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

Hearing this, his grandmother looked at him, exasperated.

"She’s not as innocent as she looks. Aren’t you afraid you’re protecting the wrong person?"

Chase Lockwood’s face paled slightly, but he still said firmly, "Even if I’m wrong, I’ll keep protecting her! Besides, Vivian really isn’t as bad as you think. Grandma, why do you have such a deep-seated prejudice against her? Our first time happened because I was drunk and forced her. If anyone’s at fault, it’s me. Isn’t it because you’re biased toward me that you’re pushing all the blame onto Vivian?"

"Hopelessly stubborn. You’re just hopelessly stubborn..."

Hearing his words, his grandmother’s voice trembled with anger.

Mia Kane shouldn’t have come out. In the end, this was their family’s private business.

But she couldn’t just stand by and watch Chase Lockwood anger his grandmother to the point of collapse again.

She had no choice but to push the door open and step out. The moment Chase Lockwood saw her, his expression shifted, and he immediately straightened his back.

"What are you doing here? It’s immoral to eavesdrop on people."

"Chase Lockwood, Grandma isn’t forcing you to give up Vivian Lynch now, so why are you forcing her to accept and forgive Vivian Lynch? Is it because you’re the last of the Lockwood Family, because you’re her biological grandson?"

"You know full well that Vivian Lynch was the one who angered her into getting sick, yet you still want Grandma to forgive her? Do you even realize how unfilial you are?"

"Are you protecting the woman you love, or are you protecting the version of yourself who made all those vows back then? You know it in your heart. Regardless of whether Vivian Lynch is good or bad, you have to protect her. Not because you truly love her, but because you have to protect your own ego. Everyone else can deny her, but you can’t. If even you deny her, it means we’ve all proven you wrong."

"You love her, but you love your pride even more! Chase Lockwood, you’re pathetic."

Mia Kane ruthlessly tore away his facade, making Chase Lockwood’s face shift between pale and livid—a terrible sight.

"Mia Kane, have I been too easy on you? Is that why you think you can talk to me this way? You and Adrian Preston are divorced. Are you really not afraid of getting on my bad side?"

"We are indeed divorced, but the Preston Group will always be her shield! No one can hurt her, myself included."

Just then, a deep and powerful voice came from outside the room.

Mia Kane wasn’t surprised at all to see him.

Whenever anyone bullied her, big or small, Adrian Preston always managed to show up right on time.

Mia Kane looked over and saw that Adrian Preston was also looking at her.

The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away.

"Chase, from now on, whatever you want to do, you don’t need to come and tell me, this old woman. I can’t make your decisions anymore. Actually, being a muddled old fool is pretty good. To live a whole life in a daze, never seeing the truth, is also pretty good."

"Vivian’s feelings for me are genuine. Heaven and earth can bear witness to our love. Vivian is not as despicable as you all claim. You should all reflect on yourselves. Every time you speak ill of her in front of me, aren’t you hiding your own selfish motives?"

"In the future, I won’t bring Vivian here again."

Chase Lockwood remained steadfast in his choice of Vivian Lynch.

His parents were both gone. His paternal uncles and cousins, eager to fight for the inheritance, had already cut off all contact.

Only his grandmother and his maternal uncle’s family were still in touch.

When his parents first passed away, it was his grandmother who helped him walk out of that dark shadow.

He cared deeply for his grandmother, but now, for Vivian Lynch, he was abandoning his own blood relatives. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Watching his resolute back, Mia Kane only felt that he was a pitiful sight.

’It’s not that he doesn’t suspect Vivian Lynch, but he can’t admit defeat.’

’Was it really worth it, to be abandoned by everyone just to protect his own ridiculous pride?’

As Chase Lockwood turned and left, would he regret abandoning his family for someone like Vivian Lynch?

She worried his grandmother would be furious, but to her surprise, Grandma was perfectly calm.

"Grandma, are you okay?"

she asked in a small voice.

Grandma smiled. "I’m old. What storms haven’t I seen? This is nothing."

Mia Kane could tell her smile was a bit forced.

’To be backstabbed in her old age by the grandson she doted on... that feeling must be hard to bear.’

Mia Kane’s heart ached for her. Her own family wasn’t around, and only her grandmother had truly doted on her, but she had unfortunately passed away very early.

Her parents loved her, of course, but ever since her younger brother was born, she was no longer important at home.

She knew she couldn’t ask everyone to love her; the only thing she could do was love herself.

But then she met Grandma, and Grandpa...

She had no blood relation to these elders, yet they were willing to love her unconditionally!

"You keep Grandma company. I’ll wait for you outside. Call me if you need anything."

Adrian Preston glanced worriedly at the old woman and patted Mia Kane’s shoulder.

At a time like this, it was best to let the two of them be alone.

The door closed. Mia Kane was still trying to find the right words to comfort Grandma, but she found that Grandma had already regained her composure and was instead questioning her about Adrian Preston.

"Didn’t you and Adrian Preston get a divorce? Why are you still entangled? You’ve never been one to tolerate deceit, so what’s going on this time?"

"Grandma, we were talking about you. Why are you dragging me into this?"

"What’s there to talk about with me? I’m fine. Should I let a young man get me worked up? Every day I’m alive now is a day to enjoy. My son and daughter-in-law are filial, I don’t know how many people envy me. I can’t let myself get sick over this!"

"Did you and Adrian Preston really get a divorce?"

"Of course."

"Don’t be so sure. Rich people can pull all sorts of tricks. Maybe the divorce certificate is fake."

"Impossible. Adrian Preston wouldn’t do something like that. He’s a public official."

"He’s the CEO of the Preston Group now. He’s not bound by that status anymore. You’d better be careful and check if your divorce certificate is actually real."

Mia Kane’s heart sank. ’Could it really be fake?’

She kept denying it, but her mind was in turmoil.

"Alright, don’t worry about me. I’m fine. You all can leave after you have lunch. It’s too noisy and uncomfortable with so many people around. Tell Old Man Preston that I’ll go see him when I’m better. It’s only polite to return the visit."

Grandma wanted to rest alone, so she sent Mia Kane away.

When Mia Kane went out, lunch was just about ready.

"Mia, come sit down and try your aunt’s cooking. See if my skills have gotten rusty."

Before her younger uncle went abroad, she used to come here for meals often.

Her aunt was an excellent cook, and she loved her food.

"Try the cashew shrimp."

Her aunt placed some food on her plate. When Mia Kane saw the cashews, she felt a bit resistant.

She was mildly allergic to nuts. It wasn’t serious—at most, she’d get a red rash that would itch for a while, nothing as severe as respiratory failure.

But the itching was very uncomfortable, so even if she loved nuts, she always stayed away from them.

She was about to accept the plate, as it was a kind gesture from her aunt.

But unexpectedly, Adrian Preston suddenly intercepted it.

"She’s allergic to cashews. I’ll have them."

"Oh? Mia, you’re allergic to cashews? Why didn’t you tell me? Look how thoughtless I am, I didn’t even know."

It wasn’t a big deal, so there was no need to announce it to everyone. She would just be careful to avoid them when eating.

But how did Adrian Preston know? She had never told him.

She looked at him with suspicion.