The Rural Riddle: The Heiress Behind the Mask

"You're asking me to marry that paralyzed man instead of Kimberly? No way!" The woman standing in the living room had a charming figure. Her golden curls cascaded over her plump chest, rising and falling with each breath, making her look even more seductive and alluring. Her elegant demeanor, filled with grace and nobility, made it hard to believe she had just returned from the countryside. Giovanna Langley's attractive eyes, as bright as stars, slanted slightly upwards with a hint of defiance. Her glossy red lips added an extra hint of sexiness to her beauty, but now they were trembling slightly with rage. Giovanna couldn't believe that as soon as she rejoined the Langley family, she was confronted with such an absurd request. Her biological father was forcing her to marry a man she had never met, taking the place of her half-sister. Hansen Langley looked troubled. "Giovanna, I went through a great deal to bring you back. Please, just agree to this. Your sister is already engaged to Mr. Bower. Do you want her to be disgraced?" "That's none of my business!" Giovanna's refusal was firm. When Bertha Langley married into their family, her father sent her and her grandmother to the countryside to avoid troubles. He hadn't cared about them for years, and he had never even visited. If it weren't for her own efforts, she would have starved to death long ago. "Giovanna, don't be so ungrateful!" Bertha, her stepmother, looked at her with disdain and contempt. "I bet you've never dreamed of marrying into money. You think you're worthy of the Hoopers' heir?" Giovanna sneered. Marrying into money? She couldn't care less! "Even if I were to marry into the Hooper family, it wouldn't be because of a homewrecker like you," Giovanna mocked. "How dare you talk to your stepmother like that?" Hansen roared as he raised his hand, ready to strike Giovanna. She lifted her hand, blocking his slap. "You failed in your duty. What right do you have to hit me?" Giovanna's eyes glinted with a chilling light. Never having been defied like this, Hansen felt humiliated. "You better take the offer while you can." He then took out some photos from his bag. "These are the places your grandmother visited before she died. The last place was the Hooper Estate. If you want her death to remain a mystery, be my guest." Looking at the photos of her grandmother, Giovanna felt a surge of anger and clenched her fists tightly. She didn't care who she married because she could survive on her own. But she had to investigate her grandmother's death. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Fine, I'll marry." Giovanna vowed to uncover the truth behind her grandmother's death and bring the culprit to justice. ***** The next morning, Hansen sent a driver to take Giovanna to the Hooper Estate. Due to the urgency, he didn't check Giovanna's appearance. The Hooper family's butler, Gary Moran, had been waiting at the entrance. When he saw Giovanna, the butler, he almost dropped his glasses in shock. 'Wait... This girl is hideous!' he thought. Her oversized black-rimmed glasses covered most of her face, her skin was dark and spotty, and she wore a floral blouse with loose black bell-bottoms, exuding a cheesy vibe. However, Edward Hooper had arranged the engagement himself. Despite his disdain for this woman, Gary had to maintain his composure. "Please follow me to meet Mr. Hooper." Giovanna looked around. The estate was enormous, understated yet expensive in every detail. As they reached the hall, Gary explained, "Mr. Antonio Hooper was in a car accident earlier this year and is paralyzed from the waist down. He can't feel anything below the waist, so please take good care of him. Also, Mr. Hooper has a bit of a temper, so it's best not to upset him. And—" Giovanna interrupted him coldly, "That's enough, thanks. Just tell me which room he's in." Gary was taken aback by her boldness. Despite her shabby appearance, which made her seem utterly out of place in this luxurious estate, she spoke arrogantly like a president. Gary could only bow his head and lead Giovanna upstairs to Antonio's bedroom. As he opened the door, the smell of disinfectant greeted them immediately. The room was pitch dark, even though it was sunny outside, giving it an oppressive atmosphere. She turned to Gary. "Why are the curtains closed? Open the windows for fresh air; it's better for the patient's recovery." Gary patiently explained, "Mr. Hooper dislikes sunlight, so he has us keep the curtains closed. You're new here, so it's best not to interfere too much." Gary inwardly scoffed, 'Hmph! What could this bumpkin possibly know about Mr. Hooper's preferences? What a fool!' Giovanna found it ridiculous to believe that avoiding sunlight could help recovery. She had heard that Edward had sought treatment from several famous hospitals with little success. It seemed he was desperate for Antonio to walk again. Fortunately for Antonio, his luck had brought him to her. She had been trained in medicine since childhood, so she could give it a try. But she wouldn't reveal her skills just yet; she needed to keep her cards close to her chest. Giovanna Langley turned to Gary. "Mr. Moran, please give us a moment. I want to speak to my husband alone." "Hus—" Gary's shocking look was almost amusing. ' They haven't even met yet, yet she already addressed him as her husband?' He found this fact hard to believe. Seeing Gary still standing there, Giovanna teased, "What, do you plan to stay and enjoy the show?" At that moment, the man on the bed cleared his throat and said, "Gary, do as she says." So, this sickly guy was Antonio Hooper, the man she was going to wed?