Three years after marrying my husband, his adopted son came to propose to me. “Stella, Willow saved my life, and now that she has the dignity of a wealthy wife, I’ve come to marry you and make you my true wife.” I couldn’t be bothered to respond, but Julian Vance didn’t give up. “You proposed to me 99 times back then, I know deep down you only see me as your husband.” “Don’t worry. I’ll pick you up in seven days for our wedding. After that, the three of us will be one big family.” I lifted my hand and slammed the door in his face. How ridiculous. I had just given Arthur, Julian’s father, a little brother, and Arthur had specifically brought me back to the country to hold a belated wedding ceremony. I never expected to run into this disgusting person again. Well, good. Seven days later, fifty-year-old Arthur agreed to announce me as his heir at the wedding. That way, it would save Julian the trouble of having to call me ‘Mom.’ Julian blocked the door, a smile playing in his eyes: “Your temper is still as fiery as it was back then, no one could ever push you around.” Then he changed his tone, his voice softening. “Willow is different from you; she’s delicate and can’t handle gossip. In front of outsiders, you should call her Mrs. Vance.” “Even though I can’t give you the same grand wedding as Willow, in my heart, both of you are the most important people to me.” “I, Julian Vance, will either never marry, or if I do, I’ll marry both you and Willow.” Perhaps I’d seen too much of the world abroad, because I actually listened patiently to this preposterous declaration. “Julian, you weren’t the only one I had an arranged marriage prospect with back then. What makes you think I haven’t married someone else?” Julian’s eyes gleamed with pride. “You proposed to me 99 times back then; the whole city knew you were madly in love with me.” “Besides, we grew up together. Who in our circle would dare propose to *my* woman?” Julian’s voice deepened, imbued with arrogant superiority. “Stella, you’re too proud to accept me marrying you after having Willow, but your mother’s medical treatment is urgent.” “I know you’re tight on cash since the Sterling family went bankrupt. Just marry me, and I’ll bring in the top neurosurgeon from the Vance family to treat your mother.” I clenched my fists. Did he still think I was the helpless orphan he used to bully? Three years ago, on the day of my wedding with Julian. Willow Carter posted a photo on her SnapChat of her holding hands with some random guy at the church entrance. The caption read, “If it wasn’t for you, I’d marry anyone else.” Julian saw it and went crazy, determined to run from the wedding. I desperately blocked his path. “Julian, my mother’s brain cancer has worsened. The only Vance family doctor who can save her only treats family members. Please, just finish the wedding, then you can leave.” My desperate plea was met with Julian looking at me with a clueless expression, saying, “Willow saved my life, I can’t let her sacrifice her happiness.” “Your mother treats me like her own son; she won’t mind.” “You can just wait until I marry Willow, and then in a few years, I’ll make you my wife too. It’ll be the same.” The night Julian ran from the wedding, I stood in front of Arthur Vance’s car, begging him for a chance. Since then, I focused entirely on saving my mother, not caring for fame or fortune, quietly working as Arthur’s shadow. Yet, without realizing it, I slowly found my way into his heart. “I heard that for the past three years, you often returned to the old house where we lived together. You don’t need to say it, I know you’ve always missed me.” Julian had a smug, ‘I know everything’ look on his face. I was so angry I laughed. That old house was the wedding home my mother had designed for me. After she passed, I often stayed there because I missed her. I never thought Julian would misunderstand it as me still having feelings for him. I couldn’t hold back anymore and slammed the door right in his face. “Get out!” From behind the closed door, Julian’s nonchalant chuckle echoed. “I know you’re deeply in love with me. I’ll be on time at the cathedral in seven days to exchange vows with you.” I immediately called the patrolling security guard. “Blacklist this stalker. Don’t let him into the complex again.” Shaking off my irritation, I went to work as usual. Passing the breakroom, I saw Julian passionately kissing Willow Carter. Julian looked annoyed and arrogant. “You’re already struggling financially, why waste money hiring someone to track me? I told you I’d marry you, and I won’t go back on my word.” “Outside, Willow is my Mrs. Vance. Now hurry up and leave, don’t make things difficult for me.” “Look closely, this is my employee ID.” I pointed in front of me. Julian didn’t react to the ID, but when he saw the diamond ring on my finger, his expression changed. His voice trembled. “You couldn’t possibly afford a ring that’s been to auction.” “Stella, do you have another man?”
