Losing to My Substitute (Katerina and Joshu)
Substitute 53

Chapter 24

Nursing Home

Linda sat with her laptop, working on the next chapter of her game's storyline, but an inexplicable unease kept tugging at her thoughts.

She placed the laptop on the coffee table in front of her and stood up to stretch.

"Rachel? Rachel?"

She called out into the empty room, but there was no response.

"Did I get too focused earlier and miss her saying she was heading out?"

Just as Linda picked up her phone to call Rachel, a notification chimed with a ding.

The first message popped up:

[Guess who I just saw!]

It was quickly followed by a photo.

A man in a black trench coat, dragging a suitcase.

Linda recognized him at a glance-it was Ivan.

At the top of the screen, Rachel's typing indicator flashed...

[Isn't this that cheating bastard?]

[What a curse. I just went out to buy some snacks and ran into him. Talk about bad luck.]

[I don't dare go near him-I'm afraid he'll recognize me.]

Seeing this, Linda quickly typed back.

{No way. You haven't seen him in seven or eight years. How could he recognize you?]

Rachel instantly replied with an eye-rolling emoji.

[Don't forget, Danes average two meters tall. I'm a tiny shrimp-how could I not stand out?]

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Losing to My Substitute

53.6%

Stold tight. I'll dodge him and head back soon)

Linda's expression remained calm as she tapped on a grack reply.

(Okay!

After responding, Linda sat on the sofa, still holding her phone. Then, unexpectedly, a quiet laugh escaped her lips.

Ever since Novelist's Love Choice launched, she had anticipated that if Ivan wanted to find her, he eventually would.

The company's external liaison staff had even mentioned that The One Tech in California had recently been trying to establish contact with her.

But now that Ivan was actually in Denmark, she realized how calm she felt.

It was as though he no longer mattered, as if his presence could no longer stir even the faintest ripple in her life.

Relaxing completely, Linda leaned back on the sofa like Rachel often did, murmuring to herself with amusement, "Human dog beds really do live up to their reputation." Two Hours Later

Rachel returned, pushing a cart piled high with bags of snacks and groceries, struggling to open the

door.

Linda quickly set down her work and went to help her.

"Wow, did you buy out the whole store? Preparing for a zombie apocalypse?"