Chapter 1

"Penny, what century are you living in? Why are you still so old-fashioned?"

I jolted awake.

My older sister Nina Sterling was leaning over me with her tongue sticking out, wagging it back and forth in front of my face. The whole length of it was studded.

A chill ran through me. "What are you doing?"

Looking at her, all I could think about was the knife she had once driven into my face. Instinctively, I took a step back.

Seeing my reaction, she laughed. She stepped closer, grabbed my hand, and pressed my fingertip against her tongue.

"Well? Feels textured, doesn't it?"

She licked the corner of her lips, her eyes full of provocation. "You don't even know how much Marcus loves it."

"All these years, he's had countless women around him. But I'm the only one he's publicly acknowledged as his girlfriend."

The damp, uneven sensation under my fingertip was real. Revolting.

So… I really had come back.

I forced down the nausea and played along. "You really are something."

She lifted her chin proudly. "Of course. Otherwise, why would the Mercer family specifically ask for me in the marriage arrangement?"

I nodded. "The Mercer family is well-known in high society. Once you marry into them, don't forget about me."

She let out a short laugh and tapped my shoulder.

"It's not like I didn't try to refuse the match. But what can I do? Marcus Mercer just can't get enough of me."

"You can be the real Sterling daughter all you want, what's yours still ended up in my hands."

I smiled.

The reason she was so confident was simple.

A year ago, I had been found and brought back to the Sterling family–their real daughter.

As for her, she was only the foster child my family had taken in after I went missing.

A year ago, when the Mercers came to propose the marriage, the one they originally wanted… was me.

Mr. Mercer admitted I was not as polished as Nina, but at least I carried the Sterling family's blood.

I looked at Marcus. He was handsome. He did not object.

At the time, I thought–after finally finding my biological parents, and now with this marriage–things were finally turning in my favor.

So I agreed, full of hope.

What I did not expect was that after dinner, sounds would come from Nina's room–loud enough for almost the entire house to hear.

She was not my father's biological daughter, but he had always doted on her.

Thinking something was wrong, he forced the door open–and saw her, clothes disheveled, draped across Marcus.

He was furious. He slapped her on the spot.

"This is outrageous! He's your sister's fiance!"

Vivian Sterling, my stepmother, immediately stepped in front of her. "How is this Nina's fault? Nina is gorgeous. Everyone had been drinking. They're young, you know how it..."

Nina suddenly dropped to her knees in front of me, tears streaming down her face as she slapped herself.

"I didn't mean to, I swear!

"I… I drank what you gave me. I wasn't thinking clearly…

"No–I was wrong. Please, don't make me leave…"

My father looked at me, disbelief written all over his face. "Penny, sweetheart..."

I was about to explain that I had not done anything–but Marcus let out a light laugh and pulled Nina to her feet.

"They're both daughters of the Sterling family. It makes no difference to me.

"Nina has the better image. She's more suitable."

With that, there was nothing my father could do.

I left, shaking with anger, slamming the door behind me.

A few days later, I forced myself to swallow it.

I told myself Nina had lived as the eldest daughter of this family for years–of course she felt insecure. And Marcus, agreeing to marry me one moment, betraying me the next. It was not worth holding onto.

One day, as I passed by Nina's room, I overheard Vivian speaking.

"Listen carefully. Marcus gets bored easily. If you give in too quickly, he'll lose interest."

Nina laughed. "Don't worry, Mom. I've been with him for six years… and I am still a virgin. I have my methods."