Chương 6: Chapter 6 Replacement Bride
Biên tập viên: Atlas Studios
##Jill stormed in with a furious expression on her face, pulling Rose along with her.
"Since you messed up the marriage arrangement and the Duffys withdrew their funds, the company is now facing a deficit of seven to eight million dollars on the books. There's no money left to give you."
Jill then walked tearfully toward Gary and said, "Our money is meant for Rose's engagement. If you give Jessica that money now, what will happen to Rose?"
"That's right, Gary. You can't sacrifice my happiness for the sake of that old hag."
"What do you mean by 'old hag,' Rose? You'd better show some respect."
Jessica's piercing gaze made Rose retreat in fear, seeking shelter behind Jill.
"I… I didn't say anything wrong. Besides, she's unrelated to me, so why should I save her life with my dowry?"
The word "unrelated" echoed in Jessica's mind.
It was unbelievable!
In an instant, Jessica shifted her gaze to Gary.
"Gary, do you also feel the same way?"
Gary remained silent.
"When you had nothing, it was Judith who lent you a helping hand."
Still, Gary remained silent.
Yet Jessica wanted to make one last effort.
"I'm borrowing money from you, not taking it. I can write an IOU and repay it once Judith recovers."
"Repay my ass!" Jill looked at Jessica disdainfully. "With your petty salary, can you afford five million dollars? Stop joking."
After that, she also cautioned Gary. "Rose's dowry and our family's expenses depend on this money. If you give it away, both Rose and I will be doomed."
After uttering those words, she forcefully pulled Rose toward the window, acting as if they were about to leap.
In the end, Gary compromised.
"I can't help you, Jessica."
Gary walked toward Jessica, his face filled with signs of internal struggles.
"You've seen how difficult it is for me. I'm really going through a tough time. I have a family of my own and must shoulder the responsibility of providing for Jill and Rose. What will be left for Rose's engagement if I give you this money?
"However, Judith did show me kindness, so I can't turn a blind eye to her now."
Gary then pulled out a stack of cash, around a few thousand dollars, from his pocket.
There were bills of one hundred, fifty, and twenty dollars.
"This is my personal savings. Though it's not much, it's my gesture of goodwill. Take it and buy something nice for Judith."
As he spoke, he handed the money to Jessica, making it seem like the grandest act of generosity.
Jessica, however, found it utterly ridiculous.
As Jessica looked at the money in her hand, tears of self-deprecation welled up in her eyes. Finally, she waved her hand and threw the money in Gary's face.
"Gary Shaw, karma will come your way."
Jessica walked out of the villa without turning back, while Jill's curses echoed behind her.
Jessica's heart ached intensely, but she held back her tears until she reached the hospital and saw Judith. Only then did she burst into tears.
"Jessica, don't cry."
Since Judith was still weak, her voice was barely audible.
Jessica held Judith's hand tightly.
"I'm not crying. I'm happy, you know. I'm happy to see you awake."
"Silly girl. Linda told me already."
Jessica paused, her gaze somewhat embarrassed.
"I've burdened you."
"No!" Jessica hurriedly wiped away her tears, saying, "It's my fault. I didn't take care of you properly."
"Nonsense. How can it be your fault? It's all because of my poor health."
Judith reached out and grabbed Jessica's hand, stroking it gently with her withered, slender fingers.
Judith realized that Jessica had become thinner, and in an instant, a wave of heartache and guilt surged through her body.
"Jessica, let's go home."
Judith said this with careful consideration, not wanting to burden Jessica.
But there was no way Jessica would agree. "We can go home only after the surgery."
"But the surgical fees…"
"Judith, I'll handle the surgical fees. Right now, your only focus should be on recuperating. Don't worry about anything else. As for the expenses, I have my ways, okay?"
Jessica then added, "Don't worry, I'll raise the money through proper means."
Jessica understood Judith well, and as expected, Judith stopped demanding to be discharged after hearing these words.
Judith then willingly took the medication and drifted off to sleep under Jessica's watchful care.
At noon, Jill arrived.
Jessica was doing laundry for Judith in the bathroom when she heard a sound from outside the door.
Jessica immediately rushed out, asking, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to visit Judith."
"Don't pretend to be kind-hearted, you hypocrite."
Jessica would never believe Jill's words. Instead, she grabbed Jill's arm and forcefully threw her out of the ward.
"Jessica, don't you have any sense of shame?"
