It was time for the exchange of rings at the wedding, but my fiancé, Darren Shaw, was still refusing to say those two words, “I do.” The reason? His former love, Xandra Young, had just announced an hour ago that she had broken up with her boyfriend. The picture accompanying the announcement was of a flight ticket with a landing time of just an hour later. My “brother,” Landon Carter, suddenly stepped forward and told the guests the wedding was postponed. Without a word, Darren and Xandra left me standing there, making me the center of attention—the laughingstock of the entire event. I calmly handled everything, staring at Xandra’s latest Instagram post. In the photo, my “brother” and fiancé were both surrounding her, presenting her with the best of everything. I bitterly laughed as I dialed my biological parents’ number. “Dad, Mom, I’m willing to come home, for the family alliance.” ***** After hanging up, I gazed at the wedding decorations still filling the hotel, a flash of sarcasm crossing my eyes. The guests had all left, and Landon and Darren still hadn’t returned. I thought back to five years ago when my real parents, Margaret Greene and Edward Greene, found me. A DNA test revealed that I was their daughter. “Sorry, darling, for making you suffer all these years,” Margaret said, her eyes soft with affection. “We’ll make sure you become an outstanding heir, and we’ll create a bright future for you. Will you come back home with us?” I looked at the couple in front of me, a hint of complexity in my gaze. I’d grown up in an orphanage, but I never felt like I lacked love. I had Landon and Darren by my side. So, three years ago, I firmly rejected their offer to return to them. I didn’t belong to the elite world, and more importantly, I didn’t want to be a calculated heir. Especially not one who’d be sacrificed in a family marriage arrangement. “Sweetheart, I know you’re torn. We respect your decision, but we just want you to be happy,” Margaret said. “My father and the head of the Rhodes family made a betrothal arrangement many years ago, so if we had a daughter… well, here we are,” Edward sighed. “Of course, if you want to come home, to become part of our family and share the responsibilities, the doors of the Greene family are always open to you.” I’d always seen Landon, who grew up with me in the orphanage, as my real brother. How could I leave him behind? They reluctantly left, understanding that I was their flesh and blood. Over the years, I knew Carter Enterprises had succeeded in large part because of their behind-the-scenes support. Yet, the loved ones I’d personally chosen had abandoned me at my most crucial moment. Time ticked on, and various eyes were on me. Still, they never returned. I called them again and again, the phone finally picking up to Darren’s angry voice. “Hannah, we can have the wedding anytime! Xandra’s health is worse, and she’s going abroad, so her condition is deteriorating. Can’t you just give her a little space?” I was about to speak when Landon snatched the phone from Darren. “Hannah, stop it! Xandra’s situation is different from yours. She’s lost the only family she had. Now she’s sick and needs us. This wedding is off for now, and we’ll plan it later.” With all eyes on me, I cleaned up the mess they’d left behind. Soon after, Xandra updated her Instagram. Xandra: [No matter when or how far, you’ll always come running to me. I will always be your princess.] My wedding ring and the high-end gown I’d planned to wear were given to Xandra as gifts to celebrate her return, by Landon and Darren, and placed on her hand. At that moment, I could no longer deceive myself. I was done. Completely done.
“Sweetheart, have you really thought this through?” My parents’ voices on the phone carried disbelief. Three years ago, I’d firmly told them I wasn’t willing to marry without love. Returning to the Greene family would mean sacrificing my own happiness. Marrying the carefully chosen match for the family was what was best for both families. Margaret sighed and then spoke seriously, “Even in a family alliance, you’re still our daughter.” I looked out the window at the darkening sky, wiping away a tear. “Dad, Mom, I’ll need about another week to handle the remaining matters here.” “Alright, take the time you need to say goodbye to your loved ones. You don’t need to worry about the wedding—we’ll take care of everything. No matter what, we’ll always be your support.” My eyes started to redden. Landon and Darren had said the same thing to me once. “Hannah, don’t be scared.” “From now on, we’re your family, and we’ll always be by your side.” The orphanage director, Lillian Harris, smiled as she looked at them. “You better take good care of her, gentlemen. A man of his word keeps his promises.” Darren blushed, his face turning as red as a tomato. “Of course, I’ll marry Hannah!” From that moment on, I was moved by their sincerity. Landon took care of me like an older brother, while Darren always thought of me first, presenting me with anything good he came across. They were my family, my loved ones. So, when my biological parents found me, I didn’t tell Landon or Darren about them. The elite world was full of complications, with too much deceit. The simple, warm happiness I had with them made me reluctant to leave. But it wasn’t until Xandra appeared that I realized how wrong I had been. Xandra was the daughter of the housekeeper and had lost her father at a young age. And her mother had passed away from illness two years ago. During Christmas, we invited her to spend the holiday with us, feeling sorry for her being alone. After that, she started clinging to us. She grew closer to my “brother” and fiancé more and more. I approached her one day, gently reminding her that Darren and I were about to get married, urging her to respect the boundaries between us. But instead of listening, she left me a letter and went abroad by herself. In her letter, she expressed her admiration for me and her sadness about leaving everyone. Darren immediately grew cold toward me. “Are you really this intolerant of her?” Landon, who had always looked after me, was also deeply disappointed in me. “Hannah, you’re being so selfish!” They were convinced that Xandra needed love more than I did. So, they gave all the love I thought was mine to Xandra. This wedding had been my dream since childhood. The wedding dress, the ring, even the floral patterns on the invitations—I had designed them all myself. I couldn’t help but close my eyes. Standing alone in front of the guests at the wedding, I felt the calm composure I had maintained until now finally shatter. “What’s going on? I’ve never seen a wedding canceled halfway through!” “Did the groom run away?” “Why did even the bride’s family leave?” “Who knows? If even her own family won’t stand by her, she must have done something shameful, something unforgivable!” “Look at her face—she just doesn’t look trustworthy!” The mudslinging came crashing down on me from all sides. Those two men who had promised to always protect me were now like daggers piercing my heart.
