Chapter 2 Marrying Off in Place of Her Sister

• At half-past eleven at night, Selene finally returned to her rental room.
• The dilapidated courtyard was remote and rudimentary. Since there was no heating, she was the only one living in the entire yard.
• She ran through the gate to find her father, Michael Jacobson, sitting at the stone table in the center of the courtyard.
• The man, nearing fifty, still carried an air of vigor and spirit.
• "Why are you here?" Selene furrowed her brows with suspicion.
• Her mother had passed away when she was seven, and before the seventh day after her death, her father had brought his mistress and illegitimate daughter home. Soon after, she and her brother were driven out of the house by their stepmother.
• Over the years, her father had ignored them, and his sudden appearance now surely meant no good.
• "Your sister, Sabrina, has never suffered hardship and can't serve well; Mandy can't bear to see her marry and become a widow, so you will marry into the Lowell Family in her place." Michael approached her, handing over a bright red marriage certificate. "Tonight, Sabrina arranged your engagement, and the Lowell Family raised no objections, so you can marry with peace of mind."
• Her stepmother's illegitimate daughter arranged her marriage?
• What was going on!?
• Selene's hands trembled as she took the marriage certificate and flipped through it.
• The wedding photo was edited, and her name was printed as the certificate holder, with Colton Lowell's name beside it.
• News of Colton Lowell, the second young master of the Lowell Family being half-dead, had spread across the city six months ago. Sabrina did not want to marry into the family, why should she be the scapegoat?!
• Selene shook with anger. "Was what happened tonight planned by you? Knocking me out in the dressing room just to make me a substitute bride?!"
• "Sabrina has set her sights on your fiance, Thomas Sadler, and Mandy feels she owes her and has always wanted to treat her better. Let Thomas go to her. Don't argue with them," Michael stated righteously, "You've already gotten the marriage certificate. Resisting is futile now. Just marry off quietly. If you can bear Colton a child, the Lowell Family will treat you even better."
• "Selene, although you’ll marry into the Lowell Family for me, the inheritance from Colton after his death will still be mine. If you cooperate with us well, I might still share some with you, so you won't be so destitute."
• Sabrina Jacobson, arm in arm with her mother, Mandy Sue, entered the courtyard.
• The well-dressed mistress was haughty, as if Selene owed her something.
• "Yes, Selene, if it weren't for Sabrina securing this marriage, how could you have the chance to be Mrs. Lowell? Right?"
• Mandy, dolled up extravagantly, shamelessly echoed.
• This mother-daughter pair was too clever for their own good, selfish to the extreme.
• Not content with driving her out of the house, they now took it for granted to turn into robbers!
• Now, she was quite willing to marry into the Lowell Family.
• They coveted those things, but she wouldn't let them have it.
• Selene turned to Michael. "Aren't you leaving? Aren't you afraid I'll cause a scene that won't give you peace?"
• "Let's go, we're leaving. The Lowell Family asked us to send you over at the beginning of next month. I'll come to pick you up then."
• If it weren't for the urgent need for investment from the Lowell Family, Michael wouldn't agree to let Selene marry in her sister's place. This girl was hard to manipulate, quite troublesome!
• "Let's go. Let's go back."
• He walked up to Mandy and her daughter and took them away.
• Sabrina, unwilling to give in, glanced back at Selene and taunted, "I'm telling you, Selene, you're just my stand-in. Don't get confused about your status, don't really think you're Mrs. Lowell."
• "I am Colton's lawful wife; I am the true Mrs. Lowell."
• With a heart as cold as ice, Selene uttered this sentence and turned to walk into her room.
• The saying goes, 'all lay loads on the willing horse', and tonight she deeply understood the shameful extent of this truth!
• "Seth, please wake up soon. I feel so helpless without you."
• After everything that had transpired tonight, even the strongest person would feel utterly fragile.
• Tears streaming down her face, Selene leaned against the door and slid to the floor, hugging her knees.
• It was so cold, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
• She longed for the warm embrace of her brother, wishing someone would hold her tight, even a little warmth would suffice.