I am the illegitimate daughter of a fallen wealthy family. I married the bipolar grandson of a billionaire in my sister’s place, and now she regrets it. She wore my nightgown and threw herself coquettishly into Lucas’s arms. As for me, my body sank into the cold ocean. My soul floated in mid-air, watching her slowly take my place step by step. She thought she could live the life of a wealthy socialite from now on. Little did she know that she had already stepped into the threshold of hell. 0 When Lucas returned from his business trip, my sister Evelyn was waiting at the door. I floated in mid-air, watching Evelyn gently and attentively remove his suit jacket. “Lucas, I’ve missed you so much.” She spoke in a slightly high-pitched voice, her tone rising slightly. Her way of speaking was identical to mine. When I was struggling to breathe during an asthma attack, she stepped on my inhaler. Her face, identical to mine, twisted in a vicious expression: “Do you know how I’ve lived these past two years abroad? I had to constantly study you, learn your every move, your way of speaking. I never imagined that one day I’d have to learn from you, you little bitch! Everything you have in the Gray family should have been mine!” She had indeed learned well; it was truly convincing. At least Lucas didn’t notice anything amiss. His expression remained indifferent as he allowed her to help him remove his suit jacket. As Evelyn tried to get closer, an unfamiliar fragrance wafted into Lucas’s nose. His eyes darkened slightly as he asked, “Did you change your perfume?” Evelyn hesitated for a moment, then lowered her eyes coyly, “Yes, I bought it while shopping today. Do you like it?” She didn’t get the romantic encounter she had fantasized about. Because in the next second, Lucas had already gripped her slender neck and pinned her against the wall. Her back slammed hard against the wall, causing Evelyn’s face to turn pale with pain. She looked at Lucas, who had suddenly turned violent, with shock and fear, struggling desperately. But Lucas’s eyes were bloodshot, as if he had lost his mind. His grip tightened, almost breaking her neck. “Help… me…” Evelyn’s face had already turned red from suffocation, as if she might lose consciousness at any moment. Watching this scene, I felt a sense of satisfaction. Evelyn, you saw how glamorous my life seemed and took my place at the cost of my life. Did you ever imagine what kind of soul lurked beneath Lucas’s cold and noble exterior? Just as Evelyn was about to roll her eyes back, Lucas suddenly released his grip. Evelyn collapsed to the floor, clutching her throat and gasping for air. Tears and mucus smeared her face, making her look quite ridiculous. Lucas pressed his forehead painfully and crouched down. Evelyn was so frightened that she trembled, wanting to run away but finding her legs too weak to stand. “Aria, I’m sorry…” Lucas’s dark eyes had already regained their calmness. He looked at the purple bruises on Evelyn’s neck with a hint of regret and reached out to caress them. Evelyn reflexively avoided his hand, wanting to speak but finding her voice too hoarse to utter a word. Seeing Evelyn’s rejection, Lucas’s hand fell on her hair, gently stroking it. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Perhaps I was triggered by your new perfume. I couldn’t control myself for a moment and hurt you.” He pulled the trembling Evelyn into his arms to comfort her: “Don’t be afraid of me, don’t leave me, Aria.” Evelyn sat there dumbfounded, her eyes full of fear. She was scared and regretful. But what right did Evelyn have to regret? I was already dead, and she couldn’t afford to offend the Gray family’s power. She had no choice but to continue playing the role of Lucas’s wife. Seeing that Evelyn still looked lost, Lucas took out a black card from his pocket and handed it to her: “As compensation, go buy something you like.” Evelyn’s eyes moved slightly. I saw the familiar greed in her downcast eyes. Lucas, seeing she didn’t move, actively placed the black card in her hand and gently kissed her cheek: “Aria, I’m going to take a shower. As for your perfume, switch back to the old one, okay? I’m afraid I might lose control and hurt you again.” After Lucas left, Evelyn let out a sigh of relief. She touched her neck fearfully, then caressed the black card in her hand. Finally, as if she had made some decision, she stood up. I heard her mutter to herself: “What’s done is done. If that bitch could win him over, I’m sure I can do it too.” Evelyn followed Lucas into the bedroom. I knew what she was thinking. She wanted to quickly consummate the marriage with Lucas, bear a child for the Gray family, and then gain status through the child. 0
