I was set to marry into one of the most powerful families in the city, but my half-sister, the illegitimate child who’d always been a thorn in my side, was consumed by jealousy. The day before my lavish wedding, she drugged me. As she snuck into my wedding car, she sent her people to plunder my billion-dollar dowry, then grandly took my place, marrying into the prestigious Blackwood family. When I finally came to, I was furious. I found my half-sister, tied her up, and dragged her back. I eventually married into the Blackwood family as planned, only to be thrown into a beggar’s den by my husband a year later. His eyes were venomous, his voice cold as ice. “If your family’s funding wasn’t essential, you’d die a thousand deaths for humiliating Seraphina. Now that the Sterling Corporation has fallen, you’re worse than a dog.” My half-sister, Seraphina, stood nearby, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Sister, you humiliated me then; now you can pay your penance with the beggars. I’ve settled comfortably into the role of Mrs. Blackwood.” Overwhelmed by the humiliation, I bit my tongue and ended my life. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on my wedding day. … I slowly pushed myself up from the bed. It took me an hour to manage the pounding in my head before I opened the door. My mother, leaning on a maid, was just returning. The unshed tears in her eyes, remnants of regret, had barely dried when she looked up and saw me standing at the top of the stairs. She froze, utterly stunned. My father, frowning, was the first to react. “Willow, what are you doing here?” He pointed outside, his voice filled with alarm. “Then who was it that just got into the Blackwood family’s wedding car?” I clutched my chest, my face a picture of shock. “What? Someone already took my place in the wedding car? Last night, Seraphina said she’d miss me once she was married, so she lit some calming incense for me. I inhaled a couple of breaths and slept until just now.” The lively scene instantly fell silent. Everyone exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and suspicion. My mother staggered a few steps, nearly fainting, and immediately ordered the servants to seize Nanny Rose, who was trying to slip away in the crowd. “Aha, I knew it! During the send-off earlier, she clung to the bride’s hand, crying more sorrowfully than I, her own mother. I thought she was some good-for-nothing, but it turns out she’s truly the mother of that little beast!” My mother’s voice dripped with icy contempt. Nanny Rose knelt on the ground, her gaze darting nervously. She stammered, “Madam, I don’t understand what you’re saying. It’s Miss Willow who overslept and missed the auspicious hour. How can you blame my Seraphina?” Just as she finished speaking, the butler rushed over, out of breath. “Sir, Madam, the Reynolds family’s reception party has arrived. They’re waiting at the gate.” My mother’s face hardened. “Where is Seraphina? Go and bring her here immediately.” I lowered my head, hiding the cold smirk playing on my lips. Where else could she be? On Archer Blackwood’s bed, of course. During the wedding negotiations, Archer had insisted on a traditional Western wedding, claiming it honored ancestral customs. He’d even hired a renowned historian to oversee the entire event. The bride was to remain veiled throughout. By now, she had likely completed the ceremony and entered the bridal suite. A quick glance caught the triumphant gleam Nanny Rose couldn’t quite hide at the corner of her mouth, solidifying my conviction. This mother-daughter duo truly had it all planned out. Nanny Rose had been our housekeeper years ago, seducing my father and giving birth to Seraphina, securing a life of luxury. Now, Seraphina had drugged me, taken my place, and married into wealth, effectively sealing the deal. That left me with only one path: to take the wedding she’d rejected, marrying into the Reynolds family. The Reynolds family was a rising star in business over the past two years. While they lacked the deep roots of old money, their momentum was undeniable, with their presence felt across various emerging industries. Unfortunately, their patriarch was disabled. My father, with his sharp business acumen, had arranged Seraphina’s marriage to the Reynolds heir. If the Reynolds family flourished, Seraphina could enjoy the life of a wealthy socialite. If not, with the Sterling Corporation’s strong backing, she wouldn’t suffer. Yet, she failed to grasp my father’s good intentions. She’d pulled a switcheroo, forcing the marriage she found most despicable onto me. If I agreed, news of a Sterling heiress marrying a disabled man would spread like wildfire through high society that very night. The entire Sterling family would become the subject of ridicule. In my previous life, she’d used this very tactic to forever keep me beneath her heel. But back