On my wedding day, my fiancée—who had been missing for over a month—crashed the ceremony on the arm of my gardener’s son to demand I call the whole thing off. I had to hide a smile. My bride isn’t even you, so how can you call it off? She was still completely in the dark, clueless that she wasn’t the real Hamilton heiress at all. My intended bride had already been quietly switched to the family’s true-born daughter, Nancy, who had only recently returned to the fold. 1 It was the day of my wedding. The church was packed, the air buzzing with excitement. Suddenly, the grand doors burst open. Standing in the doorway was my fiancée of two weeks ago, Ava Hamilton, who had vanished without a trace. She was clinging to the arm of Aaron, my gardener’s son, who was, inexplicably, also wearing a tuxedo. A hush fell over the entire congregation. Every head turned to stare at the intruders. Ava’s expression was one of grim determination, like a martyr marching to her execution. She raised her voice, addressing the stunned guests. “Everyone, Aaron and I are in love. I cannot go through with this wedding to Bob.” Her gaze then locked onto mine. “Bob, I’m so sorry,” she declared. “My heart belongs to Aaron. Please, agree to break our engagement and let him be the groom today.” Aaron, for his part, adopted the look of a tragic hero fighting against a cruel world. “Mr. Sinclair, please don’t blame Ava,” he pleaded. “If you must blame someone, blame me.” Ava squared her shoulders. “Love isn’t a crime. We’ve done nothing wrong.” I couldn’t help but laugh, cutting them off. “Are you two done with your little performance? My bride was never you to begin with, so how can you call this off?” Ava froze. “What does that mean?” Nancy glided to my side, her elegance effortless. “What Bob means,” she said, her voice calm and cool, “is that this is our wedding. All irrelevant parties should leave immediately.” “And who are you?” Ava stammered. I wrapped an arm around Nancy’s shoulders. “She is my bride. The real Hamilton heiress. You can stop being the center of attention now.” Aaron’s voice, soft and wounded, piped up. “What Hamilton heiress? Isn’t Ava the only daughter of the Hamilton family?” Ava looked to Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton for confirmation. “Dad? Mom?” Mrs. Hamilton waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, dear, did we forget to tell you? You’re not our biological daughter. There was a mix-up at the hospital all those years ago.” Mr. Hamilton’s face was a mask of annoyance. “The two of you need to leave now. Don’t ruin Bob and Nancy’s big day.” It was true. Just two weeks ago, Ava had been my fiancée. And it was just two weeks ago that the Hamiltons made the shocking discovery that Ava wasn't theirs—that they had been raising another family’s child all this time. At the time of the discovery, Ava was off shacked up with Aaron, having completely ghosted everyone. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, already at their wits’ end with her behavior, decided to let their wayward, fake daughter fend for herself. And just like that, my betrothed was quietly switched. To their real daughter, Nancy, who had returned to the Hamilton family. She had kept her original surname because it was her mother’s maiden name. As the heir to the Sinclair Corporation, my marriage to the Hamilton family was a long-standing agreement. Marrying a counterfeit heiress was, of course, out of the question. We had all assumed Ava would stay hidden until the wedding was over. 2 But here she was, showing up on my wedding day with the audacity to think she was still the Hamilton heiress, the bride of the day. She even planned to have Aaron, dressed in a cheap tux, replace me at the altar. It was utterly absurd. Ava was so stunned she seemed to have gone deaf to the world around her. She looked around in a daze, her eyes finally landing on the welcome board at the entrance. It featured a photo of Nancy and me. We looked like a perfect pair, a match made in heaven. There was no trace of Ava anywhere. “What a shameless couple. Crashing a wedding after it’s already started.” “And look at that guy, all dressed up like he thinks he’s going to marry into money. What a joke.” The whispers of the guests grew into a low murmur. Aaron clutched the hem of his jacket, his head bowed. His face was ashen, as if he’d swallowed poison. Nancy shot them a single, cold glance and signaled the security guards. “Please escort these two uninvited guests out.” This was the most important day of my life. My stage. I wouldn’t let anyone else ruin it. Head held high, I proceeded with the ceremony. At the altar, Nancy and I exchanged rings. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ava and Aaron whispering furiously in the distance. A smirk touched my lips. A wave of relief washed over me. I had finally gotten the right fiancée. Though Nancy and I had been fierce rivals on the university debate circuit, I had to admit she outshone Ava in every conceivable way—poise, intelligence, and ambition. To have cast aside an incompetent fiancée who was cheating with a conniving flirt, only to marry a brilliant and stunning woman of true class… How lucky could I be? But then I saw it. The way Aaron looked at Nancy. There was something unnervingly familiar in his eyes. That look, brimming with a hunger and ambition that threatened to spill over. I remembered when his father, our head gardener Mr. Evans, first brought him to our house. He had put on an act of being obedient and sweet, sticking to my side like glue, desperate to be my best friend. I hadn’t minded having another friend around, so I let him come and go as he pleased. Ava lived next door and was always over at my house. Somehow, Aaron got to know her. He was always fawning over her, calling her name, and she absolutely lapped it up. He knew she was a terrible student, but he’d still bring his homework over when she was around, feigning confusion. “Ava, I don’t quite get this problem. Could you help me?” Then, when we were sixteen. Aaron took advantage of me being out of the house. He sweet-talked Mr. Evans into giving him the key to my room, snuck into my walk-in closet, and started trying on my clothes. I had forgotten something and came back early, catching him in the act. He immediately burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, Bob! We’re so poor, I’ve only ever worn my cousin’s hand-me-downs. I’ve never even touched clothes this nice. I just lost my head for a moment.” 3 “Cut the crocodile tears. Does being poor give you the right to do whatever you want? Does being sheltered give you a free pass to steal other people’s things?” I inspected the clothes he had worn. Every piece reeked of the cloying scent of cheap cologne. One shirt even had a suspicious, disgusting yellow stain on it. I have never been a particularly forgiving person. “This clearly isn’t the first time you’ve done this. Now, you and your father can get out of my house. And you will pay me back for every single piece of clothing you’ve ruined.” Ava, hearing this, flew into a rage and stood protectively in front of Aaron. “Bob, that’s too far! Look at him, you’ve scared him so much he can’t even speak.” I found the whole situation ridiculous. “He’s crying because he got caught, not because he’s sorry. Do a few tears absolve him of his crime? Does it give him the right to wear my clothes and leave them in a mess?” “It’s my fault,” Aaron sobbed. “I was foolish to think you saw me as a brother.” “Don’t be afraid,” Ava soothed him, then turned to me, her brow furrowed. “You rich boys are all the same, looking down on everyone. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Aaron is already so pitiful, what’s the big deal if he tried on one of your shirts?” The look of disdain and confusion she gave me that day is still burned into my memory. It was as if I was the tyrannical villain in their little drama. Pathetic. Mr. Evans begged for my forgiveness and gave Aaron a harsh scolding. My father, out of respect for our long history, let the matter of compensation drop. When Mrs. Hamilton heard about it, she was disgusted by Aaron’s actions and warned Ava to stay away from him. But I saw them together on campus, closer than ever, multiple times. Before that incident, I had always seen Ava as the girl next door, my childhood friend. I even had a bit of a crush on her. After that, I wanted nothing to do with her. Even if she had been willing to go through with our marriage, I would have been a runaway groom. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to be. Thanks to Aaron and his expert manipulation of that useless heiress. The wedding ended, and the guests began to disperse. Nancy held out her hand to me, the diamond on her finger sparkling. “It’s time to go, Mr. Sinclair.” I took her hand. Once upon a time, we were rivals on the debate stage, representing our different universities. She beat me every single time. I used to despise her so much I’d argue with her in my dreams. Who would have thought we’d end up married? Life is truly unpredictable. My new in-laws were beaming behind us. “Mom, wait! What about my wedding with Aaron?” Ava cried, rushing after them. Mrs. Hamilton looked at her as if just remembering she existed. 