Let Me Go, Mr. Hayes!

“Ahh,” Elena screamed as she stumbled over the railings of the yacht. A blurry figure approached her and pushed her off. “Ahh,” she screamed her lungs out, as she plunged into the depths of the ocean. Elena jumped out of her bed in fright, her head dripping with sweat and her heart pounding out of her chest. She has been having the same dream for four years and never knew the meaning. She suddenly realised she fell asleep while trying to get ready for his sister's birthday banquet. Recalling this, her face turned dark. …. The Miller Family mansion was brightly lit, filled with guests, and buzzing with lively chatter. Everyone was enthusiastically celebrating Rosalie Miller, the Miller Family's beloved daughter, on her nineteenth birthday. While the hall was bustling with excitement, the garden nearby remained as serene as ever. In a shadowed corner where the lights couldn't reach, Elena Miller sat on a stone bench, lost in thoughts. Just a few days ago. She was the admired eldest daughter of the Miller Family. But now. She had become an object of pity, receiving sympathetic glances from everyone. The reason was simple. The real daughter of the Miller Family, Rosalie Miller, had returned. Three years ago, Rosalie had gone missing unexpectedly. In their grief, Mr. and Mrs. Miller adopted Elena, who was born on the same day and month as Rosalie, as a form of solace. For the past three years, under her father's insistence, Elena had been mimicking Rosalie in every way. Rosalie liked wearing white dresses, so Elena could only wear white dresses. Rosalie had a frail constitution and often needed herbal medicine to maintain her health. Thus, Elena had to pretend to be delicate and always be seen with medicine. For the past three years, she had been stripped of her identity, living as a stand-in for Rosalie. The Miller Parents had been kind to her, and to repay their kindness, she had suppressed her own spirit and earnestly learned to become someone else. But three days ago... The real daughter returned. Thinking about the quick changes in her parents' attitudes over the past few days, Elena felt a headache coming on. Now, she probably wouldn't need to be Rosalie anymore. But after three years of living as a substitute, could she return to being the proud and carefree Elena she once was? As she pondered this, a sudden cry echoed from the garden. Startled, she instinctively moved to a darker corner to hide. A delicate and beautiful woman ran in front of Elena, crying. Then, a man hurriedly chased after her. It was Rosalie... and her supposed fiance, Williams Hayes. Seeing the two of them gave Elena a headache. She didn't want to listen to their conversation and tried to sneak away. But as soon as she stood up, she bumped into a firm chest. Looking up, she saw an incredibly handsome man with a cold, night-like expression. Elena's pupils contracted. Shaun Hayes! What was he doing here? This Shaun was, by blood, Williams' uncle. But the two of them were in completely different leagues! Shaun was the head of the Hayes Family in Canberra, standing at the pinnacle of power in all of Australia! Williams, on the other hand, though Shaun's nephew, was far removed from the core of the Hayes Family's power and had been sent to Melbourne early on. The only reason Elena knew about Shaun was because Williams had personally taken her to meet him before Rosalie returned. Rumor had it that the Hayes Family was interested in expanding their business into Melbourne. Shaun had come in person, partly for the family business and partly to see his nephew, Williams. What was someone like him doing at Rosalie's birthday party and in such a dark corner at that? Shaun squinted his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly. He never liked parties, and when Williams had begged him to come, he initially refused. But after some thought, he decided to show some respect. The main hall was too noisy, so he just wanted to find a quiet place to wait until it was time to make an appearance and give the Miller Family their due respect. He hadn't expected to run into someone in the garden. "You..." Shaun began to speak slowly. Elena jumped in surprise, quickly covering his mouth with her hand and desperately pulling him down. It was a bit chilly outside. Yet, her hand was warm like spring. Shaun was momentarily stunned, forgetting to break free immediately. The next moment, he heard a familiar voice from ahead. Shaun's expression froze instantly! "Rosalie, please don't cry. It breaks my heart to see you like this," Williams said, his face full of pain. "Brother Williams, just let me cry, let me cry until I die," Rosalie sobbed. "I didn't know you already had an engagement with my sister. If that's the case, why did you come to mess with me?" Williams anxiously grabbed Rosalie's hand. "What sister? She doesn't deserve to be called your sister! Rosalie, she's just a stand-in for you." "A stand-in?" Rosalie's eyes were still red, though she seemed a bit calmer. "Am I that easily replaceable?" "Of course not!" Williams responded without hesitation. "You are a precious gem, and she is nothing but debris. Comparing you to her is an insult! Rosalie, from the beginning to the end, my heart has only belonged to you." Williams poured his heart out to Rosalie, the scene similar to a dramatic soap opera. Meanwhile, his fiancee, Elena, stood quietly not far away, listening to everything. Shaun, who had been listening, furrowed his brows deeply. Though they were related by blood, he had only recently met his nephew, Williams. In their previous meetings, he had thought Williams was different from his unreliable mother and had even considered taking him back to Canberra. But now, seeing this… What a complete jerk! Shaun couldn't help but glance at Elena. Noticing his gaze, Elena looked up and perfectly displayed a pleading expression. In a whisper, she said, "Mr. Hayes, please don't make a sound, okay?" Shaun gave her a long, deep look and nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, the drama continued. Rosalie, with tears streaming down her face, looked at Williams. "And yet you got engaged to her. Do you have any idea how hard these past three years have been for me? If it weren't for thinking about you all the time, I wouldn't have made it back. But you... you betrayed all the years we spent together." Williams' heart ached as he tightly embraced her. "Rosalie! How could I ever betray our love? The engagement with Elena was something Richard Miller begged me to agree to, he's your father; how could I refuse him?" Rosalie was stunned for a moment. "Dad? Why?" Williams fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Nothing is stronger than a family bond through marriage." You had gone missing. But the Miller Family couldn't bear to lose the chance to marry into the Hayes Family. After all, even though the Hayes Family branch in Melbourne was only a fraction of the Canberra Hayes Family, it still overshadowed the Miller Family. So, they found a substitute Elena to take your place. This whole situation was full of calculations and schemes. Both he and the Miller Family were well aware of these schemes. Yet, they all chose to turn a blind eye. Given the circumstances at the time, it was indeed the best arrangement. As Williams explained this, Rosalie's expression softened a bit, but she still looked somewhat sad. "But now I'm back." With a determined face, Williams said, "All along, the person I've loved is you. Now that you're back, my wife can only be you! Rosalie, trust me, I will explain everything to Elena and end the engagement as soon as possible." Rosalie looked up at him. "But you're so kind. What if she doesn't agree?" Williams let out a cold laugh, his expression turning slightly menacing. "She doesn't get a say in this!" Rosalie, satisfied but faking a delicate demeanor, lightly pounded Williams' chest. "You're so fierce, you scared me." Williams caught her hand, his face full of tenderness. "I'm only gentle with you." Dominant yet tender. Rosalie couldn't help but collapse into his embrace. Then, strange sounds began to reach Elena's ears. Elena: "...”