Chapter 1
**Title: I Became My Brother's Substitute** **Author: Changjiang Yinan** **Synopsis:** Believing she found true love, Eliza Hawthorne discovers she was merely a stand-in. --- **Chapter 1: Illness** Eliza Hawthorne stood silently outside the Guest Room, clutching a teacup, her eyes fixated on the flickering light seeping through the crack beneath the door. Behind that door, mingled sounds of heavy breathing and soft moans filled the air, echoing the intensity of the moment. It had been an hour since William Ashford returned just after eight, and the sounds had not ceased. The boy inside occasionally let out a choked cry, calling out, “Mr. Qin.” With a blink, Eliza turned away and returned to her room. The master bedroom was just a wall apart from the Guest Room, and she could hear everything when she leaned against the window. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the noise. Perhaps it was the cool breeze blowing in the night before, but when she woke up the next morning, Eliza found herself with a slight fever. She called for the housekeeper and requested some porridge. However, her appetite was nonexistent; she barely finished half a bowl before pushing it aside. That’s when the door to the Guest Room opened, and William stepped out. He wore a silk robe that hung loosely around him, his neck and chest marked with faint red bruises, even his abdomen bore marks of their intimacy. Eliza forced herself to avert her gaze, and William's soft voice broke through her thoughts. “Are you feeling unwell?” “No, I’m fine.” Eliza swallowed the last spoonful of porridge just as William walked over to the window, frowning. “Why are you opening the window if you're sick?” Without waiting for her reply, he closed the window and approached her bed. Leaning down, he held the back of her neck gently, his forehead resting against hers. “Yeah, you feel a bit hot,” William murmured softly, concern mixing with gentleness in his voice. He stood upright and called to Nanny Beatrice, “Have Dr. Jonathan Fairchild come over.” “Right away,” Beatrice responded, hurrying out. William sat down by the bed, taking one of Eliza's hands in his own while brushing his fingers against her slightly pale cheek. “Just hang in there; the healer will be here soon.” Eliza lowered her eyelashes and replied softly, “Okay.” “Good girl.” As he spoke, William pressed a tender kiss on her forehead. Eliza looked up just in time to see a boy emerge from the Guest Room, scanning the space as he stepped into the hallway. He paused at the entrance, his gaze drifting toward the master bedroom. ---
Chapter 2
“William,” the boy entered the master bedroom, his oversized white shirt barely covering his legs, the collar undone revealing his delicate collarbone and alarming red marks. His slender, bare legs swayed delicately as he asked, “Why are you up so early?” “Get out,” William Ashford snapped, still leaning down to kiss Eliza Hawthorne, his voice sharp. The boy froze, his eyes filling with tears. Not bothering with the child’s reaction, William planted another kiss on Eliza’s lips and said, “I have something to take care of. I’ll see you later.” With that, he turned and left the room. Before exiting, the boy cast several glances back at Eliza. She had no energy to decipher the meanings behind his gaze and quickly looked out the window. Dr. Jonathan Fairchild, William Ashford's personal healer, lived in the small house behind them. He arrived within minutes, taking Eliza's temperature—38.8 degrees. “Do you want an IV or medication?” he asked. “An IV, please,” Eliza replied, extending her hand. “Alright.” After setting up the IV, Dr. Fairchild sat beside her. Eliza was tempted to lie down and catch some sleep when William walked in, already changed into comfortable home attire that made him appear several years younger. “How is it?” he asked. “Mr. Tao caught a chill, but it's nothing serious,” Dr. Fairchild replied. “Okay, you can head back now. I’ll call if I need you,” William said. “Sure thing.” Once the doctor left, William sat by the edge of the bed and gently touched Eliza's hand with the IV needle, his touch soft and tender. “Aren’t you going to work?” Eliza inquired. “How can I go to the office with you unwell?” William replied matter-of-factly. At lunchtime, William fed Eliza some porridge, and in the afternoon, he moved his work into the master bedroom. He set up his laptop on the bedside table, only fifty centimeters away from where Eliza lay. The clattering of the keyboard began to irritate her. Finally, she could no longer hold it in. “Could you please go work in your study? I need to sleep,” she said. William finished typing the last line and said kindly, “Go ahead and rest. I won’t disturb you.” Instead of returning to his study, he sat there watching Eliza. Eliza turned away from him, closing her eyes as she drifted off to sleep. When she finally awakened, dusk was settling in, and William was no longer in the bedroom. The IV had been removed, her temperature had dropped, and her stomach felt empty. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and headed to the bathroom. As she washed up, a servant knocked on the door, asking, “Sir, are you awake? Would you like something to eat?” Eliza opened the door slightly, “Yes.” The servant quickly replied, “Mr. Ashford is in his room resting. I’ll go bring you some food, as instructed.” Feeling too lethargic to move, Eliza nodded, “Okay.” The servant hurried downstairs while Eliza returned to sit on the bed. A while later, the servant came back upstairs carrying a tray. “The meals are here; I’ll bring them in now.” “Please come in,” Eliza said.
