Chapter 1 The wedding day

It was the wedding day for Sedona influencer Maria Baker, but the groom wasn't there. Groom Zane Knight has been dormant since a car accident six months ago. Doctors said he wouldn't live until the end of the year.

Zane's grieving mother decided to get her son married before her son's untimely death. The Order was one of the richest families in Sedona, but no sane influencer would want to marry a man who knocks on death's door.

Maria was elegantly dressed in a white wedding dress and was sitting on the dresser in a slender figure. She gave off a delicate impression like a budding red rose with elegant makeup that emphasized the elegance of her fair complexion. Still, she was uneasy about her almond-shaped eyes.

With her 10 minutes remaining until the ceremony, Ms. Maria frantically moved her fingers across the screen of her cell phone, waiting impatiently for her texts and her messages. She had a boyfriend before she was forced to marry Zayn, who just so happened to be Zayn's nephew, James Knight, by a terrible coincidence.

However, they never made their relationship public. Maria had texted James the night before, hoping they would run away from Sedona together and elope. She stayed up all night waiting and got no reply. She couldn't wait any longer. Maria got up from her seat, clutched her cell phone, and considered an excuse to leave her room. She hurried down the corridor, past one of the rooms, and froze.

Through the slightly open door of the room, Maria heard her sister Katherine giggle with joy and she laughed.

"Maybe my stupid sister is still waiting for you to go to her, James! Maybe you should grease it up a little more. If she changes her mind and declines the wedding what are we going to do if we decide to do it?"

"Do you think she has a choice now?" James said, holding Katherine in his arms and pressing his thin lips. her neck. “The guards will drag her head off the altar, even if she tries to pull back from now on!”

Maria felt a loud noise rings out in her head. She took a step back and nearly lost her balance. She clenched her fists around her dress and held back tears in her eyes. Her father was hospitalized because his company went bankrupt.

Her stepmother Selina Baker rebelled against Maria and forced her to marry into the Knight family for her benefit. She had given the impression that this marriage was for the benefit of the Baker family, but Maria knew that was how Selina wanted to get rid of her!

It was the fact that the boyfriend who said he loved her turned around and betrayed her! No wonder James encouraged her to go ahead with her wedding. He said he would marry her when Zayn died, but that was all a big lie! All her hopes and dreams were shattered and she couldn't breathe. Maria clenched her fists and her eyes froze as the voices in her room grew louder.

For years she has endured the harassment of her stepmother and stepsister because of her father. She endured all kinds of injustices for the benefit of her family. She was too stupid and naive. Now she won't allow herself to be considered a fool anymore! She will take back all that belongs to her! The wedding started soon after that.

Wearing her wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers, Maria walked down the aisle with soft, romantic music playing in the background. She made her vows and put on her wedding ring. The crowd gave her a confused look, but she ignored them.

From now on she was Mrs. Knight, and she was untouchable. But her new husband, who held Sedona in his hands, was not to live long. That night, Maria was sent to Zayn's mansion.

Located in the heart of the city's affluent neighborhood, the mansion costed over $150 million. Before Maria could get the mansion's arrangement right, Mrs. Fischer dragged her into her master bedroom. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the man on the large bed.

She walked over slowly and stared into his face. Zane's chiseled features stood out against his chiseled face, exuding an aura of dignity and nobility. He had been indoors all this time, so his skin was unusually pale, but his handsome features caught her eyes. If he had not been ill, Maria would never have become his wife.

Before he was bedridden in a car accident, Zayn was an influential figure in Sedona. His Sephora Group was one of the ten largest companies in the country. He was rumored to be ruthless and domineering, and he traded with the underworld as well as legitimate business. Anyone who stood in his way had to pay a high price.

Maria never expected to marry a man like Zayn. As she lost herself in thought, her bedroom door opened. It was James! "I'm sorry, Maria! I've been too busy to meet you today," James said, approaching Maria with a false sincerity on her face. "I just married your uncle," Maria said coldly. "Do I have to teach you how to call me?"

“ I wanted to run off with you because I didn't want you to have a hard life. Uncle Zane is effectively a dead man, so you doesn't have to do anything while you’re married to him. When he dies, I'll get you a good lawyer and make sure you gets all his fortune!” James eagerly grabbed Maria's hand and continued, “Then all he has will be ours!”

Maria then as she recalled the earlier scene that she was spotted between James and Katherine, and she was disgusted. "Let go!" she shouted, shaking his hand violently. Her sudden scream startled James. Was it the Maria he knew? Maria was always calm and kind, and she never raised her voice to him. did she find out something?

Feeling guilty, James approached Maria to explain her situation. The next moment his eyes shifted to something behind Maria. His eyes widened in disbelief as if he had seen a ghost.

"He...he..." James muttered. Zayn lay on his bed and slowly began to open his eyes…