Ten years after I married my brother Eric’s fiancée, he suddenly reappeared. The whole family stared, frozen in stunned silence. He yawned, his voice laced with a casual indifference. “Thirteen countries in ten years. I’m exhausted.” “So, where’s Lily? Why hasn’t she come out to greet me?” Lily is Eric’s daughter. Years ago, on his wedding day, he faked his own death, abandoning both his child and his wealthy fiancée, Aurora Sinclair. My parents were terrified of offending the Sinclairs, so they forced me to marry her instead. I took in Eric’s arrogant posture and allowed myself a slow, cold smile. “My wife took our daughter out.” Hearing that, my brother Eric’s brow furrowed in immediate annoyance. “Didn’t I make it clear I was coming home? Did you even tell Aurora I’m back?” I sipped my tea calmly. Years of quiet perseverance had changed me. I wasn’t the shadow under his spotlight anymore. My silence completely infuriated Eric. He shot to his feet, his voice sharp. “Adam Miller! What the hell is your problem? Or have you forgotten? I’m the one who was engaged to a Sinclair! Now that I’m back, you think you can keep that title?” I glanced at him, a faint smile on my lips. “Eric, I have no idea what you’re talking about. My wife and I are perfectly happy.” Over the years, I’d accompanied Aurora to countless charity galas and business events. Our reputation as a devoted couple became a strategic asset. Aurora expertly leveraged it to win over partners. Perhaps there was no passionate love between Aurora and me. What bound us was a connection far stronger than romance. It was mutual benefit. That’s why I was so confident. Eric’s face twisted in disbelief. He thrust a finger toward me, his voice rising to a shout. “Adam! Do you have no shame? That’s your sister-in-law!” I set my teacup down, my composed smile not faltering in the slightest. “No, we’re legally married.” My gaze was steely. I rose to my feet, done with this charade. Mom and Dad stood nearby, looking utterly lost. Eric lunged forward, grabbing Mom’s sleeve. “Mom, Adam’s lost his mind! Aurora was my college sweetheart! Without me and the Sinclairs, our business would be nothing.” My parents had always coddled Eric. But this time, Mom secretly observed my expression, her voice soft. “But… you left your wedding. You faked your death. We didn’t hear from you for years.” “There was no groom! If Adam hadn’t helped, the Sinclairs would have been humiliated. They would have ruined our company!” Eric’s face froze for a moment. “I… I wasn’t ready to get married!” he stammered. “But I’m back now!” “And the Sinclairs always looked down on us. I was supposed to be a live-in son-in-law! I would have been bullied!” My eyes were cold. “So why are you back now?” Eric looked utterly self-righteous. “They accepted you, so they’ll accept me. It’s perfect.” “I’ll move in with Aurora today. I’m sure her family will treat me well now. And Lily… she can finally know her real father. It’s good for everyone.” With that, he stepped forward, seized my hand in a tight grip, and looked at me with feigned earnestness. “Adam, you’re free! You can go find your happiness now.” I stared into his eyes. They held the spoiled, cruel naivety of someone who had always been favored. He was so sure I would sacrifice everything for him. I sneered and pulled my hand away. “I’m perfectly happy with my life, Eric. You need to face reality.” Then I turned and left that cold house behind.
