As the illegitimate daughter in a household that scorns her, Emilia has learned to endure a life of cruel whispers and cold glares. But her fate takes an unexpected turn when her spoiled half-sister disappears on the eve of her arranged marriage. The family forces Emilia to wed the rumored crippled and disfigured groom in her sister's place—an ominous task they hope will rid them of her for good. Yet, when Emilia meets her new husband, Damien Blackwood, she is stunned. This mysterious man is neither crippled nor disfigured. Instead, he’s handsome, powerful, and hiding secrets as dark as her own. With the Blackwood family’s treacherous history looming over them, Emilia realizes she has entered a world far more dangerous than her own home—a world where alliances are built on lies and love can turn into a weapon. As she delves deeper, Emilia uncovers shocking secrets that link her family’s downfall to Damien’s ruthless kin. Now, torn between the man she’s come to trust and the whispers of betrayal around every corner, Emilia must decide: will she seek revenge on those who’ve wronged her or fight alongside Damien to claim her rightful legacy? In a game where love, power, and loyalty are tested, Emilia must face her past to shape her future… even if it means risking her life.
The paper felt heavier than it should, as if the weight of every lie and betrayal it contained pressed down on my hands. My mother's name, her rights, her dignity—all of it captured here in faded ink. And the note scrawled at the bottom, "Remove this before it's too late," left a chill deep in my bones. How long had this been hidden here, tucked away in the shadows, just like the truth of my mother's life?
I ran my fingers over the crumbling edges of the document, feeling a strange connection to her, as though she were standing right beside me. Had she felt this same pressure, this same suffocating sense of betrayal? Had she looked around her with distrust, wondering who might be plotting her downfall?