Chapter 1

Stepping out of the city hall, Emelie Richmond stared at the piece of marriage certificate in her hands and felt momentarily dazed. She couldn't believe she was married, much less to a stranger she'd met only once. The certificate still felt warm to the touch. Tyler Vaughn's name was written on it, and beyond that, Emelie knew nothing about him. "When should we hold the wedding? I'm in a bit of a hurry," said Tyler who was standing next to her. Emelie pondered for a moment. "In two weeks. I'll need some time to prepare." Tyler's lips curled into a faint smile, and his eyes softened slightly. "Alright. You don't need to worry about anything. Just wait for me to pick you up on the wedding day." Emelie nodded with a small smile. "I'm staying at Blue Sky Residence with the Horton family. I'll be waiting for you." Just as Tyler wanted to say more, his phone rang, and a Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of them. "Sorry, something urgent's come up." After Emelie gave him an understanding look, he got into the car and left promptly. Moments after the car disappeared into the distance, three luxury cars with distinct styles pulled up in front of Emelie. The doors opened and out stepped three men, each strikingly handsome in his own way but vastly different in personality. Anthony Horton, the eldest among them, approached first. He casually adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said, "Mel had a fever. I was busy taking care of her and couldn't make it in time." Marcelo Horton, the second eldest, followed closely behind. His tall figure stood out in a sleek black trench coat. He said, "Since you've been undecided about which of us to choose, it doesn't matter we're late today. Let's just postpone the wedding plans until next year." Connor Horton, the youngest, smirked nonchalantly as he chimed in, "Forget next year. Push it back a few years and let her take her time deciding." However, Emelie simply shook her head and pulled out the marriage certificate from her handbag with a serene smile. She declared, "I'm not choosing between you three. I'm already married." The three's faces froze, shock flickering across their eyes as disbelief set in. Anthony's sharp gaze narrowed slightly, and his brows knitted together in disapproval. "Emelie, are you trying to scare us because we missed the appointment?" Marcelo's smile faded, and he scolded, "You know Mel saved our lives from that car accident. We owe her. You also know how we feel about you. Can't you be a bigger person?" Meanwhile, Connor tugged at his tie with an irritated look. "The whole Warlington knows we've been chasing you. Who'd dare marry you besides us? They'd be asking for trouble. And now you're faking a marriage certificate? Really, Emelie?" With that, Connor snatched the certificate from her and swiftly tore it into pieces. The shredded paper fluttered to the ground like snowflakes. Emelie stared at the remnants bewilderedly. She wanted to argue but forced herself to stay calm. This was supposed to be a joyful day for her. Besides, there was no point getting angry over a torn certificate. It could easily be reissued anyway. Emelie looked at them with a composed expression and said, "Tearing up the certificate doesn't change the fact that the marriage is valid. My wedding is in two weeks. You're welcome to attend." The brothers exchanged glances, each seeing the disbelief mirrored in the others' eyes. As close as they were, they were united in their suspicion that this was just a ploy to provoke them. Marcelo stepped closer and uttered coldly, "This little act is getting old." "I'm not acting." "Fine, fine, you're not. Happy now?" Connor responded with mock patience. "If you insist, I can't wait to see how you keep this up in two weeks." Frowning, Anthony was about to speak when his phone rang abruptly. Melissa Blackwell's frail, tearful voice came through when he answered the call. "Anthony, Marcelo, Connor… where are you guys? I feel awful…" Instantly, their expressions shifted into panic. Anthony's voice softened at once as he hurriedly comforted Melissa, "Mel, I only stepped out to get your favorite snack. I'll be right back." "Don't worry, Mel. I'm coming now," Marcelo added. "Hang tight, Mel. I'm on my way," Connor chimed in. As soon as the call ended, all three of them rushed into their cars and sped off, leaving Emelie standing there in the cold. The chilly wind blew her hair into her face, blurring her vision. She watched as their cars vanished in the distance. Then, a faint smile tugged at her lips, though a sense of loss lingered in her chest. Even now, Emelie couldn't understand how things had come to this between her and the Horton brothers. When she was seven, her parents had died in an accident, and she was taken in by the Horton family, who had been close friends with her own. There had been an arranged marriage between her and one of their sons. That day, dressed in a delicate dress, a soft and sweet-looking Emelie had made her first appearance at the Horton residence—and all three brothers had taken a liking to her instantly. They fought over her from the moment they met, each declaring she'd be their future bride. Their parents, Ezra Horton and Kaitlyn Gould, initially dismissed it as childish infatuation. Nonetheless, the brothers' feelings for Emelie only grew stronger over the years. They cherished her like a treasure, protecting her fiercely and driving away any boy who dared approach her with even a hint of romantic interest. As they grew older, Anthony became the family heir, Marcelo rose to fame as a global superstar, and Connor achieved legendary status in esports. Despite their differences, they remained steadfast in their mutual affection for Emelie, each determined to win her over. Exasperated by their sons' rivalry, Ezra and Kaitlyn finally announced that Emelie would choose one of them to marry on her 22nd birthday. When that day arrived, Emelie showed up, whereas the three men who had once vowed to love her above all else failed to appear because of Melissa. Melissa was the daughter of a new maid at the Horton residence. Ever since she arrived, she'd schemed to endear herself to the brothers with small, calculated acts of kindness. She would bake cookies for them, remind them to eat their meals on time and run through the rain to deliver medicine when they needed it. At first, the three of them had dismissed her efforts with disdain. They treated her just as they had rejected other women before—calling her pretentious and avoiding her at all costs. But everything changed after the car accident. Melissa had thrown herself in front of a speeding car to save them. While they were unharmed, she'd suffered severe injuries and nearly lost her life. From that moment on, their attitudes toward her changed dramatically. Their hearts gradually leaned toward Melissa, and they began to hurt Emelie repeatedly for her sake. When Melissa sprained her ankle, they abandoned Emelie on a dangerous mountain populated by snakes, insects, and rodents. When Melissa whined about wanting to go to an amusement park, they heartlessly left a sick and feverish Emelie behind to fulfill Melissa's wishes first. When both Emelie and Melissa fell into the water, all three of them chose to save Melissa. Incidents as such had happened far too often. Even when it was agreed that she would get married to one of them on this particular day, they had missed the appointment. Not a single one of them, who once swore to marry no one but her and claimed they couldn't live without her, had shown up on time. For years, the Horton brothers had publicly and passionately expressed their affection for her, and everyone in their social circle knew about it. Now that she'd been abandoned by them, the humiliation threatened to tarnish the Richmond family's reputation. So, to preserve her family's dignity, Emelie had married a stranger. The arranged marriage was over. From this day forward, her ties with the Horton brothers were severed.