I stated frankly. “Of course, we’re getting married in seven days.” Julian’s voice instantly rose. “Whose bastard? Or some nouveau riche from a backwater town?” Willow tried to smooth things over. “Julian, Stella must have done some escort work because of her financial difficulties, and this marriage is just an excuse.” “You shouldn’t rub it in.” “Stella, you shouldn’t keep things from some random guy, it’ll just upset Julian.” Saying this, Willow yanked my diamond ring off, about to flush it down the toilet. I grabbed Willow’s wrist, and in the struggle, the diamond ring fell to the floor. Julian picked up the ring, and at that moment, he saw the birthdays of me and another person engraved on it. Nineteen seventy-five. “You actually slept with a fifty-year-old old man for money!” “Who is he? I’ll make him wish he’d never been born right now!” Julian’s expression was icy, and he advanced on me step by step. “Even if you don’t tell me, I can have people find out. Anyone who dares to touch my woman, I’ll utterly destroy them!” I stared at him and chuckled. I wondered what Arthur would think if he heard such disrespectful words from his adopted son. I composed myself and said seriously. “Your dad.” Julian punched the wall, gritting his teeth. “You think you can fool me? What kind of woman hasn’t my dad seen? How could he possibly be interested in a woman like you, with no background and no looks!” Willow seized the opportunity to agree, her tone laced with provocation. “Stella, Julian has always kept the wife’s position open for you. How can you be so shameless?” Julian’s eyes were bloodshot, and he spoke with a mixture of hatred and grievance. “You couldn’t even wait three short years, you degraded yourself to become someone else’s plaything! Do you really believe that no matter what you do, I’ll always have your back?” “My reputation, Julian Vance’s reputation, is completely ruined because of you!” He gasped for breath, as if making a monumental concession. “Since you’re so shameless, don’t bother with the cathedral. There’s a villa in the Northside you can move into, and I’ll spend one day a weekend with you from now on.” “Once you’re my woman, I’ll reward you with a villa for every child you bear.” I laughed, truly exasperated. So, I went from being his “sought-after” wife to a hidden mistress, and now a tool to bear his children? Willow leaned close to my ear, lowering her voice, her smile growing more triumphant. “Have a child, Stella. You get a house, we get a child. Once we have a child, we can find a way to get rid of that tramp around his father, so they don’t threaten Julian’s position.” My expression was strange. The “tramp” Willow spoke of, wasn’t that me? After all this commotion, Julian wanted me to have his child to use against myself and my son? Just then, Julian called over Mr. Davis, pointing at me. “Give her an intern position, so she doesn’t sneak into the company with a stolen employee card and embarrass me!” Mr. Davis didn’t even glance at Julian but hurried to my side and bowed respectfully. “Vice President Vance, Mr. Arthur has instructed that you have full authority over all company matters.” I simply hummed in acknowledgment. Julian stood rooted to the spot, looking as if he’d seen a ghost.
“Stella? How could you be the company’s Vice President?” Taking advantage of Julian’s distraction, I snatched back my diamond ring and casually replied, “I’m Arthur Vance’s wife. What’s so strange about me being in this position?” “Wife?” Julian laughed loudly. “You think you can pretend with a fake ring? I’ve seen my dad’s ring since I was a kid; it’s not this style at all!” Willow also pursed her lips and chuckled. “Stella, even if you want to find a rich man, at least come up with a more believable excuse!” Mr. Davis’s face darkened, about to speak, but Julian pushed him aside and roughly dragged me into the conference room. “I want to hear what other lies you can come up with!” Julian then connected his phone to the projector. The next second, my broken voice played from the speakers. On the screen, there were close-up shots of Julian’s faked video, depicting us in a physical embrace. In the video, Julian’s face was blurred, but mine was crystal clear. Julian’s eyes were full of mockery. “You used to pretend to be pure, saying you’d only give yourself to me after marriage. Now, to scam money, you even dare to invent a lie like ‘marrying my dad’?” “If I post this video, won’t everyone think you’re a ruthless woman who’ll do anything to climb the ladder?” I averted my eyes from the disgusting images, clenching my fists. “Julian, my marriage certificate with your dad, Arthur, is at home.” “Marriage certificate?” “I’ll call my dad right now and see if he recognizes his ‘wife’!” Julian grew even more confident, picking up his phone to dial. I stopped him, not wanting such a scene, but Julian thought I was scared. “It’s simple if you don’t want me to call.” “I’m sentimental. How about you just become my woman today? It’s much better than you putting on this farce.” I forcefully pushed him away, my voice cold with rage. “Let go of me! Julian, you’ll regret this!” Julian sneered, pushing his body even closer. “Regret? I only regret not seeing how much of an actress you were back then!” I was about to retort when the conference room door suddenly burst open. Willow rushed in with a group of people, her face pale. “Something bad happened! Mr. Vance… Mr. Vance fainted in his office!” “Fainted?” Julian’s eyes lit up. He pushed me away and loudly slandered, “Stella! You came to the company to cause trouble and actually angered my dad into fainting!” Willow, seeing her chance, triumphantly flashed her phone. The screen showed a clip of Arthur clutching his chest and collapsing after a “dispute” with me. “Everyone, look!” Then, she held her phone up high, shouting in a shrill voice, “Stella forced Mr. Vance to give her a title! She knew Mr. Vance had a bad heart, but she deliberately left him alone! Now he’s fainted; she’s a murderer!” A tide of whispers surged, and even Mr. Davis looked at me with a frown, his gaze wavering. “That tramp is too vicious!” “She’d even harm someone for money? She has no shame!” Looking at the two twisting the truth before me, I suddenly calmed down. Julian never believed I married his dad and was just taking this opportunity to force me to surrender. But I was worried about Arthur’s safety and wanted to leave, only for Julian to seize the chance, grabbing my collar and dragging me into the office. “Stella, I’m sentimental. If you’re willing to be my mistress, I can drop the matter about my father… Anyway, your ‘Arthur’s wife’ lie can’t be sustained any longer.” *Slap!* A crisp sound echoed loudly. Julian clutched his face, his eyes full of malice, and forcefully pinned me against the wall. “You dared to hit me? Still stubbornly claiming you married my dad? I’m telling you, even if my dad dies, he’d never acknowledge a woman like you!” *Rip!* Julian tore open my top. The next second, a soft, tearful voice rang out. The back door of the office was pushed open by a small body. Three-year-old Leo clung to my clothes, his small face streaked with tears, reaching out to pry Julian’s hand away: “Bad man! Let go of my Mommy!” It was Leo! I had just dropped him off at school this morning; how did he get here?
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “304340”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #校园School
Leave a Reply