw it away.

Chapter 5

Margot had always despised me. And my mother.

Back in high school, my mom worked as a maid for Dominics family. Margot used to come over with her parents. The first time we met, Dominics parents introduced me. "This is Nora," they said. "She's obedient, sensible, and smart. Top of her class."

Margot put on a friendly act, saying she wanted to be friends. Behind my back, she sneered. "So what if she gets good grades? Shes just studying hard to end up working for us anyway. And her mom is annoying. Always smiling like an idiot. Whats a maid got to be happy about? Trash breeding trash. Disgusting."

One day, my mom came to pick me up from school. We ran into Margot. Margot smiled sweetly and called my mom a bitchin fluent English, so my mom wouldn't understand.

My mom didn't understand the word. She beamed, telling me how pretty and cute Margot was. She even tried to give Margot some homemade apple chips.

Margot took them and tossed them straight into the trash. "It reeks," she scoffed. "Even a dog wouldn't eat this."

My mom stood there, confused, her face flushing red with shame as people around us laughed.

I dropped my bag and lunged at Margot, grabbing a handful of her hair. When my mom saw me getting hit, she threw herself in front of me. One of Margots friends kicked her. Hard. She fell.

Blood. So much blood.

That was the day my mom was diagnosed with uterine cancer. The cancer cells had been hiding, spreading silently. And just as silently, they took her life.

Before she died, she went to the temple in the mountains. Step by step, kneeling for the entire pilgrimage, she prayed for that jade amulet for me.

She told me, "The Buddha at the temple is the most powerful."

I held back my tears. "Why?"

She smiled, weak and pale. "It's a secret. I can't tell you."

But I knew. When I was little, I was deathly ill. My mom went to the temple in the mountains to beg for my life. She made a vow. She offered half her lifespan in exchange for my health.

I got better. And the Buddha came to collect.

When Margot found out, she laughed. "Poor people and their superstitions. Whats the point of leaving some junk behind? She shouldve sold a kidney or a liver. At least that wouldve left her daughter some cash."

Chapter 6

2 AM. Dominic and Margot stumbled in.

Margot clung to his neck, her voice a drunken whine. "Dom... sleep with me tonight, okay? I want to give myself to you..."

She leaned in to kiss him. He dodged.

I sat on the sofa, watching the show. Dominic's eyes landed on me.

Margot froze. Then she turned, a smirk twisting her lips. "Nora! If I'd known you were home, I would've told Dom to bring us back sooner. We missed the meteor shower, so he insisted on taking me to see fireworks instead. He was afraid I'd be disappointed."

"If you want to be mad, be mad at me, okay? Don't blame Dom."

I stood up. The alcohol I'd drunk made the room sway slightly. I walked toward her. "Where is my jade amulet?"

Margot blinked, feigning innocence. "Oh, that old thing in the safe? I accidentally dropped it while I was packing. It looked cheap, so I just threw it out."

Tears sprang to my eyes instantly. My hands went ice cold. My lips trembled uncontrollably. My mom's face flashed in my mind. That afternoon she died. Holding me. Wiping my tears.

Don't be scared, she'd said. I'm not leaving. I made a deal with the Buddha. As long as you have the amulet, Mom is with you.

I grabbed a wine glass from the table and hurled it at Margot.

Crash.

It shattered on the marble floor. Shards flew. One sliced her leg. Fear flashed in her eyes. She scrambled back, cowering behind Dominic. "Ouch! Dom, it hurts!" she wailed.

I lunged, grabbing her collar, screaming. "Where did you throw it?! Where is it?!"

Dominic stepped in, blocking me.

I slapped him. Hard.

"We aren't divorced yet! Why did you bring her here? Who gave her the right to touch my things? Who?! Are you that desperate to fuck her? Dominic, you make me sick!"

He grabbed me, pulling me into a rough embrace, pinning my arms. He smoothed my hair, his voice low and urgent, drowning out my screams. "Nora! Calm down. I'll take you to find it. Okay? Stop crying. Please, baby, don't cry. It kills me."

My amulet. Margot threw it out this morning. It hadn't been collected yet.

Dominic drove me to the garbage dump, speeding the whole way.

Dominic. The man with crippling OCD. Knee-deep in sludge. His hands were covered in grime. We searched from pitch black until dawn.

Nothing.

When the sun rose, a crushing wave of helplessness washed over me. The golden light stung my eyes. I bit my lip until I tasted blood, trying to hold it in. Trying not to break.

An old couple who worked at the dump took pity on me and started helping. Just as I was about to give up, the old woman called out.

"Miss! Come look! Is this it?"

Chapter 7

I shot up. The world spun. Dizziness hit me like a truck, but I didn't care. I stumbled through the trash, running toward her voice.

The old woman held a rosewood box. Inside, jagged pieces of green jade lay scattered.

