Chapter 1

• Liza’s POV
• The picture of Serena and Brandon in an intimate position flashed across my screen, making me halt for a second.
• I was not supposed to be surprised but I was at that moment.
• Because one is my sister, and the other is my fiancé, who is about to become my husband.
• The front door opened and I stepped in when someone suddenly grabbed me. It was my sister, Serena.
• “Liza, do you really have to register your marriage with Brandon?” her grasp on my arm tightened and her face was filled with rage. “The Stone family is powerful and strict. You've just returned from the slum and do not understand their customs. Brandon does not care about you; marrying him would not make you happy.”
• She said all of that in one breath.
• I wasn't marrying Brandon for love or want. My decision to marry him was based on a commitment to fulfil to my late grandfather.
• Before I could say anything, Serena let out a piercing scream and my heart skipped a beat. She staggered backward, letting go of her grasp on my arm as she slammed into the metal fence behind her.
• I rushed towards her, and she let out a loud yelp of pain while clutching her stomach.
• When I touched her, she looked up at me with tears in her eyes, her voice shaking with indignation. “Sister…why would you do that? I know you are jealous of me and Brandon but you're the one who's marrying him! I merely said those things to warn you about how difficult it could be for a girl like you to join the Stone family. Was it worth hitting me in anger?”
• I froze with disbelief. I didn't touch her.
• “Serena?!” Brandon screamed and I turned around to see him rushing towards our direction. I stepped back.
• Without sparing me a glance, he threw an arm around Serena. “Are you okay?”
• A tear dropped from Serena’s eyes as she looked up at me with those big grey eyes of hers, blaming me for what I did not do.
• Brandon got the message and turned to me with an icy glare. Before I knew it, Brandon was a step away from me. “Bitch! You dared to push her? Who do you think you are?”
• “I didn't push…” I got cut short by a slap from Brandon. My jaws dropped as I staggered back, feeling the stung of the slap which left a painful imprint of his fingertips on my face.
• From the corner of my eyes, I saw someone stalking towards us and I turned to see it is father.
• The only man I have known all my life as my father but never acted like a father to me.
• “Serena and Brandon have been in love since childhood,” he began as our eyes locked. “I didn't expect you to want to take your younger sister’s boyfriend!”
• I opened my mouth to talk but he cut me short with a wave of his hand as he continued. “You have been nothing but a disgrace since you returned from the slum we came to pick you up from. Someone like you can't fit into a family like the Stone’s. They will never welcome someone like you, you're just going to shame the Sinclair names!”
• Really? So Serena would be welcome instead?
• “We've already decided,” he announced as he folded his arms across his chest, his eyes filled with nothing but hatred for me, just like Brandon’s. “Serena will take your place as Brandon’s wife and become a part of the Stone Family, not you. She's the only one who fits in with that family.”
• I shook my head, the stung from the slap very much present. “Apparently, this was all planned while I was absent. But sorry to say that Serena can never take my place this time!”
• I had no idea where the courage was coming from, even though I knew there was little or nothing I could do to change the narrative.
• Brandon is holding onto Serena dearly like she was a fragile egg, while watching me with pure disgust. Serena on the other hand, was feigning the wince on her face while my father took a step closer to me threateningly.
• I stepped back again with fright.
• “She will and there is nothing you or anyone would do about that!”
• I was brought back for this. The engagement between Brandon and me was arranged by my grandfather. At first, they only thought my grandfather was worried about me and wanted to find me a good match.
• Just this alone made my greedy family restless. They planned to have Serena replace me and marry the man my grandfather had chosen for me. Not to mention, when they later found out that my grandfather had arranged to transfer most of the company’s shares to me after my marriage, they realized they couldn’t let me marry. They wanted the shares and they wanted Serena to replace me.
• To replace every bit of my existence.
• I grit my teeth in annoyance. “In the end, I was no more than a piece in your game, right?”
• “Watch your tone, Liza!” Father yelled, cold chill racing down my spine. After all these years, I still fear him and his violent nature. “Serena was bred and polished by this family to be the ideal lady; aristocratic, accomplished and sophisticated. You stand no chance with her. You are just a country bumpkin whom we took care of. We took you out of the slum and provided you with a life of luxury you could only dream. What more could you want?”
• I inclined my head slightly, my eyes glistening with amusement. “Luxury? Comfort? Are you sure that's it? Or is this just a method of yours to rip me off of Grandpa’s shares which he left in my name?”
• The sinister smirk on father’s face disappeared immediately and Brandon turned to stare at him
• I continued. “Grandpa had just a single rule and that was for me to be married to inherit the 65% shares of the Sinclair Corporation, making me the dominant shareholder. I think I get the whole point now; you are not just replacing me with Serena. You'd rather I never married at all so I can never get the shares and I may always be under your control, don't you?”
• His face flickered with worry but it disappeared quickly.
• Before anyone else could say anything, Serena let out another yelp, grabbing her tummy. “My belly hurts. Ah.”
• Brandon gasped when he saw blood polled beneath Serena, staining the immaculate tiles red.
• Serena clung to Brandon, her voice shaking with panic. “Brandon, please save me! Save our child.”
• At the mention of child, I froze.
• Is this one of Serena’s game or is she serious right now? The Serena I have known all my life is a hypocrite at heart.
• She is probably playing the same game with Brandon. He was just too blind to see that.
• “What?!” Brandon exclaimed in shock.
• Her weeping filled the air and Father rushed to her too. “I'm so sorry father, I'm sorry Brandon. I didn't mean to keep any of this away from you two. I didn't know how to inform you because my sister insisted on marrying Brandon. I didn't want to upset her with the news of me carrying your child, Brandon. I believed I would be able to raise this child alone. At the very least, I figured this baby could serve as a memento of the years we spent together. Forgive me!”
• “It’s ok, princess. You will be fine and your child will be too.” Father assured her as he eased her onto Brandon’s arms. Brandon turned around hastily to take her to the hospital when he met my eyes again.
• “If anything happens to Serena or the baby, I swear you'll regret ever being born.”
• With that said, he raced out with Serena in his arms. My father spared me a last digustful look before running after them.
• I watched with a faint sneer as the reality dawned on me. Serena was playing a game she was good at. They didn't want me married and Brandon was a pawn in their game, just like me.
• For me to ruin the Sinclairs, I needed to get the shares somehow and for me to get the shares, there was only one way out.
• The only way to achieve that was to marry someone else.
• And it had to be today.