THE ILLEGITIMATE BRIDE

Chapter 1

Emily stood right in front of Victoria Monroe and Harper Monroe. "What do you mean marry Nicholas Thornton?" Her voice trembled, and her blue eyes wide with shock.

Harper, her stepsister, approached her, her movements as cold as the winter wind.

She placed her hands on Emily's shoulders. "You don't expect me to marry a disabled man, do you?"

Emily's voice quivered as she replied, "It's not in my place to marry Nicholas Thornton. I'm just here to see my father!"

Victoria Monroe walked closely to Emily, so close that her shadow swallowed Emily. With a sneer, she squeezed Emily's nose between her fingers as if trying to crush her.

"You are not a Monroe, and you will never be a Monroe!" Her voice trembled with venom.

Emily struggled to hold back tears as she fought to speak. "I know you never accepted me as one, and I don't mind, but right now, I urgently need to see my father."

Mrs. Victoria Monroe's voice grew colder as she spoke. "You and your gold-digger of a mother won't get a penny from us any longer!"

Emily's voice cracked, and she felt tears welling up. "Don't you have a heart? My mom needs the money for her surgery. At least be nice for once."

Harper, with a cruel smile, moved in closer, taunting Emily as she playfully twirled a strand of her hair.

"Then go ahead and marry Nicholas Thornton!" she jeered.

"His company and Dad's company just became partners. They just signed a deal. To finalize it, he wants one of the Monroe's daughters. Wouldn't it be nice for you to be our little sacrificial lamb? Marry him, and we'll give you the money!"

Tears spilled from Emily's eyes as she looked at Harper, her voice trembling with hurt. "Why are you doing this, Harper? I'm your sist—"

But Harper abruptly silenced her by placing a finger over Emily's quivering lips. "Shhhhh. You're just a no one, get that straight. Now get out of here!"

Harper's cruelty went through like a sharp cut into Emily's heart. She cried and turned to face Victoria Monroe, whose cold eyes looked like it was ready to devour her.

"Don't let me call the securities on you," Victoria warned. "You're causing a nuisance here."

Emily wiped away the tears in her eyes with the back of her hands. She walked out of the living room of Monroe's mansion, with her small bag clutched tightly to her chest.

The cab she had boarded waited for her outside as she climbed into the cab seat. With her trembling voice, she instructed the cab driver, "Take me back to the hospital."

Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Victoria Monroe paced restlessly in the lavish living room. Her perfectly manicured nails tapped impatiently on the coated walls.

"That wretched lowlife," she muttered with frustration written all over her face. "What else do they want from us?"

Harper, the spoiled Monroe legitimate daughter, lounged on a nearby couch with a mischievous look in her eyes. "That's why it would be nice if we offer her to that disabled man."

Victoria raised an eyebrow, considering the idea. "But he's rich, darling. Don't you think we'll be doing them a favor?"

Harper, playing with her long, curly hair, left a wicked smirk dancing on her lips. "Not exactly, Mom. That would be a living hell for her. We just need to make sure she doesn't reach Dad."

Victoria's face broke into a wicked smile as she gazed at her cunning daughter. "I'll take care of that, darling, as we wait for more fit and eligible billionaires to come your way. You're a princess, and you deserve nothing but the best."

Harper smiled as Victoria reached for her phone, and after just two rings, Thomas Monroe's secretary picked up on the other end of the line.

"Hel—"

But before she could finish, Victoria Monroe interrupted her. "Don't let Emily step foot into that company. She must not see my husband!" She commanded, "else you'll pay for it!"

The hospital corridor was filled with nurses and the smell of drugs as Emily arrived not too long after her sour encounter from Monroe's mansion.

She tried to keep a straight face as she walked into her mother's ward.

The soft click of the door alerted Grace, her close friend, who had been sitting by Madeline's bedside.

Grace rose from her seat and quietly approached Emily. In a hushed voice, Grace asked, "how was it? Could you see your dad?"

Emily, unable to contain her emotions any longer, rushed into Grace's arms. She held onto her friend tightly, her shoulders trembling as she fought back tears.

Grace, understanding the pain that Emily was going through, gently patted her on the back, offering a silent comfort.

Meanwhile, Madeline, who lay on the hospital bed, had been awakened by the hushed whispers in the room. She managed to open her eyes, "Emily?"

Emily, trying to blink back the tears that threatened to spill, quickly turned to face her mother, putting on a brave face with a fake smile.

"Are you alright, dear?" Madeline asked with concern on her face.

Emily took a deep breath and replied, her voice wavering slightly, "Yes, Mom. You'll be getting your treatment soon."

Madeline's brow furrowed with worry as she asked, "Where did you get the money from?"

Emily gently squeezed her mother's hand and replied, "That's not the issue, Mom. But you'll be fine."

She assured her mother, even though she had no plans yet.

"I'll be right back, Mom. I want to get some water."

Madeline nodded gently.

As Emily and Grace stepped outside the room, away from Madeline's earshot, Grace couldn't help but ask. "Why did you lie to her?"

"What did you expect me to say? You expected me to look at my mom right in her eyes and tell her she's going to die, and I got kicked out of the Monroe's mansion like trash?"

"No... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way," Grace hurriedly apologized. "But aren't you also a Monroe? You also deserve something."

Emily raised her fingers, wanting to set the record straight. "An illegitimate Monroe."

Grace interjected, "Thomas Monroe is still your father! You need to fi—"

Before Grace could finish her sentence, Emily abruptly cut her off.

"I was made an offer by my step sister Harper, to marry the disabled billionaire, Nicholas Thornton, in exchange for the money for my mother's operation."

"Nicholas Harper? What does that have to do with you?"

Emily's voice grew more desperate. She almost yelled, "I don't care, I don't know, I just need the money."

"What about David? Grace asked. "Are you going to break up with him just to marry Nicholas Thornton?"

Emily's voice trembled as she responded. "No... I'll be breaking up with him to save my mom, and that's what matters."

Grace went mute, "Have you thought about it?"

"I don't even know why I gave it a second thought." Emily said as she retrieved her phone from her bag, her fingers trembling as she dialed Harper's number.

Harper, who was having her hair fixed, saw Emily's call flashing on her screen and couldn't help but smirk.

"I wasn't expecting you to call so soon." Her voice oozed with confidence.

Emily took a deep breath, her voice was steady as she mouthed, "I'll marry Nicholas Thornton."