He's Just a Substitute that Doesn't Matter

Chapter 501 Her History

"If Virginia did this, I won't defend her. Anyone who harms the Johnston will be treated the same—no exceptions."
"I'll look into this thoroughly."
Lance rarely spoke to Addison with such seriousness, and she wasn't used to it.
Something stirred in Addison's heart, but she quickly looked away after a moment.
"Suit yourself. You don't have to report your family affairs to me."
"Investigate if you want. If not, that's your business. It has nothing to do with me."
Lance looked at the indifferent woman in front of him, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.
He thought back to how she used to be—how she would always greet him the moment he came home, how she would go along with whatever he wanted, how she would stay by his side when he was stressed about work.
But he never cherished any of it.
And now, even if he wanted it back, it was too late."If you have nothing else to say, you should go. The Divine Healer is still waiting," Addison said, her tone distant and detached, making it impossible for him to ignore the gap between them.
"Alright," Lance finally responded, his voice strained.
They walked toward the hall, one in front and the other behind, but the distance between them felt as vast as the stars.
...
After the evening banquet ended, Marilyn and the others escorted Matthew to the entrance of the Johnston Residence.
"Divine Healer, it's already so late. Why don't you stay the night at the Johnston Residence and leave in the morning?"
"No need," Matthew waved his hand dismissively.
"It's been a long time since I last saw Addy. I'd like to catch up with her."
The truth was, he didn't want to spend another second around Lance.
If he stayed any longer, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold back—he might just blurt out the whole truth and give that kid a well-deserved scolding.
Marilyn's eyes flickered with thought. From the way the Divine Healer spoke, he and Addison must be very close.
"How about letting Lance drive you and Addison? It'll be safer that way," she suggested gently.
Lance nodded, his gaze clear and expectant.
"Let me take you."
"There's no need. I already asked Gordon to pick us up. He's a careful driver," Addison refused without hesitation.
Just as she finished speaking, headlights flashed in the distance, followed by the sound of an approaching car.
Without sparing Lance a glance, Addison raised her hand to signal to the vehicle. "Gordon's here."
"Marilyn, we'll be heading out now."
Seeing that there was no convincing her, Marilyn sighed. "All right. Take care on the road."
"Drive safely."
The car sped off into the night. In the dim glow of the streetlights, Addison and Matthew sat side by side in the backseat, their faces faintly illuminated before fading into the darkness.
Behind them, Lance stood alone, bathed in a slanted beam of moonlight—isolated, abandoned.
Up front, Gordon gripped the steering wheel, glancing at Addison through the rearview mirror.
He didn't recognize the man sitting beside her.
But his principle was never to pry. He never asked questions about his passengers' matters.
"Ms. Daves, where to?" Gordon slowed the car slightly.
Truthfully, he hadn't expected Addison to show up at the Johnston Residence. After all, given her history with Lance ...
But before he could dwell on it any further, Gordon forced the thought out of his mind.

