"Mr. Sinclair, are you sure you want to terminate the substitute service? The service term is three years and the termination date is in seven days. Please confirm."

With my signature smile, I asked Julian, whose white moonlight had just returned from abroad, on behalf of his girlfriend.

Julian lazily raised his eyes to look at me. "I'm sure."

I smiled lightly as I watched him sign the contract.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Sinclair. Within seven days, I will complete all handovers and disappear entirely from Ms. Wilson's world."

Julian nodded in satisfaction, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over my outfit and makeup, which were strikingly similar to his.

"You've performed well over the past three years. Once you're gone, I'll give you a five-star review," he said.

I smiled as I stood up, but Julian pressed me back down. "Remember, what I want is for you to completely disappear from Melia's life."

By the time I left the café, night had already fallen.

I returned to the Spring River Villa absentmindedly, raised my hand to turn on the lights and found the living room empty.

My phone still held a message Melia had sent three hours ago. [Sleep on your own tonight. I won’t be coming back.]

I let out a sigh of relief, feeling an unexpected weight lifted from my shoulders.

I had been Melia's stand-in for her boyfriend for three years. Before Julian went abroad, he was worried that Melia, who loved him dearly, would be taken away by another man, so he came to our agency and booked a three-year stand-in service.

"You'll do," he said, picking me out of over a hundred men with just one glance.

We signed a three-year substitute contract and I spent the next month quickly learning his style of dressing, makeup and even his small habits in daily life.

I had to ensure that the version of Julian who appeared in front of Melia was an upgraded version.

At first, Melia was very disgusted with me. She said I was just imitating Julian, learning his dressing style and makeup but not his delicate demeanor.

But in the end, her love for Julian was so deep that she couldn’t help falling for the imitation.

***

Even though she knew I was a fake, the moment I showed up in front of her, dressed as Julian, she didn’t hesitate to take me home.

That night, she got herself drunk. Half-awake and half-asleep, she hugged me tightly and stared at me with a piercing gaze.

"Julian, why did you abandon me?"

Her fierce kiss felt like a storm.

I endured the smell of alcohol with great effort, my brows furrowing and relaxing repeatedly.

The next morning, Melia propped herself up on one arm, squinting at me.

"What’s your name?"

"Rafael. Rafael Sterling," I answered honestly.

Melia silently stared at me for a long while.

It seemed as if she was looking through me, thinking Julian had heartlessly abandoned her and left for abroad.

Just when I thought an entire century had passed, Melia coldly spoke up. "Rafael, from now on, you’ll live here and be my boyfriend."

After that, I began to follow the advice Julian had taught me: I would try to get her to smoke less, drink less and go home earlier.

Each time, Melia would wrinkle her brows in annoyance. "A substitute, yet so talkative."

I wasn’t angry, I just continued doing these things every day.

Even though Melia emphasized many times that I didn’t need to bring her an umbrella when it rained, I still insisted on doing it and each time, she scolded me.

By the ninth time, Melia didn’t refuse. She turned around and looked at me seriously.

"Rafael, you didn't actually fall for me, did you?"

Melia's family was influential, with connections sprawling in every direction.

The reason I was able to smoothly move into the Spring River Villa was that Melia had investigated me thoroughly from the very beginning.

She knew I was the substitute Julian had hired with money and she was willing to play along with Julian in this game.

Of course, I was more than happy to go along as well; after all, only a fool would turn down the money.

When I heard her question, I just smoothly displayed the Julian-style smile. "Melia, I've always liked you."

"How boring." Melia instantly lost interest, holding the umbrella by herself as she quickly walked away, leaving me alone in the heavy rain.

Now, as my thoughts came together, I stared blankly at the Spring River Villa, where I had lived for three years, feeling a mix of emotions.

This place never truly belonged to me. Now that the contract had ended, it's time for me to return to where I truly belong.

The pain in my temples was intense. I took off my coat and went to the bathroom to shower, also removing the makeup on my face.

For the past three years as a substitute, whenever I appeared in front of Melia, I had to maintain a flawless appearance. Because only with makeup that was exactly like Julian’s could I resemble him completely.

Once I took it off, I no longer looked like him.

Fortunately, Melia wouldn’t be coming back tonight, so I could briefly be myself.

I had just finished drying my hair and was about to go to bed when suddenly, I heard the sound of a car parking downstairs.

I quickly sat up, startled.

Why was Melia back?

It was still raining outside and every time Melia got out of the car and walked to the villa, there was quite a distance, so I needed to bring her an umbrella.

I almost instinctively grabbed the umbrella and ran out.

Just as I reached the living room, I made eye contact with Melia.

Her gaze lingered on my face for a few seconds.

Suddenly, she spoke softly, "Why are you standing there like that? Come over and help me with these."

I immediately bent down to help her with the bags and when I saw what she was carrying, my eyes lit up.

"Melia, didn’t you say you weren’t coming back tonight? And you bought so many cakes and candied fruit. When did you start having such a sweet tooth?"

Without lifting her head, she replied, "The cooperation was canceled, there was no need to stay on the business trip, so I came back to keep you company."