My amulet. It was really broken. Shattered beyond repair.

I should have been relieved. I found it. I found it.

I tried to smile. I really did. But my lips just trembled, and the tears I'd been holding back finally broke free. Hot, heavy drops fell onto the broken jade.

Mom, you said as long as the amulet was here, you were here. Right? But the amulet is broken now. Are you still here? Can you please not leave? Don't leave me alone.

Dominic reached out, pulling me into his arms. His voice was soft, comforting. "Don't be sad. I'll find someone to fix it. I'll get the best experts."

I pushed him away. Shook my head. "It's fine. Don't bother."

The air around us chilled instantly. Dominic's voice dropped, laced with sudden, intense anger. "Nora. Every time you say 'it's fine,' I want to fucking strangle you."

His jaw clenched. "Just once... can't you rely on me?"

I looked at him. Just looked. Silence stretching between us.

Rring.

Dominic's phone shattered the moment. It was Margot. He hesitated. Two seconds. Then he answered.

Margot was sobbing on the other end. "Dom! I was trying to find you guys... I wanted to apologize to Nora properly... But I got lost! And there's a guy... he's stalking me... Dom, I'm terrified!"

Dominic didn't look at me again. He turned and ran.

At that exact moment, my phone buzzed. A text from the hospital. A calendar notification flashed on the screen: Dr. Evans. Surgery Center.

Today was the day. The abortion.

On Margot's birthday, I lost my mother's last keepsake. And I lost the child I never got to meet.

In the operating room, the anesthesia pulled me under. I sank into a dream. A memory.

I was sixteen. I'd worked my ass off to get into the top high school in the country. The same school as Margot, Dominic, and the boy I loved.

That was when my nightmare began.

I never understood why Margot hated me so much. She and her friends would stick chewed gum in my hair. They'd stuff used pads into my backpack. They'd stick their legs out to trip me in the hallway. They'd pour dirty mop water over me while I was in the bathroom stall.

It wasn't that I didn't fight back. The teachers knew. Everyone knew. But no one did a damn thing.

Then came the day I got my period. The cramps were blinding. I found some painkillers, but before I could take them, Margot snatched the bottle.

She grinned, dangling them above my head. "Kneel and beg, and maybe I'll give them back."

I gritted my teeth, sweating from the pain. Wave after wave of agony rolled through me. I was terrified I'd pass out. Terrified I'd give in. Students gathered around, placing bets. How many minutes until she cracks?

I looked at the green bills piling up on the desk, and a sob escaped my throat.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. Someone was leaning against my desk. He picked up the cash, counting it with a lazy, arrogant smirk. "Not bad. Consider this a tribute to your King."

He pocketed the money. The crowd went silent. No one dared to breathe.

He crooked a finger at Margot. Still smiling, but his eyes were dead cold. "Pills. Now."

"I'm adopting this sick little stray," he announced. "From now on, she's mine. Anyone touches her, I end them. We clear?"

It was Griffin. Dominic's bastard brother. The troublemaker. The black sheep.

I used to dislike him. But that day, he saved me.

I guess he was repaying a debt. He was always getting into fights, coming home covered in bruises. The adults would only yell and punish him. Only my mom would sneak into his room, gently cleaning his wounds and applying medicine.

From that day on, the sick little stray had a loyal keeper.

Chapter 8

I woke up groggy from the anesthesia. Avery was holding my hand. Her face was wet with tears.

"Avery?" I croaked. "Why are you crying?"

"You've been talking in your sleep for a long time," she choked out. "You kept asking... where did the boy I love go?"

I stared at the ceiling, watching the sterile white tiles blur. I closed my eyes.

"Him..." I whispered. "He flew away with the wind."

I killed my phone. Vanished for two weeks. Avery told me Dominic went crazy looking for me.

The first thing I did when I got out was meet him. Divorce papers in hand.

Dominic was silent for a long moment. Then, he let out a cold, sharp laugh. He barely glanced at the papers before tossing them onto the coffee table. His eyes fixed on my stomach.

"Before the divorce," he drawled, "don't we have something else to discuss?"

I smiled. Calm. Unbothered. "We did. But not anymore. I handled it. Don't worry. No loose ends."

Dominic's gaze shattered. He froze. He looked down, and suddenly, he laughed again. A broken, incredulous sound. "Nora. You disappeared for two weeks... to do that?"

"I was running all over the country, finding experts to fix your jade because I was terrified you'd be sad. And this is how you pay me back?"

He grabbed me, slamming me onto the sofa, trapping me under his weight. "Why?" he snarled, his voice raw. "How could you? How could you be so cruel?"

Maybe I used to be too obedient. Everyone thought I loved Dominic to death. Even him.

I looked up at him, reaching out to trace his eyebrows. "Dominic," I said softly. "The person I love... was never you."

"You look pathetic when you're angry. You look less and less like him every day