Chapter 1

Jodie Stafford, the wealthiest heiress in Jensford, suffers a horrific car crash that leaves her paralyzed from the waist down, jeopardizing her claim to Stafford Corp.

When the news reaches home, my adopted brother, Liam Gordon, drops to his knees in the living room and begs me to take his place in the arranged marriage.

Holding my glass of water, I sneer as I take a step back.

"Back then, you looked down on me—the real heir you brought back from the countryside—saying I was too uncultured to be presentable, so you forced the marriage alliance with the Stafford family on Liam instead.

"Now that Ms. Stafford is paralyzed and a liability, you want me to take his place? Not a chance in hell!"

As soon as I say that, my girlfriend, Vivian Collins, enters the room.

She rushes to shield Liam and throws me a look of pure disgust. "Don't forget your place, Hank. That marriage alliance was yours to begin with. This is just setting things right.

"We're done. I'm getting engaged to Liam tomorrow. Once the press gets wind of it, you'll be the only Gordon left to marry Ms. Stafford."

I stare at the woman I grew up with, stunned by the sheer absurdity of it all.

"The Staffords asked for the publicly recognized heir. I haven't even been legally registered as part of the family. You think they're stupid enough to accept a nobody?"

Just then, my biological parents come down the stairs with cold expressions and toss a stack of legal documents in front of me.

"As of tomorrow, your status is official. Liam has a bright future ahead of him. He's not wasting it tied to a cripple. Do your duty as a Gordon, marry Ms. Stafford, and enjoy life as their son-in-law."

A harsh laugh escapes me as the last bit of warmth inside me dies. "Fine. I'll do it. Just don't come begging for me to come back later!"

Chapter 1

Seeing my family and girlfriend light up and exhale in collective relief over my compromise, I let out a harsh scoff and slammed my glass onto the table. "I'll take Liam's place, but I have two conditions."

My girlfriend, Vivian Collins, frowned and yelled, "Hank Gordon, don't push your luck! Liam already gave up his position as the heir for you. What more could you possibly want?"

I didn't spare her a glance. I kept my eyes fixed on my furious parents, Carl Gordon and Olivia Barker.

"First, transfer the 15% stake in Gordon Corp that Grandpa left me in his will into my name immediately.

"Second, hold a press conference tomorrow morning to announce to all of Jensford that I am the sole biological heir of the Gordon family and that Liam is nothing more than an adopted son."

Silence instantly fell over the room.

Liam Gordon turned pale. His fists trembled at his sides, but he swallowed his rage and tried to play the bigger man.

"Hank… do you really have to drive me out to be satisfied? I know I took your identity for 20 years, but I've poured my heart and soul into this family.

"If you want the shares, you can have all of mine. But why do you have to ruin my future in front of the entire city…"

"Liam, don't say that. None of this is your fault!" Vivian held his hand with a pained expression, then spun around to glare at me.

"Hank, you're utterly vicious! Liam stayed up countless nights working on projects for Gordon Corp. Are you really that set on destroying him?"

Olivia rushed forward, pointing directly at my face as she spat, "You ingrate! Your grandpa was out of his mind when he left you those shares. You're just a clueless country bumpkin! What do you know about running a business? You'll ruin the company in a week!

"And forget about a press conference! Liam grew up by our side. He is my son! If you tell the world he's adopted, how is he ever supposed to hold his head up in high society again? You're trying to ruin his life!"

As I watched Olivia defend him so fiercely, my mind drifted for a second. A dull, familiar ache settled in my chest.

I was the child she carried for nine months. Yet ever since I was brought back to the Gordon family, she despised everything about me—my plain clothes, my lack of polished hobbies, and my inability to flatter her.

In her eyes, only Liam—the polished, well-connected businessman—was worthy of being her pride.

Pulling myself back to reality, I shrugged and took a step back to avoid her sharp fingernails.

"You don't agree? Fine by me," I said casually, my tone entirely unbothered. "Then you can ship this fake off to the Staffords tomorrow instead.

"Ms. Stafford might be paralyzed from her accident, but Mr. Stafford Senior is still very much alive. What do you think will happen when he discovers you sent an imposter who isn't even related to you by blood to fool him? Do you think he'll take that insult lightly?

"The Stafford family wields immense power in Jensford. Crushing you would be like stepping on an ant. When that happens, Liam's future will be the least of your worries. The entire Gordon Corp, along with Vivian's family business, will be dragged down with Ms. Stafford."

Carl's expression shifted instantly.

He knew all too well how ruthless the Staffords were. They were the undisputed royalty of Jensford, commanding respect in both legitimate business and the underworld.

Even if the heiress, Jodie Stafford, was an invalid now, the Staffords would never tolerate being mocked or deceived.

Carl stared at me intently, his mind racing with cold calculation.

"Honey, you can't agree to this! Liam is supposed to get engaged to Vivian. If he's labeled as adopted, what will the Collins family think of him?" Olivia pleaded.

"Shut up!" Carl roared, making her flinch.

