Chapter 3

Aurora went without food for two whole days. She didn't even get a crumb of bread or a drop of water. The household staff gossiped as they went about their work. "This stand-in can't compare to the actual person. Look at Ms. Yancy. She's so pitiful. I cannot imagine how it feels to have less worth than a paintbrush." "Well, she signed herself up for this. She deserves whatever suffering she gets." "True. At the end of the day, it's all for money." ... This time, Aurora had truly angered Taylor. He hadn't come to see her at all since then. It wasn't until Wednesday that, after two days of hunger, Aurora was sent to Stellan's place. When Aurora arrived, her face was completely pale. Stellan was still in bed, and she didn't have time to eat yet. Even so, she went straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for him. Aurora had heard the story of Stellan—the carefree playboy—falling for Danica previously. Back when he was nine, his parents had died in a car accident. On the day of the funeral, Danica found him hiding in a corner and personally made him some pasta. That plate of pasta made him love Danica for over a decade. So, Stellan liked watching Aurora—the stand-in—wear an apron and cook in the kitchen. Aurora went out of her way to learn how to make the pasta with chicken broth that Danica had made all those years ago. She thought Stellan would like it if she made it for him. When the pasta was ready, Stellan came downstairs. "Breakfast is ready," Aurora said sweetly as she pulled out a chair for him. The familiar smell made Stellan pause. But after taking a bite, the usual carefree smile on his face immediately disappeared. In its place was an icy expression. He slammed his spoon onto the table hard. Then, he questioned in a frosty voice, "Who taught you to make this?" Aurora froze and said, "I asked someone in the household. I thought you liked this kind of—" Before she could finish, Stellan lost his temper and threw the entire plate of pasta at her. The freshly cooked broth was still very hot, so Aurora's arm instantly turned bright red and blisters started to form. "I'm warning you. Don't ever try to imitate her again. No matter how you try to be her, you're still not her!" Stellan spat and left. Aurora stood there, stunned. The pain in her arm finally registered, but she kept her eyes fixed on the spilled pasta and felt sorry that her efforts were wasted. After all, she had practiced making it for so long. She thought Stellan would be happy when he tasted the pasta. When he smiled out of genuine happiness, his eyes would smile too. They looked especially beautiful when he did that. As Aurora had angered Stellan, he didn't appear during the two days she was in his villa. Two days later, it was time for her to go to Flynn's place. Flynn's appearance usually caused people to assume that he had the worst temper out of the three. People in their circle described him as ruthless and somewhat mentally ill. But over the years of being with him, Aurora had discovered he was the easiest to please. He didn't have any strange fetishes that he wanted her to fulfill. He liked holding Aurora, burying his head in the crook of her neck, and calling her "Dani" repeatedly. Every time he called her like that, the red beauty mark beneath his eye seemed to glow even brighter with emotion. This time, Aurora let him hold her as she gently massaged his temples. Flynn enjoyed quiet moments like these. Born into an affluent and prominent family full of schemes and conflicts, he could only relax in Danica's presence. Aurora managed to stay in his good graces and not upset him. Flynn seemed in a good mood. He even showed a gentleness that was rare for him. "Dani. Oh, Dani…" Just as they were both basking in the harmonious and relaxing atmosphere, Flynn's phone rang. At first, he remained composed. But whatever was said on the other end of the line caused his expression to shift instantly. He abruptly pushed Aurora away and stood up. "What's wrong?" Aurora was confused and unsure of what to do. But Flynn's tenderness had vanished into thin air. He didn't even look at her as he turned and left. After that, he never came back. Aurora stayed back in the villa alone, feeling bewildered. Even when Sunday came, none of the three men showed up. It was the first time this had happened. Aurora was in the dark as to what caused the abrupt change. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that she overheard Flynn's maids talking gleefully nearby. "I heard Ms. Sauter has returned to the country. The days of the fake one are over." "No wonder Mr. Simpson hasn't come home. Aurora is still waiting for him every day." "I think she's not far from being dumped." Aurora happened to be coming downstairs and overheard their conversation. Her mind went blank instantly. Had Danica returned to the country? No wonder they hadn't come back to her. The maids saw her dazed expression and found it amusing. "She's all scared now that she's going to be kicked aside. Too bad, no matter how much she imitated Ms. Sauter over the years, she still can't compare to her." One of the maids even mocked her to her face. "Ms. Yancy, there's no point for you to keep waiting. Ms. Sauter is back. Mr. Quinn, Mr. Croft, and Mr. Simpson don't have time for a stand-in like you anymore. I heard they're all at the Elysian Restaurant hosting a welcome home party for Ms. Sauter. You'd better get lost." Aurora didn't care about their mockery. However, they were right about one thing—she couldn't leave the three of them. After finding out where they were, Aurora hurried downstairs, grabbed a coat, and ran out. At the entrance of Elysian Restaurant, Aurora ran into someone she hadn't seen in a long time just as she was about to enter. "Ms. Yancy?" Upon hearing the familiar voice, Aurora froze and turned around. Paul Landon, the butler working for the Merrick family, looked equally surprised. He was there on behalf of the Merricks to entertain guests. He hadn't expected that he would bump into Aurora. Although he hadn't seen Aurora in years, he had heard about her frequently. The story of the three prominent figures in Duskvale sharing a stand-in had spread far and wide. Everyone in the elite circle spoke of Aurora with disgust as if she were something filthy. However, Paul's expression showed no disdain or mockery when he saw her. Instead, he sighed and said, "Ms. Yancy, Mr. Merrick is no longer with us. You need to let go. Why are you holding on to the past so stubbornly?" Upon hearing this, Aurora's expression lost its usual submissiveness. Instead, a trace of determination and stubbornness appeared in her eyes. "I can't forget him," Aurora stated firmly. Paul was anxious as he didn't want Aurora to ruin herself. "But those three men you're involved with are all important figures. If they find out you've been using them as a substitute for Mr. Merrick, the consequences will be dire!"