CEO's substitute bride (Alyssa)

No matter how blue and swollen Skylar’s face became, Emmett still didn’t ask them to stop. Instead, he

simply leaned against his seat and observed the show happening before him. At this point, it was

almost impossible to see what she looked like.

Alyssa, on the other hand, couldn’t bear to see it. She gently kicked his leg under the table and

whispered. “Justin!”

Although she had wanted to pay Skylar back for everything she had done, this wasn’t it!

Emmett turned around. Upon seeing her wide eyes, he knew she wanted him to stop. He sighed and

knocked on the table and said lazily. “All right. I’ve never seen such a cruel man such as yourself, Mr.

Moore. You’re actually willing to beat your beautiful daughter up like this. But as they say, the apple

doesn’t really fall that far from the tree.”

His voice didn’t sound like he was the culprit at all. Instead, he sounded sad and wistful as if he was

just an innocent bystander. With a shake of his head, he pushed back his plate and gazed at the man

in front of him.

Jason felt his heart lurch in his chest, but he didn’t say another word. After all, who could offend such a

powerful man like Justin? His eyes lowered, turning his gaze away from his once beautiful daughter.

He couldn’t see her face anymore.

Skylar’s face was as swollen as a pig’s head. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her cheeks were already

black and blue. Other people wouldn’t be able to recognize her at this point.

While the father and daughter pair looked sullen, Emmett couldn’t be bothered. He said mockingly.

“Well, as a father, it is your duty to teach your daughter a thing or two, but you shouldn’t be so cruel.

Hopefully, no misunderstandings were created. Am I right, Mr. Moore?”

The old man didn’t respond and lowered his head.

Seeing as he had already achieved his goal, Emmett wasn’t going to extend his stay any longer. He

turned his head to the woman beside him, and his face softened dramatically. “Are you full?”

Alyssa placed the unfinished pumpkin cake in her hand back on the plate before nodding her head. “I…

Yes, I’m full.” Even she was surprised by his sudden change of expression.

“Let’s go.” Without another word, he stood up and walked away.

Alyssa grabbed her bag and quickly followed behind him.

“Justin” was tall, and he had really long legs. One step from him was like a sprint from Alyssa, and she

had to automatically quicken her pace just to be able to keep up with him.

Just as she was about to reach him, he suddenly stopped where he was going and looked over at her.

Then, he didn’t move after that. It was as if he was waiting for her.

So many things had happened today, but there was one woman that had automatically driven her to

tears. That was her mother, Aurora. Her fingernails dug into her skin at the thought of her.

Back when she was younger, Aurora had once taken her to the amusement park (after plenty of

insistence from her end). However, to her bitterness, Skylar had also gone with them that time.

Her mother had been so busy doting on her stepdaughter that she was left forsaken and ignored right

on the streets. At that time, Alyssa had always been a curious child and had unknowingly drifted from

their watch. Yet as she turned, panicked and anxious, all she could see was Aurora’s figure

disappearing into the crowd. She didn’t even notice.

That time, she had hoped and prayed that her mother would turn back to look at her, to check on her…

but she didn’t. And now, Alyssa couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever will.

When Emmett saw that she wasn’t moving, he frowned and walked over. “What’s wrong with you?”

When he suddenly moved closer, she ducked her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. She blinked

rapidly, only to feel her vision blurring from the tears.

“The wind’s really strong. Something must’ve gone in my eye.”

She thought that “Justin” wouldn’t buy her clumsy lie. After all, the winds weren’t as strong as the other

night, and it wasn’t even that cold. What she didn’t expect was for him to bend over and look at her in

the eye. He said softly. “Don’t move. Let me see.”

Immersed by the towering wall of protection, she could feel herself relaxing under his hold. She

obediently gazed up at him as she displayed her bright eyes.

However, she had completely forgotten that “Justin” was nowhere near a perfect gentleman.

Alyssa could feel his face growing closer and closer. As his nose grazed upon hers, a bad feeling

clutched the insides of her chest and she suddenly had the biting urge to retreat.

