After being brought back to my wealthy biological family, the fake heiress, Serena, took me along on ninety-nine dates with her fiancé. Every single time, she would cry and say, "You're the one who should be his fiancée. I'm just an imposter." She would brazenly lock me in a room with Elias, and deliberately re-gift me the presents he gave her. She even made me wear the exact same dress as her to test him. And every single time, Elias firmly chose her. Satisfied by his unwavering preference time and time again, Serena’s behavior became increasingly outrageous. Until the final time, when Serena demanded that Elias propose to her on a livestream witnessed by hundreds of millions of netizens. Under the scrutiny of the entire internet, Serena once again claimed she was unworthy and bought a red-eye flight to Paris. "Elias, she's the one who should be your fiancée." She thought this time would end exactly like all the times before. But Elias looked at the millions of viewers on the livestream, and then at his cousins behind him, who were eagerly waiting to see him become a laughingstock. He tiredly massaged his temples. "Chloe, will you marry me?" ... I smiled and put on the ten-carat pink diamond that originally belonged to Serena. Amidst the blessings of the guests and elders, I became Elias Vance's fiancée. After seeing off the guests, only the two of us were left at the venue. Elias looked at the string of red exclamation marks indicating blocked messages on his phone and rubbed his temples. "Chloe, I'm sorry. If you ever meet someone you truly like, you can come to me anytime to break off the engagement." "When that time comes, the Vance family will give you a fair compensation. We might have to attend some banquets together for a while. I appreciate your help." Because of Serena's repeated "humility," Elias had been humiliated dozens of times, and the Vance family elders already had major issues with him. If it weren't for me stepping in today, Elias and the entire Vance family would have become the laughingstock of our social circle. I nodded gently, my demeanor perfectly composed. "It's alright. Until my sister comes back, I'll play the role of your fiancée." "Please don't blame her. She just lacks a sense of security. When she returns, I'll return the position of Mrs. Vance to her." "I'll be in your care for the time being, Mr. Vance." Thinking about Serena running away from the proposal, Elias's face turned incredibly grim. But when he looked at me, his expression softened slightly. He took out his phone and transferred three million dollars to my account as compensation. "If your parents hear any news about Serena, please let me know." I nodded at him with a look of deep concern. But the moment he turned away, I deleted the location data Serena had sent me a few hours ago. She wanted to use me to relay her location to Elias, hoping for a grand, romantic, cross-continental chase, just like before. But now, I am Elias's fiancée. Did she really think I was going to spit out what was already in my hands? Keep dreaming! After Elias drove away, I returned to the Sterling estate. My parents were sitting on the couch, anxiously calling Serena's phone over and over. When their eyes fell on me, they looked hesitant, as if they wanted to say something but couldn't quite find the words. "Chloe... Serena and Elias grew up together. They are deeply in love. Your engagement to Elias today was just a stopgap measure..." "Serena is so kind-hearted. She's willing to give all of this back to you, but you have to remember, she doesn't actually owe you anything." Serena's biological mother swapped us at birth, allowing Serena to live my life as the Sterling heiress for over twenty years. Yet, my own biological parents were sitting here telling me she didn't owe me anything. That, in itself, was a blinding display of favoritism. But I simply offered a soft smile. "I know. Don't worry, Mom, Dad. Sister abandoned Elias at the proposal today, and the Vance family was definitely going to be furious. I only stepped in to be Elias's bride for her sake." "I'll take care of Elias's family for her and help explain things to them. When Sister comes back, I'll return to my proper place." My parents visibly breathed a sigh of relief. "Such a good girl. Once your sister is back, we will definitely find you a good match." "We'll find a family with a slightly lower social standing, so you can live comfortably without pressure." I smiled politely and turned around. Wait for her to come back? By that time, I'll probably already be married to Elias. 