At my father's funeral, my fiancé proposed to my father’s illegitimate daughter in public and released a video of their passionate lovemaking.

I became a laughingstock, ridiculed by the entire elite circle of Wildore.

In my fury, my fiancé's older brother, Edward, appeared and drove the two of them out of the funeral.

He knelt on one knee and proposed to me, saying he would be my lifelong support and protect me from all harm.

I accepted him.

***

Three years later…

A week before our wedding, I accidentally overheard his conversation with his lawyer.

"Mr. Granville, there are other ways to take over the Thornton Family. Isn’t marrying Miss Hazel just too risky? Why must you involve yourself like this?"

"Only by marrying her will Hazel let down her guard. Florence just wants to rightfully inherit the Thornton Family. If I have to involve myself, so be it. For her, I’m willing to do anything."

The salvation I once believed in was nothing more than a meticulously crafted deception and the marriage I had awaited for three years was merely another endless grave.

If that’s the case, then I might as well grant them their wish.

——

In the study, Edward held the share transfer agreement in his hands, smiling with deep devotion.

"Mrs. Thornton is seriously ill. Before she dies, Hazel will definitely insist on having her at the wedding. Once she passes away, the Thornton Family will crumble. At that time, Hazel will have no choice but to ask me for help. That will be my perfect moment to strike."

"Is the agreement ready? Make sure nothing goes wrong. The Thornton Family must fall entirely into my hands! Once I clear all obstacles, I’ll hand the company over to Florence."

The lawyer beside him glanced at the table full of agreements, his expression filled with reluctance.

"Florence is just an illegitimate daughter. Isn't this too cruel to Miss Hazel? Over the past three years, she has already fallen in love with you. If she finds out that your marriage was only to help an illegitimate daughter seize the family assets, you two…"

Before he could finish speaking, Edward cut him off coldly.

"Enough. I’ve said it before. Florence is the second daughter of the Thornton Family. If I hear the words ‘illegitimate daughter’ again, you can consider yourself unemployed!"

"Marrying Hazel is also a form of compensation. Even without the Thornton Family, she still has me. Her life won’t be difficult."

"My younger brother has always loved competing with me. Now, Florence chose him. So, as his older brother, I’ll clear the path for them. As long as they’re happy, it doesn’t matter what happens to me…"

The lawyer let out a long sigh and nodded helplessly. "Alright, I’ll go over the agreement again. I just hope… you won’t regret this."

"By the way, make sure to delete the video you had played at the funeral three years ago. Don’t let Miss Hazel find out," Edward reminded.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. I hurriedly retreated to my room in a panic.

The hot tea in my hand spilled onto me, yet I felt nothing but an overwhelming chill.

It turned out that the video publicly played at my father’s funeral wasn't Arthur’s doing at all.

It was all orchestrated by his so-called righteous older brother, the one who had disguised himself as my savior.

Back then, when my fiancé, Arthur, abandoned me, I became a laughingstock at my father’s funeral.

Edward’s arrival wasn’t to save me or give me happiness. He had only come to deliver the final blow.

I thought of my mother, who entrusted me to him in her final moments.

Back then, he had sworn to take care of me, making promises with such a convincing perfect act.

All these years, I had trusted him to help manage my company, never realizing that every step was a calculated move to pave the way for Florence.

And like a fool, I cherished his so-called love, proudly believing I had found happiness.

How ridiculous.

The sound of a door closing echoed as the lawyer took his leave.

Edward rushed over in a panic, cupping my face and pressing a kiss on my forehead.

His eyes, tinged with the haze of alcohol, were filled with distress.

"Why are you standing at the door?"

"It’s nothing. I wanted to bring you some tea but accidentally spilled it."

“These things can be left to the nanny. You’ve been looking after Mom at the hospital every day. It’s already tiring enough. If you push yourself too hard, I’ll feel bad.”

With that, he kissed me again.

His touch was as tender and gentle as before. But I could no longer feel his warmth.

Could someone truly go this far for another person?

As I closed my eyes, tears slipped down.

I helped him onto the bed and covered him with a blanket. With the aid of alcohol, he quickly drifted into sleep.

I sat by the bedside and silently picked up his phone. I tried the password once and it unlocked immediately.

It was my younger sister, Florence’s, birthday.

I opened his chat with Florence.

The screen was densely packed with confidential company documents.

From the day my father passed away three years ago, it had never stopped for a single day.

Every project he had been involved in, he sent the documents to Florence so she could familiarize herself with them.

Every collaboration he handled, he forwarded the partner’s information to her to pave the way.

Even he had prepared the contract for the company’s transfer three years ago.

He was only waiting for my mother to pass away, for me to hand the company over to him.

With trembling hands, I tapped open his private album.

Every photo inside was of Florence’s smiling face.

She was either attending events as the second lady of the Granville Family or celebrating a project’s success with Arthur.

Arthur’s features bore a striking resemblance to his brother’s, so much so that he could easily be mistaken for Edward.

Beyond the photos were countless records of jewelry purchases at auctions. Each piece was sent to Florence under his brother’s name, claimed to be a gift from an elder.

His love was both discreet and extravagant, woven into every detail.

It pierced my heart, leaving a dull ache in its wake.

I recognized those jewelry brands.

It was nothing more than a complimentary gift from the auction house, yet he had told me it was a present meant for me.

