Chapter 2 Meeting The Replacement

Not noticing his family at first, the man dropped his briefcase on the floor and helped her take off her raincoat.

She did the same for him, and they exchanged knowing smiles before turning toward the living room.

“Aaron, you’re… back.”

Though Greta called out to her brother, her eyes were already scrutinizing the woman in admiration.

Especially when she spotted the expensive pocket bag dangling from her wrist.

But for some reason, she felt she looked familiar and spent the next few seconds trying to place where she had seen her before.

Julia, on the other hand, was barely containing her excitement.

This was the first time in years her son was bringing home a woman beside the disgrace in their home.

She could tell a proper woman when she saw one. And this one her son brought back, was just like the daughter-in-laws her friends had.

Without wasting time, she eagerly welcomed them both.

“My baby. You’re back early today. It must be because of this pretty lady friend you have with you.”

“Babe, you’re back.” Amber’s voice came stiffly a moment later as she rose from the floor, her eyes still fixed on the woman.

But her voice was instantly overshadowed by Greta’s scream of realization, “Sabrina Leahy, the famous movie star!”

Hearing her name, Sabrina Leahy beamed brightly and lowered her head, shyly tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Please, I’m not even that big.”

Julia’s face also lit up as she hurried forward.

“Nonsense! My baby, you’ve brought home a celebrity. I’ve watched you in Kindled Hearts. You were unforgettable.”

Greta clasped her mother’s arm eagerly.

“Exactly! Nobody else could’ve played Daneel better.”

Sabrina Leahy lifted her eyes.

Having gone through this several times in the past with fans, she oddly never got tired of the admiration.

Running her fingers down her arm, she shrugged coolly, “There were a lot of promising young stars back then, but not many were as lucky as me to be in such a popular television show.”

Watching his mother and sister eagerly converse with her, a smile eased onto Aaron Foster’s stoic expression.

Behind them, Amber’s sixth sense tingled and her stomach tightened.

Her cheek still burned from the slap, but the gut-wrenching feeling at the sight of her husband smiling so lovingly at another woman rubbed her the wrong way.

But it had to be work.

Yes, that had to be it. As a filmmaker, he had to do certain things to please actors, secure funds and generally make his business work.

Pushing the awful feeling gnawing at her heart to the back of her mind, she smiled brightly and approached him.

“Honey, you’re back. How was the office? I made dinner. I didn’t know what you’d want, so I prepared a little of everything.”

Smiling brightly, she had just taken a few steps toward them when the man’s unsmiling face turned toward her, his eyes filled with contempt.

“Are you stupid?”

Amber froze, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth as she stared into his unfeeling gaze.

“You’re so rude, Amber. He came in with someone, yet you ignore her entirely while you call out to him? Don’t you know how to treat a guest?” Julia snorted.

Amber swallowed, her fingers brushing nervously at her wrist.

Yes, Aaron was annoyed from time to time and often lashed out at her in front of people, but he usually apologized for doing so in private.

So she had learnt not to take offense whenever he got like this.

Before her, Sabrina Leahy’s eyes darted to her for a moment, a flicker of emotion flashing past them before she turned back to Aaron.

“Is this your wife?”

Before he could say anything, Greta leaned forward eagerly.

“Yes. They got married three years ago only because she cozied up to our grandmother and made her force the marriage.”

“But Grandmother’s dead now, so he doesn’t have to stay tied to her. Honestly, just see this as a charity case, not a real marriage.”

Such an introduction was bound to spark some rage in anyone, but Amber was still all smiles.

Indeed, it was true what they said but she had never been ashamed of the day she met Aaron nor her marriage to him.

Bowing her head slightly, she said softly, “I’m sorry for not greeting you properly, Ms. Leahy. I’ve made plenty of dinner, please join us.”

Greta immediately reached for Sabrina’s bag while Julia ushered her toward the dining table like an honored guest.

Amber smoothed her skirt and quietly moved to sit beside Aaron, clinging to the small comfort of being near him. She had just begun lowering herself into the chair when his arm shot out.

The push wasn’t violent, but firm enough to knock her off balance. Her chair screeched against the floor as she stumbled, arms flailing before she landed hard on her side.