The Stand-In Wife Chapter 07

The Stand-In Wife Chapter 07

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. 

Leah opened it. Kane was standing there, holding a bag. 

I looked at him over Leah’s shoulder. 

He looked at me. I looked at him. Our eyes met. Neither 

of us said a word. 

Leah looked at him, then at me, and laughed nervously. 

“Look at me. I haven’t even properly introduced you 

two. Ella, this is my husband, Kane Nightwalker. 

You’ve seen his picture. Kane, this is my sister, Ella.” 

I looked at Leah. Her face was smiling, but her fingers 

were twisting together nervously. 

I looked back at Kane. 

Silence. 

Then I opened my mouth. 

“Hello,” I said quietly. “Brother–in–law.” 

Leah’s tense shoulders relaxed. She came over, 

smiling. “You must be hungry. Kane brought food. Eat 

something, then get some sleep.” 

She helped me over to the couch. Kane set the takeout 

containers on the coffee table. 

“Kane, did you get this from the hospital cafeteria?” 

Kane shook his head. “Hospital food is awful. I found a restaurant and asked them to make some things 

fresh.” 

He set a container of stir–fried pork with chili peppers 

in front of me. 

The thing was, I broke out in hives whenever I ate spicy food. But stir–fried pork with chili peppers was my 

absolute favorite. 

Bright green peppers and shredded pork. It was the best comfort food when you were feeling down. The chef had even added thin strips of egg. 

A pair of delicate hands reached over and moved a container of stir–fried luffa squash in front of me. 

“Luffa is light,” Leah said with a smile. “You should 

eat more of this.” 

I nodded. 

The three of us ate in silence. 

“Sis,” I said quietly. “When I go back to Silvermoon 

City with you… I want a job.” 

Leah blinked, then immediately put down her 

chopsticks. “Of course. I’ve always wanted you to have 

a real job.” 

“But I don’t have a degree,” I said quietly. “I’ve looked before. It’s hard. Even in Ash Creek, it was hard. In Silvermoon City, it’ll be even harder. So I was 

wondering —” 

I paused. “Maybe you could get me something at Grey Industries? Even just an entry–level clerical position 

“That’s…” Leah hesitated. 

“I don’t need much money. I just need experience.” I looked at her. “If it’s too much trouble, never mind. I’ll 

look on my own.” 

“It’s not that.” She grabbed my hand. “I’m just worried about Dad. We look so much alike. A lot of people at Grey Industries know me –” 

“I agree,” Kane said suddenly. “Grey Industries isn’t a 

good idea.” 

Both of us looked at him. 

“Come to Nightwalker Group.” 

I blinked. So did Leah. “Kane?” 

Kane took a sip of tea and said casually, “The secretarial office had an assistant quit yesterday. Can you do clerical work?” 

I nodded. 

“Kane,” Leah tugged his sleeve. “I know you’re trying 

to help. But Ella didn’t even finish high school. I worry 

she won’t be able to handle it. She’d be a burden.” 

I said nothing. 

The truth was, I’d been a good student. Really good. But 

then Dad got sick. 

After I dropped out, I barely had time to crack a book. 

Yeah, I’d forgotten a lot. 

But during the year I was married to Kane, I’d had nothing to do during the days while he was at work. So 

I’d read. 

He had a lot of English books. I’d worked my way 

through half his library with a dictionary. 

Once, I was so absorbed that I didn’t even hear him 

come home. 

When I finally looked up, he was already in his casual clothes, leaning against the doorframe, watching met 

with a small smile on his face. 

I don’t know how long he’d been standing there. 

I looked at him. The last light of the sunset was 

painting him in gold. 

He walked over, scooped me up in his arms, and 

laughed. “Who knew I’d have to compete with my own 

books for my wife’s attention?” 

He sat down on the couch with me in his lap and 

pointed at the book in my hands. “Let me see. What are you reading?” 

I showed him. 

He pointed to a line. “If equal affection cannot be, let 

the more loving be me.” 

He smiled. “Will you read it for me?” 

My face got hot. “You know I can’t-” 

He laughed softly, brushed my hair behind my ear, and 

kissed his way down. 

That night, after I was half–asleep and barely able to keep my eyes open, he carried me to bed. Right before I passed out, I heard him whisper in my ear: 

“Baby, let the more loving be me.” 

Clatter. A glass of water tipped over, jolting me back to the present. Leah was scrambling for napkins, sopping 

up the mess. 

Kane grabbed a few napkins and dabbed at her hands, 

his voice gentle. “Careful now.” 

Once the table was clean, Kane turned to Leah. “It’s settled, then. Your sister has no work experience. She’d 

have a hard time anywhere else. And given her 

situation, if you went begging for favors elsewhere, 

your father might not be happy. She’ll come to 

Nightwalker Group to learn the ropes. Only a few 

executives there know your face. She’ll be safer with us. 

In a year or so, she can look elsewhere.” 

He turned to me. “The work is simple. Answering 

emails, mostly. But if you want a job, you need to take it 

seriously. Make a mistake, you’ll get yelled at like 

anyone else. Also-” He paused, his face serious. 

“Some of your old work habits need to change. 

Nightwalker Group has a clean culture. We don’t allow 

anything inappropriate.” 

“Kane,” Leah said quickly, “don’t be so harsh. You’ll 

scare her. Ella, say something.” 

“I understand. I’ll do a good job.” I paused. “Thank 

you, Brother–in–law.” 

Just then, Leah’s phone rang. 

She walked to the window to answer it. 

“Mom. Yes, I picked her up. We’ll see, okay? Okay…” 

Kane and I ate in silence. 

Then he looked up. 

“What’s your name?” 

I met his eyes. “Ella Winters.” 

He nodded and put down his chopsticks. “I’m Kane 

Nightwalker.”