At my twenty-second engagement party, my fiancé, Carter Vance, announced in front of all the guests that the one he truly loved was my stepsister, Chloe. I became the laughingstock of the high society overnight. After the party, he grabbed my hand in the parking lot and explained in a gentle tone. "Maddy, I know you're hurting right now. But Chloe... her health is fragile. She can't handle any more stress." "Don't worry, I will marry her, but it's only out of responsibility. Nothing will change between us. You will always be the most important person in my heart." My fingertips went cold with rage. He probably didn't know that our families' merger agreement had a backup clause for the marriage alliance. One Sterling daughter would marry him. The other would have to marry the notoriously ruthless, dangerous, and cold-blooded tycoon, Dominic Blackwood. That night, looking at the city lights outside my floor-to-ceiling window, I dialed an unfamiliar number. "Mr. Blackwood, about the marriage contract. I agree." "Three days. I'll be waiting for you."
The moment I hung up, the bedroom door was pushed open. Carter walked in, holding Chloe in his arms. "Maddy, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this beforehand. Don't blame Chloe." Looking at their locked hands, I forced a cold smile. "You two sneaked around behind my back and made me the laughingstock of the city. Why shouldn't I blame her? Besides..." Before I could finish, Chloe took a step forward, looking pitifully weak. "Maddy, we can't control our feelings... I know you and Carter have been betrothed since childhood, but he and I... we've been together for a while now." As she spoke, she intentionally pulled down her high collar, revealing a prominent hickey on her collarbone. I looked at Carter. He avoided my gaze guiltily. "It's my fault. At the project celebration party the other night, we both drank too much, and then... Carter only went public because he wanted to take responsibility." "Can't we... can't we just get along like we used to? We're still family, right?" Under the dim light, the malice in her eyes was practically overflowing. Before I could speak, Martha, the housekeeper who had raised me, couldn't hold back. "You certainly have quite the tricks, Chloe. Knowing Mr. Vance was Ms. Madelyn's fiancé, you still did something so shameless. You really are your mother's daughter!" Chloe's mother was the mistress who drove my biological mother out of her own home. Martha's sharp words made Chloe tremble, her face twisting into a mask of pure victimhood. Carter immediately pulled her into his embrace and barked at Martha. "No wonder Chloe always feels so unwelcomed here! Even a housekeeper thinks she can stomp on her! I can't imagine how much abuse she’s endured!" I watched him coldly. Growing up, he always told me Chloe was pitiful and that I should yield to her. Whether it was a limited-edition collectible or a rare vinyl record, as long as Chloe wanted it, he would pressure me to give it to her. "You have everything, Maddy. Don't fight her for it." But he never understood that Chloe didn't actually care about those things. She just loved stealing whatever belonged to me. Martha wanted to say more, but I raised my hand to stop her. I stepped forward and slapped Chloe hard across the face. "If Martha can't speak, I will!" "The Sterlings are a family of status, and my mother came from a highly respected lineage. You expect me to step aside for the daughter of a home-wrecker? In your dreams!" My hand brushed against a cold fountain pen on my desk. It was the first gift Carter had ever given me. Because it wasn't expensive, Chloe had never cared to steal it. But I had cherished it. I picked it up, looking at both of them. As Carter watched in shock, I slammed it onto the floor. The nib bent, and ink splattered across the floor like a shattered heart. "Since it has come to this, I wish you two trash well." "The engagement is off." Chloe gasped, her knees buckling as she sank onto the rug. "Maddy, it's all my fault! If... if Carter still loves you, I can step aside! I can just die!" She grabbed a silver fruit knife from the tray on the coffee table, holding it against her wrist, closing her eyes as if she were about to slice down. It looked dramatic, but the blade wasn't even touching her skin. Carter's face paled with worry. I sneered, pulled an utility knife from my desk drawer, and threw it at her feet. "You don't seem determined enough, dear sister. Here, use this. It's much sharper." Carter grabbed her off the floor, shielding her behind his back, glaring at me. "Madelyn! I never knew you were such a vicious woman! She is your sister!" "Now you remember she's my sister? When you two crawled into the same bed, did you care that she was my sister?!" Maybe it was the first time he had ever seen me snap. He stood there, stunned. After a long silence, he gritted out: "I know this is unfair to you, but letting you stay by my side is already the biggest concession I can make." "We've been together for so many years. I can't just watch you become a joke." I glanced at Chloe. Her expression was tense, terrified I would bring up Dominic. It seemed Carter didn't know about the backup marriage clause with Dominic Blackwood yet. Good. There was no need to let him know. "Our contract is void. Mr. Vance, please refrain from breaking into a single woman's room late at night. It's inappropriate." "Martha, show them out." Infuriated by my indifference, Carter scooped Chloe up in his arms and stormed out. At the door, he threw a cold threat over his shoulder. "I'll tell your father everything that happened tonight. He will get justice for Chloe." "Great. I'll be waiting."