4 “Oh, just do whatever you want. It has nothing to do with us anymore,” Mr. Hamilton said, waving her away with contempt. Tears welled in Aaron’s eyes. “Thank you, sir, for your blessing,” he choked out. Ava let out a sigh of relief. “Don’t call him sir,” she said brightly. “You’re going to be my husband. You should start calling him Dad, Aaron.” Aaron started to speak. “Hold on,” Mr. Hamilton cut in, his smile vanishing. “I wouldn’t be so quick to accept that honor. Ava is no longer part of this family, so whatever the two of you do is your own business. Don’t go claiming relatives you don’t have.” He then turned, took my hand, and looked at me meaningfully. “Besides, Bob is the only son-in-law I have. Don’t get any ideas.” Aaron’s face soured, as if he’d just swallowed a fly. Ava shielded Aaron, glaring at my father-in-law with defiance. “Since you’ve found your real daughter, the least you can do is tell me where my birth parents are.” “Don’t worry,” Mr. Hamilton said coolly. “They’ll be here shortly.” Hope flickered in Ava and Aaron’s eyes. Aaron squeezed Ava’s hand, his face alight with excitement. “See, Ava? I’ll be right here with you until they arrive.” How pathetic. He was clearly convinced her real parents were some other wealthy, powerful family. He looked like a giddy fool. Nancy turned to me. “Mr. Sinclair, are we staying for the rest of this farce, or shall we go home?” “Let’s wait a little longer. The best part is yet to come.” Just then, two vehicles pulled up. One was a sleek, black Rolls-Royce. The other was a battered, rusty van. “They’re here!” Ava cried, pulling Aaron toward the Rolls-Royce. The chauffeur, who was actually our family’s head of staff, got out. She walked right past them without a second glance and came directly to my parents. “Sir, Madam, the car is ready.” She treated them like they were invisible. I almost felt embarrassed for them. My father-in-law pointed to the van. “Ava, your parents are over there.” A middle-aged couple, dressed in worn, simple clothes, got out of the van. They were weathered and stooped. A skinny little girl, who bore a striking resemblance to Ava, followed them. The three of them rushed toward Ava and Aaron. “My darling daughter! Mom and Dad have missed you so much!” They threw their arms around Ava, sobbing dramatically. “You must have missed us too! Why didn’t we find out about the switch sooner?” 5 Ava stood frozen in their embrace, as stiff as a board. Aaron asked in disbelief, “Excuse me, are you really Ava’s birth parents?” Ava’s mother grabbed Aaron’s hand excitedly. “Yes, young man! You must be my daughter’s boyfriend.” Aaron forced a smile. “Yes, ma’am.” She then shoved a blue cloth bag into his arms. “What’s this?” he asked. “Fresh vegetables from our garden. A little welcoming gift for you.” “What? Vegetables?” Aaron looked bewildered. “Oh, no, you don’t have to, ma’am.” “Just take them. We’re all family now. I know you city folk can’t get produce this fresh, so I brought some just for you.” The scene should have been touching. Instead, it was just comical. I glanced at Nancy and saw a frosty expression on her face. She clearly had no memory of these people. Sensing my gaze, her expression softened instantly, a small smile playing on her lips. “Seen enough? It’s time to go.” “You’re right. This kind of drama gets old fast.” Mr. Hamilton said to Ava, “Go with your parents. We’ve packed up all your things and will have them sent over in a few days. That’s all.” Her mother was still chattering away at Aaron. “So, when are you two planning to get married? I can start arranging things as soon as we get back.” “We haven’t decided yet,” Aaron said, his brow furrowed. “By the way, where do you live?” “Back home in the country, of course.” Aaron’s voice cracked. “The country?” Nancy and I went to our new home. The day’s events had put me in a fantastic mood. I was humming as I walked into the bedroom. The modern, minimalist room was filled with a festive atmosphere. I heard the door click shut behind me. Nancy was taking off her jacket, revealing a form-fitting evening gown that perfectly accentuated her figure. “Tired?” “Not at all. Actually, I’m pretty excited.” She let out a soft laugh, her slender fingers toying with an earring. “Oh, really? I’m quite excited, too.” There was something incredibly alluring about the way she looked at me. I swallowed hard. I had a feeling we weren’t talking about the same thing. This being my first marriage, I was at a bit of a loss. I scrambled for something to talk about. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my waist from behind. Nancy was hugging me. “Bob, you’ve given enough of your attention to irrelevant people today. Don’t you think it’s my turn?” Her warm breath tickled my ear, and my heart hammered in my chest. I was about to speak, but her soft lips silenced me. 6 Our lips met in a long, lingering kiss. She whispered against my mouth. “Care for something a little more… exciting?” “Sure,” I said, trying to act cool. I went to the closet for my pajamas, but ran right into Nancy at the bathroom door. It was a little awkward. “You can go first.” Before I could finish, she grabbed my wrist. The bathroom door clicked shut, and her lips were on mine again. She looked up at me. “Bob. From this day forward, we are husband and wife.” I could still vividly picture her on the debate