Chapter 3
The door swung open, and a servant entered with a tray of food, setting it down on the bedside table. Eliza Hawthorne looked up and asked, "Where's Mr. Qin?" The servant replied respectfully, "He went out, Miss. Mr. Qin said he had a last-minute obligation to attend and that you shouldn't wait for him." "Got it, you can go now," she said. Famished, Eliza quickly wolfed down her meal. After finishing, she called the servant back to clear the dishes. The servant handed her a small packet, saying it was medicine Mr. Qin had instructed her to take. Without asking any questions, Eliza obediently swallowed the pills, then lay back down on the bed, scrolling through her phone. With no work lined up lately, her visibility had dwindled; it had been a while since anyone had heard news of her, and she feared people might soon forget she was a television host. Time slipped away, and soon Eliza felt drowsy again. She closed her eyes and drifted off for another two hours. When she awoke, the room was shrouded in darkness. Not bothering to turn on the lights, she got up and peered out the window, just in time to see a black Bentley driving through the large iron gates and stopping by the fountain in the front yard. The door swung open, and Thomas, the driver, emerged and walked around to help William Ashford out of the car. "Take it slow, Mr. Qin," Thomas advised. William, visibly intoxicated, leaned heavily against Thomas, who struggled slightly due to their size difference. Just then, the other rear door opened, and a slim young man jumped out, hurriedly moving to support William on his other side. "I’ll help you to your room, Mr. Qin," he said. William smiled, reaching up to caress the young man's cheek, a drunken grin lighting up his face. "Good boy." Eliza squinted through the window, catching a glimpse of the young man’s face—it wasn’t the same one she had seen that morning. She turned away and returned to bed, but soon after, she heard the chaotic sound of footsteps on the stairs, followed by Thomas greeting someone as they descended. When the sound of the car faded outside, Eliza rose to open the window, almost as if torturing herself, listening intently to the heavy breathing and moans drifting from the neighboring room, unable to pull herself away for half the night. Chapter 2: Lingering Shadows The next morning, while eating breakfast downstairs, Eliza noticed William Ashford and a handsome young man emerging from the upper floors. Their bodies were close together, with William’s arm resting possessively around the young man's waist. The boy seemed to melt against him, a sweet smile dancing on his lips. They took seats right across from Eliza. William affectionately peeled a hard-boiled egg for the boy, placing it onto his plate. The young man's eyes brightened, and he called out softly, "Thank you, Mr. Qin!" Watching the boy, who bore a slight resemblance to herself, Eliza felt a pang of bitterness as she recalled the soft, alluring sounds that had echoed through the wall the previous night. Quickly, she lowered her gaze, drawing in a deep breath to steady her stomach before continuing to sip her porridge. Just then, a pristine hard-boiled egg landed in her bowl. Eliza looked up to see William, who was wiping his hands on a hot towel. "For breakfast, just have porridge. You need some egg, too." Eliza paused, carefully pushing the egg to an empty side of her plate. "I have a cold and can't eat eggs." "Is that so?" William replied gently, "I’m sorry, I should have thought of that. I’ll have them prepare something else you’d prefer so you don’t go hungry." "No need," Eliza said, placing her spoon down and grabbing a napkin to wipe her mouth. "I have work today and will be heading out soon." William nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "What kind of work?" "They’re casting for a new variety show at the studio. I have an audition." William tilted his head, concern mingled with support reflected in his eyes. "Go ahead, do you need any help?"