I let out a self-mocking laugh and didn’t bother looking any further.

Instead, I sent a message to the company's shareholders, announcing a shareholders' meeting in three days.

At that meeting, I would officially take over the company.

For three years, he had taken what belonged to me. It was time for him to return it.

I didn’t sleep at all that night.

At dawn, I got up to wash up. Just as I finished, a message popped up in the company’s work group chat.

Edward reacted as if facing a crisis, his expression tense.

"Hazel? Since when did you start taking an interest in the company? Mom’s health isn’t great right now. Didn’t we agree that I would manage the company for you? You shouldn’t stress over this. If you fall ill, Mom will blame me for not taking good care of you."

I put my phone down and curved my lips into a subtle smile. "It’s nothing. I must’ve accidentally turned on notifications. I’ll turn them off in a bit. Aren’t you busy with the meeting for the new project today? You should go."

He didn’t suspect anything, but I could see the relief in his eyes.

Gently, he pulled me into his arms. "Thank you for understanding, my love. I need to push forward with the upcoming projects so we can have time for our wedding."

I didn’t respond. I simply lowered my head and turned off my phone.

"You’re going to the hospital today, right? Pick up the meal I ordered from the hotel on your way. I got it specially for you. You’ve lost weight."

"Okay, I’ll bring some for Mom to try too."

My mother had been hospitalized for a year now. Edward had hired professional caregivers, saying he didn’t want me to tire myself out.

I used to think that was his way of showing love. But now, I realized it was just an excuse.

If he truly cared, how could he have visited the hospital fewer than twice in an entire year? He had left her care and treatment in the hands of strangers.

In order to stop me from troubling Florence, he really went to great lengths.

It’s time to put an end to this three-year-long deception.

As I rushed to the hospital, I hadn't even entered the ward when I heard the nurses in the hallway gossiping.

"The Thornton Family is a prestigious household in Wildore, yet after a whole year of hospitalization, they still haven’t arranged for surgery? When I went to change the dressing, I saw that the old lady could barely hold on. How can her family not be anxious at all…?"

"Shh, don’t ask what you shouldn’t. The Granville Family has already spoken, even the director has to keep it under wraps. Looks like they don’t intend to save her, just dragging things out. They even replaced the special medication with glucose. There’s no way she’ll make it."

"She probably won’t last more than a couple of days… This family is truly ruthless. They have all that money, yet they won’t even save one person…"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I rushed into my mother’s hospital room.

Her once rosy face had turned pale in just a few days. I had been taking care of her every day, yet I only realized something was wrong now.

The monitors beside her kept blaring with alarm sounds and my mother’s breathing grew weaker and weaker.

But, even in her final moments, she was still thinking about my wedding.

She held my hand, her voice barely audible. "Hazel… Mom probably won’t be able to see your wedding. Edward is a good child. After I’m gone, he will surely take good care of you. Can you call him over? Mom wants to say a few words to him…"

With tears streaming down my face, I gently pulled the blanket over her. Then, I ran out to find a doctor.

But when the doctor came to check on her, he only shook his head helplessly. He said my mother was gravely ill and her body could no longer withstand surgery.

All he told me was to start preparing for her funeral.

I swallowed my anger and drove to Edward’s company. But before I could step inside, I heard Florence’s voice from outside.

"Edward, you’ve already helped me so much these past three years. Mrs. Thornton is still alive, after all. If you let me take charge of the project, my sister will definitely be upset."

Edward’s voice was filled with bitterness, low and suppressed. "You are my sister-in-law. It’s only right for me to help you. Sign it. You’ll have to get familiar with the company’s affairs sooner or later. As for Mrs. Thornton… she probably won’t last much longer. You don’t need to worry about her."

A flicker of triumph flashed in Florence’s eyes before she quickly replaced it with a concerned expression. "Mom’s not going to make it? Then I’ll go visit her at the hospital today. Even though she never acknowledged me as her daughter, I still want to earn her forgiveness."

I could no longer contain the fury burning in my chest. I pushed the door open with force and snapped, "There’s no need for your fake kindness. My mother doesn’t want to see you either!"

Edward’s expression shifted to panic as he quickly got up and walked toward me. "Why are you here? Don’t misunderstand. I was just discussing the new project with Florence, nothing more. She just mentioned it casually, don’t overthink it."

Florence stood up, smiling as she waved at me. "Hazel, long time no see."

I didn’t spare her a glance and turned to head downstairs. But Edward chased after me, anxiously explaining himself over and over.

Watching his desperate expression, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of mockery in my heart.

To pave the way for Florence, he had humiliated me at my father’s funeral. Now, he had cost my mother her life. Having finally gotten what he wanted, who was he pretending for now?

"Don't worry, I'm not that unreasonable. I won’t interfere in the Granville Family's business. I was just on my way to the hospital and stopped by to see you. Since you're busy, I'll get going."

He let out a sigh of relief and personally walked me downstairs to see me off.

But on the way to the hospital, my phone rang. It was the doctor. He told me that my mother had just taken her last breath.

I slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden stop by the roadside. Anger and disappointment tangled together in my chest, surging uncontrollably.

After a long struggle, I turned the car around and headed back to the Thornton Family home to pack up my mother’s belongings.

Just as I finished sorting through the boxes, Florence suddenly appeared before me.