I Stole My Sister's Groom

On the day I was supposed to swap marriages with my sister, Sylvia Hayes, I chose to be a battalion commander's wife instead.

Then, watching Sylvia wither away from late-stage stomach cancer until she was nothing but skin and bones, a few strange lines suddenly appeared before my eyes.

[Great news! The heroine is about to be reborn!]

[What a joke. What good is being an officer's wife? That scumbag will take his mistress to live on base with him, leaving her to starve in that old house!]

[After she's reborn, she should pick Miles Williams, the steel factory director! He secretly kept her photo and loved her his whole life!]

Miles, the husband Sylvia used to mock as 'nothing but a money-grubbing brute,' was holding a tin cup, trying to give her water.

Sylvia suddenly grabbed his wrist, her bulging eyes boring into me. "Laura Hayes...you had food saved up. Why wouldn't you help me?!"

She died with her finger pointed at me.

Miles' jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles in his cheeks bulged, and then he suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his hands around my throat.

When I opened my eyes again, the room's blackened mud walls were hung with an old, faded calendar.

"Sylvia Hayes, you can't be serious!"

My sister, Sylvia, stood up from the wooden stool, her expression firm and serious. "I'm not marrying Captain Zephyr Smith. His heart already belongs to someone else! Even if I marry into the Smith family, I might warm his bed, but I'll never win his heart!"

Our dad slammed his hand on the table in anger. "We already accepted the engagement gifts and set the date, and word has already gone out to the whole community. How can you just back out now?!"

Sylvia turned to look at me. "Laura and I can just swap places!"

Before anyone could respond, our front door banged open.

A figure stood in the doorway; it was Miles Williams.

Sylvia looked at him, and her eyes instantly reddened, as if she had suffered some deep injustice.

Seeing her like that, Miles, who had promised to take me to the record store in town that day, immediately moved to stand beside Sylvia.

"Mr. Albert Hayes, this is a new era now. Parents shouldn't be forcing their children into marriage anymore. If Sylvia says she won't marry him and you force her, that's going to cause problems. As long as she's willing, I'll marry her right now."

My eyes twitched as those strange words appeared before me again.

[Sylvia never disappoints! She just put on a little act, and Miles forgot how she publicly rejected and humiliated him before.]

[I told you! As long as Sylvia gives him the slightest bit of attention, he'll do anything for her!]

[Without Sylvia saving him, Zephyr will lose his legs and become disabled soon! Let's see how he protects his so-called true love then!]

Sylvia gazed at Miles with deep affection, then nodded. "I'm willing."

Our dad shot to his feet in rage. "What are you talking about? Laura is standing right here!"

Miles reached out and grabbed Sylvia's hand tightly. "Mr. Hayes, please grant us your blessing."

With that, he pulled the marriage papers from my hands and personally switched the names.

Our dad was so angry that he looked ready to strike, but I stepped forward and stood in front of Miles, stopping him.

"Dad, don't be angry. I'm willing to take Sylvia's place and marry Captain Smith."

The image of Miles' twisted face flashed through my mind: the moment after Sylvia died, when he had wrapped his hands around my throat, demanding I pay with my life. In that suffocating moment, I understood that Miles did not love me.

All those years, I had worked myself to exhaustion managing the factory's daily affairs, serving his parents, and taking care of his every need. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I could never win his heart.

If that was the case, I might as well become an officer's wife instead.

I raised my hand and wiped the tears I had forced out, then put on a gentle, composed expression.

"Sylvia and Miles...truly love each other. I'm willing to step aside for them. Dad, Laura has always had feelings for Miles. Going back on the engagement is wrong, and it might cause us unnecessary trouble later!"