Mr. CEO's Substitute Bride

Lucy Zimmerman sat alone on the sofa, looking around, and seeing no one paying attention to her, her eyes darted as she quietly got up and climbed the stairs.

When Mrs. Xu came out of the kitchen, Lucy Zimmerman had already quietly climbed upstairs. Seeing nobody in the living room, Mrs. Xu disdainfully muttered, "That ugly freak is gone."

As she was muttering, Joseph Lancaster walked in. Mrs. Xu wiped her hands with her apron and went over to greet him, "Second Young Master, you’re back."

"Hmm,"

Joseph Lancaster responded indifferently, closing the door behind him. His face still looked grim, as someone had displeased the eldest sister-in-law, so his mood matched hers.

"Second Young Master, have you..." Mrs. Xu stood by the door, initially intending to ask if he had seen Lucy Zimmerman, but seeing Joseph Lancaster’s unpleasant expression, she refrained from doing so.

Lucy Zimmerman had already sneaked into Joseph Lancaster’s room. She curiously opened every drawer on the desk in the corner, then the cabinet by the bed, and finally saw Joseph Lancaster’s mini tape recorder. She inserted the earphones and leaned back on the bed to listen.

When Joseph Lancaster opened the door, he saw Lucy Zimmerman leaning on his bed, happily listening to the tape recorder.

"Who let you into my room? Get out!"

Joseph Lancaster’s face grew even darker. In the past, he considered that she was the eldest sister-in-law’s relative, and even though he disliked her, he had to tolerate it out of affection for his sister-in-law.

But after what happened that night, Joseph Lancaster no longer had the patience he once did. He saw no reason to show courtesy to a selfish person who disregarded family ties.

"Joseph, you’re back!" Seeing Joseph Lancaster standing in the doorway, Lucy Zimmerman hastily removed the earphones and sat up with a smile.

Joseph Lancaster furrowed his brows, strode over, and in Lucy Zimmerman’s eager gaze, grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Hey... Joseph, what are you doing? Slow down..."

Before Lucy Zimmerman could react, Joseph Lancaster had already dragged her out of the room, snatching the tape recorder from her hands and tossing it onto the bed.

Joseph Lancaster said nothing, his handsome face seemed frosted over, and he lugged Violet Zimmerman down the stairs.

"Joseph, what’s wrong with you? Who upset you? Why are you so angry as soon as you come back..." Lucy, clueless about what transpired, was forced to follow Joseph Lancaster down the stairs, incessantly babbling to herself.

"Mrs. Xu, don’t let any random person in anymore! If you let strangers in again, you can go home!"

Passing by Mrs. Xu, Joseph Lancaster instructed with annoyance and then tossed Lucy Zimmerman outside, immediately closing the door and locking it.

"Joseph, open the door!"

Lucy Zimmerman pulled the door twice with force, seeing it was locked, she stood at the door, biting her teeth in frustration, saying, "You think you can play tricks like this on me? Just wait until I conquer you!"

Lucy Zimmerman snorted fiercely and turned to leave.

Inside the little villa, Joseph Lancaster was close to flipping the entire bed over.

"Mrs. Xu, take these sheets and blankets out and throw them away. Whoever lets that woman in will be out with her!"

"Hmph, quick to change your face! Switch sides in a blink; wonder who you take after!"

Lucy Zimmerman angrily muttered to herself as she walked to Violet Zimmerman’s place, incidentally bumping into Aurora Lancaster, who was returning from the old master’s place.

Seeing her, Aurora Lancaster noticeably frowned but, due to her being Violet Zimmerman’s cousin, didn’t do anything excessive.

Lucy Zimmerman remembered she was Joseph Lancaster’s sister, immediately quickening her pace, actively greeting her warmly.

"Aurora, you’re back? Have you eaten?"

Aurora Lancaster visibly moved toward the roadside, nodded perfunctorily, "Hmm, just had dinner."

"Aurora, where do you live?"

Lucy Zimmerman seemed oblivious to Aurora Lancaster’s deliberate avoidance and enthusiastically approached.

Aurora Lancaster, being younger and not as cultured as her two brothers, seeing Lucy clinging like glue, promptly replied unapologetically, "Where would I live? Of course, at my house!"

Aurora Lancaster impatiently glared at Lucy Zimmerman, avoided her, and walked ahead.

Watching Aurora Lancaster’s receding figure, Lucy Zimmerman spat and muttered, "Act all superior, just wait until I marry in and become the lady of the house; I’ll have you all under my feet!"

...

Aurora Lancaster didn’t return directly to her place but went to her parents’ room to complain as soon as she entered.

"Mom, sister-in-law’s family, that toad came back again. You should ask sister-in-law to drive her away! She’s so annoying!" Not to mention trying to cozy up to me; she should look at herself in the mirror!

"Who came back?" Bodhi Lancaster was in the dark about this, confused by his daughter’s words.

Aurora Lancaster plopped onto the sofa, "Isn’t it sister-in-law’s cousin? I just ran into her when I returned; she was coming from second brother’s room direction!"

"What? That ugly freak went to find Joseph?" Lorelei Howard abruptly stood up, then turned to Bodhi Lancaster.

"Bodhi, call Daxton and tell their couple to come over!"

...

Inside the in-laws’ room, Violet Zimmerman sat beside Daxton Lancaster, opposite them, Bodhi Lancaster and his wife wore faces of displeasure.

"Violet, don’t say your dad and I are being unreasonable, if your cousin merely wants to stay here for a few days, the Lancaster Family doesn’t mind feeding one more.

But if she’s eyeing Joseph, tell her to give up on that idea! Our Joseph, even if he ends up single, would never want her!"

Daxton Lancaster leaned back on the sofa, his legs crossed, hands clasped together in front, exuding a detached demeanor.

Violet Zimmerman also knew her cousin wasn’t well-liked; even she didn’t like her, let alone her in-laws. She pressed her lips together and said, "Dad, Mom, I’ll personally take her to the station tomorrow."

"Why send her away? Who doesn’t have relatives visiting at home?" As soon as Violet Zimmerman finished speaking, Daxton Lancaster spoke up.