I underestimated Carter's shamelessness, and I overestimated my father's love for me. Less than thirty minutes after they left, my father, Richard Sterling, called. The moment I answered, he started screaming. "Madelyn! What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you have any idea how important tonight's engagement gala was for the company?" His voice was dripping with fury, as if I were the one who had messed up, not his precious stepdaughter. Holding the phone, I walked over to the window. My voice was as cold as the night wind. "Dad, I didn't lose my mind. Carter embarrassed me in front of everyone, called off our engagement, and chose Chloe." "What was I supposed to do? Smile, bless them, and let the world think the Sterling daughters are pushovers?" Silence hung over the line for a few seconds. Then, Richard's tone softened, playing the emotional card. "Maddy, I know you feel wronged. But Carter was just confused. What man doesn't make mistakes? You two grew up together; the foundation is there. Just give him a way out, and this will all blow over." "As for Chloe... she's your sister. Can't you just let her have this one?" Let her have this one. I had heard that phrase my entire life. My heart turned to stone. "Dad, you should actually be glad Carter chose Chloe." Richard gasped. "What do you mean?" "It means the alliance between the Sterlings and the Vances is still on. We've just swapped the bride." Before he could respond, I hung up. I knew he cared more about the business merger than my feelings. But this time, he was wrong. I wasn't leaving him a successful merger. I was leaving him a bomb that would blow the high society apart. I looked at the text message from Dominic Blackwood's assistant. It contained an address and a time. Tomorrow night, 7:00 PM. The Apex Club. Perfect. Everything was going according to plan.
The next evening, I arrived at the Apex Club fifteen minutes early. It was the most exclusive private club in the city, heavily secured and reserved only for the ultra-wealthy. A host led me to the penthouse suite, respectfully opening the door. The main lights were off, save for a dim spotlight over the bar. A man sat with his back to me, holding a cigar between his long fingers. Smoke swirled around him. He wore a black silk shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing hints of a toned chest. His shoulders were broad, his waist narrow, standing tall like a dark monument. Just his silhouette radiated a powerful, dangerous aura that warned people to stay away. Hearing my footsteps, he slowly turned around. My breath caught. Rumors said Dominic Blackwood was a thirty-year-old cold-blooded, unstable madman. But no one mentioned he had the face of a fallen angel. Sharp brows, a high nose bridge, and thin lips that naturally curved into a cold, mocking smirk. His gaze was incredibly predatory, as if he could strip away all my armor and read my deepest secrets. "Miss Sterling. Punctual," he said, his voice deep, smooth, and resonant like a cello. Suppressing my shock, I sat across from him. "Your time is valuable, Mr. Blackwood. I wouldn't dare keep you waiting." He let out a low chuckle, stubbing out his cigar in the ashtray, and slid a document toward me. "I assume you know I don't do charity." "What do you gain from marrying me, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Have you thought it through?" His eyes were sharp, evaluating me like a high-stakes deal. I didn't look at the paper. Instead, I looked straight into his dark eyes. "I know you need a suitable wife to appease your family and the media to shut them up." "And I need a powerful ally to break free from the Sterlings and the Vances, and to take back everything that belongs to my mother." "We both get what we want, and we don't interfere with each other. In public, I will play the perfect Mrs. Blackwood. In private, I won't interfere with your life." A heavy silence fell over the room. Dominic just stared at me, his eyes unreadable. Just when I thought he was going to refuse, he stood up, walked over, and leaned down close to me. The scent of expensive tobacco and crisp sandalwood enveloped me. He raised his hand, his thumb gently tracing my cheek. His touch was intimate, but his eyes were ice-cold. "Do you know what people call me out there?" "They call me a psycho." He leaned into my ear, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Aren't you afraid a psycho will swallow you whole?" I forced my body not to stiffen, meeting his gaze with a sharp smile. "Well, I've lived twenty-two years and never met a real psycho. I'd love to see it." "Besides, a person with nothing to lose fears nothing. Mr. Blackwood, I have nothing left to lose." He stared at me for a few seconds, then straightened up and laughed. The low, rumbling laugh echoed in the quiet room, sending a shiver down my spine. "Interesting." He picked up a pen and signed his name at the bottom of the contract. "Tomorrow morning, 9:00 AM. We're going to City Hall."
