On my eighteenth birthday,my grandfather laid out profiles of several eligible men in front of me and asked me to choose one for an engagement. Without hesitation,I chose Julian Howard from the Howard Family Group. Everyone present was stunned. After all,it was common knowledge in our circle that Shirley Lennox,the heiress of Lennox Corporation,had been deeply in love with the eldest son,Miles Howard. At my coming-of-age banquet,I had even publicly declared that I would marry no one but Miles Howard. In my previous life,I got my wish and married Miles Howard. But just three days into our marriage,he couldn’t wait to tell me that he planned to take my stepsister,Mia Sullivan,under his wing as well. My mother was furious and immediately arranged for Mia Sullivan to marry one of my father’s protégés. Miles Howard was convinced that I had sabotaged his plans and came to despise me. From then on,he was constantly embroiled in scandals,and every one of his companions bore a striking resemblance to Mia Sullivan. He allowed those women to humiliate me in every possible way. Ultimately,on the day he inherited the family business,I was poisoned to death. Reincarnating with a second chance at life,I decided to stay far away from him and let him be with Mia Sullivan. But to my surprise,as soon as the news of my engagement to Julian Howard was announced,he lost control and publicly opposed the marriage. … After leaving the chairman’s office,I didn’t expect to run into Miles Howard. He had just concluded an important company meeting,surrounded by executives and industry elites. Upon seeing me,the group burst into laughter,teasing,“Shirley Lennox,are you chasing General Manager Howard all the way to the company headquarters?If your father knew how persistent his daughter is,he’d probably have a hypertensive crisis and take a sick leave!” Miles Howard looked at me with disgust,his tone icy:“You came to the company—did you think my father would directly order us to get engaged?Let me warn you,without my consent,don’t act crazy again.” I was all too familiar with that look of disdain in his eyes. Suppressing the sting in my heart,I spoke calmly:“The chairman asked me here to arrange an important coming-of-age ceremony for me.It has nothing to do with you.” No sooner had I finished speaking than the room erupted:“Coming-of-age ceremony?” I knew why they were shocked. The company founder,Miles Howard’s grandfather,had left a will stating that the fiancé chosen by the youngest daughter of the Lennox family at her coming-of-age ceremony would become the next heir of the company. My words had effectively announced that the successor was already decided. After the shock wore off,everyone rushed to congratulate Miles Howard. “It seems it won’t be long before we have to call you Chairman Howard,”they said. A look of satisfaction crossed Miles Howard’s face,but when he looked at me,his tone was filled with mockery. “Shirley Lennox,you’ve chased after me for so many years,and now that you’ve finally gotten your wish,you must be over the moon.” As he spoke,he stepped closer,lowering his voice in my ear:“I won’t repeat the same mistakes,so there’s something you must agree to before I even consider marrying you.” “The day we get married,I’ll have Mia be my assistant and enter the company with you,”he paused,his tone growing even deeper. My heart sank in disbelief. It was clear—he too had been reborn. Before I could respond,a delicate voice came from behind:“Sister.” It was my stepsister,Mia Sullivan.She looked frail as she walked over. Her face was pale,and Miles Howard immediately stepped forward with concern,gently supporting her:“Mia,why did you come to the company?” Mia Sullivan covered her mouth and leaned into his chest,her voice trembled with tears:“Today is sister’s coming-of-age ceremony.I couldn’t not come.But my health isn’t great—I’ve caught a bit of a cold.I hope sister won’t blame me.” Miles Howard glared at me sternly:“How could you be so heartless?Just for a coming-of-age ceremony,you had to bring someone who’s ill?” With that,he swept Mia Sullivan into his arms:“Mia,let’s go to my office.I’ll have a doctor check on you.” Before leaving,he didn’t forget to warn me coldly:“Shirley Lennox,reflect on your behavior.If you keep acting so arrogantly,our wedding will be put on hold.” And with that,he carried Mia Sullivan away without looking back.
