Throughout the entire evening, Liam played the role of an exceptionally considerate husband.

He made sure I didn't have to drink the alcohol, fetched snacks for me, and even wrapped his jacket around me when I felt cold.

The high-society socialites who initially anticipated a spectacle quickly changed their tune.

One by one, they surrounded us, showering us with compliments.

"Mrs. Roberts, you are indeed lucky. We can tell how much Mr. Roberts cares about you."

"Your skin is so well-maintained, Mrs. Roberts. Even during pregnancy, you look radiant."

I managed to handle the situation with ease, but inside, I felt desolate. It was because I knew the price of all this.

By the time we returned to the villa, it was already late at night.

Exhausted, I could barely stand up straight. I kicked off my high heels and collapsed onto the sofa.

Liam loosened his tie, tossed it aside, and walked over to the wine cabinet to pour himself a glass of whiskey.

He took a swig, his Adam's apple moving in a way that was both captivating and detached.

"You did well today," he remarked, setting down his glass and leaning against the bar, looking at me. "What kind of reward do you want?" he asked.

I sat up straight, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I want to visit my parents. They don't know about our marriage yet; I want to see them."

He raised an eyebrow. "Alright. But I don't want any drama or issues from the Harper family. I've already sent them the money; they should behave themselves."

I nodded quickly. "I understand. I'll make sure they know."

The next day, I returned to Harper Estate.

My parents were so shocked by the marriage certificate and the bank card I brought back that they were dumbfounded and tongue-tied for a while.

Mom hugged me, crying, "Eliana, you've suffered so much... You've sacrificed your whole life for our family."

Dad was also in tears. "It's all my fault for being useless, having to rely on marrying off my daughter to save my company..."

Holding back my tears, I tried to make them feel better. "Dad, Mom, I'm not suffering. Liam treats me well. See? He even helped us pay off the debt. As long as you're well, I'm not afraid of anything."

When I left the Harper Estate, I received a call from an unlisted number.

"Miss Harper, let's meet." It was Kimberly's voice.

I gripped the phone tightly, wary, "There's nothing for us to meet about."

"There are secrets about Liam that you'll definitely be interested in." She laughed sinisterly on the other end, "You think you're the lucky one? You're just a pitiful stand-in. Three o'clock in the afternoon, Blue Mountain Café. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't come."

After the call ended, an inexplicable unease rose within me.

A stand-in? What did that mean?

Despite my reservations, I decided to meet her.

Kimberly sat in the corner, looking much more haggard than she did at the Roberts family gathering, yet her gaze was sharper and more venomous.

She tossed a stack of photos in my direction.

I picked them up and my eyes widened in shock. The girl in the photos wore a white dress, standing in a field of iris flowers, her smile bright and innocent.

Her features bore a striking resemblance to mine—almost identical, especially her eyes, as if we were carved from the same mold.

"Who is this..." My voice trembled.

"Maverick Foster." Kimberly took a sip of coffee, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Liam's idealized first love, the one who died five years ago. Do you really think Liam married you because of that accident that night? Stop dreaming. He married you for your face and that name of yours. You're just a vessel for his memories of the dead, a complete stand-in."

Her words cut into me like a dull knife, each one slicing deeper.

I stared at the girl named Maverick in the photos, feeling a chill seep through me.

I was enlightened. No wonder he accepted the child without question.

No wonder his gaze always held an unfathomable depth when he looked at me.

It turned out he had always been seeing another, someone long gone.

My fingers clenched around the photos until my knuckles turned pale, nails digging into my skin.

"So, what do you want from me by telling me all this?" I asked, trying to maintain a facade of composure as I looked up at Kimberly.

"Do you want me to leave him so Laurence can reclaim his inheritance?"

Kimberly's expression shifted before she sneered. "I'm just kindly reminding you not to get too involved. A man like Liam is heartless. When he is tired of you, your fate will be worse than Maverick's."

I took a deep breath and slammed the photos onto the table. "Save your concern, then, Kimberly. Whether I'm a stand-in or a thing to give birth to his child, as long as I'm his wife, as long as Liam is willing to keep up this charade, I can keep your family from rising."

With that, I grabbed my bag and walked away without looking back.

The sunlight outside stung my eyes as I left the café. I stroked my abdomen and let out a bitter smile.

I was a stand-in, but so what? As long as I could survive and protect the Wen family, I'd accept living in someone else's shadow forever.

Back at the villa, Liam was sitting on the living room sofa, fiddling with an exquisite velvet box.

When he saw me return, he gestured for me to go over.

"Come here," he said.

I walked over and sat beside him.

He opened the box, revealing a pink diamond ring inside. It was larger than the engagement ring Laurence gave me, and its quality was astonishing.

"A wedding ring." Liam pulled my hand and slipped the ring onto my finger.

The fit was perfect.

As I stared at the dazzling diamond, all I could think about was the girl in the white dress in the photo.

I couldn't help but ask, "Why me?"

He paused, then looked up at me. "What?"

"Why did you marry me? Was there another reason besides the child?" I pressed.

I searched his eyes, hoping to find even the slightest hint of emotion about me.

Liam was silent for a moment before releasing my hand and standing up, looking down at me with indifference.

"Eliana, you need to learn to be content. Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. Don't think about things you shouldn't think about. Be a dutiful wife and don't overstep your bounds."

At that moment, my heart turned cold utterly.

Sure enough, just as Kimberly had said, I was only Maverick's stand-in.

In this gilded cage, I didn't even have the right to my own name, only Mrs. Roberts.