At 9:00 AM the next morning, I stood outside City Hall. Dominic's sleek black Maybach was already waiting by the curb. He stepped out, dressed in all black with dark sunglasses, his expression unreadable. The process was incredibly fast. We filled out the paperwork, took the photo, and got the license stamped. Holding the marriage certificate, I felt a rush of vertigo. From deciding to marry him yesterday to becoming his legal wife today, it had only been forty-eight hours. As we walked out of City Hall, Dominic took off his sunglasses and looked at me. "Regretting it?" "No," I replied, shaking my head. "It just feels surreal." His lips twitched. "It'll feel real soon enough." He opened the passenger door. "Get in. I'm taking you somewhere." I didn't know where we were going, but I got in anyway. The car sped through the city and stopped in front of a high-end luxury jewelry boutique. "Time to pick out your ring, Mrs. Blackwood," he said simply. I froze. "Is that necessary? We're just a contract marriage." As if reading my mind, he said coldly, "If we're putting on a show, we do it right. I don't want my wife being looked down upon because she doesn't have a ring." The store manager was already waiting. Seeing Dominic, he greeted him with a wide smile. "Mr. Blackwood, everything is prepared." Several exquisite diamond rings were displayed in front of us, each costing a fortune. But my eyes were drawn to a simple, elegant platinum band. Dominic followed my gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Good taste." He had the clerk take it out, grabbed my hand, and slid it onto my ring finger. A perfect fit. Just then, the door chime rang. Carter and Chloe walked in, arm in arm. Our eyes met, and the air instantly froze.
"Maddy?" Carter was the first to react. He stared at me, then at Dominic, his brow furrowing deeply. "What are you doing here? And who is this...?" Chloe's face went completely pale the moment she recognized Dominic. She clutched Carter's arm, her voice trembling. "Carter... that's Dominic Blackwood, the CEO of the Blackwood Group..." Carter's pupils shrank. Dominic Blackwood's name was feared throughout the entire business world. He instinctively pulled Chloe behind him, looking at Dominic with guard. Dominic, however, didn't even spare them a glance. He just kept his head down, focusing on the ring on my finger, then raised my hand to his lips, kissing it gently. "Do you like it, Mrs. Blackwood?" The words "Mrs. Blackwood" echoed clearly through the quiet boutique. Carter's face turned green. "Mrs. Blackwood? Madelyn, what the hell does this mean?! Did you do this just to get back at me...?" Feeling insulted, he took a step forward to grab my wrist. "Are our years of history that cheap to you? You just threw yourself at some random man—" He didn't finish. Dominic effortlessly caught his wrist mid-air. It looked like a casual block, but Carter's face twisted in agony. "Mr. Vance," Dominic's voice dropped, carrying a suffocating pressure. "Watch your mouth and your place." "She is my wife now. You don't get to touch her." With a slight twist, Carter let out a painful groan and was forced to back off. Looking at Carter's shocked and humiliated face, a wave of satisfaction washed over me. I wrapped my arm around Dominic's, smiling brightly at them. "Carter, Chloe, I forgot to introduce you." "This is my husband, Dominic Blackwood." I flashed my ring, the massive diamond catching the light, blinding Chloe. "We just got married and came to pick out rings. What about you two? Are you shopping for rings, too?" Chloe's lips trembled, but she couldn't say a word. She never could have dreamed that after being discarded by Carter, I would immediately marry Dominic Blackwood—a man a hundred times more powerful than Carter. The fiancé she had schemed so hard to steal was nothing compared to Dominic. Carter's expression was incredibly ugly. He stared at me, his eyes filled with disbelief and a trace of... regret he didn't even notice. "Madelyn, you're crazy! Do you know who he is? Marrying him will ruin you!" "My life is none of your business, Mr. Vance," Dominic said, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close, looking down at him coldly. "You should worry about yourself." "I heard the Vances are bidding on the Southside development project? What a coincidence. I want it too." With that single sentence, all the color drained from Carter's face.
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