The Substitute Bride: Idiot Or Not?

"That won't do! The clairvoyant said that you must keep the eldest daughter of the Garland family by your side!" Rufus said adamantly.

After some thought, comprehension dawned on him, and he lifted his cane to hit Xavier. "I get it now. You're disgusted by Winnie, aren't you? You ungrateful brat. Winnie's your savior. If it weren't for her, you'd still be in a coma now! Besides, the incident happened in your mansion after she married you. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in this state! Don't you think you need to be responsible for her? What's more, I'm not asking her to be your wife, only to be your godsister. How dare you show disdain toward her! She wasn't repulsed by you when you were in a vegetative state!"

With every sentence he uttered, he hit Xavier once. Although it seemed like he was exerting a lot of force, it did not hurt Xavier at all in reality.

The latter did not avoid it but helplessly massaged his forehead.

It's all because I was merely pretending in the past that I was able to wake up. What does Dumbo have to do with it? Granddad is simply too superstitious!

"Do you seriously think she became stupid halfway through, Granddad? To tell you the truth, she has always been dumb. Also, she's not even the official daughter of the Garland family," Xavier revealed. "What?" Rufus was stunned. "What is this all about?"

"The truth is..." Xavier told his grandfather everything about Hamish using his mentally-challenged daughter as a substitute for the marriage.

Rufus lost his temper after hearing that. "This is preposterous! I can't believe Hamish dared to trick us! Back then, I even gave Winnie 8% of the shares as compensation. I bet this was also part of his plan." "You don't have to worry about this. Winnie didn't sign it at all." Xavier proceeded to relate the matter of Winnie fighting with Kylie at Garland Group and accidentally tearing up the equity transfer agreement. Rufus let out a chuckle. "Although the girl's dumb, she's indeed your lucky charm. Anyway, all of my properties will be handed over to you eventually. She's merely helping you to safeguard the 8% of the shares. This also shows that the clairvoyant's foretelling is accurate. If the second child of the Garland family had married into our family back then, she would've emptied your entire mansion. However, Winnie is different. She's the real eldest daughter of the Garland family and your actual benefactor. You must treat her well and make it up to her. If I find out that you bullied her, I'll make you pay for it! Don't go back to the city center tonight. Take her back to your mansion."

Winnie got bored playing ludo and ran outside after Rufus' pet dog.

After catching up with the puppy in the garden, she sat on the ground and played with it. With that, they were both hidden by the landscape tree and were unnoticed by the two housekeepers behind the tree. Evidently, they were chatting about the gossip they had overheard earlier.

"As expected of a fool. She's incompetent. Do you know? When I went to deliver tea to Old Mr. Fairchild and Mr. Xavier just now, I heard the old man telling him to divorce and remarry." "No way! Mr. Xavier and that fool have only been married for half a month, but he's going to get a divorce and remarry already?"

"Well, duh? If it were you, would you be willing to spend the rest of your life with a fool? Mr. Xavier has agreed to it. I heard that Old Mr. Fairchild wanted Mr. Xavier to compensate that fool, but he was very reluctant to do it."

"That's true. Now that Mr. Xavier is awake, who knows how many people are begging to marry him? Although this fool is extremely pretty, is there any use for it?"

The two housekeepers continued chatting animatedly as they went further away.

Only when they were at a distance did Winnie stand up with the puppy in her arms.

She looked at the brightly lit house in front of her and smirked.

Hmph! This is the first time someone has made little of me since growing up. Marrying and divorcing me as he pleases? Does he see me as a pushover? I will decide for myself whether or not to leave the Fairchild family and when to leave!

At eight in the evening, an ultra-luxurious Cadillac drove out of the Fairchild residence.

Seated in the back seat were Xavier and Winnie, both staying silent.

Winnie was busy blowing hot air on the car window and drawing crooked patterns on the fogged-up screen while Xavier stared at her quiet and beautiful profile with an unusually cold expression.

She's as pure as an angel who has fallen into the mortal world, but at the same time, she can unwittingly bewitch people. I'm a normal guy, so it's certainly not a wise move to keep her by my side. I must divorce her. But to send her back home would be like sending her into a lion's den. Those scums in the Garland family will only bully her.

"Do you miss your granny, Dumbo? Do you want to go back to her so she can continue taking care of you?"

The dark car window reflected Xavier's handsome but expressionless face. Winnie turned her back on him and smirked coldly.

She had not helped her grandmother find out clues about her cousin, so she had no intention to leave the Fairchild family yet.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"Hmph! I'm still angry, Meanie. I don't want to talk to you."

"Dumbo..." Xavier pinched between his brows helplessly. "The answer to this question is very important...”

Before he could finish speaking, a beam of bright light suddenly shone into the car. Even Xavier and Winnie were blinded by the light in the back seat.

One could imagine the effect it had on the driver and how it might impact his driving.

Xavier wanted to remind the driver in the front to be careful, but before he could speak, the car across the street crashed toward them as if out of control.

In a split second, there was a loud bang, and the whole car flipped over on its side.

Xavier's body reacted faster than his brain, and he stretched out his hands to shield Winnie in his arms.

The accident happened so fast that Winnie was a little confused, but she could still clearly feel a strong force shielding her body.

It's Xavier! But wasn't this man repulsed by me being a fool and planning to divorce me? Why would he protect me in this life-and-death situation?

Half an hour later, the fire truck and ambulance quickly arrived at the scene.

When they came over, they found the car, as well as the ground, all covered with blood!

Outside the operating room, Xavier waited with his expression as dark as thunder. The tension surrounding him was so imposing that no one around him dared to approach him or even take a breath. An hour later, the door of the operating room finally opened.

The doctor came over and told him sorrowfully, "I'm sorry, Mr. Fairchild. We've done our best. The patient couldn't be resuscitated and is confirmed dead."

"What did you say? Dead?" Xavier's eyes were bloodshot, and his anger level reached its peak. "Are you sure you truly did your best?"

The doctor was startled by his reaction. "Mr. Fairchild, we truly tried our best, but the patient's heartbeat was already very weak when he was brought in. I'm sorry."

Dead... I can't believe it...