Chapter 1 Framed At The Engagement Party

"Making such a scene on the engagement day, Eleanor, you're such a bitch!" I stared blankly at the scandalous photos on the big screen. Before I could even react, my fiancé, Arthur Cavendish, slapped me hard across the face. My stepsister, Vivian Lancaster, was sobbing. "Eleanor, Arthur is so good. How could you cheat him?" My left cheek throbbed with pain, and it felt like something had exploded in my head. Today was my engagement day with Arthur. But as soon as I entered the banquet hall, I saw my fiancé embracing Vivian intimately. Fuming, I went up to confront them. Then, photos of me having sex with different men started playing on a loop on the big screen. The guests gradually turned to look. "She's so shameless. How could she be affectionate with so many men?" "Eleanor is so wild in private. Isn't she from the countryside?" "Arthur has dumped her. So what about the engagement?" My father, Henry Lancaster, put on a sanctimonious look. "The wedding's crucial for the reputations of our two families and can't be called off. So I've decided Vivian will take Eleanor's place and get engaged to Arthur." Arthur's father, Reginald Cavendish, nodded with an ugly look on his face. "There's no other way. Our family will never marry a shameless woman!" I fought hard to stop myself from shaking and slowly swept my eyes over everyone. So that's what they were up to. As long as I was still Arthur's fiancée, Vivian would always be the other woman, so they wanted to ruin me. The assets of the Lancaster family were left by my mother. Dad used them to support my stepmother and his illegitimate daughter. Arthur owed me his life. Now, were they trying to smear my reputation like this and force me to call off the engagement? "Ruining my reputation with a few fake photos, so my sister can take my place. What a great plan!" My stepmother, Isabella, sobbed. "Eleanor, what are you saying? Do you really think Vivian set you up on purpose?" Vivian put on an act on her little face, "Sis, I know you're blaming me. Sorry, I'll give Arthur back to you." Arthur was both angry and pained. "Eleanor, you're promiscuous and you're slandering Vivian? That scar on your neck is so ugly. You're not worthy of me at all!" That scar was left when I saved Arthur, but now it's evidence that I "don't deserve him". I looked up, sneering. "Fine, I'm done with this engagement. Vivian can follow in her mother's footsteps and keep being the other woman. Well, I wish you two all the best. Thanks, sis, for taking in the trash I don't want." Arthur's face turned pitch-black. "Can you be reasonable? You were the one who cheated first. How dare you scold Vivian? Vivian, what's wrong with you?" Before he finished, Vivian suddenly fell backwards. She opened her mouth weakly, her face deathly pale. "My heart hurts so much, Arthur. Am I going to die? Don't blame sis. It's all my fault…" Arthur was even more enraged. He grabbed my head harshly and slammed it against the railing. "You know Vivian has a heart condition, yet you insult her as the other woman! I'm telling you, Vivian and I have been in love for ages. You're the one who's been meddling!" "If anything happens to Vivian, I won't let you off!" I just felt a sharp pain in my forehead, and a bone-chilling cold spread through my body. Arthur had already rushed off with Vivian in his arms, leaving the guests to gossip about me. I slowly closed my eyes. I'd been so spineless these past few years. I took such good care of Arthur, gave him money and resources, and did all I could to help run his company. But he'd been fooling around with my stepsister Vivian? Since this couple are so affectionate, let me give them a big gift! I made a phone call. The next moment, Isabella let out a scream. "Eleanor, what have you done?!" Isabella suddenly received a message. Fuming with anger, she raised her hand, trying to slap me. "Who said my sister slept with her brother-in-law? You're so despicable! How could you spread such things? You've already ruined Vivian like this, and now you're trying to slander her! Bitch!" I sneered. Isabella called me a bitch at every turn, and yet I endured it for Arthur's sake for so long before? I directly grabbed Isabella's hand and gave her a slap right back, sharp and decisive. "Can't stand being cursed at? You and Vivian have been living off my mother's inheritance. What gives you the guts to shout at me like this?" When Isabella heard the word "inheritance", she didn't even care about the slap she'd just received. She shrieked in panic: "Eleanor, what are you up to? You can only get the inheritance when you marry into the Cavendish family. Arthur has dumped you, so the inheritance should be ours!" Hearing this, I furrowed my brows. This was indeed a problem. According to Mom's will, the inheritance would fully belong to me only after I married someone from the Cavendish family. Suddenly, Isabella gained some confidence and snarled, "If you're willing to kneel down and beg me, maybe I can still help you..." "The Cavendish family doesn't have only Arthur." Not far away, an extremely handsome side - profile caught my eye. I'd seen this man in the Cavendish family. He was Arthur's uncle, successful at a young age, and unmarried! A bold idea immediately popped into my mind. "Isabella, we'll see about that." I heard the man say to his bodyguard, "Send Miss Montrose home." His bodyguard led away a hysterical woman. An assistant-looking guy beside him forced himself to persuade, "Sir, the old lady has given a strict order. You must get married today. Miss Montrose, she..." The man's eyes drooped slightly, and he said coldly and distantly, "I don't like women who think they're smart." The assistant fell silent at once. Apparently, Miss Montrose had done something stupidly clever and annoyed him. "But without Miss Montrose, where can you find another bride?" "Pick one randomly from the women. I'll give you half an hour—" This was my chance. Before he could finish, I walked up to him with a smile. "Sir, if you're going to pick a woman to marry at random," My red lips parted gently. "What do you think of me?" Silence fell all around! The man narrowed his eyes and his voice turned hoarse. "Miss Lancaster, are you proposing to a man you've just met?" His eyes were as cold as water, and the ones behind the gold-rimmed glasses were like glass. Being stared at by such a man, I felt pressured immediately, but I tried my best to keep calm. "So what if we've just met? Some people can decide for a lifetime upon first meeting, while some, even after ten years of dating, will seem like strangers when they meet again." The man curled his lips in amusement. "There are so many women who want to marry me, Miss Lancaster. Why should I choose you?" I was stuck. This wasn't an interview. Was I supposed to sell myself to this man? Suddenly, I had an idea and my eyes lit up. "Because I have an advantage that other socialites can't match!" I saw his gaze land on the scar on my neck, and he blurted out, "What?" I blurted out right away, "I just want to get married to someone. I've got no improper thoughts about you, nor am I interested in your wealth. After we're married, you can do as you please. You'll still be free as a bird and can act like I'm not even there. Can any other woman offer that?" Arthur's uncle was a powerful figure in Ravenshire. Being forced into marriage by the elders, he surely wasn't keen. But if he married me, he could satisfy the elders and also have freedom post-marriage. It's all upside for him. He's gotta agree this time, right? The man leaned in, danger swirling in his eyes. "No improper thoughts? Not interested?" The man suddenly seemed displeased. What on earth was he annoyed about? I was giving him freedom. Wasn't that a good thing? The atmosphere was scarily quiet. Worried he'd reject it, I was about to say something to make amends when suddenly the man in front of me spun around and strode off. "Get in the car." The assistant led me to the car. I was caught off-guard for a moment. "Where to?" The man looked composed, every move exuding nobility. He calmly retorted, "Didn't Miss Lancaster want to marry me?" He'd agreed to get married! I was stunned for a while, fearing he'd change his mind. I quickly sat beside him as fast as I could. "Then we shouldn't waste any time. Let's go to the Registry Office right now!" Edward curled his lips and let out a soft laugh，and said:"By the way, you can call me Edward."