Replaced by a Lookalike, I Took Everything Back

I stand by my husband Adrian Quinton's side as he works his way up from being a struggling actor to an award-winning superstar. Then, I discover that he's cheating on me with a rising actress, Ella Sutton, who looks almost exactly like me. When I ask for a divorce, he breaks down in tears and begs me not to leave. In the end, I soften and give him three chances. The first time, he posts a public statement that night, putting an end to all the rumors linking him to Ella. He cancels all his work and stays by my side for seven straight days and nights. The second time, on my birthday, he publicly declares that Ella is his soulmate and even releases intimate photos of them. Holding me in his arms, he defends himself with righteous conviction. "Ella is struggling with depression. I did it to comfort her, but you're the only woman in my heart. This is the last time. Trust me!" Yet, the next moment, he abandons me in the middle of the wilderness over a tiny cut on Ella's hand. The third and final time, my father is critically ill and urgently needs a huge sum of money for surgery. However, Adrian refuses to give me a single cent. "I invested all my money in Ella's new movie. Your father won't die from that little illness. He can wait." That night, my father misses his critical window for emergency treatment and dies on the operating table. My heart gets shattered once and for all. When Adrian finally comes home late that night, I ask him for a divorce again. Chapter 1 Willow's POV My husband, Adrian Quinton, pushed the divorce papers away and wearily rubbed his temples. "I told you, I won't divorce. What are you throwing a fit about this time?" I looked at him, feeling as though the face I'd known so well had somehow become a stranger. "I'm tired, Adrian." "I said we're not getting divorced, so we're not getting divorced! Stop being so unreasonable, Willow! There's nothing going on between Ella and me!" His voice rose, a hint of panic creeping into it. Behind him, Ella Sutton clutched her chest and began dry-heaving. Adrian immediately rushed to steady her, his voice full of concern. "Ella, is the baby making you sick again?" Ella didn't deny it. She simply glanced at me weakly, a flicker of smug satisfaction in her eyes. Only then did Adrian realize he'd slipped up and turned to look at me. My heart sank. She was carrying his child, but he still said there was nothing going on between them? My silence seemed to enrage him, and he finally dropped all pretenses. "Fine! Yes, Ella is pregnant, but it was an accident! We were both drunk that night… Willow, listen to me. Once the baby is born, we'll raise it as our own. Ella's agreed to it too. Don't overthink it." At his words, a flash of resentment and jealousy flickered in Ella's eyes. I curled my lips into a smile that looked more like a grimace. "No. I don't want a child my husband had with another woman." That was the final straw for Adrian. "You can't even have children anymore! Just because you can't conceive, does that mean I have to give up my right to be a father? Willow Jones, how could you be so selfish?" His words pierced my heart like a knife, striking exactly where it hurt. Five years ago, a group of haters had surrounded Adrian. I'd thrown myself in front of him, taking all 18 stab wounds meant for him. The blades had cut deep, leaving me unable to ever conceive. After I was discharged, I asked him for a divorce for the first time. He'd cried inconsolably, holding my hand and swearing that he'd rather go his entire life without children than ever lose me. So much for vows. He'd forgotten his promise like it was nothing. The moment Adrian saw the hurt in my eyes, his anger abruptly faded. Realizing he'd gone too far, he tried to make amends and softened his voice. "Come on, Willow. Be good. I'm never going to leave you. I swear." When I still refused to respond, what was left of his patience finally ran out. "Think about it carefully. Ella will be staying here for a while so I can take care of her. Make sure you prepare an extra serving at dinner." Ella chimed in with a sweet smile, "Sorry to trouble you, Willow. My morning sickness has been pretty bad lately, so Adrian is worried about me…" Adrian's expression hardened as he resumed the cold, aloof air of an award-winning superstar. Chapter 2 Willow's POV "Ella doesn't like spicy food, and she's on a diet now. Keep that in mind when you cook. Also, she loves grilled fish. Go to the supermarket and buy a fresh one for her." Ella flashed a sweet yet smug smile. "Thanks so much, Willow. Oh, Adrian, I also want some shrimp." Adrian scolded her affectionately. "You're so picky." Then, he turned to me and snapped, "What are you standing there for? Go buy the ingredients! Aren't you desperate for money for Matthew's surgery? As long as you're obedient and do as you're told, I'll transfer the money to you later." He was certain that I'd swallow every humiliation for my father Matthew Jones' sake. With his arm wrapped around Ella's waist, he turned and led her into the master bedroom. A moment later, the sound of their flirtatious laughter drifted out from behind the door. I stared at the door, suddenly struck by how absurd this whole situation was. I thought to myself, "I don't need your money anymore, Adrian. I will never need it again." I picked up the divorce papers he'd pushed back at me, my fingers subconsciously tracing the cold, printed words. The sound of Adrian and Ella's conversation came