Chapter 1 I Refuse To Marry Him!

Across the bed, Lucy Wheeler arched beneath Carl Spencer with a breathless moan, her nails biting into his back as pleasure unraveled her composure. "Oh my," she gasped, voice trembling. "If Leanna finds out about us... won't she lose her mind?"

A lazy smirk curled across Carl's lips at the mention of his fiancee, Leanna Wheeler. "And if she does?" he replied carelessly. "Your father wouldn't let her make a scene anyway. He's counting on her to marry me so the deal with my family goes through."

Sliding her arms around his neck, Lucy leaned close, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered with sultry curiosity, "Tell me something, Carl... between me and Leanna, which one do you actually want?"

Driving into her with renewed force, he scoffed, "Leanna doesn't know the first thing about passion. She's stiff, naive-nothing like you. If her designs didn't make my family money, I wouldn't even bother looking at her."

Every hard thrust drew a breathless moan from Lucy's lips.

Breath hitching as pleasure surged through her, she laughed bitterly, her voice thick with spite. "Leanna, that stupid bitch, really believes Dad cares about her! If it weren't for that pretty face of hers, she'd have already been sent to the hospital to look after her mother, who's nothing but a vegetable."

Under their frantic movements, the bed frame rattled violently against the floor.

Standing just outside the bedroom, Leanna watched everything unfold, the color draining from her face.

This very day was supposed to be her birthday, and she had come all this way intending to celebrate it with Carl.

Never for a single moment had she imagined she would stumble onto something so humiliating and grotesque.

This place had once been the home she believed she would share with Carl after their marriage. Yet right now, sprawled across that very bed, Lucy, her half-sister, was tangled with him in a shameless affair!

A violent tremor ran through Leanna's body as she fought to steady herself. She had forced herself to record the whole scene. After tucking her phone away, she pushed the front door open and walked out without looking back.

Outside, she drifted along the street like someone lost in a dream, her heart aching with disbelief.

What a bitter joke it all was! She had foolishly believed in that ridiculous relationship, even going so far as to plan a birthday surprise for Carl!

Only after overhearing their careless conversation did the truth finally strike Leanna-she had been the only fool in this entire deception.

Without another moment of hesitation, she lifted her hand and flagged down a taxi.

"Take me to the Wheeler Mansion," she instructed, the resolve to call off the engagement hardening in her voice.

The instant she stepped through the familiar doors and caught sight of her father, Emilio Wheeler, Leanna hurriedly wiped the dampness from her swollen eyes before stammering, "Dad... Lucy and Carl are having an affair!"

Shock flashed across Emilio's face as he frowned deeply. "That's impossible. Lucy would never do something like that! Stay here. I'll call her back right now so the two of you can settle this face-to-face."

Anger crept into his tone as he pulled out his phone and dialed Lucy's number. "Lucy, come back home immediately!" he ordered sharply.

Not long after the call ended, Lucy hurried through the front door.

The moment she appeared, tears instantly welled in her eyes as she put on a pitiful, trembling act. "It's all Leanna's fault..." she sobbed miserably. "She set me up, drugged me, and tried to ruin my reputation! And she's dragged the Spencer family's name through the mud too!"

Emilio's expression hardened, shadows gathering across his features.

A sharp, scornful laugh slipped from Leanna's lips. "Lucy, you really do have a talent for spinning lies. I drugged you? Why don't you take a good look at this video and explain who it was squirming on that bed, wondering aloud whether I'd be angry? Did I drug you just so you'd say those things too?"

With a deliberate motion, Leanna lifted her phone, the screen glowing as a lewd video played. Lucy's seductive voice spilled into the halls of Wheeler Mansion, echoing sharply through the room for everyone to hear.

In the next heartbeat, the color drained completely from Lucy's face, leaving her pale as paper. A chilling realization struck her-exactly how long had Leanna been standing there, watching everything unfold?

Upon turning slowly toward Emilio, Leanna's gaze burned with fury, yet when she spoke, her voice remained controlled and steady. "I'm calling off the engagement."

The truth was plain and simple-Lucy and Carl had been secretly betraying her all along. On her birthday, of all days, they had even shamelessly tangled together in bed inside the very house she and Carl were meant to share after their marriage.

For a long while, Emilio said nothing. At last he spoke, his tone heavy and resolute. "No. The engagement will not be called off. The Spencer family asked for you specifically. If we anger them now, the project between our families will collapse-and you'll become the disgrace of the Wheeler family! Like it or not, you will marry into that family! Besides, who's to say that video isn't something you fabricated just to frame Lucy?"

At those words, the last trace of color drained from Leanna's already pale face.

Disbelief flooded her chest as she stared at Emilio, unable to believe her own father still refused to trust her even after seeing everything.

A smug, victorious smile curled across Lucy's lips.

Quivering with fury, Leanna lifted a trembling finger toward Lucy before turning to Emilio, hurt and disbelief clouding her gaze. "Dad, I've spent my whole life stepping aside for Lucy. Every time she stirred up trouble, I was the one who got punished instead. I can tolerate a lot, but marrying a man who's already slept with her? That's something I will never accept." Bitterness tugged at the corners of her mouth as she pronounced every word with deliberate clarity. "I refuse to marry him!"

"Enough of this bullshit!" Emilio roared, rage flooding his lined face. Leaning heavily on his cane, he lurched forward and swung his hand across Leanna's cheek with a sharp crack. "Leanna, if your design talent hadn't been bringing profit to the Spencer family, do you honestly believe you'd ever land such an advantageous match? Now go back to your room! You're grounded!"

Leanna's fists tightened until her nails pierced her palms.

Fire burned across her cheek where he'd struck her, yet the ache in her chest cut far deeper.

Within Emilio's eyes, she was nothing more than a bargaining chip for marriage alliances-while Lucy remained the cherished daughter he truly cared about.

For years, Leanna had quietly longed for a father's affection, pushing herself to excel at everything she did, all in the desperate hope that Emilio might one day look at her with genuine pride. Yet the truth now came crashing into her mind.

She had never truly belonged in this family.

What people called family ties now felt like nothing more than chains wrapped around her ankles, dragging her down whenever she tried to move forward.

A fierce, determined spark ignited in Leanna's eyes.

From this moment on, she refused to remain the obedient pawn they expected; she would walk away from the Wheeler family, no matter what it cost.