Chapter 1 The Substitute Bride
In the bride's dressing room of the Nebulon City's grand society wedding of the century.
Harriet Juniper dismissed the makeup artist and carefully examined herself in the mirror.
The haute couture wedding dress accentuated her well-proportioned figure, her skin as white as snow, like a fairy descended to the mortal world, untainted by worldly dust.
'So this is what it feels like to shed sloppiness!'
Just as she's feeling elated, a mocking compliment from behind doused her like a bucket of cold water.
"Not bad, very impressive."
Harriet stiffened, immediately turned and bowed. "Miss Gallant!"
Zinnia Gallant removed her mask, revealing her exquisite features.
Her appearance was identical to Harriet's!
Zinnia clicked her tongue, "Who's Miss Gallant?"
Harriet bit her lip. "I'm sorry..."
At the same time, she silently warned herself.
'From the moment I signed the contract to marry Yarden in place of Zinnia, I am no longer Harriet Juniper.'
They had a mutually beneficial arrangement - Harriet wanted to save her mother, while Zinnia was reluctant to have children with Yarden, a disabled man.
There was no one else here, so Zinnia chose not to make an issue of it. "Your mother's medical expenses have been covered."
Harriet's eyes lit up, and she sincerely thanked her, "Thank you!"
The two had agreed that for a period of one year, Harriet would marry and have children in Zinnia's place, while Zinnia would pay for all of Harriet's mother's medical expenses.
Harriet's body was pushed towards the door.
Zinnia said softly, "Instead of thanking me, you should think about how to win over Yarden's heart."
This way, after a year when they switch back identities, the real Zinnia could reap the benefits and enjoy Yarden's love.
The moment the door opened, Harriet was forcefully pushed out.
Left behind was a blessing she couldn't understand at all.
"Good luck, my Le double mort."
****
Harriet stepped onto the red carpet.
The romantically decorated wedding venue was desolate and empty.
Not a single person in the big Finch family attended this wedding.
This perfectly matched the information Zinnia had given her.
The once-legendary heir to the Finch business empire had become a blind man widely shunned due to a car accident.
Everyone wanted to grab the shares in his hands.
Even this mismatched marriage was a means for them to control Yarden.
'Yarden was a pitiful person, just like me.'
Harriet began to sympathize with this groom.
Harriet walked up to Yarden.
The man stood tall and straight at the center of the main stage, holding a blind cane in his hand and wearing a pair of black sunglasses, surrounded by an aura of loneliness.
"Zinnia Gallant?"
Yarden tapped his cane lightly on the ground and called out to her.
Harriet nervously stammered in response, "Y-yes!"
Even though he was blind and Zinnia had never interacted with him before, the possibility of exposure was minimal.
But Harriet's heart still raced with nervousness.
The man nodded slightly and slowly raised the ring box in his hand. "Do you like it?"
His posture was impeccable, and though he couldn't see, he remained proud.
Harriet moved towards the direction where he was holding the ring box.
The diamond ring inside the box sparkled dazzlingly, clearly of great value.
It was intricately carved into a heart shape, showing how much thought this man had put into it.
Even though she knew it wasn't meant for her, Harriet was still touched and responded with an "Mm".
The next second, Yarden pressed the box closed with one finger and tossed it towards the door with a swift motion.
His voice was calm, but his words were ice-cold. "Once you step out of this door, the ring is yours,"
"The car is downstairs. If you leave now, I'll arrange everything. You won't have any trouble."
Harriet's hand froze in mid-air.
Her gaze fell on the man's face, where gentleness and detachment blended in his faint smile.
He wanted to pay her off to defy the Finch family.
Harriet shook her head firmly. "I won't leave."
Yarden crossed his cane. "It seems the Finch family has offered you quite a lot."
Harriet's pupils dilated, shaking with fear.
She recalled the introduction in the files, how Yarden's personality had drastically changed after losing his sight, unpredictable and prone to anger, often torturing people.
Servants who had worked in his home were either dead or injured.
Was Yarden's earlier gentleness his final warning to her?
"Don't..."
Before the word "hit" could leave her lips, a gunshot shattered the tranquility.
Harriet held her breath as her gaze swept across the empty hall.
A terrifying suspicion formed in her mind.
'Were the Finch family trying to take Yarden's life during the wedding?'
'Although he had withdrawn from the group's management due to his eye condition, he still held forty-five percent of the shares.'
'As long as he died, the person holding his shares would undoubtedly become the most reasonable successor.'
Harriet was so frightened that cold sweat ran down her spine, but Yarden remained calm and composed.
He leaned towards Harriet, his presence exuding an invisible pressure. "For a bit of money, to risk your life, is it worth it?"
Countless bullets shattered the decorations in the venue, debris covering the floor.
Alarms wailed loudly, and Harriet wanted to pull Yarden to run together.
However, as she turned her head, she saw a bullet hurtling straight towards Yarden!
Yarden, unable to see, was still standing in place.
His tall nose bridged the white gauze, looking fragile and helpless, completely unaware that he would be hit and die in the next second!
"Watch out!"
In that instant, Harriet's heart was fiercely tugged, and without thinking, she forcefully pushed him away!
She was ready to be shot, but unexpectedly, a force from her waist pulled her back.
The two rolled on the ground, their lips accidentally colliding like two magnets attracting each other, creating an unfamiliar and strange magnetic field.
Harriet found herself lying on top of him, her heart pounding violently, her face pale.
"I'm not doing this for money, I really want to protect you!"
