I'm famous in the rich wives' society for having an ostrich-like personality—cowardly and often loves escaping from reality.

In my three-year marriage, I've personally conducted cosmetic surgeries on 99 substitutes of Callum Holden's first love, Alice Teller.

Veronica Dane, the 99th substitute, stares at her reflection in the mirror in delight. There's a trace of mockery in her eyes at the same time.

"Mrs. Holden, I heard that you've been alone throughout your marriage. What a shame… To think that the nation's best plastic surgeon can't work on altering her own face.

"In order to thank you for your efforts, I'll give you a glimpse of Callum's bedroom performance when the time comes. How about that?"

I tune out Veronica's mocking words. After all, I've gone through similar situations 98 times in the past, and I have fought back before.

But all Callum said to me was, "You owe me this much, Talia. You can never finish atoning for your sins, even if it takes you your entire life!"

The thing is, he has forgotten that I've given him 99 substitutes, just as I had promised.

Now, I will never go looking for the love that is never mine, to begin with.

After going over the aftercare precautions in a routine manner, I logged into my email account and sent off a reply to confirm my acceptance of the offer an overseas research institute had sent me.

Once the three days of Veronica Dane's observation period were over, I would be free.

The moment I turned around, I saw that Callum Holden was standing behind me. He was holding a ticket to a talk by the surgeon I admired most.

"I know you love him, so I specifically procured this for you."

Just as I was feeling rather touched at his gesture, he added, "Veronica looks exactly like her. Thank you, Lia. This is your reward."

My expression froze briefly before twisting into a perfunctory smile. "You're welcome."

Seemingly in a great mood, Callum actually invited me out for a meal, and to my favorite restaurant too.

I had been friends with Callum since childhood, and we used to be practically glued together.

However, ever since we got married, this was the first time we had actually sat at the same table to have a meal.

How ironic that it was all thanks to Veronica.

"Barbecued pork ribs, spicy beef stew, fried chicken wings…"

I furrowed my brow at the dishes he was ordering. I knew that Callum had never been a fan of greasy food, so I couldn't help but speak up. "I thought you didn't eat such oily food?"

Callum smiled adoringly. "They're for Veronica. These are all her favorites."

For a moment, I was stunned.

Despite knowing each other for 28 years now, he still didn't know what my favorite dishes were. He had only known Veronica for a few days, yet he already remembered everything about her so clearly.

Perhaps he realized that there was something off about my expression, for he instantly ordered one more dish for me.

"Shrimps tossed in honey mustard sauce. You women all love this kind of dish, right?"

He had forgotten that I was allergic to seafood, and it was all because of that engagement party.

Although my marriage to Callum had been a business move, I still had high expectations of him that day.

However, what actually ended up happening was him receiving news of his first love, Alicia Teller's death, and the shattering of any and all fantasies I had held about love.

Callum had wrecked the party and pinned all the blame on me.

"She must have heard about me getting engaged, and that's why she got caught in a car accident! Talia Suther, you have to atone for your crime!"

That night, I had a high fever and vomited up every bit of seafood I had consumed. It was from then on that I developed a terrible allergy to seafood.

Just the thought of it made me gag.

Callum thoughtfully handed me a glass of water, and that was when I caught sight of the sparkling diamond ring on his middle finger.

It was the same style of ring that Veronica wore, with a beautiful and delicate design.

Once, when we were young and playing a game of "House", Callum had told me, "I don't want to wear a ring! That's not manly at all!"

Even when we got married, he refused to wear a ring.

I specifically had someone customise a plain platinum band carved with a dragon design, but when I eagerly brought it to him, he simply shot it a disdainful glance.

"Lia, no matter how plain, it's still jewelry and way too feminine for me."

Yet, when it came to Veronica, he seemed more than willing to go against that principle of his.

After we returned to the hospital, Veronica insisted on my staying back to watch her eat. She made up an excuse, saying she was worried her face might start hurting.

Callum sat beside her bed, acting just like a humble servant as he listened to her whiny instructions and fed her patiently.

I couldn't help but fall into a daze as I watched their intimate actions.

Callum had never attended to anyone before.