Jill fell to the ground, her heavily made-up face filled with anger.
After all, Gary had always pampered Jill and ensured she never experienced such humiliation. Unconcerned about decency, Jill pointed at Jessica and began to curse.
Jessica disregarded Jill. After all, it was pointless to retaliate against an unreasonable individual.
She turned around, intending to return to the ward, but Jill hurriedly approached her, blocking her path.
"Don't you want to save Judith?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I can lend you five million dollars."
"What are the conditions?"
"You're quite smart." Jill raised her head, smiling slyly. "The condition is that you have to marry Thomas on behalf of Rose."
"It's indeed a brilliant plan, killing three birds with one stone."
Jessica gave a bitter smile, but in reality, she wasn't surprised at all.
"It can secure Rose's happiness, salvage Gary's career, and hand me over to an infamous bastard who is infertile. You must be very proud of your plan, Jill."
"Yes. I want to torment you, you bitch!" Jill didn't hide her disgust for Jessica. "I want to see you serve a disabled man and live as a widow for the rest of your life. I want you to be lonely and miserable."
Jill's words were filled with resentment and hatred.
After all, Jill couldn't help but feel anxious whenever she saw Jessica's face, as it bore a striking resemblance to Celine's.
"But even if you're aware that it's a trap, won't you still fall into it? Jessica, you're backed into a corner and have no choice. If you refuse, you'll only witness Judith's demise.
"So, tell me, is it a deal or no deal?"
"Go to hell! Get out of here!"
To Jessica's surprise, Judith, drawn by the sound of the commotion, had emerged from the ward.
Judith, who was still attached to the IV, accidentally knocked over the saline bottle when she came out.
Ignoring Linda's shouts from behind, Judith hurriedly staggered toward them.
"Jill, you've already driven Celine to her death. If you dare to harm Jessica, I won't let you off, even if I have to haunt you as a ghost."
"Judith, why did you come out?"
Jessica hurriedly extended her hand to offer support, but to her surprise, Judith forcefully pushed her aside and rejected her help.
Judith was enraged, so angry that her pallid lips trembled.
Judith looked at Jessica with reddened eyes and said, "Jessica, if sacrificing your happiness is what it takes to save my life, then I would rather die."
After speaking, Judith knelt on the ground and fiercely slammed her head against the floor.
"Judith!"
Chương 7: Chapter 7 How About This?
Biên tập viên: Atlas Studios
## Initially, Judith intended to save Jessica and not become a burden to her.
However, in reality, her move completely robbed Jessica of her ability to resist.
The doctor told Jessica that Judith couldn't wait any longer and had to undergo surgery immediately.
Jessica looked at the critical condition notifications and had no choice but to call Jill.
"So, you'll transfer the money immediately if I promise to marry Thomas?"
"Of course." Jill sounded somewhat joyful as she instructed, "As long as you and Thomas get married and obtain the marriage certificate, I'll immediately lend you 5 million dollars."
"Marriage certificate?" With furrowed brows, Jessica said, "I don't have that much time. Judith urgently needs the surgery."
"You don't have to do it in person. Just give me your ID card."
Jill explained, "Thomas is currently abroad and unable to return for the time being. Still, Mrs. Duffy mentioned that if you provide her with your ID card, she can arrange for someone to obtain the marriage certificate on your behalf."
Jessica gripped her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She felt a bit uncomfortable, but when her gaze fell on the operating room, she could only suppress the discomfort.
She had no other option. After all, saving Judith was paramount.
"Okay, I have my ID card with me. Come and get it yourself."
Half an hour later, Jill sent someone to take the ID card and also transferred the money to Jessica.
Five million dollars, not a penny less.
Jessica hastily paid the surgical fees and handed the receipt to the nurse stationed at the operating room entrance.
Six hours later, the surgery was successfully completed, and the attending physician came out drenched in sweat.
"The surgery was very successful. The hole in the heart was patched up, and two stents were placed in the left ventricle. There were basically no bleeding points. However, considering Judith's age, it's still recommended to send her to the ICU for observation for two days."
"Okay, I'll follow your recommendation."
Finally, Jessica exhaled the breath she had been holding. She tightly gripped the doctor's arm, her eyes filled with excitement and tears.
"Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."
"You're very welcome. I'm only doing my job."
After making all the necessary arrangements, Jessica saw Judith being wheeled into the ICU. After that, she finally returned home.