from inside the bedroom, punctuated by occasional laughter. "Adrian, what if it turns out to be a boy? I want a daughter." "Then we'll keep trying. I'll make sure you get whatever you want." A bitter smile tugged at my lips. So that was what he meant by an "accident". My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a reply from Ivan Craig, the project director. "I'm glad you're willing to join this confidential project, but the commitment is a minimum of five years. Will your husband agree to it?" "It's fine. I'm planning to get divorced." Ivan replied almost immediately, his message carrying a note of cautious sympathy. He said he'd seen rumors about Adrian's affair in the news almost every day lately and had long felt that the two of us weren't right for each other. I stared at the words of concern on my screen, my nose suddenly stinging. In the past, I would've been the first to jump to Adrian's defense. But now, everything had changed. Back then, whenever even the slightest rumor about him surfaced, no matter how baseless it was, he'd immediately issue a public denial. He was terrified that I'd misunderstand. Now, nearly nude photos of him and Ella were plastered all over the internet. In the pictures, the wedding ring he never took off was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it had all started the first time he mentioned Ella to me, his voice filled with admiration and a trace of nostalgia. "Have you heard of Ella Sutton? She's the one who just debuted through that talent competition. She looks so much like you when you were younger." From that day on, it seemed like he'd found the perfect replacement for me and directed all the attention and affection he'd once reserved for me to her. I turned off my phone screen and slipped it back into my pocket. Then, I turned and walked into the kitchen, but only because it was my birthday. I thought I'd prepare one last farewell dinner, if only for myself. The aroma of food gradually filled the cold house. I walked to the master bedroom and knocked. "Dinner's ready." There was no answer. Only a series of muffled gasps and moans came from inside. Frowning, I pushed the door open. A torn black lace lingerie set was strewn across the floor. I let out a disbelieving laugh. I'd bought it, hoping to bring a little excitement into our marriage, but no matter how much I begged, Adrian refused to let me wear it. He said that it was disgusting. Yet now, even with Ella pregnant, he was more than happy to indulge in all sorts of intimate acts with her. How ironic. Suddenly, a dress reeking of bodily fluids and rose perfume came flying at me, landing squarely on my head. "Good timing. Ella's dress got dirty. The fabric is delicate and expensive, so it has to be hand-washed. Make sure you wash it properly and hang it up to dry." I pulled the dress off my head. The foul, musty stench of bodily fluids hit my nose, making my stomach churn. I couldn't take it anymore and flung the filthy dress onto the floor. Chapter 3 Willow's POV "What are you doing?" Adrian snapped. "Adrian Quinton, don't go too far! I'm your wife!" Adrian stood up, his clothes disheveled and a lingering flush still coloring his face. "What are you yelling for? You're already old. Am I not allowed to enjoy myself a little? Don't you want money? Are you giving up on Matthew's treatment?" Ella stood behind him, wrapped in nothing but a bath towel. She looked at me with undisguised provocation. "Willow, I'm just fulfilling your duties as his wife for you. Don't worry, I won't try to steal your place." She walked over and leaned close, whispering, "You're a useless old hag who can't even satisfy a man. You deserve to lose your father!" I could still tolerate some things, but that completely crossed the line. I raised my hand and slapped her across the face as hard as I could. I hadn't had anything to eat or drink for two whole days. Sheer anger was the only thing keeping me standing, and that single blow nearly drained what little strength I had left. Ella clearly hadn't expected me to lash out all of a sudden. She was caught completely off guard and stumbled several steps back. However, she was young and energetic. She quickly recovered and started retaliating. I managed to dodge a few of her punches, but one landed squarely in my abdomen. A wave of pain crashed through me. It felt like my insides were being torn apart. The taste of blood rose in the back of my throat. She didn't give me a chance to catch my breath. Charging forward, she raised her foot and kicked me hard in the lower abdomen—once, then again. A mouthful of blood spurted from my lips, splattering across the floor. "That's enough! Stop!" Adrian finally rushed over and held Ella back from continuing to attack me. His gaze fell on the pool of blood in front of him. His pupils trembled, and a fleeting look of panic crossed his face. Instinctively, he took a step forward as if to check on my injuries, but Ella's expression suddenly shifted, and she let out a pitiful whimper. "Adrian, my hand hurts so much. Why did Willow slap me? She even tried to hit my stomach just now. Does she not want me to have this baby?" Adrian stopped dead in his tracks. All his attention immediately shifted to Ella's hand, which was just slightly redder than usual. "How could you be so careless? Look how red it's gotten. Does it hurt?" He even lowered his head to blow gently on the reddened spot. Meanwhile, his wife lay at his feet, coughing up blood. Yet, it seemed as if I was nothing more