stage. Sharp, eloquent, and exuding an air of cool, untouchable elegance. Had that all been an act, or had she truly changed? That question was soon drowned out by a night of passionate lovemaking. The next day. Nancy was dressed and ready for work while I was still dead to the world. We’d been up until the small hours of the morning, and my eyes felt glued shut. “Honey, I’m off to the office.” I mumbled a response and vaguely felt her press a kiss to my forehead. I slept until noon. When I woke up, the first thing I saw was a news report about Ava’s family reunion. Ava’s expression was as stiff as a plank of wood. But the reporter was narrating, “From Miss Hamilton’s emotional expression, we can feel how deeply she is moved by this journey to find her roots.” What a joke. The spoiled princess had probably never set foot in such a humble place in her life. She was likely still in shock. Her birth parents’ home was a rundown, two-story house in the countryside, surrounded by squat, one-story buildings. Chickens clucked and scratched in the yard. Ava, in her expensive designer clothes, looked ridiculously out of place. She scowled at the camera. “Stop filming.” Her father chimed in, “Don’t be silly, girl. Being on TV can make you money.” The camera panned to Aaron, who was standing beside them. The smile on his face was more painful than a grimace. Ava’s mother grabbed his hand. “This is my daughter’s boyfriend! Isn’t he handsome? And he doesn’t even mind that we’re poor. Such a good boy.” Ava immediately jumped in. “Aaron doesn’t care about material things. But I am more than capable of giving him the best life. I won’t let him suffer for a second.” At this, Aaron’s expression relaxed slightly. “I love Ava for who she is, not for her family background.” The narrator’s voice came on, describing Ava as “a successful young woman” and Aaron as “a rare, pure-hearted young man in this materialistic world.” Hearing this, both my father-in-law, who was watching with me, and I burst out laughing. Ava’s luxury cars, mansion, and credit cards all belonged to the Hamiltons. 7 She still thought she was the heiress born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had no idea that my in-laws had already reclaimed the properties, vehicles, and bank cards in her name, as well as the subsidiary company she had been “managing.” The only thing left was the Porsche she was currently driving, which they hadn’t gotten around to repossessing yet. My father-in-law looked relieved. “Thank God she’s not our real daughter. Otherwise, I’d have to disown her myself. All those years of investment and effort, and this is what we get? A spoiled brat who only knows how to waste money.” After my wedding to Nancy, the Hamiltons gifted us a luxurious villa in the city center. It was in a quiet, yet convenient location. As Nancy and I pulled up to the gate, we saw two familiar figures standing there. It was none other than the self-important Ava and her little boyfriend. I got out of the car, and Nancy and I walked over. “Can we help you?” Aaron hid behind Ava, looking like a frightened rabbit. Seeing this, Ava’s protective instincts flared. “This villa was a gift from my mother. What are you two doing here?” Just then, the villa’s butler came out to greet us. “Sir, Miss, welcome home.” Before I could say anything, Ava tried to push past him, pulling Aaron along. The butler immediately blocked their path. “Miss, please do not enter a private residence uninvited.” “Lee, have you lost your mind? This is my villa! I was just here a few days ago! Are you trying to get fired?” “Miss Ava,” Lee said, his voice firm, “this property has changed ownership, and the locks have been changed. If you insist on entering, it will be considered trespassing. Furthermore, you no longer have the authority to determine my employment.” “Well said,” Nancy interjected coolly, then said to the butler, “I’ll see to it you get a raise.” Ava had been spoiled her whole life. Everyone had always catered to her, which led her to believe she was someone truly special. Being publicly humiliated like this left her speechless. Aaron peeked out from behind her, his eyes wide and pitiful as he looked at Nancy. “Miss Hamilton, Mr. Sinclair, we are so sorry. We didn’t mean to intrude, we just…” Nancy cut him off. “If you know you’re intruding, then leave.” I didn’t even have to lift a finger. Nancy had the situation completely under control. I smiled, took her arm, and led her into the front yard. Ava could only watch as the iron gates closed, leaving her outside. There was a beautiful swing set in the garden. The sun was shining, and the weather was perfect. A little while later, my in-laws arrived. We had planned to have lunch together at the new house. Seeing them, Ava’s face lit up as if she’d seen her saviors. “Dad! Mom! You’re here!”
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