On my grand birthday banquet,Miles Howard arrived late with Mia Sullivan,looking as if they had just finished some mischief. Most of the guests had already left,leaving only a group of trouble-loving second-generation heirs,all waiting for me to lose my temper. Mia Sullivan’s hair was disheveled,her eyes dazed,and her cheeks flushed—a clear sign that something was off. Miles Howard,on the other hand,wore a look of triumph,with a fresh strawberry mark on his neck. Anyone with a clear eye could tell where the two of them had been,and they were all waiting for me to erupt. In the past,I would have thrown a tantrum,crying and making a scene. But now,I simply picked up my teacup and took a gentle sip. Miles Howard had already placed Mia Sullivan behind him,waiting for me to kick up a fuss so he could scold me. Unexpectedly,I acted as if nothing had happened,seemingly oblivious to them,and even gently set my teacup back down. His brow furrowed,clearly displeased. But then,as if remembering something,he laughed and said,"Shirley Lennox,are you pretending to be a lady now,fearing that I might call off the wedding?Not bad.To be my fiancée,you need to be more magnanimous.After all,today is your birthday." As he spoke,he pulled a cheap pendant from his pocket,about to hand it to me,when Mia Sullivan snatched it away. "Brother Miles,this pendant is so shiny,"Mia Sullivan said in a cooing voice. Miles Howard immediately replied,"If Mia likes it,then it’s yours." Mia Sullivan feigned reluctance,glancing at me with a smirk that she couldn’t quite hide:"But that’s the gift you were going to give your sister.What will she do if I take it?" Miles Howard disdainfully glanced at me:"Her?She’s easy to deal with." He casually grabbed a disposable plastic fork from a passing waiter’s tray and threw it in front of me,his tone contemptuous:"This is for you."Then,with a smile,he said to Mia Sullivan,"Anything I give her,she’ll accept." The fork knocked over my drink,splashing liquid all over me. The onlookers stifled their laughter behind their hands. Looking at the fork in front of me,I suddenly felt utterly tasteless. In the past,I used to pester him for gifts. He would buy me a plastic bracelet from a street stall for just a few dollars,and I would be overjoyed,wearing it every day. Everyone in the circle mocked me,saying that even if Miles Howard gave me trash,I would treat it like a treasure. I took a deep breath,not wanting to ruin my own birthday banquet.I handed the fork back to the waiter and said softly,"The young master was just joking with me.You may leave." The waiter,frightened,quickly retreated. Seeing my indifference,Miles Howard became even more displeased,his expression darkening. He pulled Mia Sullivan to sit beside me,and the two of them flirted shamelessly,completely ignoring me. While indulging in their affection,he stealthily observed my reactions. I found it all incredibly tedious,stood up,and prepared to leave. Miles Howard noticed and grabbed my arm,smirking triumphantly:"What’s the matter?Already jealous?Shirley Lennox,you’d better get used to it.I’ll never be yours alone.Jealousy is a cardinal sin in a wealthy family." I hastily shook off his hand and said coldly,"There’s a distinction between men and women.Young master,please behave yourself." He paused,then suddenly laughed again:"What’s this new act?We’re about to be engaged.You’re already mine.Can’t I even touch you?" I was so angry I almost laughed.If it weren’t for my uncle’s warning not to reveal my choice yet,I would have slapped him hard. For now,I could only retort,"Miles Howard,how can you be so sure that I chose you?" He froze for a moment,then burst into laughter. The crowd around us,unable to contain themselves any longer,joined in the mockery. Tears streaming down his face from laughter,Miles Howard said,"Not to mention that everyone in this circle knows you’re determined to marry me,but even if we look at the other eligible young men—Number Three is already married,Number Four has a prearranged marriage with a foreign tycoon’s daughter.Surely you’re not considering being their mistress?As for Number Two,he’s in poor health;who knows…could you be aiming to be a widow?So,Shirley Lennox,tell me,who else could you possibly marry besides me?"
