He Was the Real Substitute

At a friends' gathering, my boyfriend's female best friend grabbed my phone while I was in the bathroom.

She announced to everyone: Weren't you all curious about what she writes in her phone notes? Let's take a look right now!

Everyone crowded around:

It's definitely about how pathetically she chased after Jason. Didn't she have a crush on him for three years?

In an instant, all eyes turned to Jason Sinclair.

He lounged lazily on the private room sofa, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Jason, can I open it?"

Jason didn't stop her.

So Sophia unlocked my notes and read the first page.

"Today I finally ran into Jason. I confessed to him and he called me crazy."

Everyone burst into laughter. Then came the second page:

"Jason finally agreed to be with me. I'm so happy."

...

The last page:

"Three years of being with Jason, and I still can't see him as you."

The words hung in the air, and the room fell silent.

Jason's face darkened as he snatched the phone away.

No one dared speak. In the tense atmosphere, someone called out:

"Victoria's here."

Everyone turned to look at me with mocking eyes.

I had witnessed everything from outside the door. My whole body felt cold.

Jason seemed even angrier than me, his eyes filled with rage.

Seeing me standing still, he got up and forcefully dragged me to the stairwell.

"Victoria, what does that last line mean?"

"Who is he?"

The dim light shifted across Jason's face, and I froze for a second.

The face looked so similar.

But no matter how similar, he still wasn't him.

Perhaps my gaze was too obvious. Jason grew even angrier and punched the wall behind me.

"Who are you looking at through me?"

I snapped back to reality and countered:

"And what about you? You're my boyfriend, yet you let another woman go through my private things?"

Jason froze, a flicker of guilt crossing his face.

Just then, Sophia came running out, playing the peacemaker:

"Jason, how could Victoria possibly have someone else in her heart? She probably made someone up in her notes just to make you jealous."

"It's all fake. Didn't Victoria do plenty of crazy things to chase you before?"

Perhaps remembering how I used to stop at nothing to pursue him, even using other men to provoke him.

Jason finally calmed down, his face showing its usual hint of disdain.

He stepped back from me, frowning:

"Victoria, are you done with your games? Only you could come up with something this boring."

"You're so annoying, always being so dramatic. Do I have to revolve around you twenty-four seven?"

Sophia chimed in:

"Victoria, don't do this kind of thing again. I'm keeping an eye out for youyou're the only woman by Jason's side."

I scoffed. Wasn't she a woman too?

Then Sophia deliberately hooked her arm around Jason's shoulder, saying casually:

"Jason, let's go back. The guys are waiting to party all night."

"Let Victoria cool off by herself. You can't keep spoiling her."

Jason looked at her, an indulgent smile appearing on his face that even he wasn't aware of.

A bitter ache rose in my heart.

Just like before, he would always indulge Sophia. Whatever she wanted, he would agree to.

But with me, he was always harsh.

When Sophia had cramps, one phone call could make him abandon me and rush to take care of her all night.

When it was my turn, he would just say: "Drink some hot water. Everyone else deals with it. Just tough it out."

Despite being treated coldly by him countless times, I never felt wronged. As long as I could see that face, it was enough.

Watching them playfully walk away together, my thoughts were interrupted by a message.

I opened the screen. It was from a number I knew by heart.

"I'm back."

In the early morning, Jason came home completely drunk.

He was draped all over Sophia, and even when she put him on the couch, his hands still clung to her tightly.

"Sophia, you're not allowed to say yes to that guy who's pursuing you."

Sophia smiled provocatively: "Victoria, don't overthink it. He's just vetting guys for me."

It didn't matter anymore.

Over the years, men who got close to Sophia were always driven away by Jason in various ways.

At first, I thought it was coincidence. Eventually, I couldn't help but confront him.

He would just snap at me irritably:

"Sophia and I are just bros. Those guys chasing her are all no good. I'm just helping her deal with them. Is that a problem?"

"You have a dirty mind, so everything looks dirty to you!"

Pulling myself from the memories, I looked at Sophia and smiled calmly: "I know. I'm not overthinking."

Whether he was vetting guys or truly in love with her, it no longer had anything to do with me.

A flash of surprise crossed Sophia's face. She said awkwardly:

"Well, I've delivered him. I'll be going now."

She tugged her hand several times before freeing it from his grip.

The winter night was freezing. Looking at Jason's face, I couldn't bring myself to leave him like that. I brought out a blanket and covered him.

When I pulled the blanket up and accidentally touched his waist, he opened his eyes. Seeing it was me, he snapped:

"Get away! Don't touch me!"

My hand paused. The next second, I calmly pulled the blanket off.

"It was an accident. Didn't mean anything by it."

With that, I took the blanket and went into the bedroom.

Jason was stunned for a moment, wanting to say something, but ultimately stayed silent.

The next morning, as soon as I arrived at work, I was informed that Sophia would be replacing me on the interview project with the top business executives. I was told to send her all the interview materials I had gathered.

The project was almost completejust one final interview left.

Without even thinking, I knew Jason was behind this.

A chill spread through my heart. He knew exactly how much effort I had put into this project, how many nights I'd spent working in the study.

Yet he still let Sophia take my work.

Just then, Jason walked in with Sophia.