She raised her hand and pointed to the pile of candied hawthorns and various mousse cakes.

"All of these are for you."

My eyes brightened. "How did you know I like these?"

I immediately covered my mouth after saying that.

Julian was an expert at body management and he hated consuming carbs. He wouldn't touch anything sweet like cake or candied fruit snacks.

But I, on the other hand, like them.

I silently prayed that Melia hadn't heard what I just said, but the next moment, she spoke up, "I saw you sneakily running to the stall to buy candied hawthorns last time as if you were stealing something."

Melia's face showed no expression, but her hands skillfully opened the cake box, peeled off the wrapping of the candied fruit snacks and handed them to me.

"If you want to eat them in the future, just tell Ingrid and have her go buy some. The stall outside isn't clean."

I felt my heart skip a beat.

I recalled that time when Melia was taking a nap in the bedroom and the sound of the candied fruit snacks seller calling out could be heard from outside the villa.

I had lived a difficult life and had a sweet tooth since I was little. I would secretly sneak out to buy them, never expecting that Melia had seen me.

No wonder, ever since then, there seemed to be more sweets and cakes in the house for no apparent reason.

I even felt a little pleased with myself. Melia didn't eat sweets, so in the end, they all ended up in my stomach.

It turned out, Melia had already noticed. Unfortunately, in six days, I would be leaving.

I took a bite of the candied fruit snacks, only to find it a bit bitter, sour and astringent.

Melia had propped her head up with one hand, watching with interest as I stuffed the candied fruit snacks into my mouth, a faint smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"Rafael."

"Mm?"

"I finally saw you without makeup. So, this is what you looked like."

There was a hint of amusement in Melia’s voice, but I instantly froze.

Oh no, I had forgotten to put on makeup.

I dropped the candied fruit snacks and covered my face, about to run to the bathroom, but she grabbed me with her fair, delicate hand.

"Rafael, there's no need to put on makeup anymore. Anyway, you don't look like Julian even when you try."

I froze in place.

Suddenly, I remembered something from a few months ago. Melia had suddenly ordered me, "Take off your makeup."

I didn’t catch it clearly and looked up in surprise, "What?"

But she stared at me seriously and said, "Rafael, let me see what you look like without makeup."

I firmly refused to agree. That was beyond the scope of my professional duties.

After all, when I received payment, I was expected to act on behalf of others and I had to always show up around Melia with Julian's makeup on.

That way, I could constantly serve as a reminder for the employer.

But now, Melia didn’t say anything. She just turned and walked away. It felt as though whether I wore makeup or not made no difference to her.

"Come here, let’s sleep."

Melia had changed into her sleepwear and was lying in bed, lifting the covers and opening her arms toward me.

The expression on her face was as natural as ever.

I didn’t know exactly when, but our relationship had gradually turned into that of a normal couple.

Every night, she needed to be in my arms to fall asleep.

But the thought that I would eventually leave made me hesitate, unwilling to go over. "Melia, I... I'm not really that tired right now."

Melia looked at me in confusion. "Then don’t sleep yet, come here and hold me while I sleep."

I stood there, dragging my feet.

Melia lost her patience and frowned. "Rafael, are you coming over or not?"

I grabbed a nearby pillow in a panic and quickly ran out. "I... I’ll sleep in the guest room!"

As expected, she didn’t follow.

Lying in the pitch-black guest room, I closed my eyes but couldn’t fall asleep. My mind was filled with thoughts of parting from Melia.

After all, I needed to break the habit even though these three years of being a stand-in had constantly reminded me not to get emotionally involved with my client.

But as the saying went, ‘People were not wood or stone who can be without feelings.’

Even a dog could form attachments, let alone a living, breathing woman.

I had to find a suitable excuse to leave in the next few days.

I woke up from a nap, stretched lazily and before I knew it, someone had pulled me into arms.

I opened my eyes in a panic and realized that I had somehow ended up back in the bedroom in the middle of the night.

"Melia, you..."

Melia had her arms wrapped around my waist from behind, her legs naturally draped over mine. She was still fast asleep but instinctively kissed the back of my neck.

"Be good, don’t move."

In a surge of anger, I turned around.

The moment I saw Melia's sleeping face, my frustration boiled over.

No wonder Julian was willing to spend 15 million to find a stand-in. If I had that kind of money, I’d be scared of such a beautiful woman being taken away by someone else.

But…

She wasn’t someone I could have.

Three more days passed.

I desperately searched for a way to disappear without raising suspicion like disappearing on a trip, being abducted, vanishing without a word.

In the end, I couldn’t settle on a decent plan.

Only three days left.

Julian had called me multiple times, urging me to act.

"Rafael, there are only three days left. You need to hurry up."

"If you haven’t disappeared from Melia’s life by then, you’ll have to pay a hefty penalty."

I could never afford that penalty.

I forced a smile. "Mr. Sinclair, don’t worry. I promise I’ll be gone within three days."

After hanging up, I gritted my teeth and bought a plane ticket for two days later.

Melia, goodbye.

I gazed out the window, lost in thought. In the alley next door, a woman was begging on the street, holding a child in her arms.