Chapter 1After marrying the disabled CEO, the family that forced me to marry on behalf of them went crazy with regret.

The day the Suttons' true heiress returned, I, the imposter, became an outcast.

My parents doted on her, telling me to yield to her in everything.

She wanted the position of the Sutton family's charity ambassador, and I let her have it.

She wanted the heirloom bracelet my biological parents left me, and I gave it to her.

But when she demanded I take her place at the altar and marry Dorian Blackwood, the notoriously brutal and reclusive scion of the powerful Blackwood dynasty—a man rumored to be confined to a wheelchair—I hesitated.

Yet, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Julian Davies, sneered, "You stole twenty years of Scarlett's life from her; isn't that enough? Do you really have to steal her marriage too?"

In that moment, I decisively broke off the engagement and agreed to marry in her place.

But at the wedding, seeing Dorian Blackwood, who was supposed to be paralyzed, stand up, Scarlett Sutton and Julian Davies's facades completely crumbled!

"Stella, I know this is unfair to you, but Scarlett is our biological daughter after all. Your engagement to Julian… please, just let her have it."

My mother held my hand, her face still filled with that familiar, gentle affection, but her words sliced into my heart like a dagger. I was *still* the daughter you’d raised for twenty years.

I ignored her plea, turning instead to face Julian Davies, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, who stood behind me.

Marriage wasn’t some childish game; it wasn’t something I could just hand over.

"Julian, tell me, who do you want to marry?"

Julian froze, seemingly surprised I’d asked him.

After a moment of hesitation, he walked over and stood beside the tearful Scarlett Sutton. "Stella Sutton, haven't you stolen enough of Scarlett's life over these past twenty years?"

"Now you want to steal the marriage that rightfully belongs to her too?"

I couldn’t believe those words had come from Julian’s mouth.

I thought he would fight for me.

He had once said that no matter what my identity was, whether I was the Sutton heiress or not, he would always be good to me.

But now, those vows meant absolutely nothing! What Julian Davies truly loved was nothing but the wealth, status, and influence that came with being a Sutton, and what my family could do for his!

I was just an imposter, a cuckoo in the nest, a pawn he could discard at any moment.

The last flicker of hope for love in my heart extinguished, and I spoke calmly, "Fine, I’ll break off the engagement."

Hearing my answer, Julian’s grim expression instantly softened. "Stella, thank you. I'll take good care of Scarlett."

Seeing this, Mother immediately smiled and said to Julian, "Julian, the wedding date is approaching fast. You and Scarlett should go pick out some wedding dresses now. Richard and I want to chat with Stella for a bit longer."

"That’s right, you two go on ahead. Stella and I have some private things to discuss."

Julian gave my parents a grateful look, then turned and quickly left the study with Scarlett.

The study door closed with a soft click.

I thought this was the extent of their cruelty towards me, that this farce was finally over.

To my surprise, the moment Julian left, the subtle relief on my parents’ faces quickly faded, replaced by expressions even more troubled and grave than before.

"Stella, there's one more thing…" Mother began, wringing her hands, her eyes darting away from mine.

"Scarlett and the Blackwoods originally had an engagement."

"Now that she’s marrying Julian, the Blackwood engagement…"

She couldn’t finish her sentence, covering her face and starting to cry.

My heart sank, inch by agonizing inch, as I already had a premonition.

"The Blackwoods specifically requested a Sutton daughter, so you’re the only one who can marry in Scarlett's place," Father finished for her.

Dorian Blackwood.

I had heard of him. Rumor had it he wielded immense power in the city’s elite circles, but was notoriously brutal, ruthless, and moody.

More importantly, a few years ago, he’d suffered an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down—a cripple.

It wasn't enough that they made me give Julian to Scarlett.

They wanted me to live as a ghost in a loveless marriage for her, to face a crippled man with a twisted personality!

"Dad, Mom," my voice was dry. "Are you serious?"

Mother avoided my gaze. "There's no other way. It's not like Scarlett was willing to go."

"We can't afford to offend the Blackwoods. There has to be a Sutton daughter to marry into their family. Stella, you're the most sensible. Just consider it helping the Suttons, and helping your sister."

Father's face hardened. "The Suttons raised you for twenty years. Now it's time for you to repay them."

I looked at them, suddenly feeling utterly alienated.

The grace of being raised for twenty years, it turned out, was just a bargaining chip to be exchanged at any time.

I knew I had no choice in the matter.

My heart felt like it had a huge hole, with cold wind whistling through it.

I had despaired of Julian.

Now, even the familial love of these twenty years had completely shattered.