Losing to My Substitute (Katerina and Joshu)
Substitute 72

Chapter 2

At first, Berton ignored Jean, until the day they went deep diving.

When Berton's oxygen tank was punctured by coral, he was in grave danger, and Jean offered her own oxygen tank.

However, the pressure of the water damaged her hearing nerves, and she lost her hearing again.

After nearly losing his life, Berton returned to normal and focused on his career, while Jean remained by his side because she had saved him. Following Mr. Snow's instructions, Berton proposed to her and promised, "I'll take good care of you and try to love you."

At that time, Jean was bubbling with happiness. But people are often insatiable.

Initially, she only wanted to stay by Berton's side, but gradually, she began to covet a place in his

heart.

Winni's return shattered that illusion and made Jean realize it was time to leave.

Before she could fully embrace her sadness, a clear-headed Jean opened her phone to see the language app filled with debts.

Crying, she began to memorize vocabulary. This time, she didn't need to learn a language with her hearing aid on.

Early the next morning, Berton woke up, his throat dry from the previous night's drinking.

He reached for the usual cup of warm ginger tea on the bedside table but found it missing. Beneath him, only the cold sheets remained.

He wondered where Jean had gone. Sensing something was off, he quickly received a call from his sister Joy Snow, saying she was bringing friends over to hang out. Meanwhile, Jean, who had stayed up all night studying, finally fell into a deep sleep in the adjacent room, her eyes swollen from fatigue. The noise woke her up. The maid, Alma, reminded her, "Miss Jean, Miss Joy just said to change your clothes and come out to play when you wake up."

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Chapter 2

At the Snow family villa's pool, Jean felt out of place in her revealing swimsuit. As soon as she appeared, lewd comments surrounded her.

"Berton, don't tell me this little wife of yours is quite something," one of his friends teased.

"Right? She really doesn't know how to appreciate her fortune," another chimed in.

If this had happened before, Jean might have felt grateful, relieved to finally have something to

match Berton.

But now she realized that whether she matched or not, she was merely the subject of their mockery.

Berton showed no visible emotion, his face blank, though his eyes often drifted toward Winni.

One of the friends defended Jean: "Hey, don't be too harsh. Why treat her like that in front of everyone?"

Joy, pleased with herself, replied, "It's fine; I just saw she wasn't wearing her hearing aid."

Laughter erupted from the crowd. Joy Snow, Berton's sister, had always looked down on Jean since Berton's engagement.

Back in college, she had even led the bullying against her-adding salt to her milk and cutting her hair while she slept.

Jean forced a smile, pretending not to hear.

Winni's arrival attracted attention as Joy hurried over: "Winni, you've been back for so long and haven't come to play with me."

The group that had just mocked Jean rushed to greet Winni. They were all from the same social circle, while Jean was merely a beneficiary of Berton's fame.

Suddenly, Jean remembered seeing countless sketches of Winni in Berton's study, all drawn by him." Each one bore the inscription: "I only wish to grow old with you."

This was the first time Jean had seen Winni in person. With her long, flowing hair and a sensual swimsuit that accentuated her perfect figure, Winni wore a slight smile. No wonder Berton couldn't forget her.

Chapter 3