Chapter 2:
Knowing that I was just someone else’s replacement ripped my heart apart!!
So what he said and did was all a lie. I was never special–just a stand–in for the woman Angus truly loved
Every bit of love I thought we had was nothing more than my own foolish delusion, in that moment, my world collapsed. Angus didn‘ even try to spare me. He wanted me to get the message and leave as soon as possible.
Even as I lay in that cold, sterile room, losing our child, he stood outside, saying things that cut through me like a hot knife through butter. Outside, I could hear his mocking tone as he talked to Milo, “You like her, right? Take her. Want to bet if she’d ever wanted to go with you?
There was a time when, if Milo so much as looked at me, Angus would pull me into his arms, holding me close in silent warning. Now, I was nothing more than something to be handed off.
I stared at the tiny, lifeless baby that had just been taken from me, Swallowing the pain clawing at my chest, 1 reminded myself–just three more wishes.!!
Then I could finally go home
Among the spirit faries, all debts must always be repaid. Angus had saved my life once and I owed him a hundred acts of gratitude before I could retum home.
Three years. Over a thousand days and nights by his side.
Through all those years of his love, I had countless chances to remind him to make a wish.
But I never did. Because I wanted to stay
After the abortion procedure, Milo placed a cup of warm water in front of me
Thanks: I said softly, but my eyes were already on Angus.
Angus just smirked, turning to Milo “Even after 1 made her lose a child, she still won’t leave with you”
I simply said, “Once I completed your last three wishes, I’ll be gone for good.
Angus waved me off as he strode away. I’m done playing your little hundred wishes‘ game. You don’t need to put on this act to hold on
to me,” he added without looking back. “No matter what you do, you’ll never compare to even a single strand of Hallie’s hair.“)
I didn’t touch the warm water Milo had brought me. I didn’t want to owe anyone anything anymore.
Instead. I went back to the Davidsons home.
The place was buzzing with music and laughter–Angus had thrown a grand party, filling our home with guests. The moment I stepped inside, every gaze tumed to me, expectant, as if waiting for a show!!
And then I saw her. My eyes scanned through the crowd, finding her instantly.
in that moment, I finally understood why Angus had wanted me to say I loved him. Because all along, he had never really been looking at me. He had only ever been seeing that woman in my face.
Angus looked completely caught off guard when he saw me. “What are you doing here? Can’t you stop clinging to me like some desperate leech?
He must have forgotten–he was the one who begged me to come.
Just a week ago, he insisted on throwing me a birthday party. I told him 1 didn’t like big gatherings.X
Yet, that man wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Then I’ll make a wish,” he said. “I wish for my Rose to attend the birthday party I planned for her. Will you grant me that?”
Look at him now, the party had become a grand welcome for Hallie. Here, I was nothing more than an unwelcomed quest
I swallowed the humiliation and bittemess. Tve come, just like you wished. This is the fulfillment of your ninety–sixth wish,”
Angus, desperate to distance himself from me in front of Hallie, acted like I was nobody to him.
I had done what I came to do. So, I simply left the place.
However, Hallie’s call stopped me.
“I heard that while I was gone these past three y years, you’ve taken care of Angus, Ms. Traverse, it must’ve been difficult for you.”
Hallie let out a delicate sigh, feigning innocence. “While I was by the lake just a moment ago, the ring Angus gave me slipped off into the pool.“%
“Why don’t you take the ning, Ms. Traverse? It’s worth 800,000 dollars, Consider it a payment for your troubles.
I had no interest in entertaining Hallie’s little show and continued to leave.X
By then, I could hear the subtle edge of displeasure in her voice. She let out a dramatic sigh. “Oh, that’s right–I almost forgot. Ms. Traverse just had on abortion, didn’t she?”
“I see so you can’t swim. That was my mistake for assuming too much.”
7:52 PM
Angus hurried to reassure Hallie. “I told you the child with her was just an accident. The only children I’ll ever have will be with you.”
Thear his humned steps catching up to me. Angus stopped me from leaving. Those last three wishes you mentioned–do they still count?”
I told him they did..
Of course, Angus didn’t believe I was truly repaying a debt. But he was confident that I would say anything just to keep clinging to him. Watching him grow impatient, urging me to retrieve the ring from the lake, I suddenly recalled a moment in the past…
Back then, when Angus’s family heirloom had slipped into the water, he had held me close after I returned from taking the golden bracelet. The man trembled with worry as he scolded me to not do something like that again!
But now, he didn’t even think twice…
So, I stepped into the lake. The freezing water rushed up, filling my y nose and lungs. Inside the house, laughter and music carried on, oblivious.E
I dove deeper into the pool, pushing through the suffocating cold. Suddenly, sharp object at the bottom slicing into my feet. It didn’t take long before my fingers closed around the ring
By the time I surfaced, my abdomen throbbed and blood trickled from the soles of my feet
All I saw in Angus’s eyes was disgust “Can you stop with this pathetic act? It’s disgusting “X
I placed the ring firmly in Hallie’s hand X.
“This is your ninety–eighth wish,” I said to Angus before w
walking away.
I forced myself to ignore the pain at my feet and went past the Davidson’s house–all aware that Angus stared at me with a stunned gaze l A replacement was just a replacement. Once the real one returned, the replacement became nothing more than a stray dog, barely Hanging on.
Though my feet were injured, the cold that caught up my heart felt far worse. The coldness spread to my physical body, like an ice block that couldn’t thaw
I spent the next three days in the hospital
During that time, I heard that Angus never left Hallie’s side. He told people I was just a pathetic leech who wouldn’t let go.X
I felt awful–sick, restless, unable to sleep.
Then, a news notification caught my eye.
[Prince Angus’s women exposed as an adult film actress
I clicked on its link.
The woman in the video was clearly visible. She was Hallie Palmer. Even the tiny mole on her neck was identical.
In the comments, some people insisted the video was Al–generated.
I knew Angus had hired people to spread that lie. But the public wasn’t convinced.
(No way this is Al. The tech isn’t advanced enough to make fingers look this natural
A message from Angus popped up on my phone.
[Пl pay you. Take the blame–say the woman in the video is you.]
I stared at the message for a long time, my heart feeling as if it had been kicked hard b
Take the blame and claim that I was the one in the adult video? If I did that, I’d never be able to show my face in Astrait again.
I swallowed the pain and typed back. (So.. is this your ninety–ninth wish?!
He agreed without hesitation–he just wanted me to clear Hallie’s name as soon as possible.R
When Angus
Angus came to find me, the first thing he did was take me to a tattoo artist and have a small black mole inked onto my neck, in the exact same spot as Hallie’s
“Hallie wants to go into the entertainment industry,” he said. “She can’t have a scandal like this ruining her future.“8
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure this whole thing gets buned quickly.”
Hallie wanted to be a celebrity? That was the excuse he came up with?”
Angus went so much to held a press conference to completely erase the stain of Hollie’s scandal.
I stood on stage, facing the cameras. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m the woman in the video. I deeply regret any trouble I’ve caused Miss Hallie Palmer”
Instantly, the crowd erupted in outrage. People hurled insults at me, calling me shameless, a whore, a liar
I had never felt such humiliation in my life. By the time I stepped down, my legs were so weak I nearly collapsed
But then, for the first time, Angus caught me. He draped his suit jacket over my shoulders.
“You actually went through with it,” he murmured, almost in disbelief
So he knew, after all. He knew exactly how much this would destroy me.