I didn’t know how Eric felt, but I was sure it wasn’t good. And I knew his stubbornness too well. He wouldn’t give up. I dragged my exhausted body back to the Sinclair estate. These past few days, I’d been swamped with projects, almost working late into the night every day. I entered the house, rubbing my temples. Then I remembered the text from my parents an hour ago: “Eric is back.” At the time, my body had frozen. I always knew he might return, but the news still shocked me. I hung up my bag and saw high heels on the floor. I paused, then put on a polite smile. “You’re back?” A gentle voice asked. I turned. Aurora stood there, draped in a black lace nightgown. It was modest, but hugged her alluring curves. Her fair skin and exquisite features were framed by a soft smile. She frowned with concern. “You look so tired. Haven’t you been sleeping well?” I smiled. “It’s just work. Did you have a good time? How’s Lily?” Aurora stepped into my arms, her face against my chest. Her fingers gently stroked my back. “Lily had a great time. She’s already asleep. She just wished you were there. Next time, we all go together.” “I missed you,” she whispered, her voice laced with an intimate, almost possessive warmth. I kissed her soft hair, but inside, I felt nothing but a cold void. I felt a soft touch on my lips, and my body stiffened. My mind was filled with what Eric had said to me earlier that day. I didn’t respond to her as I usually would. Instead, I slightly resisted, using my hands to create some distance between us. “I…” My words trailed off, because I distinctly felt Aurora’s body stiffen for a moment. I keenly sensed that she was displeased. After a pause, Aurora smiled and picked up my words. “You are tired. Go take a shower and get some good sleep.” It was an excuse, offered for my benefit. Then, she kissed my lips lightly. I nodded and went upstairs. Behind me, the woman in the shadows had a dark, unreadable look.The pressure around her solidified as she watched my back. The next day, I left for work as usual. The moment I stepped out of the apartment complex, I saw a familiar figure. My hand clenched the steering wheel, my brows furrowing tightly. Eric saw my car too. He suddenly rushed in front of it, forcing me to stop. The cars behind me honked furiously. It was peak rush hour. The security guard eagerly tried to pull Eric away. But Eric was relentless. Even as he was being pulled back, he desperately shouted. “Adam! Don’t play dead with me! You’re occupying my wife, do you have no shame?!” His sharp, piercing voice drew everyone’s attention. I pulled my car to the side, ensuring I wouldn’t block anyone or anything, then got out. I stared at him with a cold expression. Eric flashed a smug smile, running a hand through his messy hair. He chuckled. “What? Embarrassed? Or scared Aurora will leave you when she finds out I’m back?” My voice was ice. “Eric, you are a plague upon my life. This is your final warning. Do not seek me out again.” He ignored me. A determined smile spread across his face. “Stop pretending. You’re just scared. You’ve always been in my shadow. Of course you’re jealous. Of course you want to be me.” His voice paused, then he took a few steps closer and whispered in my ear. “Too bad, a cuckoo in a nest will always be driven out. I’ll wait right here. When I see Aurora, I’ll explain everything clearly, and she’ll forgive me.” “And Lily, she’s my daughter. We have an unbreakable blood connection. You’ll never be able to replace me!” I didn’t say anything, just turned and got back into my car. This time, Eric didn’t stop me. In the rearview mirror, I saw him standing there, smiling faintly as he watched me go. An icy dread trickled down my spine. Eric was spoiled and never faced consequences. Anyone who crossed him was met with the full, destructive force of his tantrums. I took a deep breath, forcing my mind to let him go. I had spent years building my marriage and my career. A divorce now would shatter me. And it would deal a devastating blow to everything Aurora and I have built. Aurora had her family to fall back on. But I had only myself.
I sat in my office, my thoughts drifting far away. In elementary school, every summer and winter break, Eric loved to go out and play basketball like crazy. By the time school started, his homework would be untouched. He was terrified of being scolded by the teacher, so he’d try to pass my homework off as his. My parents always had an excuse: my grades were good, , so even if I missed an assignment, the teacher would likely let it slide. Eric was different. If he didn’t do his homework, he’d be scolded in front of the class. A boy’s pride, they argued, was everything. So, for the sake of Eric’s pride, my efforts could be casually erased. From then on, every holiday, I knew better than to argue and wrote two sets of homework. In high school, Eric started dating. He’d flamboyantly chase the prettiest girls, get into dramatic fights, and expertly schmooze with all his teachers Although his grades weren’t good, he was outgoing and naturally had many friends. From childhood to adulthood, all his whims were always covered for him. He always had a safety net. While I, on the other hand, had to live carefully, weighing every step. After college, he met Aurora at a music festival outside of school. They played in a temporary band at a local bar with live music. For two months, while I was shuttling between various part-time jobs to earn tuition, they were wildly indulging their youth on stage. I originally thought that after graduating from college, I would save enough money to completely escape my dysfunctional family. Until that night, Eric came