I was in the middle of presenting at the National Science Institute when my phone suddenly rang. It was my mom. On the other end of the line, she was sobbing uncontrollably. “Grace, your brother… his engagement just got called off…” I rushed over to their house immediately. When I arrived, I found Ethan cornered in the middle of the living room, his face deathly pale. A girl in designer clothes was pointing at his nose, her eyes full of contempt. “You? I’m the heir to Thornton Industries. My dad just invested a hundred million dollars in your research institute! What makes you think you’re good enough for me?” Even her mother chimed in: “Ethan, dear, our Isabella deserves better. You should stop dreaming. It’s better for everyone.” I was about to step forward when those words stopped me cold—”Thornton Industries.” Thornton Industries? When did my marriage-of-convenience husband get a daughter? I thought we only had that rebellious son of ours. I immediately dialed Marcus’s number, my voice dripping with false sweetness: “Honey, when did you go behind my back and father an illegitimate daughter? And now she has the audacity to break off my brother’s engagement?” **1** “What are you talking about?” On the other end of the line, my husband in name only, Marcus Thornton, sounded emotionless. “Grace, do I have a daughter or not? You should know.” Hearing his matter-of-fact tone, half my anger subsided, but my suspicion only deepened. Marcus and I had a typical marriage of convenience. Our prenuptial agreement was crystal clear—we wouldn’t interfere in each other’s private lives, only playing the loving couple when necessary. Our only connection was that son of ours who’d been sent abroad to study and was going through his rebellious phase. Over the years, we’d maintained a respectful distance. It had been harmonious enough. Given his shrewdness, he wouldn’t be foolish about something like this. “It better be that way.” I hung up and turned my attention to the living room. The girl calling herself a Thornton heiress was named Isabella. She wore exquisite makeup and luxury brands head to toe, but the malicious sharpness in her eyes couldn’t be hidden. My brother Ethan stood across from her in his faded casual clothes, fists clenched, lips pressed tight, saying nothing. He was a typical research scientist—not good with words, even worse at arguments. Right now, he looked like a cornered animal, with nothing but silent defiance. “What, another one?” Isabella’s gaze landed on me, her eyes scanning me up and down with contempt. “Called mommy, now you called your sister? Is your family playing whack-a-mole, coming at us one by one?” The woman dripping in jewels beside her—her mother, Helena—immediately chimed in. “Isabella, don’t waste your time on these people. It’s beneath you.” She turned to me, putting on airs like the lady of the house, her tone condescending. “Miss, I know your family’s situation. An ordinary working-class family that managed to raise a promising researcher like Ethan—it’s not easy.” “But you need to know your place. What kind of family are the Thorntons? Our Isabella was born with a silver spoon. Your family can’t reach that high.” She finished with a theatrical sigh. “This hundred-million-dollar investment is the Thornton family supporting national research for Isabella’s sake. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, or we’ll pull our funding anytime we want.” Watching their mother-daughter performance, I almost laughed out of sheer anger. Using my money to threaten my brother? This world had truly reached peak absurdity. My mom was too angry to speak, just holding Ethan’s hand with tears streaming down her face. I walked over and positioned myself in front of my mom and brother. “Mrs. Thornton, is it?” I looked at Helena calmly. “Marcus Thornton is pretty well-known. How come I’ve never heard him mention you or Miss Isabella before?” The moment the words left my mouth, both Helena and Isabella’s expressions changed. They clearly hadn’t expected me to so calmly and directly question their identities. In their script, someone like me—a “poor relative”—should have been grateful and slunk away at the mention of the Thornton name and the hundred-million-dollar investment. Helena froze for a moment, then flew into a rage. “Who the hell do you think you are? Our family business is none of your concern!” **2** Isabella shrieked even louder. “My dad is Marcus Thornton, CEO of Thornton Industries! I’m his only daughter! Everyone in the city knows that!” “You’re some nobody from god-knows-where, and you dare question my identity? I think you’re just after money! You’re delusional!” She crossed her arms, chin raised high. “I see right through you people. You’re trying to scam us! Well, dream on!” “This engagement is over! I’m the heir to Thornton Industries, the future of the company.” “A nobody like Ethan isn’t even worthy of carrying my bags!” Seeing Ethan still staring at her in shock, the malice in her eyes practically overflowed. She suddenly lunged forward and grabbed his hand, roughly trying to yank off the ring on his finger. It was the engagement ring I’d personally designed—simple in style, but with their initials engraved inside the band. It was made from a special memory metal that changed color with body temperature. It was the only blessing this inadequate sister had given her brother. “Give it back!” Ethan finally snapped out of it and shouted at her for the first time, reaching to get it back. “Give it back? As if you deserve it!” Isabella laughed mockingly and dodged his hand. She held the ring between her fingers like it was something filthy