After dealing with the mess, I returned to the house Darren and I shared. As soon as I pushed open the door, I was shocked to find someone inside! “Hannah, long time no see!” Xandra stood there in a cool, revealing nightgown, her body on full display. She walked out of my and Darren’s bedroom, her face wearing a mock apology tinged with provocation. “Landon and Darren didn’t feel comfortable leaving me alone, so they let me stay here.” I looked around my meticulously decorated bedroom, now intruded upon by Xandra. All the matching home décor, which I had carefully chosen, had been unceremoniously dumped into the study. In its place were her belongings. “Darren said this room has good ventilation. I just had surgery abroad, and I need to recover.” A dark glimmer crossed my eyes. The room she was in was my and Darren’s bedroom. The door opened again, and Landon and Darren walked in, carrying cake and flowers. Their eyes, when they turned to me, held traces of dissatisfaction. “What are you trying to do now? You’ve already sent Xandra away once.” Darren looked at me, his voice filled with frustration. “Xandra’s part of the family now. This is her home.” Landon shot me a cold glance. I gazed around the villa—this was a gift from Landon. He had told me it was mine, that as long as he was here, I would always have a home. But then Xandra moved in. Out of sympathy for her mother’s memory, I had agreed to let her stay. She had promised to leave as soon as she found a place of her own. But instead, she pushed further—stealing my things and even ending up in bed with a drunk Darren. I couldn’t take it anymore, and I slapped her. But Darren shoved me to the ground. “Xandra lost her family. She sees us as brothers. You’ve always had us by your side. Xandra’s different—she’s been through so much! You’re older than her—can’t you treat her like a sister and protect her?” I looked at my hand, now bloodied from the broken glass. For the first time, I felt a stranger standing in front of me, not Darren. And now, she was back—occupying our bedroom again, acting like she owned the place. “Hannah, all these years, you’ve been feeding off me. You owe me some gratitude. And now, Xandra is my sister. You have no right to make her leave! If you hadn’t forced her to go abroad, her condition wouldn’t have gotten worse. You’re moving to the study until Xandra’s better,” Landon warned me, his tone cold. “Xandra needs care right now. We haven’t even registered the marriage. If you keep making trouble, then forget the wedding,” Darren added, his eyes full of suspicion and annoyance. I looked at them, a trace of mockery flickering in my gaze. If this were the old Hannah Greene, I might have been heartbroken. But now, all I felt was disappointment. I wasn’t welcome here anymore. It was time to return to the home that belonged to me. Since I had already decided to leave, there was no reason to engage with them further. I didn’t respond to Darren. Instead, I turned and walked into the study. Inside, my things were scattered everywhere, everything I had personally chosen and designed. They represented my dreams and hopes for the future. Silently, I threw the wedding supplies that Xandra had destroyed into the trash. Darren nodded with satisfaction. “These things weren’t worth much. We can buy new ones when the wedding happens.” A dark thought passed through my mind. If these things were worthless, what else could be? There would be no wedding. This place was no longer my home. Before I left, there was only one person I wanted to say goodbye to. And after saying goodbye, there would be nothing left to hold me back. “Here to see Ms. Harris again?” The cemetery caretaker recognized me and greeted me with a smile. Every year at this time, I come to visit Lillian. I placed a bouquet of flowers at her grave. “Ms. Harris, I’m leaving now.” A soft breeze passed by, and in the photo on the gravestone, she still looked as gentle as ever. I walked out of the cemetery, aimlessly strolling down the street. The sweet scent of baked goods wafted out from the bakery. I suddenly remembered the cakes that Landon and Darren used to buy for me. Even though they were cheap, with simple frosting, they were filled with real sweetness. My phone vibrated furiously—”Happy Birthday.” It was a message from my real parents, accompanied by a large transfer of money. Even though I didn’t want to go back to them, they still sent their wishes on holidays, without fail. Two hours ago, Xandra had posted on Instagram. Three photos—new movie tickets. Before I even realized it, I had walked to the gates of the orphanage where I grew up. It had since been turned into an amusement park, bustling with activity even at night. “Hannah!” Xandra saw me and ran over, her eyes gleaming with a smile. “What a coincidence! I’m feeling a bit down today, and Landon and Darren insisted on taking me out to have some fun.” Her sudden proximity made me instinctively uncomfortable. But then, a strange, almost wicked smile crossed her face. She grabbed my hand, and before I could react, she fell back. A speeding scooter crashed into us, throwing us to the ground. From Landon and Darren’s perspective, it looked as if I had pushed her in front of the vehicle. As we lay on the ground, I saw their faces darken with fury, while Xandra’s forehead and legs bled heavily. They ignored me, the pale one standing to the side, my right