Mr. CEO's Substitute Bride

In the room, Violet Zimmerman lay on the bed.

Joseph Lancaster sat in front of the bed, gently rocking the child in his arms.

"Why didn’t you use the door?"

Joseph looked at the little one, already asleep, with gentle eyes, "I didn’t want to. If I came so late, the servants would think all sorts of things."

"And climbing through the window, they won’t think anything?" Violet said helplessly, even worried that the clueless servants might discover Joseph climbing through her window.

"They won’t; if we don’t say anything, they won’t know."

Joseph continued to gently rock his child, never getting enough of looking at them.

"You should go, it’s late, I need to rest."

Violet covered her mouth, stifling a yawn; she was extremely tired, never getting enough sleep since she had the baby.

"You sleep, I’ll watch the child."

Joseph said it naturally.

Violet...

Originally about to sleep, she got up again hearing Joseph say that, "How can that work? If the servants find out, what would they think?"

"Don’t worry, they won’t find out." Joseph repeated, as he got up and placed the child in the crib, and came back with a mesh bag.

Inside was the dress he bought for Violet on his business trip, but she had given birth before he could give it to her.

"What is this?" Violet asked, puzzled, at the fabric presented in front of her.

Joseph looked at her gently, his lips curling into a smile.

"A dress I bought for you, see if you like it?"

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Violet hesitantly took it, the light blue dress with floral prints was beautiful, but...

"Autumn is almost here now, by the time the baby is one month it won’t be suitable to wear."

"Then keep it and wear it next year." Joseph’s gaze was warm.

Violet looked the dress over front and back, and instantly her drowsiness was chased away.

"I want to try it on."

"Sure," the single word spoken indulgently by Joseph.

Violet was about to get off the bed with the dress, and Joseph turned his back to her saying, "Change right here, I won’t look."

Biting her lip, Violet shed the clothes she was wearing, changing into the brand new dress, fastening the row of neat buttons in front, and got off the bed.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Violet turned her body from side to side.

The dress fit like it was made just for her, the size was perfectly suitable.

"Do you like it?" Joseph approached her from behind, looking at Violet through the mirror.

Violet also watched him through the mirror, saying, "A dress with this material must be expensive, I’ll give you the money later."

Joseph stepped closer, holding her shoulders and turning her around, adjusting her already neatly worn dress, smiling, "You worked hard having the baby, consider it compensation."

Normally, Violet would get angry at such words from Joseph, but now she felt a hint of sweetness.

...

Violet fell asleep, finally unable to resist the call of sleep, lying alone in the big bed, Joseph stayed, having climbed up from the window with this intention.

He slept on the bench at the foot of the bed, covering himself with a blanket.

The crib was right in front of him, the little one just pursed their tiny lips, causing Joseph to wake immediately.

He took the little one out of the crib, placed them on the bed, turned on a bedside lamp, and carefully unwrapped the small bundle.

A distinctive smell wafted through the air, the scent of the baby’s bowel movement.

Joseph gently wiped the little one clean with a cotton cloth, changed to a clean pad, and wrapped them carefully, before placing the little one beside Violet.

Gently lifting her garment, the little one nestled towards the scent, sucking on the milk with vigor.

Joseph sat slightly reclined, his hands supporting the little one’s body, watching his son greedily drink his mother’s milk, his eyes filled with moonlight-like tenderness.