The Substitute Bride -- CEO's Secret Darling Wife

You don't have to guess the reason—it's Dong Nianxue, right?

Alexander remained silent, his dark eyes fixed on Dong Nianxue's peaceful face, growing deeper and more distant with each passing moment.

If she couldn't recover, it almost seemed better for her not to wake up at all.

Bai Geng, seeing the way Alexander was locked in his thoughts, wanted to suggest he quit smoking, but when he saw that Alexander wasn't even listening, he stopped trying. Instead, he patted his shoulder lightly and said, "If you don't want to go home, there's a resting room in the ward."

Without acknowledging him, Alexander walked over to the bedside and sank into the accompanying chair. His gaze never left Dong Nianxue as he sat there, hoping against hope that she might stir.

He longed for her to open her eyes, to look at him even just once.

But the minutes dragged on, and the stillness in her face only deepened the sadness in his. He felt like an abandoned child, no longer the confident and powerful man he once was. The reality was painful—he was vulnerable now. All he wanted was her warmth.

He gently took her hand, which felt slightly cold, and pressed it against his cheek. His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, as though he was afraid to disturb the fragile silence between them.

"Nianxue, do you remember where we first met? Do you remember how we crossed paths?"

There was no answer, only the soft hum of the machines that kept her alive.

He hid the disappointment in his eyes, though the corners of his lips betrayed the faintest of smiles—a smile tinged with sadness. "We first met in the film and television city, when you risked your life to push me out of the way of that out-of-control drone."

He paused, looking at her face, and continued, "I'll never forget what you did for me. After they rushed you to the hospital, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I asked around until I found out where you were and went straight there to see you."

"When I found you in the hospital, you had removed your ugly makeup and, for the first time, I saw your real face. I was stunned. I realized then how lucky I was to have met you, to have been saved by you, and to have fallen in love with you."

He lowered his voice, his words coming out as a quiet confession. "If it weren't for you, I could've been the one hurt that day. I might not even be here now, talking to you. When you threw yourself in front of that drone for me, my life wasn't mine anymore. It belonged to you. And if you never wake up, I'll never live on without you."

He clenched her hand gently, his eyes glistening with tears. "Nianxue, meeting you is the greatest fortune of my life. Loving you has been my greatest happiness. Protecting you has been my greatest choice. I have no regrets. But please, wake up. I don't need you to speak. I just want to see you look at me—just to know that you haven't abandoned me."

As the minutes turned to hours, he stayed by her side, the hope in his heart slowly being crushed with every passing second.

A single tear fell from his eye, hitting the floor with a soft, almost deafening "click."

In the quiet room, the sound of his tear hitting the floor seemed to echo in the empty space.

He cried. It was the first tear he had ever shed in his life—and it was because of a woman.

Just when he thought all hope was lost, he felt something—a slight movement. He looked down at her hand, which he was still holding. To his amazement, her fingers twitched.

His breath caught in his throat. "Nianxue? Are you waking up?"

Her face remained serene at first, offering no sign of life. But then, he saw it—the faintest tremor in her long, curly eyelashes.

His heart raced in anticipation, and he was torn between fear and hope. He held his breath as he watched her eyelids flutter.

When her eyes finally opened, revealing those familiar, sharp black-and-white eyes, Alexander couldn't hold back the flood of emotion.

"Nianxue…"

He could hardly speak, so overwhelmed was he by the sight of her awakening.

But then, something unexpected happened. Instead of looking at him, her gaze drifted past him, fixated on the television across the room—empty, dull, without any spark of recognition or life.

Her expression was blank, almost lifeless, like a soul adrift in an empty shell.

No matter what he said or did, there was no response.

But somehow, he didn't care. He was just grateful that she had woken up. He believed that as long as he stayed by her side, as long as he kept talking to her, she would get better.

"Nianxue, this is your second time waking up. I know it's not much of a change, but it's a start. I'll be here with you, every step of the way, until you look at me and call my name." He pressed a tender kiss to the back of her hand.

Dong Nianxue blinked once, a faint glimmer of life flashing in her eyes before they slowly closed again, and she drifted back into sleep.

The Next Morning

Emily awoke with a jolt, the loud ringing of her phone breaking the silence. She groggily reached for it, squinting at the screen to see Luo's mother calling.

She answered, "Hello, Mom..."

"Emily, make me some breakfast and bring it to the People's Hospital!" Luo's mother's voice was sharp, impatient.

Emily rubbed her eyes, still half asleep. She hadn't expected this. Her mother had spent the whole night by Luo's father's side, and now she was asking for breakfast?

"Okay," Emily replied, trying to hide her frustration. She hung up and got out of bed, still in her pajamas, and headed straight for the kitchen to prepare breakfast. At least now she knew which hospital her father had been taken to.

People's Hospital

She arrived at the hospital with a tray of breakfast for her mother. As she walked into the ICU, she saw her father lying motionless in the bed. Her heart tightened, and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Dad..." she whispered, her voice cracking.

The sight of him like this was unbearable. Only yesterday, he had called her, sounding perfectly fine. Now, he lay unconscious.

Luo's mother was already devouring her food, barely pausing for a breath. She looked at Emily and, through a mouthful of noodles, snapped, "Emily, pour me a glass of water."

Emily quickly grabbed the thermos, filled a glass, and handed it to her mother.

"Where are you staying now?" her mother asked, her tone dismissive.

"At home," Emily answered, confused by the question.

"And where's Chen Guang? Did he come home during the break? Did you tell him about your father's accident?" Luo's mother's voice was sharp, full of suspicion.

Emily shook her head. "No, he didn't come home. Maybe he's still at school?"

Luo's mother put down her half-eaten meal, a scowl spreading across her face. "Well, you can leave now. I feel unlucky every time I see you. You never do anything right. You're useless—can't even help with anything around the house. After two years of marriage, you can't even hold a man's heart. You're a complete failure. Honestly, you might as well just disappear."

The cruel words hit Emily like a slap, but she didn't respond. She simply turned away, silently walking out of the ICU.

As soon as the door closed behind her, the tears she had been holding back came flooding out. She felt like she was drowning.

Sometimes, she really wondered if she was even her parents' biological child. What kind of mother would speak to her daughter like this?