Marry Me, My Deceitful Lover

In March, the pear blossoms at the Elliott family's residence were strewn across the ground, wet from the rain.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was unusually somber.

Today marked the first family breakfast since the real daughter of the Elliots had been found.

Seated at her usual spot, Tricia Elliott couldn't shake the feeling that some regarded her mockingly. Wanting to speak out but constrained by her current status, she could only grit her teeth and bear it. She quietly asked her brother, "Jeremy, when can we have breakfast?"

Jeremy Elliott glanced at his sister, noticing her effort to conceal her distress, her eyes red. Feeling compassion, he held her hand and called out impatiently to a servant. "Go upstairs and see if she's ready."

He still wasn't accustomed to referring to Danielle Gordon, his biological sister, by name. Noticing the unease on Tricia's face, he reassured her quietly, "Don't be afraid. I'm on your side."

Tricia smiled gratefully at him, feeling a surge of pride. Even if she wasn't the biological daughter, someone still cherished her.

After a short wait, a figure appeared at the stairway. It wasn't that Danielle was intentionally late. She often skipped breakfast and was unaware of the Elliotts' emphasis on this family meal. She looked graceful and beautiful without any makeup, in stark contrast to Tricia, who had worn a full face of makeup in an attempt to outshine her.

Danielle effortlessly outshone Tricia regardless.

Overcome with jealousy but maintaining a facade of calm, Tricia said, "Danielle, you're here."

Danielle glanced at her and took her seat without a word.

Silence ensued.

Tricia's eyes welled up with tears.

Jeremy's expression grew stern. "Why are you so cold to Tricia?"

"Do I have to respond with a bow or something?" Danielle countered. She sensed Tricia's dislike for her, which bordered on hostility.

Jeremy was pissed off at Danielle's remarks. Trying to ease the tension, Tricia intervened, "Jeremy, I'm fine. Maybe Danielle just got back and isn't familiar with the family rules..."

Her words hinted that Danielle was a country girl and lacked of manners.

Danielle remained silent, choosing not to respond. She was new to the Elliott family and, although not fearful, preferred to avoid conflict.

Her parents, Steve Elliott and Rhonda Elliott, exchanged a few words to ease the tension. Finally, they began their meal.

At the table, Steve mentioned, "Danielle, it's been busy lately. It might take some time to change your last name."

Danielle nodded, understanding the Elliotts hesitated about having her family name changed.

Though Danielle was their biological daughter, it was Tricia they had raised. They needed to consider her feelings.

Once Danielle's last name was changed, Tricia would become the real outsider. Anyway, the name change didn't seem crucial to Danielle.

"I understand."

Relieved by her response, Steve finally relaxed and offered her more food, feeling a twinge of guilt. "Danielle, have some more."

"Thank you, Dad." Danielle thanked him but avoided eating the food he offered. She was not accustomed to such gestures.

Watching them behave like a family, Tricia couldn't bear it. She suddenly began to sob.

Danielle instantly knew Tricia was about to cause a scene.

Jeremy dropped his utensils and comforted her, "Tricia, are you okay?"

"I feel guilty," Tricia said, turning to Danielle with tears in her eyes. "If it weren't for a mistake, Danielle wouldn't have grown up in the countryside. Maybe I should move out. It feels like the right thing to do."

"Who said it's right?" Jeremy frowned, clearly upset.

As Tricia continued to cry, he glared at Danielle and declared, "No matter what anyone else says, you're my sister. Your last name is Elliott. If anyone asks you to move out, I'd be the first to disagree!"

Danielle couldn't help but smile. Her brother seemed somewhat naive.

The expressions of the others at the table grew inscrutable, their eyes shifting between Danielle and Tricia, slowly piecing things together.

Steve, who initially felt a pang of guilt towards Danielle, now intervened, affirming, "Jeremy is right. Tricia, you will always be an Elliott."

Danielle observed the unfolding drama, finding it as intriguing as watching a play. She couldn't understand why they had brought her back if they didn't truly welcome her.

They finished their meal in a strained silence.

Afterward, Jeremy planned to drive Danielle and Tricia to the Harper family's residence.

