A SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

Lyana went to the kitchen and carefully examined all the utensils. She was concerned that some of the utensils had also been soaked in a safflower solution.

After Lyana had made sure that all were clean, she prepared to head to the medicinal room to prepare herbs for grandma. Just as she was turning around, she accidentally bumped into someone.

Surprised, she instinctively stepped back. However, she tripped over a small stool beside her, falling backwards uncontrollably.

She quickly closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact. However, the expected pain of impact did not come.

She opened her eyes and saw Vincent standing before her. He had already secured an arm around her waist.

Vincent’s arm flexed. In one swift movement, he pulled Lyana toward him.

She found herself falling awkwardly into Vincent’s arms. Her ear was pressed against his chest.

Her heartbeat was clearly ringing in her ears. She could smell the faint aroma of medicine from his body.

Lyana’s ears turned red without her permission. Quickly, she pushed Vincent away and looked down. She asked,

– Aren’t you going to stand guard by Grandma’s door?

Vincent straightened his clothes. Immediately, he glimpsed a lipstick stain on his white shirt. He looked up and saw that Lyana’s lipstick was slightly smudged.

Extending a hand, he gently touched the corner of Lyana’s mouth with his thumb. His movements were extremely gentle, as if he was terrified of hurting her.

Lyana’s heart began to race as she looked at Vincent. Suddenly, the memory of that night five years ago came to mind.

The man had also caressed the corner of her mouth like this.

Their actions were virtually identical.

Lyana looked at Vincent, frozen. After a moment, she pulled away, avoiding his hand. She tucked her hair behind her ear awkwardly and said:

– I’m going to make some gruel for grandma.NôvelDrama.Org copyrighted © content.

– Thanks for today.

At this moment, Vincent was quite certain that Lyana had nothing to do with these people. If she had, he guessed he would be dead under her silver needles by now.

– That …

She licked her lips and looked at Vincent.

– She’s my grandmother now. It’s just that I’m saving her. You don’t have to thank me especially.

With that, she headed to the medicinal room.

She was afraid that others would get the wrong medicinal ingredients, so she decided to get the herbs herself. After calculating the dosage, she returned to the kitchen to prepare the medicinal porridge.

Vincent stood at the entrance to the kitchen. He watched the kitchen fade with activity. Steam rose from the pots on the stove, curling in the air. He felt an indescribable heat in his heart. This heat seemed to adhere to his blood, flowing through his entire body.

He lowered his head slightly. His thumb was still pink from Lyana’s lipstick. He couldn’t help but recoil from the touch of Lyana’s lips. Something in his heart began to stir.

Vincent frowned, forcibly suppressing the strange sensation in his heart.

As Lyana prepared the porridge, she noticed that Vincent was standing behind her the whole time. When the porridge was almost ready, he had disappeared. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

She was really too tired right now. She asked the butler to bring the porridge to Matriarch Sanchez.

To the fifth psychiatric hospital in An City.

Decked out in haute couture, high heels and a pair of sunglasses, Ines entered the mental hospital.

At the moment, the patients of the psychiatric hospital were playing outside. Some of them were defecating in the yard, and some were even running around naked.

Ines frowned, her eyes filled with contempt.

However, when she thought of Lyana living with these people, she felt a spark of joy.

– Second young mistress Dubois, this way, please!

The nurse smiled at Ines and led her to a nearby building.

Just as she reached the entrance of the building, Lyana’s attending physician, Gaspard Lopez, came out with a smile.

– Second young mistress Dubois, you are here.

Ines approached Gaspard and removed her sunglasses, flashing a soft, polite smile. She asked,

– Doctor Lopez, what was my sister doing when she lived here for the last five years?

Ines was curious. How did Lyana become the director of a university?

So she came here to investigate.

It would be great if Lyana had made a fool of herself here. Then she could let the Sanchez family know how great Lyana Dubois was.

Gaspard thought for a while and said:

– Miss Dubois was either reading or gardening. She never left the hospital.

Ines’ expression wavered only a fraction. How could this be?

Reading?

Gardening?

Did Lyana live such a refined and quiet life during these five years?

– How could she remain inactive? Ines asked.

Gaspard said calmly,

– Second young mistress Dubois, if you don’t believe me, why don’t I take you there?

– Very well, thank you for your trouble, Doctor Lopez.

Ines followed behind Gaspard and headed for the small yard where Lyana lived.

Before reaching the courtyard, Ines could already smell the flowers.

– Miss Dubois, the residence of the young mistress Dubois is just across the street,

Gaspard explained with a smile.

In front of them was a garden filled with a variety of flowers and plants. The flowers were in bloom, attracting many bees and butterflies.

In the middle of the garden was a small hut.

This is where Lyana lived.

– Were they all planted by Lyana?

Ines looked at the flowers in disbelief.

Gaspard’s eyes were filled with admiration. From the bottom of his heart, he really respected Lyana. He said:

– This ground was dry and barren. Miss Dubois has been coming here every day to garden for the last five years. She has single-handedly turned this place into one of the most beautiful areas here

our mental hospital.

Ines nodded and pointed to the cabin.

– Did she usually live there?

– Yes, she did.

Gaspard took Ines to the wooden hut.

When she went to the cabin, she saw that the door was locked.

– Unlock the door.

Ines was curious. What was in the hut?

Gaspard looked troubled. He stammered,

– We don’t have the key.

Ines’ expression darkened and she clenched her fists involuntarily. Her nails dug into her palms, but she felt no pain.

How is it that Lyana can enjoy life wherever she goes?

– This is a psychiatric hospital. How can you let a patient do whatever she wants? Don’t you know that these gardening tools can endanger her life?

Ines questioned, forcibly suppressing her rage as she turned to Gaspard.

– Our biggest investor has already approved Miss Dubois’ gardening here, Gaspard explained.

– Investor? Isn’t our Dubois family the biggest investor here?

Ines looked at Gaspard with surprise. Because the Dubois family was the biggest investor in this psychiatric hospital, Olga had had no trouble sending Lyana here five years ago.

– Two weeks after Miss Dubois entered, someone else became the biggest investor in our hospital, Gaspard said with a serious expression.

– Who is it now?

Ines asked curiously, frowning.

– Mr. Martin

Ines’ frown deepened. If she wasn’t mistaken, Mr. Martin was a hacker.

Very few people had heard of Mr. Martin. Rumor had it that he was extremely rich.

If Mr. Martin was so rich, why would he invest in a mental hospital?

What made Ines unhappy was that she had thought that Lyana would lead a life worse than death here. She had never expected her to lead such a good life here, as if she were a member of a high profession who had chosen to live in solitude, away from society.

Could it be that Lyana and Mr. Martin had had an inappropriate relationship? Is this why she received the favor and special treatment from Mr. Martin?

However, Ines quickly dismissed this thought. Mr. Martin was a member of high society. Perhaps he had simply taken Lyana to be a gardener here.

Indeed, Lyana had always been a villager. After all, she had grown up in the country. Apart from gardening, she knew nothing else.

The thought made Ines feel much better.

Perhaps Mr. Martin had let Lyana become the director of the University An because of the way the garden had been taken care of.

It seemed that Mr. Martin was very capable.

Ines thought that if she could meet Mr. Martin, she should be on good terms with him. Maybe if she could get Mr. Martin in a good mood, he would let her become the director instead.

Just then, a van arrived and two nurses got out.

Ines watched as the two nurses began to move the plants into the truck.

Could it be that Mr. Martin had asked them to move the plants?