then, with my parents’ full support, I had made a scene at the wedding. The Blackwood family, still needing the Sterling Corporation’s assistance, had forcibly dragged Seraphina out of the bridal suite. I got my wish and became Mrs. Blackwood, and Archer treated me like a treasure. I hadn’t known then that this man, who seemed to pour his heart out to me, had already secretly conceived a child with Seraphina, working together to bring down the Sterling Corporation when the time was right. A maid’s startled gasp broke my reverie. “Madam, Miss Seraphina isn’t in her room! Her wedding dress and veil are still there, but all her dowry is gone!” “And… I found some things in Miss Seraphina’s room…” My father picked them up and his face turned to thunder. They were intimate photos of Seraphina and Archer Blackwood. He furiously flung the pictures at Nanny Rose’s face. “This is the wonderful daughter you’ve raised! She’s going to bring shame upon the entire Sterling Corporation!” 2 The butler, his brow furrowed with worry, spoke up. “Sir, the Reynolds family is pressing at the gate. What should we do?” My father’s face was grim. He slammed his fist on the table. “Contact the Blackwood family immediately. Quietly bind that wretched girl and send her to the Reynolds family. My Sterling Corporation’s marriage is not hers, a mere illegitimate child, to decide!” I tugged on my father’s sleeve, pinched my thigh hard, and tears streamed down my face. “Dad, let it go. Seraphina and Mr. Blackwood are clearly in love. They’ve already… well, and made a spectacle of the Sterling family at the wedding. I won’t marry such a man. Let Seraphina have him.” I wiped my eyes. “The Reynolds family is a valuable partner for us. In business, integrity is paramount, and I don’t want you to break your word, Dad. Your daughter is willing to marry into the Reynolds family.” My father looked at me, surprised and deeply moved. “Willow, you are the Sterling heiress. In this entire circle, only the Blackwood family is barely worthy of you. Marrying into the Reynolds family would be a true sacrifice for you, especially since Mr. Reynolds is…” He swallowed the rest of his words, his gaze filled with heartache. I smiled, picking up where he left off. “Dad, the Reynolds family ranked only ten spots behind the Blackwood family on Forbes last year. Think of how long the Blackwood family has been established compared to the Reynolds family’s rapid rise. While Mr. Reynolds is disabled, his reproductive health is fine, and he’s a business genius. With me by his side and the Sterling Corporation’s support, the Reynolds family’s future is boundless.” A conniving half-sister, greedy for wealth and snatching a wedding, versus a dignified heiress, composed in crisis, willing to marry for the sake of family honor. The contrast was stark, the difference undeniable. Many in the room looked at me with approval, their hearts aching for my predicament, and their contempt for Seraphina’s actions grew. My mother’s heart shattered into a million pieces, and she held me tightly in her embrace. My father gritted his teeth, seething. “Even so, my daughter, Willow Sterling, is not someone the Blackwood family can disrespect. Willow, rest assured, the Blackwood family has wronged you. You are right not to marry Archer. I will make sure they pay for this, no matter what.” We arrived at the Blackwood estate to find the newlyweds had already entered the bridal suite, but the banquet was still in full swing. Everyone stared in disbelief as we burst in, our presence a storm brewing. “Isn’t that Miss Willow Sterling, the Sterling heiress? She’s supposed to be the bride today, why is she here?” “No, that’s not right. The bride was escorted to the bridal suite half an hour ago. If it’s not her, then who is the bride?” My mother scoffed. “I apologize for the spectacle, everyone. The woman who just entered was also a Sterling daughter, but a common, illegitimate child who stole her sister’s wedding.” A hush fell over the room, then a collective gasp of shock. Archer Blackwood rushed in from outside, his face ashen, and interrupted. “Willow, don’t cause a scene. How can you blame Seraphina for this? Your figures are similar, and the veils were identical. You only have yourself to blame for oversleeping and missing the auspicious hour; that’s why I brought the wrong person.” “I was drunk earlier and mistook Seraphina for you in the bridal suite. As a man, I must take responsibility for Seraphina.” “Bringing people here now is just to switch places, isn’t it? I know you love me deeply, and you’d die without me. So, here’s what we’ll do: Seraphina and I will register our marriage, but I’ll only choose an heir from the children you bear for me. You might not have a title, but the entire Blackwood estate will belong to our children. This way, it won’t disrupt our families’ cooperation.” 