Chapter 4
“No need,” Eliza Hawthorne replied nonchalantly. “I wasn’t particularly fond of that show anyway. It’s no big deal if I don’t audition.” “Right, if you’re not auditioning, just take it easy at home. Don’t wear yourself out,” Mr. Grey, the butler, advised kindly. As Mr. Grey and the servants brought out William Ashford's breakfast, each dish served in small portions, the atmosphere in the dining room felt oddly formal. William often preferred silence during meals, so it was a surprise when the boy suddenly turned to Eliza, exclaiming, “Wait, you’re the Eliza Hawthorne from the show!” Eliza was about to get up when she caught his eye and simply murmured, “Yes.” “Wow, I can’t believe it’s really you!” the boy exclaimed, his voice exaggerated with enthusiasm. “I thought I might have mistook you! How did I end up meeting you here?” Eliza was known as an entertainment host—not hugely famous but more than a mere nobody—and she understood the weight of the boy’s words. In the past, she would have fired back with sharp retorts, but now… She glanced at William Ashford and saw no sign of him wanting to intervene. The corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile as she stood and made her way upstairs. When she returned in a new outfit, the two were still leisurely enjoying breakfast. “I’m heading out,” Eliza said as she slipped on her shoes and stepped outside. Thomas, her driver, was waiting by the car and quickly opened the door for her. “Where to, ma’am?” he asked politely. “Just drive around,” Eliza said once she settled into the seat. Thomas paused for a moment, but he didn’t probe further and drove out of Ashford Manor. As they headed down Misty Hill, Eliza gazed out the window at the sprawling landscape, her heart sinking. She had no auditions, no job prospects. Two weeks ago, one of William's casual lovers had burst into the TV station while she was recording a live show, creating a scene that was anything but dignified. Even though the shooter hadn’t mentioned William’s name, the implications were there: the loud accusations about how he had stolen her husband, the audacity of it all… Eliza hadn’t bothered to defend herself at the time. Afterward, the station manager had called her in for a meeting, a concerned look on his face. “What was all that about?” he asked, genuinely perplexed. “It wasn’t me stealing her man,” Eliza replied flatly. “It was him stealing my husband.” “What?” the manager exclaimed, shock evident. “You’re married? To a man?” “Yes, for almost a year now,” Eliza said, her voice steady. She smirked slightly at the absurdity of it all. “He thinks he can cause me trouble just because he’s involved with my husband. It’s utterly ridiculous.” Following that incident, her work had been suspended. The manager suggested she take time off, fearing the lover would return and cause a scene again—at least until things had calmed down. But would things ever calm down? As long as William continued his escapades, it felt like she was carrying a ticking time bomb, one that could explode at any moment.
Chapter 5
He didn’t have an agent at Raven Broadcasting, and all the contracts were with the TV station, which left him with no avenue for negotiation. “Today, no matter where we go, when William asks later, you say we were at the station,” Eliza Hawthorne said, giving Thomas the Driver a playful pat on the back. “Otherwise, I'll tell everyone you made a pass at me.” Thomas the Driver stiffened for a moment, quickly glancing at Eliza in the rearview mirror. “Got it. I understand,” he replied, trying to mask his discomfort. Eliza had Thomas take her on a brief shopping trip downtown, where she picked up a few outfits. Then they stopped for lunch before heading to the outskirts of the city to a cemetery. On the way, Eliza bought a bouquet of flowers. Once they arrived, she instructed Thomas to wait in the car while she stepped into the cemetery, clutching the flowers tightly in her arms. Plot 13, Row 14, facing south, was the best-kept spot in the cemetery, aligning with the wishes of the person who bought it, revealing their love and care. Eliza knelt by the grave and tenderly placed the flowers at the foot of the headstone. Gazing at the photograph that bore an uncanny likeness to her, she whispered, “Are you doing well over there?” With a deep sigh, Eliza leaned against the tombstone, closing her eyes softly. “You’ve been gone for so long; why is it that your spirit still lingers?” ### Chapter 3: The First Mention of Divorce Eliza Hawthorne had a half-brother named Samuel Hawthorne. Samuel was the legitimate heir of the Hawthorne family, while Eliza was the child of a mistress, raised away from the family spotlight. Samuel had grown up with William Ashford, the two being inseparable since childhood. They had explored life together from preschool all the way through high school, and after graduation, they came out to their parents, who did everything to pull them apart. In rebellion, they ran away abroad, where they worked various jobs to fund their college education. They returned home and started a business together, eventually marrying in a lavish ceremony that turned them into an iconic couple in high society. Eliza, the illegitimate sister, pursued Samuel and William from a distance. Six years younger than her brother, she always looked up to them with yearning. From the moment she discovered her own attraction to men, it was always William that occupied her thoughts. The first crush she had, the object of her youthful dreams, had always been William. Yet, she was aware of her social standing; William was like the moon—beautiful and unattainable. And so, she remained invisible, content only to observe from afar. No one ever anticipated that four years into their marriage, Samuel would die in a tragic accident, leaving behind no trace of his body. After Samuel's death, William Ashford was engulfed by grief. While others fell into despair through drunkenness or aimlessness, he sought comfort in the arms of strangers—one night stands became a norm for him. Day after day, he would find someone new, sometimes two in one day. In Westgate’s upper crust, everyone was aware of William Ashford, the dashing heir of the Ashford Family Estate, and his string of lovers. Interestingly enough, many closely resembled his late husband, Samuel, down to the smallest detail—like the same birthmark on the corner of the eye. No one doubted the depth of his love, despite his reckless ways. Eliza made her entrance into William’s life one year after Samuel’s passing, and true to form, she caught William’s eye immediately. When he first asked her name, she replied honestly, “I’m Eliza Hawthorne, Samuel’s sister.”
There are limited chapters to put here, click the button below to continue reading "Behind the Veil of Secrets"
(It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app).
❤️Click to read more exciting content❤️