2 The next day, I dressed in an elegant, understated outfit and went to the Vance family's main estate. The Vance family had prospered for generations, possessing deep roots and old money. This marriage was a massive step up for the Sterling family. My parents could absolutely never find another family of this caliber, which was why they were so determined to have Serena marry into it. But why should I listen to them? I brought gifts to visit Elias's grandmother. She was a true aristocrat from the last century, and she was extremely pleased with my gentle, dignified demeanor. From then on, I visited the estate every day. Sometimes I would personally cook a dish, sometimes I would just sit and chat with old Mrs. Vance. I didn't deliberately try to flatter Elias, but rather, I thoughtfully and subtly integrated myself into his life. After running into me at the estate several times, Elias invited me to attend a gala as his plus-one. It was my first time attending an event of this scale. Elias had been worried that I wouldn't understand high-society etiquette and might make a mistake, but my performance completely exceeded his expectations. I conversed with the guests with perfect grace, looking every bit like a socialite who had grown up in the upper-class circle. Elias couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. Under the chandelier lights, a hint of genuine warmth appeared in his eyes. "When did you learn all this? I remember Serena saying the family that adopted you struggled financially. You shouldn't have had access to this kind of environment." "Struggled financially" was an understatement. I thought of the moldy peeling paint, the drafty windows, and the adoptive parents who only knew how to beat and scold me. Yet, I maintained my elegant smile. "I was afraid of embarrassing you, so I specifically hired two etiquette coaches." "Thankfully, my hard work over this period hasn't gone to waste." Elias looked genuinely impressed. "To learn all this in such a short time... you're very smart, Chloe." I just smiled and didn't say anything. When I first returned to the Sterling family, Serena secretly mocked me for being ignorant and unrefined. I still remember our first meeting. She cried and apologized to me, while deliberately wearing a designer outfit worth tens of thousands of dollars, swaying it right in front of my face. She used her flawless, porcelain skin to highlight my sallow, malnourished complexion. She used her twenty years of high-society upbringing to contrast my rough, unpolished manners. So, the moment I got my first allowance, I secretly hired etiquette coaches. Whatever Serena knew, I was going to learn. And whatever she didn't know, I was going to learn that too. But I would never tell Elias any of this. "It was the least I could do." Elias was very pleased with my answer and pulled out a black Amex card. "We are an engaged couple now. If you need anything from now on, just use this." I flashed a playful smile and accepted it happily. "Thank you, Elias." From that day on, my relationship with Elias grew closer. I would deliver lunch to him at work under the guise of it being from old Mrs. Vance, and I accompanied him to various events. I always maintained a comfortable, respectful distance from him. Within two months, he had grown entirely accustomed to my presence. What truly changed his view of me was during a site visit with international clients. The French translator had a sudden emergency, and I stepped in, using fluent French to help the Vance Group secure the partnership. That time, Elias stared at me for a very long time. I stood in the sunlight and smiled back at him. Elias looked stunned, as if he was seeing me for the very first time. When we parted ways that day, his expression was incredibly complex. "Chloe, you are completely different from what I imagined. You are truly an exceptional person." From that day forward, the way Elias looked at me changed. It turned into the way a man looks at a woman. I pretended not to notice and continued to treat him with the same relaxed, easygoing attitude. He started asking me out for lunch and dinner, and would specifically bring back gifts for me when he went on business trips. Until one evening at a networking event, a man deliberately tried to get me drunk to take advantage of me. Elias immediately stepped in front of me, shielding me, and beat the guy to the ground. When I was taking Elias to the hospital to get his bruised knuckles checked, I hugged him tightly for the first time. My hands gripped his tightly. "Elias, please be okay. You have to be okay. This is all my fault." He squeezed my hand back and rested his head on my shoulder. "Chloe, don't worry. I'm fine." I could hear the rapid thump-thump-thump of his heartbeat. As we were getting closer and closer, Serena, who had been waiting endlessly for Elias to come running, finally lost her patience. She used her friends back home to subtly leak her location to Elias. 