The Substitute Bride

Autumn did not show any sign of happiness instead she looked a little worried. She grabbed Charles by his arm and took him aside to a quiet corner. She then whispered to Charles in hushed tone, "I can't possibly take this company."

"Why?" asked Charles in confusion. Charles couldn't understand what was happening. 'This company is my gift to her. If it were Rachel, she would embrace me and thank me. But here I am, and Autumn is refusing to take it.'

"Charles, you don't understand. I..." Autumn didn't know how to explain what she felt to Charles. 'If I accepted this company, I would be ill at ease with Charles, ' she thought to herself.

Isla walked up to Autumn with determination and said, "Dear, just take it." Charles couldn't comprehend Autumn's thoughts, but Isla could. A few days back they had a conversation about this. When she saw Autumn and Charles walk to a corner, she followed them as she knew that Autumn would refuse Charles's proposal.

With a little frown, Autumn responded, "Isla, you know me very well."

Isla nodded with approval, "Of course I do." "But this is not the time to consider your pride. Mr. Lu is your husband. It is not a big deal for him to let you take over Cloud Advertising Company. Don't overthink this and accept his generous and considerate proposal."

"You know that I don't want..."

"I know and understand your concern well. In the past, I would have supported you and your decision. But now things have changed."

Perhaps as Isla was a bystander, so was able to think through this situation rather rationally when compared to Autumn. She proceeded, "Have you forgotten all that has happened? Now, not a single company will employ you owing to those negative rumors about you. I also offered to open a company together if you couldn't find a job. Now, your husband is presenting you with such a good opportunity. Why don't you just take it?"

"But..."

"Don't hesitate any further." Isla continued advising her, "You're his wife. He has earned so much money and it is all for his family. If you don't spend his money, who else has the right to do so? Am I right, Mr. Lu?"

"Yes absolutely..." Once Charles heard their conversation, he began to understand Autumn's thoughts. Not to cause stress to Autumn, he added with a comf

moving into my office? There..."

"There is no need." Ryan's office was the best one in the company, but Autumn was used to her old section and just wanted that. She didn't care much about this, so she said, "I am accustomed to working from there. You don't need to move out."

Autumn called out, "Isla." "Are you happy with your new designation as the Planning Director?"

To get this post, Paula had made great effort to vie against Autumn. She had just become the planning director for few months, so she just wouldn't allow Autumn to give her post to Isla.

She said, "Ye, I know you're the general manager of the company, and I'm really happy for you. But don't be in a hurry and forget that I'm the planning director of Cloud Advertising Company now. Isla has no right to take my position that I made for myself."

Tilting her head, Autumn said "I'm the general manager of this company now. And that simply means it is my call to decide who gets to work within which space and capacity."

Paula stammered as her face turned pale with anger, "You... I see. You're exploiting your new position to take revenge on me. It was your own decision to leave the Cloud Advertising Company. I had nothing to do with it. How can you treat me like this?"

"I remember that Mr. Lu fired you just now. Did you forget it?" Autumn said, "Even if I use the power of my position to take revenge, what can you even do?"

With a stern look Ryan called out, "Paula." "Do you know who are you talking to? Have you lost your mind?"