hand pinned beneath the scooter. It felt like the hand wasn’t even mine anymore. When we arrived at the hospital, the nurse told Landon that only one doctor was on duty. “Get Xandra into surgery first! She can’t have scars!” Darren shouted as soon as we entered. Xandra’s injuries—on her forehead and leg—looked alarming, but anyone with basic knowledge could tell they were just superficial wounds. The nurse looked at my twisted hand and said, “Sir, we can treat her injuries, but this young lady’s injury is more serious. If not treated immediately, her right hand—” “Get Xandra into surgery first!” Darren and Landon’s voices were sharply in sync, their decision final. My face had gone completely pale—if I lost this hand, I would never be able to hold a paintbrush again. “But… can I at least have my surgery first? My hand hurts so much!” “Hannah, why are you targeting Xandra?! You’re an orphan! If I hadn’t taken you in, you’d have starved to death on the street! From today on, Xandra is my sister! Don’t even think about hurting her again! If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have been hurt in the first place! You didn’t even break the skin, what are you acting for?” With that, he slapped me to the floor. My face instantly drained of color. It wasn’t until my hand hung limply, twisted at an odd angle, that he realized something was wrong. “Hannah… are you okay?” The pain was so intense I couldn’t even speak. The hopelessness in my eyes was impossible to ignore. It seemed that, in their eyes, my future, my life, was worth less than the scrape on Xandra’s skin. “Get her into surgery, quickly!” Fortunately, the hospital director arrived just in time, so there was no need for them to make a decision. “Sorry…” I ignored Landon. I didn’t blame him. This was just me paying them back for all the years they’d given me. When the operating room door closed behind me, the bond between us was severed. From that moment on, we owed each other nothing. When I woke up, I saw Darren standing at my bedside, his face full of coldness. “Awake? Xandra needed ten stitches on her wound. If it weren’t for you, none of this would’ve happened. Xandra’s room is upstairs. Once you’re feeling better, go apologize to her.” I looked at Darren like he was a complete stranger. “I didn’t do anything wrong!” I said softly, my heart sinking. “If you don’t apologize, don’t bother coming back home! And forget about the wedding!” With that, Darren stormed out. I turned my head, no longer looking at him. I didn’t want any of this anymore. At least the surgery had been timely, and with my hand properly set, I could move again. Landon and Darren never came back to my room. They even had the nurses pulled away, waiting for me to give in. A bitter smile spread across my lips as I changed my flight to the next day at noon. Even with my hand in a thick cast, I boarded the plane without looking back. The next day, the headlines were filled with a trending topic: “The heirs of the Rhodes and Greene families were quickly engaged.” The grand wedding was set to take place in a month. My parents looked at me with concern, and so did my older brother Aaron Greene. His eyes seemed like they were drilling into my right hand. “How did you end up like this? Does it hurt?” “It doesn’t hurt anymore, but it might not look great at the wedding,” I said, a little embarrassed. In high society, appearances mattered, and I felt guilty about that. “Your health is more important. The wedding can be postponed.” Aaron said, his face expressionless. “You’ve suffered, sweetie…” Edward sighed as he looked at me. “Dad, Mom, it’s okay. I’ll get better.” The warmth of their care made my eyes well up for a moment. Meanwhile, Landon and Darren frowned as they waited but still hadn’t gotten the apology they were expecting. By the time they thought of me, all that was left in my hospital room was emptiness. I had blocked them early on and left my bank cards and a farewell letter in Landon’s study. The wedding of the Greene and Rhodes families was the talk of the town, and many in the business circles had received invitations. Landon and Darren were no exception. Over the years, their businesses had flourished with support from the Greene family. “Landon, can’t reach Hannah yet?” Darren frowned in the hospital room. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have hoped for warmth from you…” Xandra said, her voice tremulous with fake tears. “Xandra, this isn’t your fault,” Landon said, his brow furrowing, clearly irritated. “I’ve frozen all her cards. When she runs out of money, she’ll come crawling back.” Landon paused before continuing, “I’m curious to see how long she can hold out. That brat really has some guts.” Landon handed the invitation to Darren, his tone serious. “The most important thing right now is attending the wedding of the Greene family heiress. We’ve received a lot of help from them over the years. If it weren’t for the Greene family, we might’ve taken years to get to where we are now. We need to prepare a generous gift.” “I heard the heiress just came back to the country. The Rhodes family is a prestigious family, so this wedding is a perfect match.” Darren smiled as he opened the invitation. But as soon as he saw the bride’s name, the smile instantly vanished from his face. “The bride’s name… why is it Hannah Greene?”
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