Chapter 1 The Defiant Bride
In the solemn cathedral, the bride in a wedding dress stood before the priest, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hands.
Sunlight streamed through stained glass windows, shining on the bride's face, but it brought her no warmth at all.
This wedding was a bit strange, as there was no groom standing beside her—only a chair with a smartphone placed on it.
The cathedral remained eerily quiet; guests barely whispered, afraid to drown out any sound from the phone.
The priest looked at Olivia Smith with a serious expression. "Ms. Smith, do you take Mr. Howard to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Olivia's face remained calm, but when her gaze swept across the guests, her eyes flashed with hatred.
"I do."
The three people she'd just looked at—Nathan Smith, Seraphina Smith, and Aurora Smith—lowered their heads in shame, avoiding her piercing stare.
'Nathan, Seraphina, Aurora, I won't forget this humiliation. Ever.'
Nathan was Olivia's father, Seraphina her stepmother, and Aurora her stepsister. Olivia was participating in this bizarre wedding solely because her family needed money, and she had become their sacrificial lamb.
The guests whispered among themselves.
"I thought we'd actually see the mysterious heir of the Howard family. Why just a phone? I was curious what he looked like."
"They say he's terribly disfigured. No woman would willingly marry him. Nathan's company is nearly bankrupt and desperately needs investment—that's the only reason he'd marry his daughter off to such a monster."
"The Howard family is quite a prominent family, yet not only did the groom not show up, but neither did his parents—just sent a butler. They obviously don't think much of this bride."
"Poor girl. Her parents has two daughters, yet she's the one being married off to a freak. Clearly her parents play favorites."
Though the guests spoke quietly, the cathedral was so silent that Olivia caught fragments of their conversation.
'Mom, can you see this from heaven? Your daughter is being ridiculed. All of this is caused by the man you once loved so deeply.'
Olivia's eyes swept over Nathan again with profound contempt.
Nathan avoided her gaze, clenching his fists on his lap. Hearing the whispers around them, he wanted nothing more than to leave immediately.
Seraphina couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and snapped at the guests, "Shut your mouths! Olivia is marrying into the Howard family to enjoy a life of privilege! Do you know how prestigious it is to be Mrs. Howard?"
The guests quickly fell silent.
Olivia rolled her eyes, laughing bitterly inside.
'Privilege? Would you like this "privilege" for yourself or your daughter? The groom and his family couldn't even be bothered to show up. I can't imagine what awaits me in the Howard family.'
Nathan's face fell as he pulled Seraphina down, hissing, "What are you doing? Matthew hasn't given his vows yet. Are you trying to cause trouble by interrupting the ceremony?"
Seraphina's face turned pale as she instinctively covered her mouth and glanced anxiously at the phone on the chair.
The phone remained silent.
Seraphina grew fearful, worried that Matthew was angry about her outburst.
Nathan, Seraphina, and Aurora stared nervously at the phone.
"I do. Have her sign the contract," came the voice from the phone before the call ended.
Olivia glanced at the screen, which now showed "Call Ended."
The Howard family was the most prestigious century-old family in the area, owning multiple conglomerates, with their investments in companies all being Fortune 500 firms.
However, such a prestigious wealthy family had a well-known blemish.
The heir of the Howard family, Matthew Howard, was an unattractive guy, so he rarely made appearances.
Moreover, there were rumors that Matthew had a physiological defect and was too afraid to approach women. Although the Howard family had a top-tier reputation, they seldom mention their heir in public.
Damon Cooper, who had been standing quietly in the cathedral, approached with a document.
"Ms. Smith, once you sign this document, you will become Mrs. Howard. Your family will receive investment from the Howard family, and your brother will receive the best medical care available."
Olivia stared at the contract, hatred flashing in her eyes.
'For this piece of paper, my dignity is being trampled. And those three are just waiting for me to sign it.'
"Olivia, what are you waiting for? Sign it now," Nathan urged as he approached. Seraphina and Aurora followed, their eyes fixed on the contract.
Olivia picked up the pen, then paused. A small smile curved her lips as she handed the contract back to Damon.
"Mr. Cooper, may I have a few minutes alone with my family? I have some things I'd like to say to them."
Damon frowned slightly but nodded. "Alright, I'll return in ten minutes."
He turned and left the cathedral, and the invited guests followed suit.
Soon, only Olivia and her family remained.
"Olivia, what do you want to tell us? Just sign the paper. I have business matters to attend to," Nathan frowned, looking at his daughter not as a father would, but as if she were a disobedient dog.
"Yes, Olivia, don't waste everyone's time. I have a date this afternoon," Aurora urged impatiently, glancing at the jade bracelet on her wrist.
She was about Olivia's age and equally beautiful, though her features resembled Seraphina's more exotic looks.
Olivia's eyes lingered on Aurora's bracelet, a pang of sorrow filling her heart. It was a beautiful piece—Nathan's birthday gift to Aurora this year. Since her mother's death, Olivia hadn't received a single gift.
Aurora smugly waved her wrist in front of Olivia, completely ignoring the pain in Olivia's eyes.
When Nathan had married Olivia's mother, Juniper Evans, he had promised to love her forever. Together they had built a company, with Juniper's exceptional business acumen steadily increasing its value. But overwork had led to a car accident.
While Olivia was grieving over her mother's critical condition, Nathan had seized most of Juniper's power in the company and brought home a woman and her daughter—Seraphina and Aurora, his mistress and illegitimate child.
That day, Olivia had finally seen her father's true nature.
He was a monster. Aurora's age alone proved he had been deceiving Juniper from the beginning of their marriage.
Nathan noticed Olivia staring at him and felt a twinge of guilt. He tried to cover it with aggression. "Don't forget, only the Howard family's hospital, Evergreen Hospital, can treat your brother's condition. If you don't sign, they'll discharge him, and he'll die."
"Dad, thank you so much for giving Jasper a chance to live," Olivia replied sarcastically.
Jasper Smith was a child Juniper had adopted from an orphanage. After Juniper's death, Nathan had thrown Jasper out, nearly letting him freeze on the streets.
Olivia had taken Jasper in, and he had become Nathan's leverage against her.
"Dad, Aunt Seraphina, Aurora, thank you for giving me this opportunity to marry into such a prestigious family. I should express my gratitude."
"No need for thanks. You've already secured enough benefits for us.Damn it, what are you doing?" Nathan's eyes widened as Olivia pulled a double-barreled shotgun from a nearby cabinet. Their faces turned pale with fear.
"What's a wedding without fireworks? This is my gift to you," Olivia said with an eerie smile as she cocked the gun.