However, Emmett was quick to react. He reached out his hand and held the back of her head as if he

was caressing a piece of treasure. Lowering his head, he caught her by the lips, before quickly moving

away.

The kiss lasted for about two seconds.

It was only when he drew away did she realize what they had done.

She clenched her fists.

“You really have some nerve!” Alyssa gritted her teeth, wanting the curse him out of the mountains,

only to realize that she wasn’t that very good with words.

She had called him shameless time and time again…

Yet he still didn’t know when to stop!

“You should feel touched that I am still willing to kiss you, even with such a hideous mark on your face.”

As he spoke, he reached out and let his fingers trail down the swollen side of her face.

Alyssa slapped his hand away and looked at him coldly. “Don’t touch me!”

Not wanting to give in, “Justin” reached out once again to touch the other side of her face, and Alyssa

readied her hands.

However, this time, he had already grabbed her by the wrist.

Her hands were quite soft, he realized. With skin as soft as feathers and silk, it was a wonder why he

hadn’t noticed this earlier.

Interest flashed across his eyes as he rubbed his fingers down her skin, feeling the way it writhed

under his touch. Before she could react against him, he immediately pulled her up against his chest.

“Let me go!” That didn’t stop Alyssa from struggling.

The man really was shameless! Not only had he kissed her out in public, but he also had the nerve to

hold her hand. Didn’t he know where they were?

The place they were in wasn’t that far from the Moore Group, so it was likely that they could run into a

few employees. What if some had already seen them? What the hell was she going to do then?

If this was continued, she’d be driven crazy!

Alyssa couldn’t get away from his grip, and she also couldn’t make too much noise. Afraid of attracting

too much attention, she quietly allowed herself to be led into the car.

What they didn’t know was that Skylar was standing behind the pillars by the entrance of the

restaurant. Her face was still swollen, but that wasn’t enough to hide the gloominess in her eyes. She

gazed at the picture she had taken.

Alyssa was Young Madame Lawrence, the wife of Emmett Lawrence and she still had the nerve to

entangle herself with the husband’s cousin. “Let’s see how the two of you will end up when you’re

caught.”

She was so humiliated because of them. She wasn’t going to let this go that easily.

…

“Justin” had already brought Alyssa to the clinic, and the nurses immediately assisted her in applying

the medicine to her face. By noon, she had already returned to Moore Group to continue working.

As soon as she had arrived, she sat at her own desk and overheard someone beside her. The

colleague whispered. “I heard Skylar had applied for a leave.”

When she saw Alyssa coming in, her voice became even softer.

Even then, Alyssa still could hear her.

“I feel that something is going on here. This Alyssa isn’t that simple. The first day she came here, the

management staff had suffered one incident after another. Do you know how many people applied for a

leave?”

She leaned back on her seat. There weren’t wrong.

First, it was Dawson. Next, it was Skylar.

But really, they were the ones who had provoked her first! After so many years of accepting this abuse,

she realized that she shouldn’t be staying by the sidelines any longer. This was the perfect time to act.

When it was time to get off work, she packed her things. Just as she was about to leave, Jason’s

secretary came over.

“Miss Moore, the Chairman is looking for you.”

Why did Jason want to see her?

Could it be that he wanted to avenge Skylar?

After all, he had always adored her, so it wasn’t impossible.

“I’m sorry. It’s time to get off work now,” Alyssa said gently, motioning to her bag. “If the chairman is

looking for me because of work related matters, I’ll check on him tomorrow. If it’s a private matter, he’ll

call me. Besides, I still need to visit that ‘male colleague of mine. After all, he must be tired.”

Jason’s secretary had followed the man’s family for many years, so he knew more or less about

Alyssa’s situation. He had assumed that the woman not only looked average but was a bit dull around

the edges.

Only now did he realize that she was more than what met the eye.

“But Director Moore wanted to tell you something.”

Instead of replying, Alyssa grabbed her bag and walked right out of the room.