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

This time, his uncle and aunt were at a loss for words.

They had thought it would take a lot of convincing, but to their surprise, Chase Lockwood had come to his senses and decided to divorce.

His grandma took the divorce papers and glanced over them. She found that Chase Lockwood had allocated a considerable amount of assets to Vivian Lynch, enough to ensure she would live comfortably even after the divorce.

They had signed a prenuptial agreement; he could have divorced Vivian Lynch without giving her a single penny.

But considering the Lockwood Family’s reputation, and wanting to ease Chase Lockwood’s conscience, she didn’t interfere.

"Since you’ve already decided on a divorce, don’t let a few words from her make you go soft again."

"Don’t worry, I won’t. This time, it’s really over between us."

"Alright. You handle it, then. There’s not much more for us to say."

Grandma knew he was in a dark mood. Divorcing Vivian Lynch was tantamount to Chase Lockwood admitting he had misjudged and loved the wrong person—that he had mistaken trash for treasure.

It was like he was admitting to Mia Kane that he had made a terrible trade, choosing the lesser prize.

This was a huge blow to Chase Lockwood. She shot a look at her son and daughter-in-law, and the three of them left Lockwood Manor.

Chase Lockwood clutched the divorce papers, steeling himself for a long time before he finally summoned the courage to go see Vivian Lynch.

They had been living apart ever since the disastrous family dinner. Vivian Lynch had been set up in a large, single-floor apartment with two maids.

Meanwhile, Vivian Lynch was at home, anxious and muttering to herself.

"Where’s the blood pack? Where did the blood pack go...?"

’I refuse to believe that Mia Kane actually harmed herself. It was her heart—an injury there, off by a hair, could be fatal. It’s far more dangerous than slitting my wrists.’

’Could it be she was really stabbed by someone?’

’But I didn’t do it, so why should I take the fall for this? I could just call the police. I didn’t do it, so they’d definitely be able to clear my name.’

She tried to contact Chase Lockwood, but he wouldn’t answer her calls at all.

She was frantic, terrified that Chase Lockwood had grown tired of her—especially after the last thing he said.

We’re done...

Vivian Lynch hesitated for a long time before finally summoning the courage to prick her palm and draw blood.

She took out a white silk scarf and began to write on it in blood.

’Crying and begging won’t work anymore. I have to do something drastic.’

She wrote with anguish, explaining that she had never tried to kill Mia Kane. She didn’t accuse Mia of framing her, but rather called it an accident, afraid of earning Chase Lockwood’s revulsion.

Mia Kane had truly been stabbed by accident, but because Vivian had been the one to leak it to the media, the blame was naturally pinned on her.

’Right now, I absolutely can’t say anything bad about Mia Kane.’

She had to take the initiative to admit fault, with the utmost sincerity. She also had to bring up their past love, reminding him of it again and again.

"Chase... by the time you read this letter, I’ll be gone. I know... I’ve caused you so much trouble. Gossip is a terrifying thing, and your love for me is no longer steadfast. I once said that if even you stopped loving me, death would be my only way out."

"I was jealous of Mia Kane, but I never once thought of murdering her after all this time. Why would I choose this exact moment to kill her? Mia Kane is a victim, but so am I. I admit I was the one who told the media. I did it because I thought she was ridiculous. If she was going to be a mistress anyway, why did she refuse to be yours back then? She looked down on you, humiliated you. I did it for myself, but more than that, I did it to avenge you."

"It’s useless to say anything now. In the end, Mia Kane is an outsider, yet she’s torn us apart. It’s okay... perhaps this is my karma. I stole you away back then, and now what goes around comes around. Let me bear it all alone."

"After I’m gone, you have to live well, Chase... Your life has been so hard. I will watch over you from heaven. This is the protection talisman I got for you years ago. I’ve worn it ever since. Now, I’m returning it to its rightful owner."

"Chase, I love you. Your wife, Vivian Lynch."

After finishing the long letter written in blood, she began to swallow sleeping pills to commit suicide.

If you overdose on this particular medication, the body’s self-preservation response is to induce vomiting.

