Chapter 1

Charles Foster had face blindness, and even after being together for five years, he still mistook other women for me.

At our proposal, he had everything set up just the way I liked it. Then, in front of everyone, he got down on one knee and offered the ring to my adopted sister, Sophie Lane.

Everyone thought I would make a scene or cry, embarrassing Charles in public.

But instead, I smiled sweetly, grabbed a man from the crowd, looped my arm through his, and looked at him with tender eyes.

I said to the man, "Let me introduce you. This is my sister's husband."

I turned to Charles and said, "And this is my husband."

*****

I showed up late to the very first party Charles threw after coming back to the country.

As soon as I walked in, I saw him down on one knee, holding out a ring with pure devotion in his eyes, gazing at the woman in front of him, who was already in tears. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

Everyone was moved to tears, including me.

If Charles wasn't my boyfriend, and if the one he was proposing to wasn't my sister Sophie, I might have been even more moved.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Kiss her."

The rest quickly joined in, calling for a kiss.

Charles grinned, stood up, and wrapped his arms around Sophie, her face flushed with embarrassment. He tilted his head, leaning in for the kiss.

But just as their lips were about to meet, he suddenly froze.

The whole room went silent.

I sauntered into the party hall with a sly smile, not even glancing at Charles or the ghostly pale Sophie. I just grabbed a glass of champagne and knocked it back in a few quick gulps, like I was drinking water.

After clearing my throat, I finally caught sight of Charles's stunned expression and tried to be considerate. I said, "Go ahead. Don't mind me."

I figured my thoughtfulness would move him, but his face turned ugly in an instant, and he looked at me like I was the problem.

Charles said, "Natalia, you're late.

"You know I've got face blindness. It's so easy for me to mistake Sophie for you. And yet you still showed up late to the engagement party I set up just for you. Did you do this on purpose?"

Hearing the blame in his voice, I raised an eyebrow, about to say something, when Sophie suddenly rushed up to me, her eyes red and brimming with tears.

In a soft, trembling voice, she said, "Natalia, please don't blame Charles. I was the one who pretended to be you on purpose.

"I know you're the real heiress of the Lane family, and I'm just a stray you took in, someone who doesn't deserve to have anything. But my feelings for Charles are real.

"He mistook me for you just now, and if I hadn't played along, everyone would've laughed at him. I did it for him, so please don't be mad. You just blame me."

As she spoke, Sophie completely disregarded her dignity. Right in front of everyone, she begged me and started crying and apologizing to me with every slap.

The vibe in the party hall crashed to zero. Everyone was glaring at me like I was the villain of the night, as if I was the one who didn't belong here.

Charles didn't say a word. He'd just shoved Sophie aside, looking annoyed, but now he was staring down at the hem of her dress on the floor, his brows furrowed in frustration.

I swallowed the sting in my chest, curved my lips into a smile, and gently helped Sophie, always the drama queen in public, back to her feet, shaking my head and feigning innocence.

"Sophie, it's your big day with Charles. Tears are such a buzzkill on a happy occasion like this, don't you think?" I said.

Sophie's expression froze. Charles, who'd been silent until now, suddenly looked up at me, his voice cold. "Natalia, what's that supposed to mean?"

I flashed a cool smile, casually pulled Edward Moore, who'd been watching the drama unfold, from the crowd, and slipped my arm through his, my grin both radiant and effortless.

"Here, let me introduce you. This is my sister's husband, Charles," I said to Edward.

Then I turned to Charles and said, "This is my husband.

"Edward, CEO of the Moore Group, and your uncle."