He took a deep breath and glared at me with a dark gaze. "Fine. I agree! I'll have the lawyers transfer the shares first thing tomorrow, and the press conference will go as planned. But remember this, Hank."

Carl pointed toward the front door as he warned, "Once you take those shares and marry Ms. Stafford, you belong to the Staffords in life and in death!

"Even if they break you into pieces, don't you dare come crawling back here to beg for help. As far as we're concerned, you're dead to us!"

Looking at his desperate attempt to sever all ties with me, I smiled brightly. "Deal."

Chapter 2

The next morning, the Gordon family held a press conference. They announced that their son had been switched at birth and that the biological heir would marry Jodie instead.

The media was in an uproar. Everyone knew Jodie was now paralyzed, yet the Gordons were pushing their long-lost son straight into the marriage.

No one was stupid enough not to understand their intentions. Rumors began flying, sending the company's stock into a brief tailspin.

The lawyer handed me the share transfer agreement. After carefully checking every clause, I signed my name without hesitation.

With that 15% in hand, my goal was accomplished. The future of the Gordons had nothing to do with me now.

The moment the press conference wrapped up, I grabbed my suitcase to leave, only to hear rushed footsteps behind me.

"Hank, stop right there!"

Vivian caught up to me and grabbed my wrist with a frown. "Do you really have to burn every bridge? Do you have any idea how humiliated Liam was back there yesterday?"

I yanked my arm free from her grip. "What does his humiliation have to do with me? Vivian, have you lost your mind, coming over here to throw a fit?"

Taking a deep breath, Vivian tried to suppress her temper and shifted into a lecturing tone. "Hank, I know you're bitter. You're mad that I chose Liam over you.

"But try to be rational for once. You're taking those shares and marrying a cripple. You're throwing your whole life away! With Jodie's temper, being paralyzed will only make her more twisted. How long do you think you'll survive in the Stafford family?

"I chose Liam because he controls Gordon Corp's connections and can actually help Collins Group. As for you…"

She paused, softening her tone slightly. "If you apologize to Liam right now and clean up the mess you just made at the press conference, then I might still offer you a helping hand whenever you get mistreated at the Stafford family out of respect for our past."

Looking at the woman I had grown up with, who once swore she would marry no one but me, only to betray me without a second thought for profit, I felt nothing but disgust.

"Vivian, save your hypocritical nonsense," I said with a sneer. "You chose Liam simply because he's useful to you and because the Gordons are willing to pave his path. Stop trying to act like you're doing me a favor. And as for helping me out…"

I swept my gaze over her with a dismissive look. "You'd better worry about yourself first. A gold-digger relying on men to get ahead has no right to offer me anything."

"You—"

Stung by my words, she opened her mouth to snap back. But right then, a black Maybach with a prized Jensford plate smoothly pulled up right in front of us.

A Stafford family bodyguard stepped out respectfully. He opened the door for me and took my suitcase.

I got into the car without a second thought. My mood instantly lifted as I watched Vivian's conflicted expression fade away in the side mirror.

The car rolled into the Stafford residence, where maids and guards along the drive stood with heads bowed. The entire grounds were steeped in tension.

The butler escorted me to the main building expressionlessly before pushing open a pair of heavy mahogany double doors.

"Mr. Gordon, Ms. Stafford is waiting inside."

With that, he promptly withdrew and shut the doors behind me.

Heavy blackout curtains blocked out the daylight inside the bedroom. Once my eyes adjusted, I spotted a woman sitting in a wheelchair in the middle of the room. Backlit and half-shrouded in shadow, she looked utterly imposing.

"The Gordons must really be tired of living, daring to insult me by handing over a country bumpkin they just picked up."

I didn't reply. My gaze was fixed entirely on her legs.

Just as the door was closing, I had caught a subtle detail. Under Jodie's silk pants, her calf muscles had tightened in a brief, involuntary reflex.

I knew neurology and medical acupuncture. Someone with complete nerve necrosis could never trigger an involuntary muscular response like that.

Which meant her legs weren't ruined at all. Or at the very least, her nervous system was still completely intact.

My heart skipped a beat as a wild thought flashed through my mind.

Curling my lips into a smile, I suddenly reached out, grabbed a cup of scalding hot coffee from the coffee table, and splashed it straight onto her thighs.

Chapter 3

At that critical second, Jodie, who was supposed to be completely paralyzed, shot right up from her wheelchair.

Before I could even react, she closed the distance between us in a single stride. Her powerful hand clamped around my throat, slamming me hard against the wall.

Jodie leaned in close. The murderous intent in her eyes was practically lethal. "Are you tired of living?"

I struggled to breathe, and my face flushed red.

Yet looking down at her legs planted firmly on the floor, I burst into a rasping laugh.

"Ugh… Ms. Stafford… is playing paralyzed… fun?" I squeezed the words out with effort, locking eyes with her dark gaze.

Jodie's pupils shrank. The veins on the back of her hand bulged as she tightened her grip.

"You saw something you shouldn't have." Her voice dropped even lower, and her fingers squeezed harder. "I could snap your neck right now and tell the world you killed yourself out of shame. The Gordons wouldn't dare say a word."