and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling fish tank in the living room. “You like it so much? Then go down there and join it!” She flicked her wrist. The ring traced a weak arc through the air and plopped into the tank full of rare koi. “Isabella!” My brother’s eyes instantly turned red. Like an enraged lion, he rushed toward her. “Ethan!” My mom cried out and grabbed him tight. I stared at that tiny glimmer at the bottom of the tank, my fury finally reaching its breaking point. “Enough.” My voice was cold but quiet, yet it instantly silenced the chaotic room. Everyone turned to look at me. I walked up to the still-gloating Isabella, my gaze icy. “Apologize.” “What?” Isabella thought she’d misheard. “You want me to apologize? Are you insane?” Helena immediately positioned herself in front of her daughter. “You dare demand my daughter apologize? You’re the crazy one! Security! Security! Throw these troublemakers out!” A butler-like figure immediately stepped forward, gesturing firmly toward us. “Members of the Monroe family, and this young lady, please leave immediately, or we’ll call the police.” Looking at this room full of ugly faces, the last shred of trust I had in Marcus was crumbling inch by inch. If he really had nothing to do with these people, where would they get the nerve to act so arrogant in his house? **3** “Call the police?” I smiled. “Perfect. I’d love to see whether the police arrest us or you frauds squatting in someone else’s home.” My calmness made Helena and Isabella uneasy again. “What… what do you mean?” Helena’s voice was full of false bravado. “Nothing much.” I surveyed the lavishly decorated living room, my gaze pausing on several inconspicuous corners. “Mrs. Thornton, don’t you know that Mr. Thornton is a germaphobe? These tulips airlifted from Holland need their water changed every morning at nine sharp, and only with Alpine spring water.” “And that reproduction of ‘Travelers Among Mountains’ in his study—it’s his prized possession from an auction. It requires climate-controlled equipment right next to it, temperature no higher than 72 degrees Fahrenheit, humidity no more than 55%.” With each sentence, Helena’s face grew paler. These were Marcus’s almost pathological personal habits. Only someone extremely close to him would know them. Outsiders wouldn’t have a clue. “How do you know all this?” Helena’s voice trembled. Isabella also sensed something was wrong, her arrogance fading, replaced by alarm. I didn’t answer her. Instead, I looked at the butler who was about to throw us out. “And you. You’re new here, aren’t you?” I laughed coldly. “Can’t even recognize the master of the house. When did the Thornton household standards drop this low?” The butler felt a chill run down his spine and stepped back, not daring to approach. The living room fell into an eerie silence. Isabella finally couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled out her phone, fingers flying across the screen like she was grabbing a lifeline. When the call connected, she immediately started wailing. “Dad! Come quick! Someone’s causing trouble at our house! They’re bullying Mom and me! If you don’t come, we’re going to get thrown out!” She sobbed out her complaints. After hanging up, she seemed to regain her confidence, hands on her hips, chin raised high. “Just wait! My dad will be here any minute! Then we’ll see how cocky you are!” I said nothing, just quietly watched her performance. Inside, I was sneering. Marcus, let’s see how you handle this. About five minutes later. The study door opened. Marcus walked out. He wore a well-tailored loungewear set, his sharp eyes visible behind gold-rimmed glasses. Seeing him emerge from the study rather than entering from the front door, I understood. He’d been here all along. He’d been in the study the entire time, listening to everything happening outside, hearing his “wife and daughter” humiliate my family, and he’d done nothing. The moment he appeared, Helena and Isabella rushed to him like they’d found their anchor. “Honey, you’re finally out! Look at them, they’re bullying us!” “Dad! It’s this woman! She’s talking nonsense and cursing us!” Marcus’s gaze moved past them and landed on me. That look—calm, indifferent, even somewhat appraising. Our eyes met. The air seemed to freeze. After a long moment, he finally spoke slowly, his voice betraying no emotion. “Dr. Monroe, what brings you here?” Those words—”Dr. Monroe”—instantly drew a chasm between us. My mom froze. Ethan froze too. They’d both met Marcus before. They knew he was my legal husband. But now, he was addressing me with the tone one would use for a subordinate or stranger. I looked at him, and the last shred of hope in my heart completely died. He hadn’t been deceived. He was the mastermind behind all of this. “Marcus Thornton.” I enunciated his name slowly. “Are you blind? Who am I? Can’t you see?” “How dare you!” Before he could speak, Helena jumped in. “You dare address my husband by his full name? Who do you think you are!” Marcus raised his hand, stopping her. “Dr. Monroe, please watch your language. Thornton Industries has deep cooperation with your research institute. I respect you as an excellent scientist, but that doesn’t mean you can come to my home and disrespect my family.” He emphasized the words “my family” particularly hard. As if deliberately reminding me who the outsider was. Watching him position himself protectively in front of Helena, I found it utterly ironic. We’d been married for over a decade, and now he was so eager to distance himself from me for some woman who came out of nowhere.
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