?


    Theodore avoided her gaze. "I don''t want to treat you as a substitute. It''s not fair to you. Even if I use you to relieve the torment in my heart, once Rose returns, I would abandon you without mercy."


    "Then what if..." Aurora''s voice was hoarse as she spoke. "What if I''m willing to be that substitute? What if I want to give it a try?"


    She really wanted to try. Even if she started off as a substitute, the woman he loved had already married another man. There was no longer any possibility between them.


    She still had a chance to be the real thing. Everything would work out if she could make this man fall in love with her.


    "You''re willing to be a substitute?" Theodore hadn''t expected Aurora to say such a thing.


    "Can you let me try? I don''t mind if you see me as her, just as long as you don''t call her name in front of me."


    Aurora had never thought she couldpromise this much. In front of the man she loved, she had even given up her dignity. She had never done anything like this for a man before.


    Theodore sighed helplessly. "How can you be so foolish? We barely know each other. What''s so good about me?"


    "I don''t know what''s so good about you, either. You say such hurtful things and you''re so cold, but I can''t help it. Feelings are hard to control, just like how you can''t control your love for your ex-wife even though she''s married to another man. I can''t control my feelings for you, either, even though you still love your ex-wife."


    Looking at Aurora''s tear-filled eyes, Theodore felt a heavy weight on his chest. He felt uneasy, and Rosalie came to his mind again.


    She had shed so many tears for him.


    He reached out and gently wiped the tears from Aurora''s face. "Don''t cry. It hurts me, Rose."


    When Theodore reached out to wipe her tears away, Aurora was overjoyed. She felt like she had glimpsed a ray of hope-but the words "Rose" shattered her fantasy.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    She pushed his hand away in shock. "What did you call me?"


    Seeing her intense reaction,


    1


    Theodore coldly replied, "This is the result of being a substitute. You can''t even stand me calling out Rose''s name once. How do you expect to tolerate being her


    Ο


    substitute?"


    Aurora finally understood. He had done it on purpose. He was deliberately provoking her, making it unbearable for her.


    "I already said, don''t call her name in front of me!"


    "I can''t do that!" Theodore


    responded coldly. "Since you want to be her substitute, then that''s what you are. How can I not call out her name? Even in bed, I would call out her name. In fact, I''d have to stick her photo on your face, or else I wouldn''t be able to sleep with you. That''s just how I am with other women."


    Theodore deliberately acted like a shameless bastard. He was intentionally provoking Aurora, trying to make her realize he wasn''t a good person so she wouldn''t continue to like him.


    After all, it was better to end it


    quickly than to drag it out. Rather than keeping her around as a


    substitute and ultimately being


    unable to ept her, it was b


    have her face the harsh realit&


    to


    the beginning. That way, neither of them would waste any time.


    "You''ve gone too far!" Aurora raised her hand to p him.


    Theodore grabbed her wrist and shouted fiercely, "You think you can hit me?"


    He threw her hand aside harshly. "The only one in this world who can hit me is Rose! You''re not worthy!"