Chapter 372: You’re Just a Stand-In

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The woman wore a pale green dress. Though I couldn't see her face clearly, her slender figure was unmistakable. She must be Tiffany.

I stood still, quietly watching Carter's reaction. The moment she lunged toward the wheelchair, Carter quickly moved it back. The sudden action caught Tiffany off guard, and she tumbled forward, falling heavily to the ground.

“Carter, how could you do this to me?” The woman on the floor sobbed.

I reached out and asked, “Ms. Dolton, are you alright?” She instinctively grabbed my hand to help herself up. “Do I know you?”

I nodded sincerely. “I guessed your identity. Ms. White just mentioned that everyone knows you’ve been chasing Carter for years. After thinking about it, you fit the description, so you must be Ms. Dolton, right?”

She quickly withdrew her hand, her eyes turning cold. “You’re Zoey Gardner?” Jaford didn’t know much about Carter and me, but she’d possibly heard rumors.

I slowly walked toward Carter. “Ms. Dolton, I’d prefer you call me Mrs. Bolton.”

Tiffany sized me up before sneering. “Ms. Gardner, do you really think a marriage alliance will win Carter’s heart? I’ve spent years trying, and he never looked at me like that. He’s always had someone in his heart, and you…”

Carter didn’t pay attention to Tiffany’s words. His eyes held guilt as he grabbed my hand, hurrying to explain, “I didn’t let her touch me.” He grew panicked; gone was the trace of cold indifference he’d shown Tiffany earlier. Carter knew how deeply Luke had hurt me, so he was extra cautious with me in matters of romance, even explaining himself regardless of the setting.

“Mm. I saw it. You did great,” I said, kissing him on the cheek. Tiffany, ignored and stunned, must have wondered if this was the same Carter she’d known all this time.

“Ms. Dolton, I’ve made myself clear. I won’t ever like you. I’m married now, so please respect that. I don’t want you causing any negative feelings for my wife, do you understand?”

Tiffany clutched her dress, looking pitiful. “But my father helped you. You can’t do this to me.”

“Your family’s net worth has increased tenfold. All the benefits your family gained from me over the years have paid off that debt. And besides, it was your father, not you, who saved me. Even if I owed my life, it wouldn’t be to marry you.” He firmly set a boundary with Tiffany, showing no regard for her feelings.

A few unfamiliar faces nearby started murmuring. “This is too funny. She really thought Mr. Bolton would marry her and even acted like his wife. Looks like she’s getting a reality check today.” “I’m embarrassed for her.”

It seemed a lot had happened while I wasn’t in Jaford. But it made sense. Carter’s leg disability was only a surface-level issue. His status and appearance were enough to attract many women.

“Ms. Dolton, excuse me.” I pushed Carter away, lowering my voice. “The Carlyn brothers and the Whites are here, and Whitney is here. Do we have a chance to take her with us?”

Carter thought for a moment and said, “I’ll handle it. The situation is suitable for us to strike now. If we can get Whitney out of here, she might know more of the truth.” As we spoke, I saw Nina’s father in the distance. He was also Whitney’s father in name. James did look a lot like Sheila. Officially, he had a son and a daughter. Alice was his illegitimate daughter, listed as missing for years, but Nina had clearly known her. This meant that for many years, Whitney’s identity had been concealed as Alice’s to hide the truth. I couldn’t tell if the Whites’ elders knew about it, but at least Nina didn’t.

Whitney was standing among the Whites, clearly out of place. No one around her seemed to care at all. Taylor and James were talking, and from their lip movements, I could tell they were discussing marriage. No wonder he brought Whitney here. It seemed he wanted to restore her identity so he could marry her publicly. But why now? If he wanted to marry Whitney, why did he wait all this time? I didn’t understand, but if he was planning a wedding, didn’t that mean I had a chance to get closer to Whitney? For me, that was good news.

“Carter, I’m going to grab a snack.” “Alright, don’t go too far.”

I grabbed two small plates of appetizers when Tiffany walked up to me. “Zoey.” I stopped and turned. “What can I do for you, Ms. Dolton?”

“You really think he likes you? He married you only because you remind him of the woman he loved.”

I was surprised. Tiffany seemed to know more than I expected. “Oh? And who does he love?”

“She’s already dead. No matter how much you resemble her, you’ll never win his heart. How pitiful. You’ll only ever be a stand-in.”

I smiled softly. “Thanks for the reminder. At least I’m a stand-in who gets to be with him every day.”

“You fool!” Tiffany glared at me with venom in her eyes.

“Did I say something wrong? Even if I’m a stand-in, the person who spends every day by his side is me. The one who kisses him is me. The one who sleeps with him is still me. Does it really matter whether I’m a stand-in?”

“No, that’s impossible!” She stared at me in shock. “He would never touch you. He’s not that shallow of a man.”

I should’ve let Carter be a little bolder last night, leaving a few marks to show her just how shallow he could be in bed.

She seemed certain. “No one can replace that woman in his heart. Not even as a stand-in.”

You can’t wake someone who’s pretending to sleep, and there’s no need to wake her. I nodded dismissively. “Yes, yes, you’re right. If you’re done, I’ll be going now.”

She didn’t seem to expect my indifferent attitude. After all, most women care deeply about the idea of being a stand-in, and she probably thought a few words would make me angry. But what if I was just standing in for myself? She hadn’t thought of that, had she? Chatty woman.

As she stood there, looking so sure of herself, I sat next to Carter and fed him a bite of pastry. “Carter, open your mouth!”