Chapter 3 Don't Come Near Him Again

Rosanna and Yolanda faced each other in the stark hospital hallway, a quiet tension simmering beneath their polite expressions.

Seeing Yolanda actually visit Ashley brought a rare glimmer of relief to Rosanna. She suggested, her voice gentle, "If you haven't eaten yet, I could take you out for a bite-"

With a dismissive look, Yolanda cut her off, replying, "You know I don't eat at those cheap places. There's no point. You can't afford what I'm used to."

Rosanna hesitated, momentarily unsure how to respond.

Yolanda then pulled out a sleek bank card, holding it between her fingers. "There's 800, 000 loaded onto this. I promised you 600, 000, but consider the extra 200, 000 a bonus for all the time you spent pretending to be me."

The numbers left Rosanna momentarily stunned as she stared at the card.

Eventually, she took it. "Thank you. Without your help, I'd have no way to cover Mom's treatments..."

"That's enough." Yolanda waved her hand, clearly uninterested. "Let's not waste time with thanks. We're swapping back, so fill me in on Christopher. What am I dealing with?"

"Well, you know him. He graduated top of his class in finance and jumped right into running the family company. He doesn't really have hobbies-unless you count watching the stock market and analyzing investments." A thoughtful look crossed Rosanna's face. She seemed lighter as she spoke, her eyes softening at the memory.

Yolanda listened, imagining an utterly boring man. "He sounds impossible. How did you put up with him?" she asked with a frown.

Rosanna blinked, needing a moment to answer. "Actually, he's not difficult at all. As long as you let him take the lead, he'll make things easy for you. But don't let him near a stove-he's hopeless at cooking."

A strange silence grew between them as Yolanda tried to picture Christopher in an apron, and she nearly laughed at the thought.

Finally, she asked, "Did he ever treat you well?"

Rosanna nodded. "He's always been good to me. The thing with the necklace was just a misunderstanding. He never meant to upset me."

Yolanda scoffed, clearly unimpressed, "You really think he cared about you? He was only ever kind to the woman he thought you were. Don't forget-his heart belongs to me. If you hadn't worn my name and my face, do you think he would've looked at you twice?"

The words hit Rosanna hard, leaving her speechless.

Smirking, Yolanda added, "Here's a bit of sisterly advice. Don't waste your time hoping for a fairy tale. You'd have better luck buying a lottery ticket and praying for a miracle to save your mom."

Rosanna lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know my place."

"Glad we're clear," Yolanda replied.

She studied Rosanna for a moment, then threw out a blunt question. "Did you ever sleep with him?"

Rosanna's cheeks grew warm as she answered, slightly flustered, "Yes, I did."

There was no room for hesitation. Any reluctance would have only made Christopher suspicious and risked everything.

Yolanda didn't seem fazed, her tone crisp as she asked, "You made sure to use protection, right? I don't need any surprises showing up."

Rosanna's jaw tightened, but she managed to keep her composure. "Yes. I've been careful about that."

"Good. That's what I wanted to hear." Yolanda's lips curled in a satisfied smile.

After prying out the rest of what she wanted to know, she seemed convinced she understood enough about Christopher. She fixed Rosanna with a cold stare. "Let me warn you-if you keep anything from me or try to trick me, you'll regret it."

Her eyes swept over Rosanna in open contempt. "You really think someone from a regular family like yours could pass as Christopher's wife? It must have been exhausting keeping up the act."

Rosanna said nothing, holding back her frustration.

Yolanda straightened, her voice sharper. "I've actually helped run the family business before. Christopher and I have plenty in common. From this point on, you're out of the picture. Don't come near him again."

Rosanna nodded.

In silence, Rosanna slid the jade bracelet from her wrist, holding it out. "This is a Harvey family heirloom. Christopher gave it to me on Valentine's Day."

Yolanda slipped the bracelet on and glanced down at it approvingly. "Fine. Unless it's absolutely urgent, don't ever contact me again."

With that, it felt like their strange exchange had come to an end, as if the roles had officially been handed back to their rightful places.

Yolanda pulled out her phone to call Christopher, pretending she'd misplaced hers and was borrowing someone else's.

Not long after, Christopher showed up without delay.

From the second-floor window, Rosanna watched as a sleek black Rolls-Royce glided to a stop outside the hospital. Christopher stepped out, scanning the entrance until he found Yolanda waiting.

The moment he heard that Yolanda was at the hospital, he'd abandoned his work without a second thought, worry etched on his face until he spotted her unharmed.

Yolanda lied, saying, "I was just here to check on a friend's mother. There's nothing for you to worry about."

Christopher pulled her into his arms, murmuring, "You're always so compassionate. That's what I love about you."

Once he let her go, his eyes lingered on her face, as if searching for something he couldn't quite place.

Today, the carefully chosen clothes and flawless makeup made her seem almost unfamiliar.

Christopher frowned, curiosity mixing with suspicion. "You never used to bother with makeup. What's the occasion?"