Forced to Marry Vegetative, He Doted on Me

Chapter 2

My parents' faces instantly lit up.

"But I need you to tell everyone that I'm your biological daughter," I continued.

My parents exchanged uneasy looks. "Well..."

Before they could respond, Elliot had already stormed over and grabbed me by the collar.

"I knew you weren't suddenly being kind! After all these years, you're still bitter because Juliette took your place!"

I twisted my wrist and knocked his hand away.

"You've got it wrong. This isn't about my personal feelings. The Blackwell family wants to marry the Rowan family's daughter. Only when everyone knows I'm the biological daughter, and you personally admit that I'm the true heiress, can I replace Juliette and marry into the Blackwell family."

My mother's expression turned complicated. After struggling for a long time, she finally forced herself to agree.

"Fine. We'll hold a banquet soon and invite all the influential families. We'll restore your identity as the Rowan family's daughter and announce in front of everyone that Juliette is adopted."

Juliette had just made her way to the doorway, looking fragile and weak. The moment she heard those words, her eyes filled with tears.

"Mom, are you saying you don't want me anymore?"

She shot me a wounded look, then turned around and ran. But she barely made it a few steps before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed. Elliot reacted instantly, catching her in his arms, while my mother rushed over with a heartbroken expression.

A bitter feeling spread through my chest. In this family, I had always been the outsider.

I heard that Juliette threw a massive fit after waking up, but the banquet announcing my identity still took place as scheduled.

I put on the necklace my mother had sent me. Looking at it, I couldn't help but find it ridiculous. I was her biological daughter, yet I didn't even have a single piece of jewelry that truly belonged to me.

Even this necklace was something Juliette had chosen and later discarded last year. It had been forgotten in the safe, collecting dust. If it weren't for today's occasion, it probably would have never seen the light of day again.

My mother rarely held my hand as we entered the banquet hall, while Juliette sat across from us.

"Thank you all for coming today. I have some wonderful news to share with all of you. Thanks to Mr. Blackwell's favor, our family has the honor of forming a marriage alliance with the Blackwell family. I never had the chance to properly introduce her before. This is Amelia Rowan, my biological daughter. Technically speaking, she is the younger daughter of the Rowan family, and in three days, she will marry into the Blackwell family..."

Younger daughter?

I paused for a moment, then looked at my biological mother with a mocking smile. She cared about Juliette so much that she couldn't even bring herself to take away a little of her dignity.

As soon as my mother finished speaking, whispers immediately spread among the guests.

"The Rowan family has another biological daughter? How come we've never heard of her? Didn't the Rowan family always tell everyone Amelia was only adopted?"

"Isn't it obvious? The Rowan family couldn't bear to let their real daughter marry a man in a vegetative state, so they had the adopted daughter take her place. Mrs. Rowan really knows how to have it both ways. After all, Mr. Blackwell only asked for the Rowan family's daughter. He never specified who it had to be, so technically, they aren't breaking the agreement."

"But I heard Amelia was adopted from an orphanage, and no one even knows who her real parents are. Does someone like her really deserve to marry into the Blackwell family?"

I stood there with a cold expression, listening as everyone pointed fingers and whispered about me. From across the room, Juliette gave me a smug, provocative look.

I answered her with a mocking smile, slowly pulled my hand away, and said coldly, "Ladies and gentlemen, my mother was too excited about this marriage arrangement to explain things clearly. The truth is, the Rowan family has only ever had one daughter. Juliette, who you've all been talking about, is adopted."

My mother never expected me to call her out in front of everyone. She panicked and reached out, trying to cover my mouth.

"Enough! Don't talk nonsense!"

But everyone attending today's banquet was someone with status in Kingswell City. They had already connected the dots, their eyes shifting between Juliette and me.

"Matters involving bloodlines aren't something anyone would dare announce publicly without absolute certainty. Look at how flustered Mrs. Rowan is. Amelia is probably telling the truth."

"I actually think Amelia carries herself with far more grace and confidence. She looks much more like someone raised in a prestigious family. No wonder Juliette always seems a little out of place."

"But seriously, who would abandon their own biological daughter and let an adopted child keep the title of the Rowan family's heiress?"