Chapter 2 Kaia's Insincerity

Alec paused as something seemed to click in his mind. He remembered a conversation from years ago with his mother, when she casually mentioned that Verena had never taken any college entrance exam.

A long, weary breath escaped him. "You'd be so much better off if you were more like Kaia."

Verena didn't even bother dignifying that with a reply. The comment was absurd enough to amuse her. They could recall every tiny quirk Kaia had, yet when it came to something as important as her education, no one had cared to ask. They simply assumed she fell short in comparison.

...

The Willis family home felt like foreign ground to Verena. It was strange to think this place was meant to be hers, yet she was stepping inside for the very first time.

Laura guided her down the hall toward a bedroom, her voice tinged with concern, and offered a reassuring smile. "If there's anything here that doesn't suit you, just tell me, alright?"

Verena kept her tone even. "Thanks, Mom."

"Sweetheart, you don't have to be so polite. I am your mother."

When Laura lingered in the doorway instead of leaving, Verena asked, "Was there something else?"

Laura and Alec had spent years clawing their way into high society, seizing their break the moment it appeared. Still, they were newcomers, and many in those circles saw them as outsiders. The Bennett family, on the other hand, was a dynasty-wealthy, well-connected, and deeply rooted in prestige.

So when the Bennett family suggested a marriage alliance, Laura wasn't about to refuse. She could already picture the benefits, envisioning all the doors it would open.

But Isaac's accident had left him permanently disabled, and Laura couldn't imagine giving her precious younger daughter to him. That was when she decided to bring her eldest home.

For a brief moment, staring into Verena's calm, unflinching gaze, Laura felt the sting of guilt. She hadn't been there to raise her, and there was no real bond between them. The guilt was genuine, but the detachment was stronger.

Even so, she told herself this was an opportunity for Verena. A girl from a small, remote place, who had struggled in school and now worked as a doctor in a quiet town like Trisas, could only benefit from marrying into the Bennett family. Disabled or not, Isaac represented wealth, comfort, and security.

"You need to get some rest for now, Verena. There's someone I want you to meet later tonight, and I'll be the one taking you."

Laura didn't say who, but Verena didn't need to ask. It would be Isaac. She had already read about his accident online. The thought made her want to laugh and shake her head all at once. Expecting anything different from these parents had been foolish. Children who grew up feeling like afterthoughts learned to carry both bitterness and resignation.

"Alright." Verena gave a simple nod, though her agreement had nothing to do with Laura. She had come to Shoildon with only one purpose in mind-Isaac. A quiet thought crossed her mind, wondering what state he might be in now.

Laura's lips curved slightly when she saw no resistance. "Good. Get some rest, then. I'll leave you be."

Just as she was about to head out, she turned to Verena and said, "When you see him tonight, if anyone asks about your schooling, tell them you graduated from Acorith College of Medicine with a master's degree. Don't worry about them finding out otherwise-I'll take care of it."

Once the door clicked shut, Verena stretched out on the bed. Raising her right hand, she noticed the faint tremor in her fingers.

Six days had passed since she failed to save Shawna on the operating table. The scalpel had slipped, and her right hand hadn't stopped shaking since. For a surgeon, such trembling was the surest path to ruin.

Her mind churned with thoughts until sleep crept in, pulling her into an unsettling dream.

In another room, Kaia lounged across the sofa, her phone lighting up with group chat messages. Everyone wanted to know-was her sister beautiful?

The question soured Kaia's mood. Calling Verena pretty felt like an understatement. Even in simple clothes, she had the kind of beauty that caught and held the eye. Her complexion was smooth, unblemished, almost too refined for someone who had spent years in a remote backwater. Next to her, Kaia felt like the girl-next-door-sweet and harmless, but lacking genuine allure.

The questions kept coming, so Kaia finally typed back. "She's alright, not ugly."

She knew the answer was a blatant lie, yet the words had slipped out on instinct.

By now, everyone in Shoildon had heard whispers about the upcoming marriage between the Bennett family and the Willis family.

The city's wealthy young people were curious about the woman Isaac-once a man of unmatched promise-was set to marry.

Seeing Kaia's lukewarm reply, the group went quiet. Not ugly... It was the kind of phrase that hinted the woman was plain at best. Poor Isaac, they thought.

Among those reading was Bobby Bennett, Isaac's younger brother.

A sharp curse left his lips before he turned toward his mother, Danica Bennett.

"Mom, I get that my brother's legs aren't in the best shape... but does that mean you have to set him up with someone who can't do anything? Kaia says her sister's not exactly attractive."

The comment struck Danica with a dull ache. Like any mother, she wanted her son to have a worthy match.

Still, Isaac's condition went far beyond his injured legs. Certain aspects of his health as a man had been permanently damaged. As the matriarch of the Bennetts, she couldn't let whispers about the family spiral out of control. The safest route was to choose a bride who posed no threat-Verena Willis, the eldest daughter of that family.

"This is my decision, and you have no say in it," she said, masking her emotions with a cool tone.

Bobby's jaw tightened in anger.

Unmoved, Danica turned away and started up the staircase, uninterested in soothing his temper.

A message from Laura had just arrived, asking her to set up a meeting between Verena and Isaac that evening.

Stepping into Isaac's dimly lit room, she crossed to the window without pause and yanked open the curtains.

Harsh daylight spilled across the floor, driving away the gloom.

Isaac was stretched out on the bed, his eyes shadowed but unblinking, his face as sharply defined as ever.

Knowing he was awake, Danica spoke plainly. "You'll be meeting a girl tonight. And you will marry her."

"If that's the plan, why waste time with a meeting? Just register the marriage and be done with it," Isaac answered, his voice flat.

A mixture of compassion and unspoken indignation churned in Danica's chest. No one outside the family knew that the accident had taken not just Isaac's health, but also her husband's life. With her son in this state, she dared not announce her husband's death, fearing it would shake the company's stability.

"Don't fight me on this. It's only polite to meet her first."

When she left the room, the shadows seemed to close in around Isaac again. Pain and self-disgust clouded his eyes. In his mind, his father's death was a burden he would always bear.

By the time dusk settled in, Verena was woken by a few knocks on the door before it opened. It was Kaia.

With a tone that wavered between forced cheer and thinly veiled condescension, Kaia said, "Verena, you're about to marry into the Bennett family. Congratulations. They're the top family in Shoildon."

Years of studying abroad had sharpened Verena's instincts, and Kaia's insincerity was as plain as day.

One look was enough to know Kaia disliked her.

In silence, Verena continued folding her quilt, patiently waiting to hear the rest of what Kaia had to say.