There was an engagement arrangement between the two families, and it was Tricia who was engaged to Chris Harper. Now that the real daughter of the Elliotts had returned, the engagement could not proceed. Carolyn Harper, Chris' grandmother, felt compassion for Danielle and decided to intervene, planning to replace the original bride-to-be.

Today, Jeremy was taking Danielle to meet the Harpers.

Standing in the courtyard while waiting for Jeremy to arrive, Tricia approached Danielle and said in a roundabout way, "Danielle, if Chris shows any signs of hostility, don't mind him. We grew up together. Now that you are his fiancee, it might feel strange to him."

She implied that Danielle was intruding on her relationship with Chris.

If Danielle had been less understanding, she might have been upset, possibly leading to an argument. But she was indifferent to the engagement. If not for Carolyn's insistence, she wouldn't have wanted it at all.

"It doesn't matter," she said with a smile. She wanted to avoid conflict, but Tricia continued to provoke her. Finally, she had had enough. "We will get acquainted. You don't need to worry about us."

Tricia's face turned white with rage. She had once been Chris' fiancee, a status that had made many people envious. But Carolyn did not favor her, and those who once envied her would surely mock her. To her astonishment, Danielle was not easily manipulated.

Tricia had planned to further provoke Danielle to the point where she did something crazy so that the rest of the Elliott family would dislike her. In that case, Danielle would be disowned and Tricia would be the only daughter of the Elliotts. But before she could say more, Jeremy pulled up in front of them.

Rolling down the window, he sensed the tension. "What's wrong?"

Just as Tricia was about to complain, Danielle interjected, "Nothing. I was just chatting with Tricia and learning a lot about the Harpers. We had a good talk." She then turned to Tricia with a sweet smile and added, "Right?"

Tricia was disgusted by Danielle's smile. But since Danielle had already voiced it, she would seem narrow-minded to complain. All she could manage was a nod filled with grievance. "Yes."

Jeremy felt sorry for Tricia. But since Danielle was his sister, he hoped that the two of them could get along well. As he looked at Danielle's smiling face, he felt a twinge of discomfort. He cleared his throat and said, "That's good. Get in the car."

The Harper family's house was perched on the top of a mountain. The scenery there was breathtaking and the air was crisp. It took nearly two hours to reach.

Still stewing over the earlier incident, Tricia was furious yet pretended nothing had happened. She had expected Danielle to be uncomfortable sharing the same space with her, but turning around, she saw her happily observing the scenery. Occasionally, she would take out her phone to snap photos, showing no signs of displeasure. This made Tricia even angrier.

Oblivious to Tricia's feelings, Danielle sent the new photo to her brother, Johnny Gordon.

Johnny was on the brink of college. She wasn't sure which university he would attend.

The universities in Croyta didn't impress Danielle much. Gremere, on the other hand, had several reputable ones. If he chose to study abroad, he could, but then no one would be there to remind their father, Sam Gordon, to ease up on his intense research schedule. Gremere was both close and convenient.

Musing over this, Danielle decided she would contact those universities' professors later.

After getting out of the car, Tricia swallowed her anger, eager to flaunt her familiarity with the Harpers. She took the lead and said to Jeremy, "Jeremy, you can go greet Walter. I'll take Danielle to Carolyn."

Jeremy paused, then seeing that Tricia appeared calm, he consented. "Okay, I'll be there soon."

Once Jeremy had left, Tricia turned to Danielle with a proud smile. "Danielle, let's go."

She wanted to intimidate Danielle, who had grown up in the countryside, and make her feel that the Harpers were out of her league.

The garden at the Harper family's residence was lush with many trees and housed a collection of rare plants that were meticulously cared for.

"Danielle, you might not know," Tricia began, a sense of superiority in her voice. "This garden was designed by the famous architect, Brooke Rich. Chris paid millions for her design. Don't you think it's beautiful? Oh-"

She paused, her face feigning apology but her tone gloating. "I forgot you've lived in the countryside. You might not even know who Brooke is. Sorry."

Tricia had heard that education was lacking in where Danielle lived. She assumed she couldn't even write properly.