Everyone was waiting for me to embarrass myself,eager to see how I would respond. Recalling my uncle’s warning,I lost all interest in arguing with him. After all,it wouldn’t be long before everyone knew who I was going to marry. On the way home,I shared a car with Mia Sullivan. She looked at my dress,soaked from the spilled drink,and laughed loudly. "Even if you become the president’s wife someday,what does it matter if you can’t win Miles Howard’s heart?You’re still worse than a lowly assistant." Now that she no longer had Miles Howard’s support,she finally dropped her act of vulnerability. Looking at her smug face,I recalled my past life. My mother forced her to marry my father’s assistant,a man of humble origins who later achieved great success. Grateful for my father’s mentorship,he doted on Mia Sullivan in every way. Her life was far more comfortable than mine as the president’s wife. In this life,I would absolutely not allow my mother to meddle in her marriage. I couldn’t wait to see what fate had in store for her. Thinking this,I ignored her taunts and simply said,"Then I wish you and Miles Howard a lifetime of happiness together." She froze,her arrogance deflating like a punctured balloon. I ignored her further and got off the car. At my uncle’s birthday banquet,I followed my mother to pay respects. To avoid the young masters attending the banquet,I found a quiet corner in the garden to rest. Unexpectedly,I ran into Mia Sullivan there. I heard that recently,Miles Howard had been sending her various luxury gifts nonstop. She was now decked out in jewels and dressed more flamboyantly than I,the legitimate heiress. Seeing me,she swayed her hips and walked over,speaking in a coquettish tone:"Sister,isn’t my dress beautiful?Brother Miles had a designer create it specially for me—it’s a one-of-a-kind global limited edition." I completely ignored her,but she persisted in showing off:"Brother Miles also said that my wedding dress has to be top-notch!He promised that mine will definitely be shinier and more dazzling than yours!" As I was about to scold her to be quiet,my gaze was drawn to the bracelet on her wrist,and my heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand. That bracelet was identical to the one my grandmother left me before she passed away. I loved the Ruyi(a traditional Chinese ornament symbolizing good fortune)design,so my grandmother had a skilled craftsman carve the bracelet into the Ruyi pattern. I cherished it so much that I couldn’t bear to wear it myself. Just as I was about to take a closer look,Mia Sullivan suddenly covered her face and screamed:"Sis!What are you doing?I know you’re jealous that Brother Miles dotes on me,but you can’t just hit me!" My wrist was grabbed tightly by someone. A cold voice came from behind:"Shirley Lennox,what are you doing?" Miles Howard glared at me:"What’s gotten into you now?" I shook off his hand and stared straight at Mia Sullivan,asking,"Where did you get that bracelet?" A flash of panic crossed Mia Sullivan’s face,but seeing Miles Howard standing by her side,ready to defend her,she straightened her back:"Brother Miles gave it to me." "You’re lying!That bracelet was custom-made for me by my grandmother,one of a kind in the world." "Fiona,go take it off!" My assistant,Fiona,started to step forward to remove the bracelet from Mia Sullivan’s wrist. But Miles Howard slapped her to the ground. "You wretched woman,who gave you permission to touch Mia?!" He roared at me like an enraged lion,pointing his finger in my face:"Shirley Lennox,I never expected you to resort to such despicable tactics to smear Mia and drive a wedge between us!I,Miles Howard,declare here and now that I personally gifted this bracelet to Mia!" After hearing his words and seeing the blood at the corner of Fiona’s mouth,my anger flared. This jade bracelet was a gift from my grandmother,and Miles Howard had seen it before. Now,he was blatantly lying to protect Mia Sullivan and even resorted to violence against my assistant. "Miles Howard,hitting my assistant is equivalent to slapping me in the face,"I said.I had never raised my voice at him before,and my sharp gaze stunned him,making him instinctively want to explain. Mia Sullivan theatrically wiped the corner of her eye,feigning