Chapter 1
At the engagement party, Arthur Harrison suddenly fell gravely ill. On his deathbed, he demanded that Chloe Stewart be arranged as the bride in a spirit wedding for his late eldest grandson, Noah Harrison.
When Chloe, still hospitalized, heard the news, she broke down in tears. She was so heartbroken that she suffered another heart attack.
Ethan Harrison, my fiancé, dropped to one knee in front of everyone.
"Fiona, I've never begged anyone in my life, but today I'm asking you. Please swap the engagement with Chloe," Ethan said to me.
Seeing my dazed expression, Ethan lowered his voice.
He said, "I've consulted a master. It's just a ritual, and I'll make sure you get through it safely. I won't blame you or look down on you afterward.
"But Chloe is different. She has heart disease and is terrified of ghosts. If she goes through a spirit wedding, how could she ever cope with the rest of her life?"
I slowly closed my eyes, my voice mocking.
"What if I refuse?" I asked.
The guilt in Ethan's eyes shaded, turning cold as steel.
"Fiona, Arthur is gone. Now, no one can touch whoever I choose to protect," Ethan said.
I opened my eyes, staring him down for a long moment before letting out a mocking, cold laugh.
"Alright, I agree," I said.
Hearing my words, Ethan sprang to his feet.
He pulled out his phone and dialed. "Chloe, don't be afraid. It's all settled," he said on the phone.
On the other end, Chloe's crying voice came through.
Ethan's tone softened immediately. "It's all my fault. You can rest assured and leave the rest to me."
He hung up, then fixed his gaze on me coldly.
"Go change and come with me to the hospital. We're going to explain everything to Chloe face-to-face," he said.
I stayed put and asked, "Say what?"
"Tell her that you volunteered," Ethan replied.
I stared at him, pronouncing each word clearly. "Ethan, you want me to attend a spirit wedding, and now you want me to tell her that I volunteered?"
Ethan stared at me, his voice icy. "Fiona, I won't repeat myself. Chloe can't handle any more turmoil."
The people who hadn't left yet all looked at us.
The congratulations from before had gone, replaced by whispers and judgmental looks.
My adoptive parents, Keith and Diana Stewart, hurried over.
Diana grabbed my hand, tears streaming down her face. "Fiona, please, I'm begging you. Chloe'll die if you don't do this."
Keith stood nearby, his face grim. "Just do it for our family. We can't afford to offend the Harrisons."
I yanked my hand free.
"Family? What does that have to do with me?" I said.
Fiona's sobs cut off instantly.
Keith stepped forward, lowering his voice with a threatening edge. "Fiona, don't forget what you are! If Arthur hadn't personally arranged that engagement, do you really think you could ever get close to the Harrisons?
"If it weren't for us saving you twenty years ago, you'd have been left to rot in the orphanage!"
Hearing the words, Ethan's eyes flickered.
He stepped forward, blocking me from Keith.
"Keith, don't say that. This is all on me," Ethan said.
Then he turned to me. "Fiona, I swear, it's just for show. Three days, that's it."
He laid out his offer. "After this, I'll give you a pile of cash and a house. You'll never have to worry about anything for the rest of your life."
I let out a cold laugh. "Three days of humiliating me, just so you and Chloe can have the rest of your lives together?"
"Fiona!" Ethan cut in.
His voice turned icy. "Don't push me so hard!"
I looked at him, the man with whom I used to imagine a lifetime.
I nodded.
"Alright, I'll go to the hospital," I said.
Inside the ward, Chloe was slumped against the bed in her hospital gown, looking pale.
She saw us and immediately struggled to sit up.
"Hi, Ethan, Fiona," Chloe said.
Ethan walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't move. Doc says you need to rest well."
Chloe burst into tears, clutching Ethan's hand.
"Ethan, it's my fault. I shouldn't have gotten sick. I've been nothing but a burden to you. I messed up your engagement party with Fiona," Chloe said.
Then she turned to me, tears streaming down her face.
"Fiona, I'm so sorry. Let me fulfill Arthur's request. I don't have much time left anyway. If I can do something for the Stewart family, I'll have no regrets when I die," she said.
Ethan hugged her, then shot me a look.
I stood there, watching them put on their emotional show, which made me feel sick.
Seeing my expression, Chloe cried even harder.