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

When Mia Kane heard her grandmother’s words, she didn’t hesitate for a second, swinging her hand and slapping Vivian Lynch across the face.

Vivian, of course, wasn’t going to take it lying down and tried to fight back, but Grandma was prepared and had people hold her down tight.

"Some people just won’t get it until you beat it into them!"

Grandma declared bluntly. As expected of someone whose ancestors ran a martial arts school, she was all thunder and lightning, decisive and bold.

Mia Kane slapped Vivian again.

"Do you have any idea why I lost my innocence? Was a birthday party so important that my life didn’t matter? You must have been thrilled back then, weren’t you?"

"For the past three years, I owed you nothing. You were the one who knowingly became the other woman, seducing my boyfriend! Someone like you will reap what you sow sooner or later. And if karma doesn’t come for you, then—I will be your karma!"

Mia Kane delivered several more slaps, hitting her until her own hand was red and numb with pain.

Blood trickled from the corner of Vivian’s mouth, her hair was a mess, and she no longer had the strength to even cry out.

Meanwhile, Adrian Preston had Chase Lockwood pinned down, leaving him completely powerless to fight back.

"You had her. Why couldn’t you just cherish her?"

"Do you have any idea how much someone else has been longing for her?"

"Chase Lockwood... you really deserve to die!"

By the end, Adrian’s eyes were bloodshot, and he seemed to have gone berserk.

Mia Kane was startled. ’What if he seriously hurts him?’

She rushed over and grabbed the fist he had raised high, a fist brimming with power.

"Adrian, calm down!"

Her voice brought Adrian back to his senses.

"Mia."

His voice was hoarse, and the crimson in his eyes slowly faded.

He glanced at the battered Chase Lockwood, gritted his teeth, and lowered his hand, releasing his collar.

COUGH, COUGH...

Chase Lockwood coughed relentlessly, spitting out a mouthful of bloody phlegm.

"Fine. Just fine. Adrian, I guess we’re no longer friends."

"You think I care?"

"Good. Then just you wait!"

Chase Lockwood said, his eyes dark and menacing.

Grandma looked at Chase Lockwood, her eyes filled with undeniable heartache, but she didn’t step forward to comfort him.

She said, "Chase, are you really set on marrying Vivian Lynch?"

"Yes—"

"Even if it means going against your parents’ wishes, you’ll still marry her?"

"They’re the ones going against my wishes! They know how much I love Vivian, but they just won’t agree. I don’t understand why!"

"Because she is a woman of poor character and not a suitable wife! Your parents would never do anything to harm you!"

Grandma’s voice cracked with emotion.

"They’re wrong about her! Vivian... Vivian is the best!"

"Fine, fine... You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you. In that case, I won’t say any more. I’ll let you have your way. Vivian Lynch, you love Chase Lockwood, and it’s not because of his status, money, or power, right?"

"That’s right! I only love Chase for who he is. Even if he were a penniless nobody, I would still be willing to live a hard life with him!"

"Alright, then. Sign this prenuptial agreement. Prove that you love him for the person he is, regardless of his status, money, or power."

Grandma, with her foresight, had not only prepared the prenuptial agreement but had also brought a lawyer.

She had even orchestrated this whole beatdown intentionally, just to build the atmosphere to this point and highlight the couple’s supposed undying love.

Now, in front of Chase Lockwood and Mia Kane, Vivian Lynch would have no choice but to sign obediently.

Since she couldn’t persuade him, she had to at least protect the Lockwood Family’s future. It couldn’t be ruined by a devious woman.

"Grandma, what are you doing!"

Chase Lockwood grew anxious.

"This is just too humiliating."

"You, shut your mouth! Signing an agreement is humiliating? Then what about what you did to Mia? Don’t you deserve to die a thousand deaths for that? A woman is meant to be cherished, but you used her as a substitute. She went to save you with the ransom money, and you? What did you do?"

"Grandma, if it had been me that day, I would have been willing to trade my life for Chase’s,"

Vivian Lynch said pitifully.

"I know how determined you are in your love for him. So just sign it."

Vivian’s innocent act was completely ineffective on Grandma.

Experience always trumps everything else, and Grandma had forgotten more than Vivian had ever known.

"If you don’t sign, it just proves you’re in love with the Lockwood family’s fortune, not Chase Lockwood himself!"

Vivian Lynch looked at Chase Lockwood, who frowned but said nothing.

’If I don’t sign this, Chase will definitely doubt me in the future.’

’But if I do sign, what if Chase and I break up? I won’t get a thing.’

"Vivian, if this is what it takes for Grandma to relent, then sign it. I will only love you for the rest of my life, and I’ll be good to you. Time will prove everything. I won’t let you down."

"Naturally. You’ll be a daughter-in-law of the Lockwood Family, and I certainly won’t treat you poorly. You will have 500,000 a month in pocket money, which will be deducted from a trust fund. It can’t be withdrawn, only spent. Any unspent amount at the end of the month cannot be rolled over."

"If you need anything in the future, just have Chase Lockwood buy it for you. You won’t be lacking for food or clothing. You’ll be given the dignity you deserve."

"Only 500,000?"

"It’s just pocket money. If you want any clothes or bags, have Chase Lockwood buy them for you. Are you saying 500,000 is too little? So, in the end, it really is about the money?"

"No! I love Chase! Grandma... please stop testing me. I see you as an elder, but you keep putting me down. Even if you don’t care about my feelings, you should at least consider Chase’s dignity..."

"Enough—"

The old woman roared in fury. "I despise women who put on an act like you! Men might fall for it, but women don’t! So cut the crap."

"Grandma, I didn’t mean anything by it, sob, sob..."

"Sign it. Now."

Grandma had lost her patience.

Vivian Lynch resentfully signed her name.

"This contract is in triplicate. You keep one copy, I’ll take one, and the other goes to the notary. Mia, you hold on to this."

"I’m the notary?"

Mia Kane was a little surprised. ’I have such an important role?’

"I won’t be in Argent. So, you’ll help me keep an eye on her. If she uses the Lockwood Family to amass her own wealth, you tell me, and I’ll come deal with it."

"Okay, Grandma. I’ll help you keep an eye on her."

Mia Kane looked at Vivian Lynch, who looked ready to eat her alive but could do nothing about it.

Vivian Lynch had schemed endlessly to drive her away and take her place.

She thought marrying Chase Lockwood would be the start of a respectable, wealthy life, but she didn’t realize her suffering had just begun.

As long as Chase Lockwood firmly believed their love was pure and untainted, Vivian couldn’t show any signs of being materialistic or power-hungry, or she would be exposed as a liar.

’Life from now on is certainly going to be interesting.’

"Grandma, you trust two outsiders more than us?"

Chase Lockwood’s eyes were filled with hurt.

The old woman just rolled her eyes at him.

"I’m leaving tomorrow. Come see me off."

"Grandma, won’t you stay a little longer?"

"No. If I stay any longer, I’ll die of anger. Why are you two still here? Are you waiting for me to invite you to stay for dinner?"

Seeing the two of them still standing there, the old woman unceremoniously shooed them away. With complicated feelings, they scurried off.

"Mia, go wash some fruit for me."

Mia Kane understood. ’She’s sending me away so she can talk to Adrian alone.’

She obediently left.

Once she was gone, the old woman slowly began to speak. "Do you have feelings for Mia?"