3 She fully expected Elias to be ecstatic, cancel all his work overnight, and fly across the world to find her. But unfortunately, Elias merely stared at the address for a long time, and ultimately, did not go. Serena was furious, stomping her feet in anger. It was also around this time that she learned from my parents that on the very day she fled the proposal, Elias and I had gotten engaged. She believed Elias loved her so much that he could endure her ninety-nine tests. She was convinced that the only reason he wasn't coming for her this time was because the Vance family elders had intervened. She had always been spoiled rotten and couldn't handle the slightest grievance. She immediately called the Vance estate to demand answers. Her words were incredibly vicious: "You archaic relics of arranged marriages! Just because your own marriages are miserable, you have to intentionally torment me? Let me tell you, Elias won't marry anyone but me!" "If you have the guts, try forcing him to marry Chloe! He would rather die than agree to it!" The person who happened to answer the phone was old Mrs. Vance. Upon hearing Serena's tirade, she collapsed and was rushed to the ER. Old Mrs. Vance was nearly ninety years old, and her health was already fragile. The sudden surge of extreme anger put her in critical condition. She gripped Elias's hand and told him her only dying wish was to see him get married. After all, Elias was the son of her beloved youngest child, and he had been her absolute favorite since he was born. "Elias, just marry Chloe. Before I die, I need to see you and Chloe married." That night, Elias chain-smoked for hours and made several phone calls that wouldn't connect. In the morning, he came to find me again. "Chloe, let's get married." The conditions Elias offered were incredibly generous. Not only did it include shares in the Vance Group, but also a multi-million dollar bridal gift. He said, "We've been very happy together these past few months. I believe you have feelings for me too. Perhaps we can try to live together like a normal married couple." "I did have a history with Serena, but I will let her go. I will work hard to be a good husband. Will you marry me?" Elias looked slightly apprehensive. What reason did I have to refuse? This was supposed to be mine from the very beginning. The Vance family began preparing for the wedding. Serena still had no idea what was happening back home. She was still in Paris, waiting for her prince charming to break through all societal norms, defy all the elders, and appear before her bathed in light. She didn't know her white knight was currently trying on wedding dresses with me. She even sent me another provocative text. "Chloe, I've given everything back to you. Have you finally gotten Elias's and our parents' love?" "Don't think that just because you're the biological daughter, you have everything. I just want to tell you, you will never be better than me, even if I hand the opportunities right to you over and over." I didn't reply. I calmly gazed at the radiant, smiling bride in the mirror, and then took a gorgeous selfie. Serena was stunned for a long time. Then, my phone started pinging non-stop with a barrage of abusive messages. I didn't reply to a single one. I calmly blocked and deleted her. Serena's signature move was advancing by retreating. The first day I came home, she announced she was giving the title of the Sterling heiress back to me, and then proceeded to slit her wrist in public with a pocket knife. My parents panicked. They spent an entire week fussing over her in the hospital, without speaking a single word to me. Seeing that my parents didn't care about me, the maids served me cold leftovers for a week. When she returned from the hospital, she put on another fake show, saying she wanted to give me her bedroom and all the expensive jewelry my parents had bought her over the years. My parents were heartbroken for her and immediately labeled me as aggressive and power-hungry. "Chloe, it's true you are our biological daughter, but what did Serena do wrong? She's already being so understanding. Can you please stop targeting her?" Between the two of us, she was always the winner. She was always the one "stepping back," and every time she stepped back, the distance between my parents and me grew wider. She was using this method to assert her dominance over me, making me realize clearly that our parents would only ever love her. And that applied to the fiancé who was originally supposed to be mine, too. But this time, she wouldn't win. Because not everyone in the world is like the parents who raised her for twenty years, ready to indulge her infinitely. In the past, she had used me to test Elias hundreds of times. Even when we wore the exact same dress, even when she drugged him and locked us in the same room, Elias firmly stood by her side. And then she would scream with joy, throw herself into his arms, and make him spin her around. Every time that happened, I would stand awkwardly to the side, completely reduced to a prop meant to highlight her. Endless coddling had made Serena forget that the one thing in this world that cannot withstand constant testing is the human heart. I calmly prepared for the wedding with Elias. Because of old Mrs. Vance's condition, the wedding was arranged hastily. But it had all the grandeur and prestige it required. That day, the Vance family hosted a lavish banquet, gathering all relatives, friends, and business partners. After Elias took me to pay respects to the ancestors, the highly anticipated show finally began. Even old Mrs. Vance, who hadn't fully recovered, was discharged from the hospital. She sat kindly in the front row to witness our vows. Below the stage, countless elites and dignitaries watched the newlyweds. After a round of enthusiastic applause. The officiant raised the microphone: "Mr. Vance, do you take Ms. Sterling to be your lawfully wedded wife?" "I..." Just as Elias took the microphone, Serena, wearing a full wedding gown, burst through the doors with massive fanfare. "Elias Vance, don't you dare! I object!" 