Chapter 1 Chapter 1

After bidding farewell to members of the Gray family, my mother turned to me with a frantic expression. My father said with a frown, “Don’t be afraid, Layla. Even if he’s the CEO of Gray Conglomerate, he can’t bully people into marrying him. I’ll go ask their patriarch to cancel this engagement immediately.” Then, he got up and headed for the door. I replied calmly, “Jonathan promised that as long as I married him, he would get Dr. Quinn, the renowned neurologist, to treat Whitney.” My father stopped in his tracks when he heard that. His tone changed immediately. “I will allow you to marry Jonathan Gray. To be his wife is a blessing that many pray for but never receive. From today onward, we will prepare for your marriage.” My mother’s eyes were red with tears when she interjected, “But Jonathan is notorious for his violent tendencies. How sure are you that we’re not just sending Layla to her death?!” My father’s expression was stone cold. He responded angrily, “That’s just a baseless rumor! You’re just a housewife, what do you know?!” Having said that, he turned and left. I was not surprised by his reaction. He might love me as his daughter, but it could never compare to his love for my elder sister, Whitney Jones. Whitney’s mother was my father’s first wife. She died at a point when they were deeply in love with each other. My mother was his second wife. Worried that Whitney would be mistreated by her stepmother, he would always leave the best for her. Since childhood till today, whenever a conflict arose between me and Whitney, he would unwaveringly choose her side, even when she was in the wrong. I wiped my mother’s tears away and comforted her. “Mom, don’t worry about me. I’ll soon be Jonathan’s wife. You should be happy for me.”“But…”“No buts. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” I said reassuringly. Dr. Quinn lived up to his name. In just two days, Whitney’s sanity was restored. My father was so elated that he hosted a feast to announce the good news. He looked at me and instructed, “Layla, inform the Crawfords about Whitney’s recovery and invite them to the banquet this evening.” I arrived at their headquarters alone, where I was stopped by a security guard at the entrance. I had to explain the purpose of my visit, and he agreed to pass on the message. There, I stood under the hot sun for two hours before William emerged from the office building. He started reprimanding me the moment he saw me. “Layla! Just because I agreed to marry you doesn’t mean you get to pester me constantly!” Looking at his disgusted expression, I responded calmly, “My sister has regained her sanity. My father’s hosting a celebration banquet this evening.” He was surprised by the news. “Has Whitney really recovered?” I nodded in confirmation. William smilingly accepted the invitation slip that I was holding. “I’ll be there on time.” At this point, I became aware that William’s attitude toward Whitney and me was completely different.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

That evening, at the start of the banquet, my father raised his glass and announced excitedly, “As Whitney is getting married soon, I shall grant all the real estate companies under my name as her bridal gift.” Whitney’s face lit up instantly. At that moment, mother said indignantly, “What about Layla? She’s getting married as well.” My father replied without hesitation, “She’s getting married to Jonathan, so we don’t know if she’ll survive this marriage or not. It would be a waste to give her such valuable gifts.” Although I already knew my father favored Whitney over me, it still hurt to hear that he didn’t take my life seriously. When my mother heard this, her eyes welled up with tears. She was prepared to fight back for me, but I tugged her arm and said, “Forget it, Mom. I don’t need anything from them.” Halfway through the banquet, William arrived in his bespoke suit. In front of everyone, he presented a diamond bracelet to Whitney. “Whitney, this is a gift to celebra

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

My mother immediately said, “I’ve already bought them for Layla.” Whitney immediately looked at William with tears in her eyes. “If my mom were still around, she’d have bought them for me.” With a grim expression, William looked at us. “In the end, you still choose your own daughter over Whitney. I can’t imagine the torture you’ve put her through while growing up.” He then pulled out a black credit card from his pocket and slammed it on the table. “I’ll buy everything you have for my fiancee,” he said. My mother looked at them while shaking with anger. I grabbed her arm and tried to calm her down. “Forget it, Mom. I didn’t like the design anyway.” I pulled her out of the store, and Whitney and William followed behind us. At that moment, an out-of-control car came hurtling in our direction and was about to hit Whitney. William rushed up and pushed me forward to block Whitney from harm. Before I could react, I felt my head slamming against the hard frame of the car. Bef