001 “Chance Encounter” with Mr. Hale, She Is the Substitute

The rainy season, with incessant rain.

The wind blew and clouds scattered, allowing the rain to fall as it pleased; inside the ballet studio, a group of children clad in ballet attire were repeat practicing under their teacher's guidance.

"Let your hands naturally hang down, your arms and hands forming an elliptical shape, and pay attention to the teacher's movements..."

Zoe Bell taught conscientiously.

The parents who came to pick up their children after class gathered in pairs and small groups, whispering about the hottest topic in Greenland recently:

[The Bell Family has found their daughter lost for 20 years]

"So Ms. Bell isn't the Bell Family's biological child? No wonder she doesn't look like them at all."

"They say the Bells adopted her from an orphanage, but sadly, now that they've found their biological daughter, her situation has become quite awkward."

"I heard her fiancé, Brandon Stone, doesn't want her either."

"They adopted her only because they couldn't find their biological daughter; she was merely a substitute to comfort the Bell Family's emotional needs."

...

The crowd looked at Zoe Bell with sympathetic eyes.

She was tall with fair skin, a classic beauty with fine bone structure.

She had incredibly attractive lychee-shaped eyes, brimming with gentle autumn water and hints of spring mountains, and her legs were white and slender. Even dressed in the black and white practice attire, without meaning to attract attention, she radiated charm in myriad ways.

She conducted herself properly and with measure.

Not only did the children like her, but the parents also had high regard for her.

After her class ended and she had seen off the students and parents, a colleague asked her with concern, "How's your foot?"

"It's okay," she replied.

"I was signaling you to rest the whole time; why didn't you?"

"The children and parents come for me; if I just sit there the whole time, I bet people would start complaining soon," Zoe Bell said with a smile, as she bent over to rub her right ankle.

She had injured her right leg, and it never healed properly. It pained her greatly on rainy days, bringing her dancing career to an end, and she now worked as a teacher at a training institution.

"It's started to rain..." the colleague, while packing up, observed Zoe, "Is Young Master Stone coming to pick you up?"

Zoe, her head down as she rubbed her ankle, replied softly without showing her face, "He's been quite busy recently, and probably won't have time."

The colleague didn't say anything.

Indeed, busy, probably busy accompanying the true Ms Bell.

Brandon Stone had pursued Zoe for a long time, knowing that her leg would hurt on rainy days, so whenever it was cloudy and rainy, he would personally drive her to and from work. Her colleagues were all envious of her having such a wealthy and thoughtful fiancé.

But ever since the news spread that the Bell Family had found their biological daughter, he showed up less frequently.

Spending his days entertaining the legitimate heiress.

Her colleagues sighed and felt sorry for Zoe.

"Ms. Bell, if your foot hurts too much, take a couple of days off at home. I'll explain it to the students and their parents," the head of the institution said as he looked her over. "You can barely walk straight, and it's raining outside; do you want me to take you to the hospital to have it checked?"

"No need, thank you. I have other things to do, I'll just take a taxi," Zoe said as she changed clothes, and when she left the institution, most of the students and their parents had already left.

Underneath the misty sky, with a fine drizzle, there was a distance to the city center, and it was hard to catch a taxi on rainy days.

She held her umbrella, intending to walk to a nearby bus stop to wait for the bus and take shelter from the rain.

The cool wind, carrying the fine rain, felt chilling against her skin, and she couldn't help but shiver; she had dressed too lightly that day.

Before reaching the bus stop, the sound of a car approached from behind.

The car sped forward, its wheels flinging up the rainwater. Her breath caught because the car seemed to be heading straight for her. Zoe hurriedly stepped back, her heel against the curb, nearly tumbling into the grass of the green space.

Accompanied by the urgent sound of brakes, the car stopped about two or three meters away from her.

She was startled pale, her breathing rapid.

"I am so sorry, are you alright?" the driver got out of the car quickly and exclaimed in surprise upon seeing her, "Ms Bell?"

Zoe looked at him, stunned for a moment.

He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place him.

At that moment, the door on the rear side of the car opened, and someone got out—an English suit paired with an imperial collar shirt and a four-in-hand tie only made his naturally cold aura seem as if it were draped with frost and snow, exuding an intimidating air.

His gaze was icy and serene, devoid of any merriment.

Under the protection of a black umbrella, his face gradually became clear—his features were sharp and his expression, detached and aloof.

He took large strides and stopped in front of her after only a few steps.

As the umbrella tilted towards her, it shielded her from all the wind and rain.

"Mr. Hale?" Zoe's umbrella had fallen at some point, and now she looked somewhat disheveled. Close underneath the same umbrella, beyond a safe distance, she felt uncomfortable and wanted to increase the space between them. But the wet slippery road made her unsteady on her right foot, and she nearly fell over.

Unexpectedly, William Hale reached out and steadied her by the forearm, helping her to regain her balance.

Zoe hadn't even reacted when the warmth from his palm sent a tense shiver through her body.

Sharing the same umbrella, they stood very close to each other.

So close that Zoe could smell the wooden scent on him—it was warm yet detached, sophisticated and controlled, with a strong presence.

The invasion of this unfamiliar aroma filled her mind with a sudden whirlpool of thoughts.

"Thank you," Zoe hastily expressed her gratitude.

"You're welcome," William said as he pulled his hand back, "My driver's fault, I'm sorry for startling you. Do you need to go to the hospital for your foot, Miss Bell?"

"No need, it's an old problem."

Zac Cruz, the driver, quickly interjected, "The wheels slipped in the rain; I'm really sorry, Ms Bell. Luckily, you weren't hit. Still, it's probably best to go to the hospital."

He apologized profusely.

"It's all right, I don't need to go to the hospital," Zoe urgently declined, feeling a tingling sensation on her scalp when her gaze met William's.

William had arrived in Greenland half a month ago, his reason unclear.

Even among the nobles and elites of Capital City, his presence commanded flattery and obsequious reverence, let alone in a place like Greenland.

The overwhelming pressure made it hard for people to even breathe.

Zoe had seen him once before when she attended a party with her fiancé, Brandon Stone.

He held a high position and seemed carefree.

His eyes were calm and untroubled as they fell upon her, silent and restrained, but with an aura as intense as a wolf's.

Everyone's spirit tensed in his presence.

"Let's go, it looks like the rain's going to get heavier, and it's hard to catch a taxi around here," Zac urged Zoe. "I heard you're a Ballet dancer; if you were to really hurt your leg and something bad happened, then I would truly be at fault. It's better to check it now; we'll all be more at ease."

Zoe understood his meaning.

Too many people wanted to curry favor with William Hale, worried that if she didn't go to the hospital now, she might complain of discomfort in a few days, possibly trying to extort them afterward.

A visit to the hospital would put both sides at ease.

"Ms Bell, please get in the car," William's voice was cool and emotionless, leaving no room for resistance.

Zoe understood his concerns and reluctantly got into his car.

After boarding the car, she was in a highly strained state, considering Mr. Hale's overwhelming presence. Fortunately, the nearest hospital was less than ten minutes away by car.

The interior of the car was extremely quiet. Zoe wasn't familiar with him and hadn't spoken to him before, making the atmosphere unavoidably awkward until her mobile phone vibrated. She picked up and said, "Dad?"

"Where are you? Why haven't you arrived yet?"

"I just got off work..."

"I've told you before, quit your job. Our family doesn't need the little money you bring in." Kevin Bell, her foster father, spoke discontentedly, "To outsiders, it looks like the Bell Family can't support you and you need to work for a living!"

William, sitting beside her, turned to look out the window. The rain blurred the glass and his fingers rested on his knee...

Suddenly clenched.