Chapter 1

The groom Sebastian lifted my veil in front of everyone at the wedding.

After seeing my face clearly, he threw his wine glass on the spot, saying I wasn't the person he was supposed to marry.

He was furious:

"Who are you! I'm supposed to marry Swift, what the hell are you! Someone, drag this impostor out of here!"

The guests whispered among themselves.

I looked at Sebastian:

"Are you sure you want to marry Swift?"

He sneered: "I'm only forming an alliance with the Taylor family!"

He didn't know his marriage contract specified the eldest daughter of the Taylor family.

And Swift, the one he couldn't stop thinking about, was my younger sister.

"What does any of this prove?"

Sebastian looked at me.

I picked up the marriage certificate from the table, flipped to the second page, and held the words facing his direction.

"Eldest daughter of the Taylor family—that was drafted by your Dulles family. See for yourself."

He glanced down, his throat bobbing, but said nothing.

The best man beside him leaned over to look and muttered quietly: "Sebastian, it really does say eldest daughter of the Taylor family."

"Shut up."

Sebastian slammed the marriage certificate on the table.

"The eldest daughter of the Taylor family is Swift. You're impersonating someone and trying to use technicalities to save face?"

I pulled out a document.

"Eldest daughter of Rivers Taylor, Russell, born March 1998. Second daughter of Rivers Taylor, Swift, born November 2000."

I handed the document to him.

"I'm the eldest daughter. Swift is the second daughter."

The banquet hall fell silent for three seconds.

Sebastian's mother Rudy walked onto the stage with her handbag, took the document, glanced at it, then looked at me.

"Young lady, your name is Russell?"

"Yes."

"I don't care who you are. This marriage was personally arranged between me and Mrs. Taylor. Sebastian is marrying Swift."

"You discussed this with my stepmother?"

"Yes."

"Did you confirm it with my father?"

Rudy's smile faded slightly: "Your father gave your stepmother full authority."

"But the marriage certificate bears my father's personal seal."

I pointed at the page.

"One is a verbal promise, the other is a sealed document. Rudy, after all your years in business, you should know which one counts, right?"

Rudy's expression changed.

Sebastian glanced at his mother and pulled out his phone.

"I'll call Rivers and ask him directly."

The call connected and he put it on speaker.

"Rivers, this is Sebastian. The marriage certificate says eldest daughter of the Taylor family—that refers to Swift, right?"

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. I gripped the notarized document tightly.

"Sebastian." My father's voice sounded tired. "This marriage, I arranged it with you for Swift."

Scattered murmurs rose from the guests. Sebastian's lips curved into a smile.

My father continued: "Russell grew up away from home, she's not close to the family.

I don't know how she ended up at the wedding. Sebastian, don't hold it against her. I'll have her stepmother pick her up."

"You hear that?" Sebastian put away his phone and looked down at me. "Your own father doesn't support what you're saying. Are you still going to stand here embarrassing yourself?"

Someone in the audience laughed.

I didn't look at those people. I stared into Sebastian's eyes.

"I heard my dad say this marriage was arranged for Swift. But he didn't explain one thing."

"What thing?"

"Why does the marriage certificate say eldest daughter of the Taylor family instead of Swift?"

He paused. "It was written wrong."

"A document with a personal seal was written wrong?" I let out a laugh.

"Sebastian, you're in real estate. Would you dare sign a contract if the name on it was wrong?"

He didn't answer.

The air was tense for a few seconds, then the side door of the banquet hall opened.

A woman walked in, her eyes already red from a distance.

My stepmother, Harrison.

She hurried onto the stage and grabbed my hand: "Russell, how did you end up here? I've been looking everywhere for you."

I pulled my hand back.

Her eyes flickered, then she immediately turned to the Dulles mother and son, bowing repeatedly: "Rudy, Sebastian, I'm so sorry.

This girl didn't grow up with us, she's distant from the family. What happened today is my fault for not keeping better watch over her."

Rudy's expression softened slightly. Harrison turned back to me:

"Russell, let's go. I'll take you home. This isn't your place."

I looked at the emerald green jade bracelet on her wrist. That was my mother's dowry.

"Harrison." I called her name. Her eyebrow twitched.

"The marriage certificate says eldest daughter of the Taylor family—was that my father's decision, or did you make it for him?"

"That's your father's business, how would I control that?"

"You can't control it, but you told Rudy the bride would be Swift. Do you dare say that again in front of the marriage certificate?"

She opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Rudy stepped forward: "Alright, as long as Mrs. Taylor is here. Take her away. Our family won't pursue this matter today."

"Won't pursue?" I put away the notarized document and spoke unhurriedly.

"Rudy, have you looked at clause seven of the marriage certificate?"

All eyes fell on me.

I enunciated each word:

"The party in breach must compensate the other family thirty percent of their assets."

Dead silence filled the hall. Sebastian whipped his head around to look at the marriage certificate.

"This clause—did you not notice it, or did you never intend to honor it?"