"You're wrong," Danielle replied, her eyes flashing with contempt as she surveyed the garden's structure. "It's not designed by Brooke Rich. She hasn't designed for anyone in a long time. If Chris really got the design from her, there is only one possibility. He was fooled."

Danielle's assertive tone caught Tricia off guard for a moment. Then, recovering, Tricia retorted angrily, "What do you know? You don't even know who Brooke Rich is. This is designed by her!"

Danielle looked at her pityingly and chose to say nothing more. Tricia lived in her own world, believing what she wished, and she respected that.

As for how she knew so much...

With a dismissive glance at the garden, Danielle thought Chris was damaging her reputation in the industry. Who was using her name for such designs?

Tricia had hoped to impress Danielle, but it seemed to have no effect. She felt a twinge of frustration but quickly regained her composure.

"Be careful when we meet Carolyn. She doesn't like foolish people. I've warned you," Tricia snorted dismissively. "But it doesn't matter. She likes me. Even if you upset her, she won't hold it against you for my sake."

They entered the hall.

A servant approached them. Tricia, raising her chin slightly, said, "Is Carolyn on the second floor? We can go oursel-"

The servant interrupted her, "Miss Elliott, Mrs. Harper asked you to wait in the living room. Miss Gordon, please follow me."

Tricia felt a sting of humiliation. Changing the topic swiftly, she inquired, "Where is Chris? I'll go see him."

"He is not here today," the servant replied.

It wasn't until Tricia learned that Chris was absent that she felt somewhat less embarrassed. She turned to Danielle with feigned concern. "It's okay, Danielle. Just because he's not home today doesn't mean he dislikes you."

"Please take me upstairs," Danielle said to the maid, finding the situation somewhat amusing.

In the study on the second floor, the air was lightly scented with coffee. Carolyn sat with a stern expression and asked, "Have you called Chris?"

Kathleen Moss, the maid standing beside Carolyn, was caught in a bind. "I couldn't get through, Mrs. Harper."

"That bastard!" Carolyn exclaimed, anger flaring up, causing her to cough.

Kathleen quickly stepped forward to assist her. Between coughs, Carolyn vented, "He is obviously defying me. Does he think he can cancel the engagement this way? That Tricia girl is no angel. Chris is young, and I don't blame him for his naiveté, but does he really think she's a treasure?"

"Shawn, how can you just let your nephew behave this way?"

Carolyn couldn't help but scold the man sitting opposite her, who had remained silent until then.

Shawn Harper chuckled at her remarks and appeared nonchalant.

"Mom, you don't have to be so angry," he said, lifting his eyes to pour her some coffee. "If you don't like the Elliotts' biological daughter, there will be no need to continue the engagement. Later I'll take him home and get him to apologize to you."

Carolyn's mood lightened upon hearing this. Shawn was right. She needed to meet Danielle herself to decide whether to continue the engagement.

"Go and bring her in," Carolyn addressed the servant. She turned to Shawn and added, "You're not getting any younger. You should think about getting married and having children."

"There's no hurry," Shawn replied calmly. "Let's deal with this first."

If he was unwilling to get married, no one could force it upon him.

Carolyn was about to say more, but the door opened at that moment. Danielle entered and greeted politely, "Mrs. Harper."

Shawn, who had been fidgeting with a bracelet, stopped abruptly when Danielle entered.

Danielle was a stark contrast to Tricia, who always dressed to the nines and wore heavy perfume, seeking attention each time she visited the Harper household.

Danielle wore a simple, elegant dress, her hair loosely tied back to reveal her delicate collarbone and slender neck, her appearance fresh and unadorned with makeup.

Shawn's eyes lit up with surprise.

Carolyn was taken aback for a moment. She hadn't expected the biological daughter of the Elliotts to be so striking.

Danielle was not only beautiful but also polite and graceful, unlike Tricia, who she considered two-faced.

Pleased, Carolyn smiled at Danielle and invited, "You must be Danielle. Come here. Let me have a closer look at you."

As Danielle approached, Carolyn examined her more thoroughly and her appreciation grew.