I had no feelings for Lucas, but he had an extreme desire to control me. On our wedding night, he pinned me to the bed, his eyes dark: “You’re bound by this arranged marriage, married to a sick man like me. Do you hate me?” I shook my head trembling: “No, how could I hate you.” He smiled with a sneer: “That’s good. Remember, since you married me, you’re mine in life and in death. Never think about leaving me.” That night, I cried until my voice was hoarse, every bone in my body felt as if it had been crushed. Afterwards, Lucas lit a cigarette. In the hazy smoke, he apologized to me. His cold and restrained demeanor made me feel for a moment that the wildness in bed had been just a nightmare. Later, when he almost choked me to death during an episode, I remembered the question he had asked me as I was losing consciousness. Did I hate him? Indeed, I didn’t. Without him, I don’t know where I would have been sold off to. The one who originally had the marriage agreement with the Gray family was the eldest daughter of the Thompson family, Evelyn. As for me, I was just the result of Mr. Thompson’s youthful indiscretion. Evelyn had never met Lucas, only knowing that he suffered from bipolar disorder. People in their social circle all said that Lucas was antisocial and gloomy, often losing control of his emotions and going crazy, which was terrifying. Evelyn became increasingly distressed, constantly crying out that she wouldn’t marry him. But given the Gray family’s status in the business world, if the Thompson family backed out of the engagement today, they would likely go bankrupt tomorrow. It was at this time that my mother, who owed a huge gambling debt, brought me back to the Thompson family to be acknowledged. She had originally planned that if the Thompson family didn’t accept me, she would sell me to pay off her debts. Mr. Thompson gave my mother a sum of money and secretly kept me, spending a year to transform me into Evelyn’s likeness. A year later, he sent the real Evelyn abroad and sent me to the Gray family. It was a win-win situation for them. In the bedroom. Lucas had finished his shower and was drying his hair. As Evelyn plucked up the courage to approach Lucas, he suddenly spoke: “You went back to the Thompson house a few days ago?” Evelyn flinched reflexively when she heard his voice. She bit her lower lip, looking pitiful as she nodded: “Yes, my mother was sick, so I went to see her.” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to myself. Half a month ago, Mr. Thompson had found my mother and asked her to pretend to be sick to lure me back to the Thompson house. Then, they locked me in an attic full of willow catkins, triggering my asthma. They took advantage of my illness to take my life. Lucas heard this and simply said “Oh,” then gently asked: “Do you want me to go back with you to check on her?” I was slightly taken aback. He rarely spoke with such emotion. After we got married, he never offered to accompany me back to the Thompson house. Seeing his gentle expression, Evelyn’s heart, which had been on edge, finally settled down. She thought that Lucas’s earlier violence must have been just a momentary lapse due to his condition. He was actually very gentle and considerate when he was normal. Evelyn’s face flushed slightly as she said softly: “Alright.” Then, very naturally, she put her hand on Lucas’s shoulder and tilted her head up to kiss him. Just then, the phone on the bedside table suddenly rang. Lucas immediately pushed her hand away and answered the call. There was a problem with a company project. “I won’t be coming home tonight. Go to bed early,” he said. With that, Lucas changed his clothes and left without looking back. Watching Lucas’s retreating figure, Evelyn stomped her foot in frustration. But recalling her interaction with Lucas earlier, she couldn’t help but blush again and called her mother, Mrs. Thompson. “Mom, I’ve got Lucas under control. He doesn’t suspect a thing.” She looked extremely pleased with herself. Mrs. Thompson on the other end of the phone was also very happy when she heard this. Marrying Lucas meant securing a life of wealth and status. 0