than an inconvenient piece of trash. When he finally turned to me, his expression was cold, impatient, and utterly indifferent. "You shouldn't have slapped Ella. That's enough. Pick yourself up. I'm going to get Ella's hand checked out." With that, he helped Ella out of the room without sparing me another glance. I coughed out another mouthful of blood, yet I only found the whole thing utterly ridiculous. I asked myself, "Willow Jones, what exactly were you hoping for?" He truly didn't care about me anymore. I meant even less to him than a little redness on her hand. … I had no idea how long I lay there on the cold floor. The agony in my abdomen and the crushing pressure in my chest were so unbearable that I thought I might actually die right there. I struggled onto my elbows and managed to drag myself out of the room. The dining room was brightly lit. Adrian sat at the table, his head bowed as he carefully peeled shrimp for Ella. Ella opened her mouth and smugly accepted each bite he fed her, basking in the special treatment. When her eyes swept over me, they were filled with blatant triumph and contempt. I remembered how Adrian once declared with disgust that he'd never peel shrimp for anyone in his entire life. As it turned out, it wasn't that he wouldn't. I just wasn't the person he'd do it for. When he saw me stagger toward them, he merely glanced up coldly. "You're here? Then sit down and eat. Ella is our guest, so you'd better treat her with some respect. If you can't even manage that, then get out of this house." Ella chewed her shrimp and suddenly wrinkled her nose. Chapter 4 Willow's POV "Adrian, this doesn't taste very good. It's too salty," Ella complained. Adrian immediately grew concerned. He put down his fork and stood up to comfort her. "Really? Then don't eat it. I'll take you somewhere nice instead. You can have whatever you want." I braced myself against the wall. Every movement sent a tearing pain through my abdomen. "Adrian Quinton, do you even remember what day it is today?" His brows knitted together in irritation. He looked at me as if I were some lunatic throwing a tantrum for no reason. "What? Is it our anniversary or something? Come on, Willow. We've been together for years. Don't you feel embarrassed still making a big deal out of things like that? "Just stay home and wait for me. I'll buy you a present once I'm done having dinner with Ella." With that, he turned and headed upstairs to the bedroom. He didn't see my eyes redden with tears, nor did he see the last flicker of hope in them die out. Ella and I were the only ones left in the living room. She walked up to me, her expression filled with unconcealed triumph. "What are you still hoping for? You're old and useless. Do you really think Adrian still loves you? I'm the woman he loves most now." She pulled a glossy wedding photo from her purse and held it up for me to see. "All I had to do was pout and shed a few tears, and he happily married me. If you know what's good for you, pack your things and get out. Stop being an eyesore here." My eyes locked onto the photograph. In it, Ella was beaming as she nestled against Adrian. They looked perfect together. It felt like something had gone off in my head. Of course… How could I have forgotten? Adrian and I never actually registered our marriage. We didn't even have a proper wedding. Back when we first started dating, he was still an unknown actor playing small roles. He'd taken my hand, his eyes shining as he promised, "Willow, once I make it big, we'll get married. I want the whole world to know that you're my woman!" Later, he really did make it big. He became one of the hottest rising stars in the industry. When I brought up marriage, he simply wrapped his arms around me and apologized. "My career is finally taking off, and the paparazzi are watching my every move. Let's wait a little longer. I promise I'll give you a wedding that takes the whole world by storm." Later, he became an award-winning superstar and a household name. He never brought up marriage again. And I never asked again either. As it turned out, it wasn't that he'd forgotten. He'd simply given that promise—and that place in his life that should've been mine—to someone else. A chill crept into my heart. Even the pain wracking my body seemed to fade away as I grew numb. Ella smirked as she looked at my ashen face, then slipped the photo away in satisfaction. Just then, Adrian came downstairs in a fresh change of clothes. He walked straight over to Ella and took her hand naturally, preparing to leave with her. When he passed me, he didn't even spare me a sideways glance. The two of them walked out together, wrapped up in each other, as if I didn't exist. For a long time, I didn't move. Eventually, I turned and walked into the guest room, where my suitcase had been packed in advance. I took out my phone and booked a flight abroad, set to depart in two hours. It was a one-way ticket with no return trip. Without looking back, I walked out of the place that had once held so much of my love. … Third-Person POV Meanwhile, a sense of unease crept over Adrian. He and Willow had been together for so many years. Even he had to admit he'd probably gone too far that day. He pulled out his phone, intending to ask his assistant to transfer money to the hospital so Matthew could receive treatment. He thought that was bound to make her happy. But on the other end of the phone, his assistant hesitated before responding, "Mr. Quinton, Mr. Jones passed away three days ago."