distress as she took off the jade bracelet and held it out to me:"If sister likes it,take it.Don’t quarrel with Brother Miles anymore." She pretended to push the jade bracelet into my hands but deliberately let it slip,causing the bracelet to shatter into pieces on the ground with a"clack." I was so enraged that my whole body trembled,and I raised my hand to slap her,only to be pushed aside by Miles Howard. "Shirley Lennox,you are forbidden to harm Mia!Look at you now,acting like a shrew!"he roared. I stumbled from the push and fell to the ground,sitting there in disarray. Mia Sullivan weakly leaned into Miles Howard’s embrace,a triumphant sneer curled at the corners of her mouth. Seeing me fall,a flicker of panic crossed Miles Howard’s eyes as he reached out to help me up. But Mia Sullivan clutched his hand tightly. With tearful eyes,she whimpered,"Brother Miles,my chest hurts so much…" Miles Howard immediately became anxious,lifting her into his arms and urgently called for a doctor. Bystanders,witnessing the drama,began to point and whisper. "Isn’t that the daughter of President Lennox?Causing a scene over a man and fighting with her own family’s illegitimate daughter—truly disgracing the Lennox family name." Miles Howard stared at me,his face livid:"Shirley Lennox,have you had enough of your theatrics!Apologize to Mia right now!You madwoman,you’re unworthy of being my fiancée!" The group of second-generation heirs behind him burst into laughter. "Miss Lennox,if you’re this jealous,just wait until our General Manager Howard has multiple wives and concubines—won’t you be literally worried to death?" Amidst the cacophony of mocking laughter,Miles Howard strode up to me,his tone oozing certainty. He looked down at me and said leisurely,"I heard that my father is announcing our wedding today.If you still want to marry me,you’d better behave." "After the news is made public,you can plead with my father to allow Mia to marry into the Howard family alongside you,as my mistress." "I’ll magnanimously overlook this incident and even let you earn a reputation for being‘virtuous and generous’—killed two birds with one stone." I stared at him in disbelief.Although I had always known what kind of person he was, his shamelessness still shocked me. Seeing my silence,he assumed I had acquiesced and said triumphantly,"If my father agrees to this arrangement,I’ll consider preparing a dowry for you on par with Mia’s,so you won’t lose face when you two marry me on the same day." His smug expression was as if he had already cornered me and was certain of his position as the future head of the Howard Family Corporation. Fiona ran over,crying,trying to help me up. The surrounding colleagues all covered their mouths,waiting for my humiliation. Just as the farce was escalating,a thunderous rebuke cut through the air:"What is going on here?!" Everyone turned to see Julian Howard and Secretary Fitzgerald approaching. Julian Howard quickly stepped forward,carefully helping me to my feet,and looked at my soiled dress with concern,asking,"Are you alright?" Secretary Fitzgerald,on the other hand,announced sternly,"The chairman has something to say—" Hearing this,Miles Howard and the group of rich second-generation heirs knew the announcement of the marriage news was imminent. The crowd beamed with anticipation,clustering together to await the good news. Miles Howard cast a triumphant glance my way,as if to say,"You’ve lost." He didn’t forget to lower his voice and threaten me,"Don’t forget what I just told you.Hurry up and plead with my father to let Mia Sullivan marry into the family with you!" One of the heirs beside him was already whispering congratulations to Miles Howard,"Congratulations,General Manager Howard,on inheriting the family business and securing two Lennox heiresses as your wives.Double joy indeed!" However,the jubilant atmosphere didn’t last long. "The chairman has declared that Shirley Lennox,the Lennox Corporation heiress,is talented and virtuous,and is to be wed to Julian Howard. An auspicious date will be chosen for the wedding,"Secretary Fitzgerald announced. Everyone present froze in shock. The engagement the chairman had announced was between me and Julian Howard.
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