Using Me as a Substitute? Did You Know Your Best Friend Calls Me Wife?

The next day, Mia Kane woke up to find that Adrian Preston had already left.

The side of the bed was still warm; he must not have been gone for long.

A female officer came to deliver breakfast, a knowing smile on her face.

The look in her eyes made Mia’s skin crawl.

"What... what are you smiling about?"

"You and Officer Preston last night..."

"Don’t get the wrong idea! Nothing happened between us!"

"Huh? Nothing happened last night? We made a point to tell him we’d turned off the surveillance camera so he wouldn’t have to worry."

"What? You guys went that easy on him?"

Mia Kane was stunned.

"That’s not the point. The point is, did you two really not do anything? Is Officer Preston even up to the task?"

The female officer put her hands on her hips, annoyed, and actually started complaining about Adrian Preston.

Mia Kane didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and quickly shooed the officer away.

"Oh, right. You’ll be meeting with the party involved in a little while."

In truth, she should have met with the accuser much earlier, but Vivian Lynch had been hospitalized after hemorrhaging and was extremely weak. Chase Lockwood had even postponed her official statement, insisting they wait until she felt better.

Now, Mia was finally going to face Vivian Lynch.

Vivian Lynch was in a wheelchair, her face ghastly pale. She was gaunt, and her stomach was still slightly swollen, not having fully recovered.

She looked like a delicate little flower that a strong gust of wind could blow right off its stem.

She wept as she gave her statement, recounting her grievances with Mia Kane and establishing that Mia did indeed have a motive to harm her.

Chase Lockwood was by her side, constantly comforting her. Only after the statement was recorded did she meet with the suspect.

When Vivian Lynch saw Mia Kane emerge with a healthy complexion, she was filled with resentment.

’Why should I be so miserable while Mia acts like nothing’s wrong? I’ll make sure she rots in prison. I’ll utterly destroy her life.’

"Mia Kane, no matter what grudges we have, you shouldn’t have harmed my child! He was innocent! He was only five months along in my womb. How could you be so heartless?"

"I didn’t do it. My conscience is clear."

"I, Vivian Lynch, swear to God that I am not lying! If I have falsely accused you, Mia Kane, with even half a lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Vivian Lynch swore the oath emotionally. Chase Lockwood, his heart aching for her, quickly grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Vivian, I believe you."

"Chase... you have to get justice for our child."

Chase Lockwood thought of his dead son and the fact that Vivian Lynch could never have children again, and rage flooded his heart.

"The evidence is conclusive! We have a witness and physical evidence. Why is she only being detained instead of sentenced? This was malicious homicide, a severe offense! She should be sentenced to at least ten years—even the death penalty wouldn’t be too much!"

"I want her life to pay for my son’s!"

"Sir, please calm down. We are still conducting further investigations. We will notify you as soon as we have any results."

"You’re all Adrian Preston’s lapdogs! I’ll find a way to deal with you!"

Chase Lockwood pointed at them, his eyes dark and menacing.

He had already contacted people in high places, planning to apply pressure from the top down to force the police station to give him a satisfactory answer.

’Criminals belong in prison. The evidence is conclusive; she should be tried and sentenced immediately.’

Just then, a huge commotion erupted outside.

"I... I want to file a report! Mia Kane is trying to silence me by killing me! The murderer in the infanticide case is trying to kill me to shut me up!"

An officer immediately went out to see what was happening.

It was Rosalyn Shield, wailing at the entrance. Someone tried to help her inside, but she just thrashed around on the ground, making a scene and howling by the door.

"Mia Kane, Adrian Preston’s ex-wife! She owns a fashion design studio and is a world-renowned international designer!"

"She has a grudge against Mrs. Lockwood! She pushed Mrs. Lockwood to the ground when she was over five months pregnant and then told me to go against my conscience and give false testimony! I didn’t listen to her, so she sent someone to kill me! Just now, on my way here to cooperate with the investigation, a car tried to run me over and kill me! Thank God I was lucky and managed to survive."

"Officers, you have to assign someone to protect me! You have to protect me! Mia Kane wants to kill me! She wants to kill me...!"

"Ma’am, please come inside and we can talk."

"Ah... don’t touch me! You’re in on it with Mia Kane! You’re going to kill me too!"

Rosalyn Shield continued her crazed screaming outside, and a crowd quickly gathered, completely blocking the entrance to the station.

Someone even recorded a video and posted it online.

Mia Kane was now branded as the prime culprit in the "infanticide" case.

Her infamy was spreading, and the public consensus was that even death would be too good for her.

The entire internet was demanding public oversight of the trial, afraid that someone with Mia Kane’s status would pull strings behind the scenes to evade legal punishment.

The police station had to send out several officers just to disperse the crowd at the entrance.

Rosalyn Shield conveniently fainted and was sent to the hospital, accompanied by two female officers.

"Mia Kane, you truly are vicious! Do you have any regard for the law? What do you think a human life is?"

Vivian Lynch pointed at her, condemning her evil deeds.

Mia Kane almost had to laugh.

’This is a truly vicious move. With Rosalyn Shield making a scene like that outside, the public pressure is going to mount.’

Even with Adrian Preston trying to keep a lid on it, it would be impossible to hold back the pressure from the masses.

Everyone was watching the "infanticide" case, and they demanded that Mia Kane receive the punishment she deserved.

"Mia Kane, you really will stop at nothing."

"Chase Lockwood, are you sure there’s nothing wrong with your medical report? Didn’t it detect a condition as serious as your blindness? Your doctor must not be very good. You should get a new one."

"Still running your mouth when you’re at death’s door? This time, not even Adrian Preston can protect you."

"When we get to court, I’ll say the same thing. What I haven’t done, I haven’t done."

Mia Kane straightened her back and spoke, enunciating every word.

"Fine. We’ll see you in court."

Chase Lockwood pushed Vivian Lynch’s wheelchair and left.

Mia Kane returned to her holding cell, but she couldn’t focus on her book.

When the female officer brought her lunch, she told Mia that the higher-ups had been notified and had ordered a speedy first trial. If no evidence in Mia’s favor emerged, she would likely be sentenced.

Attempted murder carried a minimum sentence of ten years.

It had been less than half a day.

’These ’concerned netizens’ sure work fast.’

"Adrian Preston will probably try to visit me. Please turn him away for me. I don’t want to see him right now."

"I know he can get in easily, but please pass on a message for me. If he comes in without my permission, I will never speak another word to him for the rest of my life."

"Officer Preston will definitely save you."

"By abusing his authority?" Mia Kane retorted. "He can’t afford to make a mistake."

"I know he must be looking for evidence, but if it were that easy to find, I’d already be out. If it’s too difficult, he should just give up. I know he must have tried, that he did everything he could to get me out. It’s just my bad luck. I lost this fight."

"I’m not as ruthless as Vivian Lynch, I accept that. Tell him... to take care of himself. And about that other thing... I forgive him."

After the last sentence, her voice grew very, very soft, and she let out a heavy breath.

’I’m about to be locked up for ten years. I can’t be bothered to hold onto grudges anymore.’

Adrian Preston... she no longer hated him.

Hating him was simply too exhausting.

Her words had their intended effect; Adrian Preston did not come to see her.

She had a rare moment of peace and finished the rest of her book. She was afraid that once she was in prison, she wouldn’t have the chance to read anymore.

’I wonder if the days and nights in prison are the same as on the outside?’