home very late, reeking of alcohol. My parents got up in the middle of the night, cooking him porridge and taking off his clothes. The whole family revolved around him. But Eric, in his drunken state, uttered a sentence that shocked everyone. He was going to be a father. During that time, the entire house was frighteningly silent. My parents were flustered by the sudden news. I was busy working part-time during the holidays to save for tuition. The most carefree person in the whole family was surprisingly Eric. He seemed completely oblivious to the change his identity was about to undergo. To cover up the scandal, my parents made him stay at home, confined indoors. On the other side, my family and the Sinclairs had already discussed the marriage. After the baby was born, a paternity test would be done, and then the wedding would be held. Everything had been agreed upon. The Sinclairs were forced to accept the marriage out of necessity. If this scandal were to be exposed, the Sinclair family’s reputation would be ruined, potentially even affecting their company’s stock. The night before the wedding, I took a four-hour train ride home. But the next day, Eric had vanished. The house was left with only baby Lily in her swaddling clothes and the furious-looking Sinclair family. Aurora’s face was grim. My parents stood awkwardly, then their eyes slowly shifted to me. Mom seemed to grasp a lifeline. “We have another son! He’s never even dated! Consider it our apology!” Dad immediately chimed in, “That’s right! Adam! Hurry! Your brother is gone, now you have to step in!” I stood there, stunned, my mind not yet processing what was happening. My parents already had their hands on me, pulling each of my arms, ready to drag me into the dressing room to change into a suit. I struggled desperately, my heart freezing to the core. Anger and disbelief intertwined within me. My first twenty years had been spent living in Eric’s shadow, and now my latter half of life would also be sacrificed for him. Resentment filled my heart, and my nose burned. That was the first time I truly broke down. I argued loudly, shaking off the hands that held me captive. “Why?! Why do I have to be responsible for his recklessness?! This is his business, it has nothing to do with me!” Dad, hearing that, slapped me hard across the face. “That’s your brother!”
I staggered a few steps, feeling a burning pain on my cheek. Mom cried, tears streaming down her face. “Your brother certainly went too far, but you can’t just stand by and watch our family fall apart! The guests are all waiting for the groom now!” My face was ashen. Finally, I gritted out a few words through clenched teeth: “I’m not doing this! I won’t marry her!” No matter how they tried to persuade me, or even resorted to force, I remained stubbornly defiant. I held a knife to my throat, my eyes red, and said, “Anyone who tries to force me, I’ll kill myself!” With that, everyone present froze. I didn’t know if they were afraid I would die, or if they were afraid of the greater trouble of a death on their hands. Whatever the reason, I didn’t care anymore. I’d graduated. I believed a job would be my ticket to freedom. The standoff ended when Aurora asked to talk to me alone. Everyone left us in the dressing room. Half an hour later, the door opened. I walked out in a tuxedo, my face blank as I took Aurora’s hand. With a smile that never reached my eyes, I played my part in the entire wedding ceremony. The memory dissolved, pulling me back to the present. I stood by the window, looking down at the city. I had fought for ten brutal years to reach this position. A cold emptiness washed over me. Then, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. I was startled, but the sweet scent of cherry blossoms filling my nose relaxed me. “What are you thinking about? You didn’t even notice me come in,” a light voice whispered in my ear. I chuckled. “Just the investor gala tomorrow.” Aurora took my hand and smiled. “I believe in you. Your capabilities speak for themselves.” A smile touched my lips. “What brings you to the office? I thought headquarters was keeping you busy.” “It’s manageable. I came to pick you up,” she said. “And to tell you that Lily wants to see that new movie tomorrow.” I nodded absently. Aurora leaned down and kissed me. I reached up, gently ruffling her hair in response. The house was quiet when I got back. Eric was nowhere to be seen. I figured my parents had locked him away again to protect the family, just like last time. I was utterly exhausted and fell asleep as soon as I went to bed. In the night, a soft figure held me from behind. The next day, I navigated the crowd at the investor gala before slipping away to the back room. Lily was waiting for me, sitting quietly on the sofa. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “Daddy, are we seeing the movie after this?” I smiled and tapped her nose. “Of course, sweetie. Have we ever broken a promise to you?” My answer made Lily giggle. Her happiness eased my worry a little. A sense of dread had been coiled in my gut since the gala began. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the banquet hall. My eyes scanned the crowd, landing instantly on a familiar silhouette. My body went rigid. There, not far away, Eric was speaking to Aurora. Her back was to me, shielding her expression from view. Then Eric saw me. He pointed at me, his face twisted in a sneer. “I am your husband!” he shouted at Aurora. “He is the one who shamelessly stole you and my daughter from me!” In an instant, every conversation died. The weight of a hundred stares converged on me.
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