As Jessica opened the door, she discovered Carly standing there.
"What are you doing here?"
"How dare you say that? After such a big incident, why didn't you even bother to tell me?"
Carly glared at Jessica angrily and quickly took out the food she had bought.
"I bet you haven't eaten anything today. You must be hungry by now. I brought some of your favorite dishes from Jamie's Cafe. Look, we have avocado toast, a grilled chicken sandwich, a chocolate croissant, and a vanilla latte."
Before long, the table was filled with a variety of foods.
"What are you doing standing there? Come and eat already."
Seeing Jessica still standing there in a daze, Carly quickly pulled her over to sit down.
Unable to hold back anymore, Jessica turned around and hugged Carly tightly, sobbing while saying, "Carly, I'm so blessed to have you."
"Tsk, you only think you're blessed to have me now. Why didn't you tell me right away after the incident?
" Luckily, I had the foresight to get Linda's phone number when I visited Judith. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known you sold yourself for 5 million dollars."
"I had no choice." Tears instantly streamed down Jessica's face. "If I hadn't agreed to Jill's condition, I wouldn't have had money for Judith's surgery."
"I know you had no other choice, but Jessica, it's still a big sacrifice."
Carly felt sorry for Jessica, but she also felt the need to make her understand the seriousness of the situation.
"Do you know who Thomas is?"
"Of course. When Gary first suggested I marry Thomas in replacement of Rose, I thoroughly investigated Thomas online, but despite numerous reports, I couldn't find a single photo of him."
Jessica felt a bit frustrated as she spoke.
"I'm guessing he's either missing limbs or has a crooked nose and scars on his face. Otherwise, how can such a famous person like him not have a single photo available online?"
"That's Matthew Duffy protecting him."
For gossip, Carly was always at the forefront.
"Most of the illegitimate children of wealthy families cannot establish their ancestry, and the reason Thomas could come back under the banner of being the future heir of the Duffy Group is that the mistress of the household, Dalia Duffy, can no longer conceive."
"She can't conceive? Is that real?"
"The rumor is that during her first childbirth, she suffered a severe hemorrhage that resulted in irreversible damage. That's why Matthew has been making great efforts to bring Thomas back.
However, the situation within the Duffys is complex. Matthew's aspiration for a successor inevitably jeopardizes the interests of numerous individuals, which is why he has kept Thomas' appearance hidden, to safeguard against any malicious intentions from within the family."
"I see." Jessica nodded. "But it doesn't seem to have much to do with me."
"Why not?" Carly abruptly knocked on Jessica's forehead and exclaimed, "Once you've married Thomas, you'll be his wife. If Thomas has a hard life, do you think your life will be easy?"
"I thought you were worried that he would beat me up 10 times a day."
"I'm not worried about that at all."
Carly had always possessed a discerning eye for distinguishing trustworthy gossip from unreliable ones.
"I've never placed my trust in those online rumors that depict Thomas as a violent, rude troublemaker. If he displayed such unruly behavior, would Matthew, someone with billions of dollars in assets, entrust him with the right to inherit?
"In my opinion, those who oppose his takeover of the company are undoubtedly spreading false rumors. Well, as for the assertion that he became infertile due to a car accident, I do believe it.
"Therefore, Jessica, if you marry into that family, you'll have to navigate the treacherous waters of the Duffys and be condemned to childless widowhood for life. That would be truly unfortunate."
"Who said I have to spend my whole life with him?" Jessica pursed her lips. "Actually, as long as I pay off the 5 million dollars, I can file for divorce."
"That's easy to say, but how will you repay 5 million dollars?" Carly asked.
"I'll find a way eventually," Jessica replied.
Jessica lowered her head, suddenly feeling a bit sad.
After all, she didn't want to sell herself off for a lifetime.
"Okay, okay. Those things aren't important for now." Seeing her dejected mood, Carly quickly changed the subject.
"You haven't had the chance to get the marriage certificate yet. Thomas is likely occupied overseas, so we don't have to worry too much about him at the moment.
"However, Jessica, you still need to figure out a solution for Judith's situation. If she wakes up and discovers the expenses for her surgery, it could cause her distress all over again."
Carly made so much sense!
Carly's words weren't exaggerated at all. Knowing Judith's character, Jessica must come up with a way to explain the expenses.
Jessica lay down and rested her head on Carly's stomach. After a moment, she said, "Well, I actually have an idea!"
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