His first words were a warning: "Victoria, cut Sophia some slack. She finally found a project she likes."

"There are so many people at this company. Don't make things hard for her. Just hand over the project materials."

He was afraid Sophia would feel awkward, so he personally came to smooth things over for her.

Yet from work to our relationship, he never once considered my dignity.

I couldn't help but remember the past. Whenever I liked something, if Sophia wanted it too

Jason would give it to her.

I had tried begging him not to always side with Sophia, to consider my feelings just once.

But all I ever got was his cold response: "If you don't want to break up, give it to her."

Every time I tried to fight for something, I ended up humiliated.

Now, I didn't want to fight anymore.

I didn't care who he sided with.

Seeing me stay silent, Jason's face darkened with anger. He lowered his voice threateningly:

"Victoria, you'd better not make a scene... otherwise..."

I smiled and cut him off, shoving the materials I had just organized into Sophia's hands.

"Here. It's just a project."

Both of them were stunned.

Jason grabbed my hand, his eyes dangerous as he stared at me.

"What are you playing at?"

"Victoria, are you upset? Is that why you're saying this?" Sophia's eyes reddened as if she was about to cry.

Then she turned to leave. Jason panicked, grabbing her hand.

"Sophia, I said it's yours, so it's yours."

I laughed coldly, seeing through Sophia's act.

"Sophia, can you drop the act?"

"The project and JasonI'm giving you both..."

Before I could finish, Jason's slap landed on my face.

"Who said you could talk to Sophia like that!"

My colleagues surrounded us.

Jason didn't care about my dignity. He only worried about upsetting Sophia.

Time seemed to freeze. Seeing the red mark rising on my cheek, a flash of pain crossed Jason's eyes. He stammered:

"I didn't mean to. I didn't want to..."

Sophia's crying interrupted him. She said petulantly:

"I don't want it anymore."

Jason glanced at me, said nothing, and chased after Sophia out of the office.

I ignored the mocking comments around me, rising one after another just like before.

Five days. Just five more days and it would all be over.

Everything they gave me today, I would return in full.

For three days straight, Jason didn't come home.

The old me would have sent countless messages begging him to come back.

But now, I didn't care where he went.

I had just finished throwing away everything that belonged to me in the apartment when my mom called:

"Victoria, your dad and I already made dinner plans with Jason's parents tonight. Let's discuss the wedding."

I wanted to refuse, but then I thought about it. Over the years, all four parents had invested so much effort into my relationship with Jason.

Now that the story was ending, I owed them an explanation.

So I agreed.

Jason arrived half an hour late.

I didn't expect him to bring Sophia.

Noticing my parents' displeasure, Jason explained dismissively:

"We once promised to witness each other's happiest moments."

"So naturally, she has to be here for the wedding discussion."

Sophia added provocatively: "Yes, we've been best friends for so many years. Our bond is naturally special. Victoria, do you mind?"

Jason's gaze swept over me casually, as if waiting for my reaction.

I didn't make a scene. I didn't refuse.

I smiled and reassured my parents:

"It's fine. I don't mind."

After hearing my response, Jason's face darkened, and the glass in his hand slipped to the floor.

Was he expecting me to throw a fit like before?

But I used to care about him. Now, my feelings for him... had completely faded.

The atmosphere was strange. Jason's parents looked apologetic:

"Victoria is a wonderful girl. Why don't we set a wedding date? Whatever your family wants, we'll agree to it."

My mom smiled: "This is Victoria's decision to make."

All eyes turned to me. I stood up, and under Jason's ambiguous smile, I spoke:

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to marry Jason."

My answer shocked everyone. Even Sophia, who had been waiting to see me rejected, froze with her glass mid-air.

After a moment, Jason scoffed mockingly:

"Victoria, your family has brought up marriage so many times before, and now you're saying you don't want to marry me? Do you think I believe that? You set up this dinner to make peace with me, didn't you?"

In the past, my parents had indeed mentioned marriage to Jason multiple times.

Even though they didn't like him, they couldn't refuse because I was so in love with him.

I wanted to keep that face by my side forever, so I threatened my parents with tears and tantrums.

So they had to humble themselves for me, again and again.

But every time, Jason would brush it off: "I'll marry Victoria once my career takes off."

After the company went public, he said: "I need to mature more before I can make Victoria happy."

Wait, wait, waityear after year.

He made endless excuses, but I knew what he really wanted to say:

The person he wanted to marry wasn't Victoria. It was Sophia.

This time, I would be the one to say it clearly.

I spoke again: "Jason, like you've always said, we really aren't suited for marriage."

Seeing how calm I was, confusion and panic flashed in Jason's eyes.

He was about to say something when Sophia suddenly clutched her stomach in pain.

"Jason, I think I ate something bad. My stomach really hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?"

Jason picked up Sophia in front of my parents and rushed toward the door.

Ignoring his parents' attempts to stop him, he said impatiently to me: "We can discuss the wedding anytime. It doesn't have to be now. Sophia's not feeling well and needs to go to the hospital right away."

"Just wait. I'll definitely marry you."

As soon as he left, his parents shook their heads helplessly:

"Victoria, he doesn't deserve you. We really do want you as our daughter-in-law."

I smiled and comforted them: "It's okay. There will be other opportunities."