I once had tendonitis from working over ten consecutive hours, and the pain was so bad that I couldn't even rip open the packaging on a piece of bread.

When I asked him to help feed me, he absolutely refused. After staring at the bread for several seconds, he said in a conflicted tone, "Lia, this kind of menial work should be for servants. I still have a meeting, so I'll hire someone to look after you."

Unfortunately for me, Callum just so happened to be a workaholic. By the time he finished his meeting and thought of me, I had already fainted from hunger. I almost couldn't wake up again.

Dragging myself out of my thoughts, I gave a self-deprecating laugh before booking a flight that would depart in two days.

At that moment, I received a message.

"Lia, I heard from Dad that you're getting ready to come back. I'm so happy."

Before my lips could curl into a smile, Callum suddenly charged over with bloodshot eyes.

"Come with me immediately! Veronica says that her face is itchy!"

It was a little past midnight right now, and Callum was dressed in his pajamas. Was he spending the night here?

If I remembered correctly, he was supposed to head to Mallorn for a work trip tonight.

Callum had always been strongly career-oriented. Even when I was having a difficult labor three years ago, he still abandoned me for a business deal.

Yet, here he was, spending the night with Veronica?

I stepped out of the on-call room and checked on Veronica.

It turned out that she was only having a mild allergic reaction, nothing that some topical solution applied to her face wouldn't fix.

Callum brushed his fingers across the smooth, supple skin of her face. He looked completely infatuated.

"What reward do you want?"

Those words were clearly meant for me.

Raising a brow, I replied, "I can ask for anything?"

"Yeah."

With that, I dug out the divorce agreement I had prepared beforehand and handed it to him.

Callum didn't even read it before signing the paper.

However, the instant his fingers brushed against the back of Veronica's hand, his expression grew solemn. "Why are you so cold?"

He began barking orders. "Hurry, turn up the temperature of the room and bring a thicker blanket over! Also, bring some hot water!"

His subordinates scurried in and out of the room. The breeze from their opening and closing the door caused me to sneeze.

The air conditioner in the on-call room had broken down, so I had been having a cold for the past two days.

Still, Callum didn't seem to think that anything was wrong with me.

Once Veronica's hands were warm again, Callum had to hurry away to attend an international conference. Before he left, he instructed me to stay behind.

"Lia, Veronica is afraid of the dark, so I'll feel much more at ease if you stay with her."

Out of professional duty to properly care for my last patient, I agreed.

After Callum was gone, Veronica shot me a smile that radiated smugness.

"Mrs. Holden, I want to bring Callum to meet my friends sometime soon. What do you think I should introduce him as?"

I didn't bother taking her words to heart. With how profit-driven Callum was, there was no way he would meet with people who weren't of significant status.

However, Veronica's next words utterly floored me.

"I think I should introduce him as my husband. After all, Callum and I are throwing a wedding soon."

Impossible!

That was the first thought that leaped into my mind.

A wedding was something Callum was saving for that dead woman.

Veronica showed me Callum's social media account. There was a photo post on it depicting various wedding themes.

The caption was simple and succinct. "I'm throwing a wedding. See which suits me."

In the comment section, everyone was expressing their congratulations. I also noticed that I had been the only one who was restricted. I was blocked from seeing that post.

I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling a dull, throbbing pain in my heart.

Back then, no matter how much pressure Callum's mother put him under, he adamantly refused to give me a wedding ceremony.

Yet, Veronica, a woman he had only met a few days ago, had gotten it without any effort at all.

After the 50th time I created a substitute for Callum, I had this crazy idea to get the same smile lip done in hopes that he would also treat me like her substitute and love me.

Then, with his mother's help, Callum and I finally slept together. It was the first and also last time that happened.

However, after waking up, Callum rubbed my lips with a complicated look in his eyes.

"Lia, these lips are absolutely hideous on your face. You will never become a substitute for her, because if it weren't for you, she wouldn't be dead."

Back in the present, I took a deep breath before smiling lightly.

"Then, congratulations to you. All those options look gorgeous."

Not a hint of the jealousy she had expected graced my face. At that, Veronica grew displeased.

