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

Mia Kane was on the verge of tears.

Adrian Preston left, and when he returned that evening, Grandpa had already prepared dinner.

Adrian Preston glanced at the dishes, then shot Mia Kane a hostile look.

Mia Kane buried her head in her bowl, not daring to meet his gaze.

Broccoli, chives, spinach, lamb, donkey meat...

They all had virility-boosting properties.

"Eat up."

Grandpa relentlessly piled food into Adrian Preston’s bowl, not being subtle in the slightest. Wasn’t this just broadcasting to all the staff in the villa that Adrian Preston couldn’t perform?

’I want to die,’ Mia Kane thought.

"Alright, I’ll eat."

"Um, Grandpa, I’m finished. I’ll head upstairs now."

"You go on."

"Oh, right. Is it a yin deficiency or a yang deficiency? How about some of those six-ingredient herbal pills..."

Hearing this, Mia Kane nearly tripped and fell on the stairs.

When Adrian Preston finished eating and came upstairs, his face was as black as thunder.

Mia Kane desperately wanted to feign sleep and be done with it, but she was the one who had to change Adrian Preston’s dressing.

A man of Adrian Preston’s status couldn’t be admitted to a hospital; it risked attracting unwanted attention and schemes from his enemies.

Therefore, she was responsible for his injury.

"Go wash up. I need to apply your medicine. Remember, don’t get the wound wet, or it’ll get infected and fester."

Adrian Preston went to wash up without a word. He soon emerged in a bathrobe, looking refreshed and smelling pleasantly of shower gel.

He untied his robe, and as Mia Kane moved closer to apply the medicine, she could see his full muscles and sturdy build.

Inappropriate images surfaced in her mind.

’He doesn’t need any "boosting" at all. Any more would be overkill.’

"This might sting a little. Just bear with it."

Mia Kane stopped her wandering thoughts. Even if she was as gentle as possible, this was still antiseptic on a gunshot wound. It was bound to hurt.

Adrian Preston clenched his fists, the veins on his arm standing out like the gnarled, tangled roots of a tree.

"It hurts a lot, doesn’t it..."

"Mmph..."

She looked up to ask, but unexpectedly, Adrian Preston grabbed her chin and kissed her deeply.

He had just brushed his teeth, and his mouth tasted of fresh mint.

When the kiss ended, she stumbled backward.

"What... what are you doing?"

"Collecting a little interest."

Mia Kane felt a little guilty herself. She had to find a way to get Grandpa to leave. If he kept "boosting" Adrian like this, the man would probably end up with a nosebleed.

The night grew dark. The two lay in bed together. This time, Adrian Preston didn’t have a fever, but his whole body was tense.

She felt a bit bolder and dared to roll around, but they still kept a distance between them.

Mia Kane noticed he was completely still. ’Is that a habit from his time in the military?’

She couldn’t be bothered to ask and fell asleep with a yawn.

Mia Kane moved closer to him several times, and Adrian Preston, frowning, would push her away.

But soon, she would snuggle back up against him.

Adrian Preston couldn’t take it anymore. He had no choice but to get up, leaving the bed to her.

His night vision was excellent. He sat at the vanity, gazing at her silhouette.

The air was filled with her scent.

Like the elegant, rich fragrance of jasmine.

It was pervasive.

Adrian Preston rubbed his temples. ’It’s better not to get too close.’

Mia Kane woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and found the space beside her empty.

She turned on the nightlight and found Adrian Preston asleep, slumped in a chair.

Seeing him like that, Mia Kane felt a pang of heartache.

’He’ll have to marry someone else eventually, right? Is he not going to sleep with his wife then, either?’

’Is he really just not used to it, or is it...’

Even though Adrian Preston had said he wasn’t disgusted by her, she couldn’t help but wonder.

She draped a blanket over him and went back to bed, but found it hard to fall asleep.

The next day, she went to find Grandpa, having already prepared an excuse: with him around, it was inconvenient for the young couple to do many things.

This way, Grandpa would surely leave.

"Grandpa..."

She called out, but Grandpa spoke first. "You’re just in time. I’m heading to a retirement home."

"Huh?"

Mia Kane was completely surprised.