’By the time the maids find me and take me to the hospital, I probably won’t be dead.’

Mia Kane had put her life on the line; Vivian could only gamble with her own.

Vivian Lynch steeled herself and swallowed more than half the bottle. The remaining pills she scattered on the floor, as if afraid no one would notice she had taken them.

She was terrified. She was afraid she might actually kill herself playing this game.

But right now, she had no other choice.

After a while, her body began to react as expected.

Her stomach cramped painfully. A cold sweat soaked her body, and her face turned deathly pale.

Something surged up from her stomach—white foam.

She began to dry-heave uncontrollably as her body started to convulse.

’It hurts so much...’

Dizziness washed over her, and a burning sensation seared her stomach.

She deliberately fell off the bed, hoping to attract the maids’ attention. The door opened quickly, but she never expected it to be Chase Lockwood.

Elation surged through her. ’It’s even better that he’s here,’ she thought. ’He can see me in this wretched state.’

"Vivian? You... What’s wrong?"

Chase Lockwood had come to discuss the divorce, but he never imagined he would walk in to find her having attempted suicide by taking pills.

An entire bottle of sleeping pills was nearly empty.

"Vivian, what are you doing? The hospital, I’ll take you to the hospital..."

"If... If you don’t believe me, then just let me die. I really... I really didn’t send anyone to kill Mia Kane."

Vivian Lynch fought through the pain, looking at him with a miserable and pitiful expression.

"Don’t talk right now. I’m taking you to the hospital."

"Chase... I didn’t... I really didn’t kill her."

"I know. Let’s get to the hospital first. Your life is what’s important."

Chase Lockwood scooped her up into his arms and rushed to the hospital.

Her condition was serious. She was taken directly to the intensive care unit, where they began to pump her stomach.

The maid arrived with the letter written in blood.

After Chase Lockwood read it, his feelings were a complicated mess.

He stared intently at the doors of the treatment room, his heart aching beyond measure.

He had deep feelings for Vivian Lynch. His youthful adoration had become an obsession, and the fact that he couldn’t have her had turned his longing into a sickness. Because of all this, Vivian held more weight in his heart.

So much weight that he didn’t care that she had been married before.

So much weight that he stayed with her, even knowing he was cheating on and betraying Mia Kane.

’Vivian Lynch is definitely in the wrong, but... the good times back then were real, too. How did she become like this?’

Soon, Vivian Lynch was resuscitated.

"The patient has a weak will to live. Even after regaining consciousness, she’s still trying to harm herself. As her family, you must be extremely careful. The patient cannot handle any more stress, or something truly terrible could happen."

Hearing this, Chase Lockwood’s brow furrowed tightly.

’Can’t handle any more stress...’

He hesitated for a long time before telling the maid to destroy the divorce papers left in the master bedroom. Vivian Lynch could not be allowed to see them.

’But I’ve already made up my mind. Vivian and I aren’t right for each other. We should still get a divorce.’

’I’ll just have to wait. I’ll bring it up again once Vivian’s condition has improved.’

He called his grandma.

"Vivian Lynch tried to kill herself by taking pills?"

"Yes. She said she was framed, that she never wanted to kill Mia Kane. I’m going to keep investigating the matter."

"So, you’re not getting divorced anymore?"

Chase Lockwood hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I’m still going to divorce her. Vivian claims that everything she does, she does out of love for me. If we separate, maybe she’ll go back to normal. But now that this has happened, I can’t hit her with a divorce right now. Once she’s doing a little better, I’ll have a proper talk with her."

"Fine. It’s your decision."

Grandma sounded unenthusiastic, clearly dissatisfied with his course of action.

’I’m a woman; I’m all too familiar with other women’s tricks. "Trying to die," indeed.’

’If you really want to die, just jump off a building. Why use such a time-consuming and laborious method?’

’That’s not someone who really wants to die. That’s someone putting on a show for a man!’

’The ridiculous thing was, my grandson is so brilliant—running the Lockwood Family is second nature to him—yet he’s letting Vivian Lynch wrap him around her little finger!’