Mrs. Thompson asked: “How is Lucas treating you? Is he bullying you?” Evelyn rolled her eyes and didn’t mention being choked by Lucas. She just complained: “It’s all because of those rumors before, saying Lucas had bipolar disorder, was weird and antisocial, and would beat people! It was all nonsense. Lucas is gentle and considerate, and very generous too. He just gave me a black card. That little bitch Aria really lucked out before.” “Mom, it was all her fault for stealing my identity. I couldn’t even use my own name for these three years. I want to find a psychic to curse her so she can never find peace even in death.” I looked at my semi-transparent body and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Wasn’t this already a state of unrest? Three years ago, when I married Lucas, Evelyn had her name changed and was sent abroad to lay low. Originally, it was said that she had married a foreigner, but later that man ran away owing huge gambling debts, leaving her to pay them off. Evelyn raised her eyebrows and smiled: “Anyway, Lucas and the Gray family were supposed to be mine. It’s just returning to the rightful owner. Aria, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” Returning to the rightful owner. How ridiculous. When Evelyn refused to marry Lucas, I was pinned to the operating table, feeling the cold surgical knife moving across my face, gradually removing all traces of Aria. Later, when Evelyn was burdened with huge debts and saw me appearing in public with Lucas in the news media, she regretted her decision. She admired the cold and noble Lucas, while also hating me for having her face. That night, Evelyn, who had finally gotten what she wanted, slept soundly. Early the next morning, she carefully dressed up and prepared a sumptuous meal to take to Lucas’s company. Before leaving, she sprayed my perfume heavily. The receptionist only took a few minutes to announce her arrival before Lucas came out to greet her personally. He seemed to be in a good mood and asked gently: “Why did you come?” Evelyn took his arm and smiled sweetly: “Because I missed you. I brought you lunch, let’s eat together.” Lucas hummed in agreement and didn’t push her hand away. The two walked arm in arm into the office. I felt a twinge of jealousy. Lucas didn’t like me coming to the company. I came once at the request of Mr. Gray, but I accidentally broke a cup in his office. He pinned me to the desk with a gloomy face and tore my dress. After venting, he said to me, who was completely exhausted: “Aria, know your place. Don’t yearn for things you can’t have.” I fled in a panic, wrapped in a shawl, and never came back. How is it that when Evelyn came, he became so gentle? Evelyn opened the thermal container and laid out the dishes layer by layer, then handed chopsticks to Lucas. Lucas took the chopsticks and tasted each dish: “It’s delicious.” Receiving his praise, Evelyn’s eyes curved in happiness as she started eating herself. Seeing her eating happily, a complex expression flashed in Lucas’s eyes: “I remember you said you weren’t feeling well before I left on my business trip, feeling nauseous. Are you better now?” Evelyn hesitated for a moment and explained: “I’m fine now, it was just a bit of gastroenteritis before…” Lucas pursed his lips and didn’t continue this topic. Instead, he had his assistant bring in a gown and said to Evelyn: “Put this on, I’ll take you to an auction later.” An auction? I suddenly understood. Every time Lucas hurt me during an episode, he would try to make it up to me. He probably wanted to buy Evelyn some jewelry to compensate for choking her last night. The camera flashes at the entrance were almost blinding as the CEO of Gray Corporation arrived with his beloved wife for the charity auction. Evelyn, wearing a haute couture gown and holding Lucas’s arm, smiled sweetly at the cameras. This was the life she had always dreamed of, and she finally got it. Lucas took Evelyn to a private box on the second floor. They stood on the balcony of the box, looking towards the central stage. Jade jewelry, antique paintings, it was dazzling. Under the dim yellow lights, Lucas’s expression seemed particularly gentle. He held Evelyn’s waist and placed a restrained kiss on her crimson lips, his eyes soft and affectionate: “Aria, choose something you like for the baby. Don’t hide it from me anymore, I know everything.” Evelyn was stunned. I was stunned too. She had a moment of confusion: “Know what? What baby?” Lucas reached out to touch her abdomen: “I haven’t touched you lately because I was afraid of hurting the baby. Don’t worry, I won’t let you get rid of it. Will you keep the baby for me?” Evelyn’s face turned a bit pale. She almost instinctively, in disbelief, said: “You mean she… I’m pregnant?”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296465”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic
Leave a Reply