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My sister ran away from her arranged marriage, and I was forced to take her place–marrying the sickly William Johnson.
But once he recovered, the first thing he did was bring my sister, freshly returned from abroad, into
our home.
“Emma Davis, Emily said you says you drove her away years ago and drugged me to force this marriage?”
“Answer me! Is it true?”
I stood there frozen. Bound by
frozen. Bound by our agreement, I remained silent.
Until the day my daughter, manipulated by that scheming stepsister, threw sulfuric acid in my face.
*
My right ear burned off instantly. I begged William to take me to the hospital.
The man just watched coldly, unmoved.
今
See
After hospital treatment, I called William’s father with an expressionless
face.
“It’s time to end our agreement.”
I lost my right ear, along with the eardrum, and half my hair was burned off.
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A week ago, I carefully carried the bowl of soup I’d brewed myself and gently pushed open the master bedroom door.
For eight years, this had been my daily ritual.
Yet the scene before me made my hands tremble uncontrollably.
William, my husband whom I’d cared for eight full years, was locked in a passionate kiss with a woman in a pale pink dress.
It was Emily, my sister who’d been missing for eight years–William’s first love.
Crash-
The herbal tonic spilled across the floor, scalding broth splashing onto my hand, instantly reddening and blistering the skin.
The pain made me gasp, but my heart ached more deeply.
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Hearing the noise, William turned, his gaze falling upon me.
Emma, you came just in time. Saves me the trouble of looking for you.
He let go of Emily, his voice devoid of guilt, pure ice.
Emily triumphantly linked arms with William, victory shining in her eyes.
“Sis, long time no see.” Her sweet smile sent chills down my spine.
William spoke coldly: “Emma, Emily told me everything. How you drugged me eight years ago to force our marriage.”
I froze. “What? When did I ever drug you?”
“Stop pretending!” William shoved me away. “I should’ve known you drove Emily away back then.”
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I staggered backward, hitting the doorframe.
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My mother–in–law rushed over at the commotion. Her eyes lit up when she saw Emily.
“Emily! My dear child, you’re finally back!”
She excitedly pulled Emily’s hands toward her, completely ignoring my
presence.
“Mom, I’m home.”
Emily cooed in response before turning to me, “Sister, thank you for taking care of William all these years.”
Only then did Mom notice me, her smile vanishing instantly:
“What are you still standing here for? The floor’s filthy–clean it up now!”
Bending down to gather the shards, my burned hand touched the porcelain pieces. Pain shot through me as cold sweat broke out.
“Mom, I know everything now,” William said coldly. “She schemed against me years ago–drugged me–then seized the chance to marry into the Johnson family.”
Mom erupted in fury upon hearing this: “I knew it! I always saw she was no good!”
The entire Johnson family believed that I drugged William and stole Emily’s husband, even their six–year–old daughter was no exception.
My scarred hands seemed to mock my naivety and foolishness.
On that rainy night eight years ago, I received a call from Emily. She cried out, urging me to come quickly to the hotel to save someone.
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We were half–sisters. Though we weren’t very close, we always helped each other in times of trouble.
When I arrived at the hotel, I found William lying in the bathroom, his face as pale as paper, his breathing weak.
Emily was panicked. She said she had invited William to talk about breaking up, but he suddenly fainted.
We took William to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed him with congenital heart disease, and his condition was already quite serious.
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“William needs long–term rest and care, ideally with someone by his side day and night.” The doctor’s words still echo in my mind.
However, while I was contacting the Johnson family, Emily left without a word and disappeared without a trace.
Calls and texts vanished like clay oxen into the sea, with no response ever
again.
The next day, Thomas came to find me.
“Emma, I know your mother is critically ill in the hospital and needs a large sum for surgery.”
He got straight to the point, offering to cover the expenses in exchange for one condition.
Fresh out of college, I’d faced constant rejection in my job hunt while my mother’s condition worsened daily.
Thomas’s condition was simple: marry William and care for him until he
recovered.
I clenched my teeth and agreed, signing that unjust marriage contract, becoming the Johnson family’s daughter–in–law in my sister’s place.
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The ceremony was so minimal it barely existed; the Johnsons refused to waste resources on a “substitute.”
On our wedding night, I sat by the sickbed watching William’s shallow breaths, my heart tangled in conflicted emotions.
He was strikingly handsome–even ravaged by illness, his sharp features and noble bearing shone through.
I gently held his hand: “William, I’m Emma. Starting today, I’m your wife. I’ll take good care of you.”
Those were grueling days: daily sponge baths, medicine doses, massages, rehabilitation sessions, and quiet conversations.
Margaret Johnson always treated me with cool indifference. To her, I was just a lowly nurse unworthy of standing in proper society.
As for Thomas, after settling my mother’s enormous medical bills, he flew
abroad for business.
In eight years, he returned no more than three times.
Gradually, William’s condition improved. He regained consciousness, began speaking, and started walking again.
My presence puzzled him at first, but over time, he slowly accepted me as
his wife.
I never told him about the original arrangement, quietly caring for him and supporting him through each difficult day.
In the third year, an accidental medication miscalculation led to my
pregnancy.
Margaret was initially furious, convinced I’d deliberately conceived to manipulate the Johnson family. But surprisingly, William expressed
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willingness to keep the child.
“It might be nice to have a child, at least the house wouldn’t feel so empty.” That’s what he said back then.
After ten months of pregnancy, I
Sophia Miller, wishing her ve birth to a girl. We named her
safe and peaceful life.
She was beautiful, bearing a striking resemblance to William, and inheriting his proud demeanor.
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As William’s health improved, he began taking over the family business. I became his supportive partner, quietly standing by his side.
I thought we would continue like this forever.
Until Emily’s return shattered everything.