"Is that so?" Though I was suffocating, the amusement in my eyes only deepened.

With effort, I raised a hand and tapped lightly against her tense arm. "Killing me… is easy. But if I die, who's going to… actually heal your legs?"

Jodie's hand froze instantly.

Seizing the brief opening, I drew in ragged breaths and pressed on. "Your legs aren't useless, but the nerve damage is severe. Forcing yourself to stand now leaves you in agony every night, as though ants are gnawing at your bones, doesn't it?

"Without the proper treatment, your legs will be genuinely ruined within six months."

As Jodie stared at me, a flicker of barely perceptible shock crossed her eyes.

"And that's not all," I added, catching my breath as I met her gaze, laying out my final card.

"Let's make a deal. I cure your legs and help you cover up the fake paralysis. In return, you help me burn the Gordon family and the Collins family to the ground. So, Ms. Stafford, do we have a deal?"

The pressure on my neck relaxed slightly as a sharp, predatory spark glinted in her eyes.

Rather than letting go completely, she tilted her head up slightly. Her warm breath, carrying a faint trace of cool agarwood, hit right under my jaw.

"You're not only bold, but you're also an expert in advanced medical acupuncture? How surprising."

Jodie's cool voice echoed in the spacious bedroom, layered with absolute certainty.

"If I had to guess, you're also the top-ranked trader code-named 'X' in the Hacker Alliance, who shorted our rival's stock in the overseas financial markets recently, aren't you?"

My pupils contracted, and my spine instantly stiffened.

The alias 'X' was my most guarded secret. Not even the Gordon family knew that while I was growing up in the countryside, I had trained under a retired expert and learned a formidable set of skills.

Yet Jodie had uncovered it all.

The wealthiest heiress of Jensford truly lived up to her reputation. Even bound to a wheelchair, her intelligence network was terrifyingly thorough.

Now that my cards were on the table, I dropped all pretense and gave her an easy smile. "Since you've already dug up all my secrets, are you in or out, Ms. Stafford?"

Jodie let out a low chuckle, her shoulders shaking faintly.

She finally released me completely, then calmly straightened the wrinkled collar of my shirt with her slender fingers.

"Deal." A dangerous curve touched her lips as her dark eyes locked onto mine. "A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Gordon."

Chapter 4

For the next month, I lived in Jodie's bedroom.

The maids would occasionally hear crashing sounds from behind the door, accompanied by my muffled groans.

The reality inside, however, was completely different.

I would be sitting comfortably on the couch, holding long silver needles and precisely inserting them into key acupuncture points on Jodie's legs.

The loud crashing noises were simply Jodie tossing cheap vases against the floor to put on a show for anyone listening outside.

"Ugh…" As I twisted the final needle into place, Jodie's brow furrowed, and a thin sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead.

"Feeling the pain now?" I raised an eyebrow, handing her a towel.

As she took it to wipe her forehead, a sharp gleam lit up her dark eyes. "Yeah. It feels like a million ants chewing their way through the bone. It's a world better than that dead, numb silence from before."

"That means it's working. The nerves are reconnecting." I smoothly pulled out the needles and said casually, "Give it another two weeks, and you'll be walking like everyone else."

Watching my practiced movements, Jodie smirked meaningfully. "Mr. Gordon, if word got out about your medical skills, the old timers in Jensford would tear down the Stafford residence gates trying to get to you."

I snorted softly while rolling the silver needles back into their fabric pouch. "Save the flattery. We have a deal. Your legs are nearly healed, so how is your setup outside coming along?"

At the mention of business, Jodie's languid demeanor vanished instantly.

The world outside had been in turmoil over the past month.

Yelena Stafford, the Stafford family's illegitimate daughter who had long been suppressed, took full advantage of Jodie's "paralysis and unhinged temper". She had been aggressively bribing board members at Stafford Corp in a desperate bid for power.

Meanwhile, the Gordon family and Vivian had swarmed in like flies to a carcass. Dropping what little integrity they had left, they threw their full support behind Yelena.

"My assistant has secured proof of Yelena embezzling funds and cooking the books." Jodie leaned back into her wheelchair, her expression utterly dismissive.

"As for the Gordon and Collins families, they poured almost all their liquid assets into Yelena's 'overseas new energy project' to prove their loyalty to her."

I let out a cold laugh. That so-called new energy project was nothing more than a shell investment scheme I had set up with Jodie under my alias, "X".

Every cent the Gordons and Vivian threw in had already landed straight in Jodie's pocket, gone without a trace.

Just then, my phone screen lit up.

Liam had sent a digital invitation card. "Hank, tomorrow night is the celebratory dinner for Ms. Yelena taking over Stafford Corp, as well as the night Vivian and I get engaged.

"I know Ms. Jodie is bedridden and needs you around, but as a former son of the Gordon family, you should attend. After tomorrow, there won't be a place left in Jensford for either of you."

Every line practically dripped with smug condescension.

Jodie glanced at my screen, then raised an eyebrow at me. "Need me to crash the party with you?"