I Was Her Replacement, I Left With His Cash

Chapter 2

By the time I got off work, the sky had already darkened. I stood outside the TV station and pulled out my phone to call a car.

It was rush hour. The ride-share app showed 27 people ahead of me.

I sighed and started walking toward the subway station when a red sports car pulled up and stopped right in front of me. Elijah sat in the driver's seat, his sharp profile lit by the streetlights.

"Get in."

I reached for the passenger door out of habit. The moment my fingers touched the handle, Elijah's voice cut through with irritation.

"Sit in the back. That's Serena's seat now. She doesn't like anyone else sitting there."

My hand froze. I pulled open the back door and climbed in. The sports car's rear seats were cramped. The moment I sat down, my knees almost hit the front seat.

I deliberately took off my heels in front of Elijah. The wounds on my heels scraped against the car's carpet, and I winced.

Elijah glanced at me in the rearview mirror. His gaze dropped to my feet. The raw skin had formed a thin layer of scab, and blisters had risen around the edges.

"What happened to your feet?"

I bit my lip and looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. "I walked down the mountain road today. They got blistered."

He seemed to remember that he had left me stranded at the villa that morning. A flicker of guilt crossed his face.

"Tomorrow I'll buy you a new car. You can drive yourself to work from now on."

Before he even finished the sentence, a dozen luxury car brands were already racing through my mind. Was I finally getting that Cullinan I'd always wanted? I bit my lip hard to keep from smiling.

"Thank you."

"The new place is ready," he continued. "I've had someone pack up your things and send them over. You don't need to go back to the villa tonight."

He was in a rush to move Serena in, it seemed. Good. I had no desire to stay tangled up with Elijah anyway. Living alone was better, wasn't it?

I lowered my head and turned my face toward the window, letting my expression fall. From that angle, Elijah could see my reflection in the rearview mirror—just the right amount of melancholy.

He followed my gaze. Outside the window, a massive billboard was cycling through the latest news preview. Serena's radiant face filled half the screen.

Elijah paused, then softened his tone. "Also, since Serena is back, you should give up the morning slot. She's always done that program. The other time slots don't suit her."

He said it like he was discussing it with me, but it was really just a notice. He never considered whether I would agree.

"The station director has already moved me to the graveyard shift. I understand. I won't compete with Ms. Swift."

Elijah looked surprised. He probably hadn't expected the director to relegate me to the worst slot, or for me to accept it so easily. He frowned slightly.

"The graveyard shift... if you're unhappy, I can talk to them about giving you something else."

I played the long game. "It doesn't matter what I do. I know I'm just a stand-in."

He didn't respond. He typed something on his phone. A moment later, my screen lit up with a bank notification. $5,000,000.

"The $3,000,000 is what I promised you yesterday. The other $2,000,000 is compensation for the hit to your career."

I looked at the string of zeros and smiled. "Thank you."

Elijah's gaze drifted past me, out the window on my side. I looked too. Serena was standing on the curb, waving.

"Ms. Swift is here. I shouldn't be sitting in this car. Just send me the address of the new place. I can get there myself."

I'd gotten what I came for. Sticking around any longer would only make me look desperate.

I pushed the door open, carried my heels in my hand, and stepped barefoot onto the cold pavement. I limped forward, leaving my most vulnerable silhouette behind me.

The sports car pulled up beside me. Elijah leaned out the window.

"Get back in. Your feet are hurt. I'll take you."

I gave him a sweet, obedient smile, then glanced at Serena, who was watching us with a frown.

"You should go back. Ms. Swift doesn't look happy."

Elijah turned. Serena was standing there, looking hurt. He hesitated. In the end, he didn't call me back. "Take care of yourself, then."

The sports car roared away. My phone buzzed with a message from Elijah. It was the address of the new place. It was the most luxurious penthouse in Kingsport, with a sweeping view of the entire city.

I smiled. Elijah's guilt was always my best weapon.