A Replacement Bride

When the meol wos over, Jennifer returned to the living room. The instont she sow Morcus, she

glowered ot him ond snopped, "Why hoven't you left?"

Morcus put on o sheepish smile. "I'm here to seek Miss Cornell's help, Mrs. Olsen."

"Whot ore you tolking obout? Didn't she tell you she wos busy? You were the one who coptured ond

detoined her for severol doys. How do you hove the nerve to osk for her help? Don't you think you've

gone too for? She become thinner ofter returning from the detention center!" Jennifer hissed with o

displeosed expression.

Morcus wos on the brink of breoking into teors os he goped ot Kotherine.

"Go home. There's nothing I con do to help him. Tell him thot he hos to poy for his wrongdoings." After

finishing her words, Kotherine shot him on impossive glonce ond returned to her room.

A dumbfounded Morcus felt o crowling sensotion on his scolp. He hod never reveoled the person's

nome, so how did Kotherine figure it out? Still reeling from the shock, he wiped the cold sweot off his

foreheod ond looked ot Jooquin.

However, Jooquin didn't even spore him o glonce.

Just then, Nooh took Jooquin's hond ond looked up ot him before osking in o cleor voice, "I'd like to

heor o bedtime story, Dod. Con you tell me o story so thot I'll foll osleep?"

Jooquin looked down ot the little one, who took ofter Kotherine. She seemed to be pleoding with him,

ond he did not hove the heort to reject her. Therefore, he nodded ond brought her to the bedroom.

"Why ore you still here?" Jennifer glored ot Morcus.

Marcus looked at Katherine pitifully, but she ignored him, went to wash her hands, and had her dinner.

Marcus appeared slightly embarrassed, whereas Keith gave him a sympathetic look and went to the

dining hall with Noah.

"Don't bother her all the time, and don't spread anything about her." Joaquin stuffed the phone in his

pocket and swept a dispassionate glance over Marcus. After finishing his words, he left the place.

Marcus was in a state of despair. He had promised the other party that he would get Katherine to help,

so he couldn't go back on his word. Seeing that they were having dinner, he let out a helpless sigh and

sat down on the couch. He decided to talk to her after they were done with dinner.

When the meal was over, Jennifer returned to the living room. The instant she saw Marcus, she

glowered at him and snapped, "Why haven't you left?"

Marcus put on a sheepish smile. "I'm here to seek Miss Cornell's help, Mrs. Olsen."

"What are you talking about? Didn't she tell you she was busy? You were the one who captured and

detained her for several days. How do you have the nerve to ask for her help? Don't you think you've

gone too far? She became thinner after returning from the detention center!" Jennifer hissed with a

displeased expression.

Marcus was on the brink of breaking into tears as he gaped at Katherine.

"Go home. There's nothing I can do to help him. Tell him that he has to pay for his wrongdoings." After

finishing her words, Katherine shot him an impassive glance and returned to her room.

A dumbfounded Marcus felt a crawling sensation on his scalp. He had never revealed the person's

name, so how did Katherine figure it out? Still reeling from the shock, he wiped the cold sweat off his

forehead and looked at Joaquin.

However, Joaquin didn't even spare him a glance.

Just then, Noah took Joaquin's hand and looked up at him before asking in a clear voice, "I'd like to

hear a bedtime story, Dad. Can you tell me a story so that I'll fall asleep?"

Joaquin looked down at the little one, who took after Katherine. She seemed to be pleading with him,

and he did not have the heart to reject her. Therefore, he nodded and brought her to the bedroom.

"Why are you still here?" Jennifer glared at Marcus.

Not having the courage to say anything else, Marcus wiped the sweat off his forehead and left the

place with his head hung low. After leaving Soulin International, he fished out his phone with trembling

hands and dialed a number. "She turned me down, Mr. Fraser."

"Hmm?" The person on the other end of the line had a hoarse and mature voice. His grunt suggested

he was surprised by Marcus' reply.

Left with no choice, Marcus repeated his words with a bitter expression, saying, "Miss Cornell turned

me down, and she refuses to help you."

The older man fell silent for quite a while before asking, "What else did she say?"

With cold sweat exuding from his forehead again, Marcus replied cautiously, "She also said that you

have to pay the price for your wrongdoings."

"I got it." After hearing his reply, the older man hung up the call.

Mount Echo was surrounded by clouds and fog. The frail old man looked down at his phone and let out

a sigh. "It's my fate, I guess. She's right to say that I have to pay the price for my wrongdoings.

Hahaha…"

After making sure that Noah had fallen asleep, Joaquin returned to his room.

Katherine was looking at something on her laptop by the window. Hearing his footsteps, she asked

calmly without raising her head, "Is Noah asleep now?"

"Yes," Joaquin replied. After giving it some thought, he asked, "Do you know the person who asked

Marcus to seek your help?"

"His days are numbered, so no one can help him—not even me," Katherine replied and fell silent.

Joaquin fell into his thoughts for a moment. Initially, he wanted to ask who the other party was, but

upon seeing the woman's expression, he decided against it.

Three days later, Marcus rushed into Katherine's home again with an anxious expression and fell to his

knees. "Please lend Mr. Fraser a hand, Miss Cornell."

Katherine looked down at him, and her hand froze while holding a cup. A moment later, she tapped the

edge of the cup and shook her head. "I can't."

"Miss Cornell…" Marcus was on the verge of tearing up.

"Leave. I don't have a way to save him." Katherine put down the cup.

"He might have done something wrong, but he's made immense contributions by defending the

country. He shouldn't end up in such a horrible state. Even if you refuse to save him, can you help his

offspring for the sake of his contributions to the country?"