4 She looked at Elias with tear-filled eyes. "Elias, are you really going to marry her? Have you forgotten our decade of love?" "I know you were forced into this. Now that I'm back, you can marry the woman you truly love." My parents also stood behind Serena. "That's right. You and Serena grew up together. As long as you're willing, the bride can be swapped to Serena right now." Serena looked at Elias with deep affection. "I was wrong before, but I've done some serious soul-searching these past few months. Elias, let me be your bride, okay?" Elias looked at Serena with a complex expression, then accepted the microphone from the officiant. Serena smiled, her eyes crinkling, and took a step forward to lovingly loop her arm through his. "I only did those things before because I lacked a sense of security. But now I understand, you are my safest harbor. I will never push you away again." "Elias, as long as you're willing, today is our wedding, and I am your bride. My sister will bless us too, right?" My eyes turned red. I looked at Elias as if I wanted to speak but stopped myself, remaining silent. Elias forcefully pushed Serena's arm away and took my hand. "Serena, today is my wedding with Chloe. As her sister, what exactly are you doing here?" Elias's gaze was firm. Serena, who had thought victory was in her grasp, instantly contorted her face in shock and disbelief. "Did my sister say something to you?" "Chloe, I... I really can't live without Elias. Please, give him back to me." Seeing Serena looking so heartbroken, my parents immediately darkened their faces and came over to pull at me. "Chloe, this marriage was originally your sister's. Are you trying to steal your sister's man?" They were glaring at me in front of all these people, trying to force me to yield the bride's position to Serena. Below the stage, old Mrs. Vance's face had turned incredibly dark. She stood up shakily, leaning heavily on her cane. "What do you take my grandson for? Chloe is the granddaughter-in-law I have chosen. If you insist on swapping her for Serena, then this wedding is off." My parents hurriedly stepped forward to support old Mrs. Vance with fawning smiles. "Mrs. Vance, you don't understand. Chloe grew up on the streets. She has no upbringing and doesn't know etiquette. She can't compare to Serena." "Serena is the one truly fit to be the daughter-in-law of the Vance family." Old Mrs. Vance struck her cane hard against the floor. "Serena is the one with no upbringing! Chloe is filial and well-behaved. My eyes aren't blind yet!" "The doors of the Vance family aren't open for just anyone to walk through!" Seeing the old lady's firm stance, Serena looked at Elias, tears on the verge of falling, hoping he would stand up for her. "Ms. Sterling, whatever it is, it can wait until after Chloe's and my wedding is over." Cold and ruthless, Elias called for two security guards to drag Serena away, then signaled the officiant to continue the ceremony. The beautiful, lyrical music started playing again. "Chloe, don't worry. The woman I am marrying today is you." "I will never let you down." I put on a performance of being utterly moved, gazing at him with teary eyes. "Okay. I believe you." Serena's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. She couldn't understand. Why, after so many tests where Elias had never wavered, did he suddenly become so set on me after she merely went abroad for a few months? Even with her pouring her heart out to him, he refused her. Elias didn't spare her a single glance. He calmly exchanged rings with me. The moment the officiant announced that the groom could kiss the bride, Serena completely snapped. "Elias, watching you marry someone else is worse than death!" With that, she grabbed a fruit knife from a nearby table like a maniac and slashed it toward her own wrist. My parents were terrified and rushed to stop her, screaming at me as they did. "Chloe! Your sister is committing suicide, and you have the nerve to just stand there!" "Elias, Serena's love for you is pure and true!" "Are you really going to just let her die?" Elias hesitated for a split second. Serena seemed to think this was her opening, calling out "Elias" in a tearful voice. But in the next second, Elias pulled out his phone and dialed 911. "Ms. Sterling is a guest, after all. It would be bad luck if something happened to her at Chloe's and my wedding." "This hospital has an excellent trauma center. They won't let anything happen to her." Serena stared at Elias in absolute disbelief. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she genuinely fainted.
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