3 The absurdity of it all made me want to laugh. Marrying Seraphina and then expecting me to be his mistress, with my son as an illegitimate child? The struggling Blackwood family, on the brink of collapse, would have vanished if not for the long-standing engagement and the Sterling Corporation’s support. And he, the shameless wretch, wanted the blessing of two women and the Sterling Corporation’s resources? My father, equally outraged, burst into a hollow laugh. “The Blackwood family certainly has some nerve! A few good years and you’ve forgotten the despair of being on the verge of bankruptcy? If that’s the case, I don’t mind helping you recall it.” The Blackwood matriarch, finally snapping out of her daze, rushed forward. “Mr. Sterling, what on earth is going on?” My mother pulled a stack of scandalous photos from her bag and tossed them onto the table. “Mrs. Blackwood, what do you think? If your esteemed son prefers an illegitimate child, why go through such lengths to humiliate my daughter? Our Sterling Corporation will not accept such a shameless daughter. My husband will return home and immediately terminate all cooperation between our families. The Sterling and Blackwood families are officially done.” Without the Sterling Corporation’s investment, the Blackwood family would be a mere shell, burdened with debt. The Blackwood matriarch clutched her chest, her face turning ashen, and repeatedly questioned Archer. “Tell me, what have you done?” Before Archer could speak, Seraphina burst out of the bridal suite, clad in a crimson silk robe. She fell to her knees before me, weeping piteously. “Sister, it’s all my fault. I was overcome with emotion and acted foolishly. But Archer and I are already married. If you keep causing a scene, you’ll only shame the Sterling family! Even if you don’t care about me, don’t you care about the Sterling family’s reputation?” To brand her own vulgar shamelessness as “overcome with emotion,” and my quest for justice as “disregarding family honor”—she truly had no shame. I scoffed. “So, you’re saying you drugged me, stole my wedding, entered my bridal suite, and my simply asking questions is what brings shame upon the Sterling family?” I deliberately raised my voice, airing all her dirty laundry. “If you truly loved Mr. Blackwood, why didn’t you tell me sooner? I wasn’t dead set on Archer. Why wait until our wedding day to commit such a despicable act? Who is truly trampling the Sterling family’s reputation underfoot? Or do you have no regard for the Sterling family at all, and just want to steal everything that belongs to me?” Seraphina’s face went pale, her eyes darting nervously. “I… I didn’t. It’s because I truly love Mr. Blackwood.” Everyone present was a seasoned socialite; her sordid intentions were crystal clear. “Using such vile tactics and then claiming ‘true love’ as an excuse? An illegitimate child, she doesn’t even know her place.” “If that were my daughter, I’d drag her home and beat her to death. To stoop to stealing her sister’s fiancé… who knows what other harm she’ll bring to the entire family later on.” Some even turned their accusations directly at Archer Blackwood. “Mr. Blackwood’s behavior is equally repulsive. Since he’s already entered the bridal suite with a shameless illegitimate child, he’s now shamelessly trying to force the legitimate heiress into being his mistress. Isn’t it just because he can’t bear to lose the heiress’s family resources? He wants to have his cake and eat it too, treating the heiress and the Sterling family like fools. I can barely bring myself to repeat the things he said.” The Blackwood matriarch, utterly disgraced, trembled with rage. She slapped Archer across the face. “You defiant son! Get down on your knees immediately and apologize to your future in-laws, and promise to marry Willow right away!” She took a few steps towards me, reaching for my hand, but I subtly evaded her. Her face stiffened for a moment, then instantly softened with flattery. “Willow, you’ve been wronged. Archer will agree to whatever you want, I promise you. This kind of thing will never happen again.” Archer clutched his face, his eyes burning with resentment, as if I had ruined his plans. He seemed utterly oblivious that I was the biggest victim of this whole sordid affair. “Mother, I only love Seraphina; I won’t marry anyone else. Willow Sterling is arrogant and overbearing, just a spoiled brat relying on the Sterling family’s influence. If I marry her, the entire Blackwood family will suffer. The position of Mrs. Blackwood can only be Seraphina’s.” “If she’s smart, out of respect for Mr. Sterling, I’ll give her a child. But I’ll bring the child to live with me and have Seraphina raise it. If she’s not smart, she can wait to be scorned and despised by everyone in the city. Who would ever marry a woman rejected by the Blackwood family?”
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