The backstory of Danielle's return to her family was filled with complications. Recently she had discovered to have been switched at birth due to hospital negligence, the truth coming to light after Tricia fell ill and her blood type did not match her family's.

It had not been an easy adjustment for Danielle since her return.

As she reflected on this, Carolyn's smile dimmed slightly. It appeared that not only her grandson but also the Elliott family lacked discernment.

Carolyn's gaze softened with sympathy as she regarded Danielle.

"How has it been since you went back home?" she asked, holding Danielle's hand with a warm smile.

She felt almost certain that she was the right match for her grandson.

"My family has been very kind to me," Danielle stated, her expression unchanging.

Danielle chose not to speak ill of others behind their backs, a stark contrast to what Tricia might have done-likely filling the air with complaints.

As they conversed, Danielle looked up and caught Shawn's gaze. He fiddled with his coffee mug. Even seated, he maintained a straight posture, his rolled-up sleeves revealing his muscular arms.

Danielle felt like being targeted by a predator. When she looked again, Shawn had looked away, his face betraying no emotion.

"Is this Chris Harper?" Danielle wondered.

According to Tricia's description, she thought Chris must be a loser. However, he seemed different from what she had imagined.

"This is Shawn, Chris' uncle," Carolyn introduced. "After you marry Chris, he will be your uncle."

Turning to her son, she prompted, "Shawn, say hello."

Shawn merely turned the coffee mug in his hands and smiled, saying, "I'm not sure if they will get married."

His words seemed to unsettle Carolyn. She wanted to add more, but Shawn stood abruptly. "Mom, I have something else to do. I'll come to see you next time."

With that, he turned and left.

Carolyn was taken aback by his sudden departure. She had hoped Shawn's presence would convey respect to Danielle, especially in Chris' absence, but it seemed to only complicate matters.

"Don't mind him," Carolyn said, squeezing Danielle's hand gently.

She paused, struggling to find the right words to explain. "He..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Both her son and grandson were really troublesome.

She could demand Chris return and scold him, but she couldn't do anything to Shawn.

The Harper family was large with many members. It was Shawn who single-handedly supported the Harper family when Bryan Harper, his father, passed away. Shawn overcame all the obstacles and silenced those who sought to seize control. Without him, the Harper family would have fallen apart long ago. More importantly, he was sufficiently cold-blooded. He was indifferent when relatives came seeking favors.

Thinking of this, Carolyn sighed and looked at Danielle with care. "If anyone dares to bully you, just tell me."

"I will," Danielle responded.

"Chris happens to be busy today. When he returns and you two meet again, I will ask him to apologize to you."

After all, Chris was Carolyn's grandson, so she felt obliged to speak well of him.

After their lengthy conversation, Danielle left the study. The maid escorted her to the garden.

For some reason, Danielle suddenly thought of Shawn. She had been in Andstin previously and didn't know much about Croyta. However, she had heard a bit about the Harper family.

Rumor had it that Shawn was a ruthless man. Austin Gilbert had clashed with him and suffered greatly. Without her assistance, he might have faced financial ruin.

With these thoughts, she sent a message to Austin.

To her surprise, he replied quickly, "What? You're at the Harper family's place? And you met Shawn Harper? Is he as hideous and mad as they say?"

Danielle could tell Austin still harbored anger and resentment towards Shawn. That made sense. Back then, Austin was a newcomer in the business world, full of ambition. He deceived his brother out of two hundred million dollars and lost it all. Every time he returned home, he avoided his brother.

A man's cold voice carried from ahead.

Danielle looked around and found that she had wandered into a garden.

Shawn stood under the flower rack, draped in wisteria that bloomed around him. Under the dazzling sunlight, he appeared distant and imposing, sending a shiver through her. His voice held no emotion, yet it conveyed a sense of cruelty. "Clean it up. Don't leave any trouble."

"Oh my god! Did I run into a significant secret?" she contemplated.

Danielle thought about sneaking away, but just then, Austin sent her another message. "You haven't answered my question yet. Is he especially unattractive?"

Shawn turned his head, revealing a cigarette between his fingers. His black suit suited him perfectly, his eyes were deep, and his features were sharply defined, like a sculpture.