Chapter 502 Plain and Simple

"Are we heading back to Pendomium Heights?"
"Hold on a second."
Addison turned to Matthew. "Where are we going? Are you heading back to Kreshill now?"
Matthew had been quiet throughout dinner. It was clear that Marilyn had been trying hard to keep the conversation lively, but Matthew wasn't playing along.
The whole time, Addison had been worried—afraid that, in a moment of impulse, Matthew might take a swing at Lance.
"I'm not going back."
Matthew idly turned the ring on his finger and glanced out the window. "Addy, let's go to your place."
"I'd like to see what kind of miserable life you're living in Halton."
Addison was momentarily speechless.
"Grandpa, don't say that," she protested.
"It's not as bad as you think ... "
Before she could finish, Matthew suddenly grabbed her hand, signaling her to stop talking. Then, with a subtle glance in Gordon's direction, he made his point clear.
Addison caught on immediately.
Before coming here, she had reminded Matthew multiple times not to reveal her identity as the Daves family's heiress while they were in Halton.
Now, he was stopping her because she had almost let "Grandpa" slip in front of Gordon.
She pressed her lips together and chuckled lightly. "Relax."
"Didn't expect you to be so good at keeping a promise. I thought you would've forgotten by now."
Matthew let out a cold huff. "Do you think I'd dare forget something Addy specifically warned me about?"
"I have to keep it in mind at all times."
"Enough with the teasing!"
Addison shot a glance at Gordon. His posture was straight, eyes fixed on the road, fully focused on driving.
But she knew better.With his background as a former special forces soldier, Gordon had honed the ability to read people and situations with precision. In such a confined space, no movement or sound could escape his notice.
Trying to cover things up would be pointless.
Still, she had chosen Gordon to pick her up from the Johnston Residence today, which meant she wasn't planning to be overly cautious around him.
She understood him well enough—Gordon was trustworthy.
"Grandpa," Addison gestured for Matthew to lean in.
Matthew frowned in confusion, but he still moved closer.
Addison unlocked her phone, typed out a few words, and showed the screen to him.
"Don't worry. He doesn't know your identity, and he doesn't know mine."
"Right now, you're just a regular grandpa in Halton!"
...
The car sped through the night, and before long, they arrived at Pendomium Heights."Ms. Daves, we've arrived," Gordon announced.
Addison opened her sleepy eyes. She had dozed off in the car, but the sight of her familiar home quickly shook off her drowsiness.
"Grandpa, we're here! This is where I live—let's get out."
She smiled and pointed toward the house.
Matthew looked up at the residence as he stepped out, supported by Addison.
Once he was fully outside, he remained standing there, silently taking in the sight.
"Grandpa? What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Matthew stroked his beard and spoke slowly.
"This is where you live in Halton? This tiny place? So plain and simple?"
Before Addison could respond, there was a sharp clatter—Gordon had fumbled the keys in his hand, dropping them with an audible clang.

Chapter 503 Broken In

"Gordon, what's wrong?" Addison turned her head at the sound.
"Nothing ... " Gordon bent down to pick up the keys, saying nothing more.
The house in front of them was the largest in all of Pendomium.
For Addison to live alone in a place this big was more than enough.
"Addison, don't you feel uncomfortable staying here instead of going home?" Matthew asked.
"There's no proper garden, and you're surrounded by neighbors. Doesn't it feel cramped?"
Addison immediately protested. "Cramped? Not at all! This place is huge!"
"And I'm not squeezed in with anyone."
The closest villa was at least a few hundred meters away. Matthew was exaggerating.
"This place isn't even a tenth the size of our home. Honestly, your courtyard alone is bigger than this ... "
Before Matthew could say anything more, Addison quickly cut him off."All right, Grandpa. Let's go inside."
She had just reminded him to keep up the act of being an ordinary grandfather in Halton, yet here he was making comments that could easily give them away. Even if Gordon wasn't the sharpest, he'd be able to put two and two together.
After all, in all of Halton, you'd be hard-pressed to find a house as massive as the one Matthew was referring to. Even the grand Johnston Residence would seem small in comparison.
Half pushing and half dragging, Addison got Matthew to the front door.
Just as she was about to unlock it, she suddenly remembered something. "Grandpa, I haven't been back in a while, so it might be a little messy inside."
She also had plants, which she hadn't watered since she left in such a hurry. They were probably dead by now.
"But it shouldn't be too bad. Just a little dust, maybe. I hope you don't mind."
Matthew looked surprised. "You don't have a housekeeper?"
It pained him to think Addison was living like this in Halton—she even had to clean her own house.Back at the Daves Residence, she had never lifted a finger for housework.
"I did, but since I wasn't going to be home, I told her to leave early. Didn't want to trouble her."
"You ... " Matthew shook his head, at a loss for words.
Addison unlocked the door and flipped on the lights.
But instead of the dusty floor she was expecting, the place was spotlessly clean. So clean that the floor reflected the light.
Even when Rosa, her housekeeper was around, it had never been this pristine.
She froze for half a second.
Her first thought? Someone had broken in.
Even Matthew raised an eyebrow. "This house does a great job of keeping dust out."
The farther Addison walked inside, the more unsettled she felt. The whole place was immaculate.
Even her plants—ones she was sure would be wilted by now—looked lush and thriving, as if they had been watered regularly.Had Rosa come back?
She immediately pulled out her phone and called Rosa, but the housekeeper said she hadn't been there at all.
Addison hung up, looking more confused than ever. Something about this didn't add up.
"What's wrong, Addison?" Matthew asked, noticing her expression.
"Nothing, Grandpa," she said, pushing down the unease in her heart and forcing a smile. "Let me get a guest room ready for you."