"How about this, Talia? Previously, I said I wanted to thank you for giving me this face, but I haven't done anything to express my gratitude yet. Since that's the case, let me give you a chance to indulge in the company of a man tonight."

There was a dull pain at the back of my neck before my vision went dark. I lost consciousness.

When I came to, I realized that I had been stuffed into a dark closet. Through the narrow gap of the door, I could see that the room outside was a bridal suite.

Veronica's pliant body was wrapped around a man's muscular waist as she cooed breathily, "Tonight is our wedding night. Be gentle, okay? It's my first time."

The muscles in Callum's neck bulged while he reached out to touch her face greedily. His demeanor was completely different from the perfunctory attitude he had shown me the night we slept together. The love shining in his eyes was practically overflowing.

"Be good, babe. I can finally have you."

Taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes and slammed my head backward with a loud thump.

Callum wrenched the closet door open, and when he saw that it was me, the rage on his face froze before briefly turning into guilt.

"Lia, what are you doing here?"

…

Callum took me to the hospital so that I could get a full-body checkup.

After confirming that I was fine, the first thing he said was, "Veronica didn't mean to do that. She's young and just thought it would be fun. I'll apologize on her behalf, so don't hold it against her, alright?"

"She thought it would be fun?" I could hardly hold my rage back. "This is called kidnapping, Callum! That's illegal!"

Callum frowned and extinguished his cigarette.

"Lia, Veronica was just worried that something would happen to her because of her face, and that's why she kidnapped you. Don't be so unreasonable."

I narrowed my eyes. My chest was heaving violently with agitation. Ever since he got together with Veronica, it was like he had become a completely different person, one without any principles whatsoever.

"Wake up, will you? Veronica isn't her! They just look alike!"

With a crash, Callum smashed a cup against the floor, shattering it. Losing his patience, he snapped, "It's your responsibility to look after Veronica! Just tell my secretary what you want as compensation. This conversation is over."

Following that, he stalked out of the room.

Veronica sauntered over from where she had been hiding in the shadows. An air of smugness was radiating off her.

"Talia, do you like the gift I prepared for you? Without me, you wouldn't have been able to see Callum's naked body."

I simply rolled my eyes at her, not even bothering to grace her with a response.

Veronica leisurely poured a glass of hot water before an indignant expression suddenly took over her face.

"You know, Talia, I actually really envy you. Although Callum refuses to sleep with you, you come from a good family and are worthy enough to marry him. With you around, I'll most likely only ever be his mistress."

My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the glass of hot water in her hand. I hastily raised my hands to protect myself, but in the next second, a shrill scream rang out.

Veronica cradled her bright red cheek, where she had splashed the water on herself. Pointing an accusing finger at me, she yelled, "Talia, I came to apologize to you. You can choose not to forgive me, but how could you throw scalding hot water at me?"

The commotion instantly drew Callum's attention, and he immediately started lashing out at me without even bothering to learn the whole truth.

I gathered my courage and pointed at the surveillance camera in the corner of the room, saying, "Just check the surveillance footage! That way, you'll know that I wasn't the one who did it."

Veronica forced a few tears. "Ah, it hurts! Callum, there's no need to check the footage. She did this to me!"

The hesitation on Callum's face faded as he turned to shoot me an icy stare.

"Talia, apologize!"

"Callum?"

"Apologize!"

I turned my head to the side, and my nose tingled. "I won't apologize for something I didn't do."

Callum wiped away Veronica's tears before sighing.

"Talia, I have spoiled and indulged you too much. You need to pay the price for what you've done."

When I spotted the two large glasses of hot water his subordinate was holding, I started to panic.

"Callum Holden, I have aquagenic urticaria and can't have any water touching my skin! I'll die!"

For a brief moment, Callum hesitated. Then, he said in an almost cruel tone, "Don't worry. I have the best medical team on standby here. You'll be fine. You have to pay for what you've done."

As the water flew through the air to land on me, a suffocating feeling seized me. My throat felt like it had closed up.

Through the noise, I could hear a doctor exclaiming, "Mr. Holden, Mrs. Holden is… She's pregnant!"