"I’m sure I’m disturbing you two. Young people like to be all lovey-dovey, and having to be discreet around an old man like me must be inconvenient. So, I’ve decided to go."

"Did Adrian Preston come see you?"

"He did. I originally thought that since you hadn’t known each other long, your feelings wouldn’t be very deep. But from the looks of it now, that boy is quite impatient. Seeing that you two are getting along so well, I can rest easy."

Grandpa looked completely relieved and gratified.

Mia Kane suppressed the sour feeling in her heart. She hadn’t expected Adrian Preston to have already spoken to him.

’Well, this saves me the trouble.’

After Grandpa left, Adrian Preston immediately ordered people to move his things back to the guest bedroom.

As the maids were moving the items, they gave her strange looks.

’A newlywed couple sleeping in separate rooms? Their relationship must be terrible.’

"Mrs. Preston is so beautiful. Why would Mr. Preston want to sleep in a separate bed?"

"Who knows? He probably looks down on her. If I had a sexless marriage right after my wedding, I’d definitely file for divorce."

"She’d never divorce him. After all, she’s Mrs. Preston of the Preston Group. Would she be willing to give that up?"

"True. Otherwise, why would she endure such humiliation and swallow her anger here? She must be after Mr. Preston’s money."

She stood in the bathroom, her hand gripping the doorknob tightly.

They knew she was in the bathroom, yet they still dared to gossip so loudly.

Whatever Adrian Preston’s intentions were, she was currently the nominal Mrs. Preston. She was their mistress, and they had no right to pass judgment on her.

Mia Kane opened the door and stepped out. The maids immediately lowered their heads and silently continued packing.

"You few, you’re fired." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Why?"

The maids froze, then looked at her, flustered and defensive.

"Gossiping about your masters’ affairs. I can’t afford to employ maids like you."

They had thought Mia Kane looked weak and easy to bully, which was why they had been so brazen.

But as it turned out, Mia Kane was more daring than any of them.

After all, she had experienced things a thousand, no, ten thousand times more sordid than this.

They didn’t even come close.

"We were hired by the Preston Family! Even if we’re to be fired, it should be Mr. Preston’s decision! What right do you have? If the old master didn’t like you, Mr. Preston never would have married you. He won’t even touch you! If I were you, I would’ve hanged myself by now. What’s the point of even living?"

Hearing this, Mia Kane immediately called Adrian Preston.

Adrian Preston answered quickly. It was noisy on his end; it sounded like he was in a meeting.

"Did I interrupt you?"

"Not really."

Adrian Preston raised his hand, signaling for everyone below him to stop.

The other end of the line fell silent instantly.

"Can I fire the maids at the villa?"

"Of course. The husband handles business outside, the wife handles matters inside. You’re in charge of everything at home."

Mia Kane had the call on speaker. Hearing this, the maids’ faces turned deathly pale.

"Alright, then I’ll fire a few of them."

"Did they do something to upset you?"

Mia Kane bit her lip. In the end, she felt their words were too disgraceful to repeat.

"I just don’t like the look of them."

"Fine. Fire them. We can pick some you find more agreeable later."

Adrian Preston had to get back to work, so he hung up.

"You may continue."

Adrian Preston said faintly. The people below him exchanged glances before continuing their reports with trepidation.

Mia Kane dismissed the maids on the spot.

"From now on, if anyone dares to gossip in front of me, you’ll end up just like them. Do your own jobs, and don’t speak ill of others. Even if you don’t approve of me, I’m the one in this position, not you."

"Understood, Madam."

Regardless of whether they were truly submissive in their hearts, they were all obedient on the surface. Only then was Mia Kane slightly satisfied.

「Preston Group – President’s Office」

After the meeting, Adrian Preston felt something was off and had Theo Thorne look into it. He quickly learned the whole story.

"Adrian, you’re sleeping in separate rooms from your wife? Why? Aren’t you newlyweds?"

Theo Thorne was completely baffled.

Adrian Preston rubbed the space between his brows. He hadn’t expected Theo Thorne to get in on the gossip.

"I’m not used to it..."

"Adrian, who are you kidding with that excuse? You and I have slept in the same room before."

"Don’t say that in front of Mia Kane."

Adrian Preston’s expression suddenly turned serious.