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Chapter 2 The Substitute with a Seven-Tenths Resemblance

Aurelia sat at the dining table, totally out of it, clutching the signed divorce papers and a check, her mind a complete blank.

Nathaniel's departure hit her like a ton of bricks. Tears streamed down her face as she was overwhelmed by a wave of loss and despair. All their sweet, warm moments had turned into cold, painful memories.

"Nathaniel," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She never thought their marriage would end like this. Even though she knew from the start that marrying Nathaniel was a mistake, signing those papers herself still hurt like hell.

"Mrs. Heilbronn, are you okay?" Betty Young, the maid, walked over, looking worried.

"I'm fine," Aurelia said, wiping her tears and forcing a smile. She appreciated Betty's concern, but right now, she just needed to be alone.

"Want something to eat?" Betty asked, trying to cheer her up.

"No, thanks. I need to go for a walk," Aurelia said, standing up. She felt restless and needed to clear her head, to get away from this stifling house.

"Let me come with you," Betty offered.

"It's okay. I'll go alone," Aurelia said, sending Betty away. She then started packing her bags.

Now that they were divorced, there was no reason for her to stay in the Bloom Villa. This place was full of memories of her and Nathaniel, but she couldn't stay here any longer.

Aurelia packed her clothes into a suitcase. She left behind the expensive designer dresses and grabbed a few comfy, everyday outfits. She looked at the cabinet in her walk-in closet and saw all the expensive bags Nathaniel had given her, each worth a small fortune.

But when she was robbed, those bags couldn't save her life. How ironic that, as Nathaniel's wife with so many assets, she was worth less than a handbag.

These bags were all new, some still with tags, and she had never used them. She wasn't into bags; she just needed a few practical ones. But every time she and Nathaniel had sex, he insisted on giving her a handbag.

She wondered, 'Are these bags gifts from a husband to his wife, or are they rewards for a sex worker?' Right now,  Aurelia wasn't sure about the answer.

After three years of marriage, Nathaniel still didn't know what she liked. He arrogantly gave her handbags, thinking she'd be grateful. But to Aurelia, each handbag was a reminder of how little Nathaniel cared about her. It wasn't Aurelia who loved handbags; it was Chelsea!

Aurelia shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and focused back on her suitcase. "I will start over," she silently vowed, trying to pull herself together.

The future was uncertain, and she had no idea where she'd go after leaving here, but she knew she had to face it bravely.

After packing, Aurelia stood in front of the mirror, took a deep breath, but seeing her own face in the mirror, the courage she had just mustered almost vanished. It was a face she knew well, a face of stunning beauty.

Aurelia's face was like a porcelain doll's, so delicate that even the lightest touch left marks—a fact Nathaniel loved to exploit. During their intimate moments, he took a twisted pleasure in leaving his marks on her skin.

At first, Aurelia thought it was a sign of his love, but she eventually realized it was just his way of showing ownership.

She continued to study her reflection: delicate and symmetrical features, captivating eyes, perfectly arched eyebrows, long lashes, and full lips. Even without makeup, her beauty was striking.

But Aurelia hated this face because it looked so much like Chelsea's. Nathaniel married her not just to appease his grandfather, Reed Heilbronn, but also because she looked so much like Chelsea.

Aurelia was the perfect stand-in: obedient, beautiful, and a dead ringer for Chelsea. Now that Chelsea was back, Aurelia, the stand-in, was no longer needed. Stepping aside for Chelsea seemed like the only thing to do.

"Goodbye, Nathaniel," Aurelia whispered, a spark of determination in her eyes. She zipped up her suitcase, ready to leave this once warm but now cold home.

Suddenly, there was a loud, insistent banging from downstairs, like someone was trying to break the door down.

"Who is it?" Betty muttered, annoyed. 'Who knocks like that? No manners at all. If I hadn't cleaned so well, the dust on the door would be flying everywhere.'

Betty peeked through the peephole and saw a couple standing outside, looking to be around her age.

"Who are you?" Betty cracked the door open just a bit, ready to slam it shut if needed, her guard up.

As a seasoned maid for the Heilbronn family, Betty knew how to handle guests. If they were familiar, she had a whole routine for welcoming them. But this couple looked too suspicious, so she had to be careful.

The couple seemed surprised to see someone other than Aurelia answering the door, especially someone so cautious. The man, who had his hand raised to knock again, awkwardly lowered it. He recognized Betty, who had been with Nathaniel since he was a kid, and knew better than to mess with her. So he said, trying to be polite, "I'm Aurelia's father, and this is her mother. We've come to see her."

Betty was stunned; inn three years of marriage, Aurelia's parents had never shown up, not even at the wedding.

Betty thought they must be scammers. She quickly made up her mind and slammed the door, hitting the man's nose.

Even with the door closed, Betty could hear the man outside yelping and holding his nose.

"Serves you right! Pretending to be Mrs. Heilbronn's parents, trying to scam the Heilbronn family without knowing your place!" Betty muttered as she headed back to the kitchen.

Today, Aurelia was in a bad mood, so Betty decided to make something special to cheer her up.

Just then, Aurelia came down the stairs with her suitcase.

"Mrs. Heilbronn, where are you going?" Betty asked, surprised.

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