Se connecterHELENE“What exactly is going on between you and my cousin?” Isabel asked.The moment the question left her lips, a single thought crossed my mind.As expected.When I saw her standing outside my door earlier, I had already guessed why she came. And, as it turned out, I wasn’t wrong.Thinking about it now, her curiosity made perfect sense.As Lucien’s cousin—and my best friend—Isabel was, of course, privy to our better-forgotten past entanglement. More than that, she knew better than anyone how deliberately I had avoided anything related to him over the years.There had even been a time she nearly argued with me over it, frustrated that I refused to visit her home just to avoid the possibility of running into him.And yet, that same person had taken the initiative to ask for his contact.Of course she’d be curious.Honestly… I would be too, if I were in her position.Earlier, when I messaged her for Lucien’s contact, she had asked why. Not knowing how to explain, I brushed it off with
HELENEI sent Grandma a message to let her know I’d received the package she’d sent, having spotted it by the front door earlier.Knowing how rarely she checked her phone, I didn’t expect a reply anytime soon.Fortunately, the produce was still fresh as I sorted everything into the refrigerator. Otherwise, she really would’ve raised hell with the delivery company.After that, I headed upstairs to change into something more comfortable.I had barely finished when the doorbell rang.Not exoecting anyone, I hurried back downstairs and pulled the door open—Only to freeze in surprise.“What are you doing here?” I blurted out. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the office right now?”Dressed in a beige square-neck long-sleeve top paired with a black mini skirt, ankle boots, and a matching handbag, Isabel Fontaine looked effortlessly put-together—soft, feminine, and eye-catching as always.She blinked at me, then smiled, a shallow dimple appearing on her left cheek.“Of course I’m here,” she sai
LUCIEN“She really said that?” Adrian asked, disbelief evident in his voice after I briefly summarized my conversation with Helene. “If that turns out to be true, then I have to say—the Laurent family has truly grown bold.”“Replacing the bride at the last minute? Do they think they’re the main characters in some melodrama?”“Not like it would be their first time,” I replied indifferently.His eyes narrowed, curiosity flaring to life in them. “What do you mean, not their first time? You’re saying they’ve switched the bride before?”He ran a hand through his hair, confusion surfacing on his face. “But that doesn’t make sense. I’ve never heard of any other marriage arrangement between your family and theirs.”It wasn’t surprising he couldn’t piece it together immediately. The switch had happened long before I recruited him, and it was hardly something worth mentioning afterward.My silence made him realize something amiss.“Don’t tell me…” His eyes widened dramatically. “It was your en
LUCIENHer words made me pause, all expression instantly vanishing from my face.“What do you mean by that?” I asked, my tone unreadable.She met my gaze calmly. “I mean we could make this a contract marriage—one with a specific time limit. A year, for example. After that, we can file for a mutual divorce and go our separate ways.”“Even your grandfather would have nothing to say about it. After all, he only wanted you to marry a Laurent daughter to fulfill the promise he made with my grandfather. He never said you couldn’t divorce her afterward.”“If he asks for the reason, we could simply say we had incompatible temperaments, or something like that.”She really was thorough with her preparations, I thought with inward ridicule.I hadn’t even agreed to her proposal yet, and she had already prepared the explanation for our future divorce.To tell the truth, from the moment she declared she wanted to marry me, I had begun considering the idea seriously.In the past, I had always though
LUCIEN For the first time in my life, I felt as though I wasn’t intelligent enough. From everything Helene had said so far, it was obvious she found the idea of replacing Noemie and marrying me just as ridiculous as I did. She had even clearly foreseen the consequences it could bring—especially for her, who might easily be accused of being the third party who stole her sister’s fiancé. Considering all that, it was only natural for me to assume she had come to convince me to cancel the engagement on my end, since she lacked the means to do so herself. But what? Her intention wasn’t to cancel the engagement, but to follow through with that absurd proposal and marry me instead? Had this woman lost her mind after years of mistreatment from her family? That thought must have shown on my face, because Helene suddenly let out a soft chuckle. A glint of amusement flickered in her bright, almond-shaped eyes. “Don’t worry,” she said with a faint smile. “I’m not crazy.” Her expression so
HELENELucien’s home was located in another ultra-exclusive villa community at the west end of the city.The highly coveted Monarch Park—a place where owning even an inch of land meant you were a millionaire.But money alone wasn’t enough to become a resident. Prestige, connections, and reputation were equally important requirements.I had already been cleared by Lucien in advance, so when I arrived at the tall, intimidating gates guarded by security officers, my name was quickly confirmed on the visitor list. Thus, I was allowed inside without delay and given directions to his residence.Following the directions, I soon reached the last property at the far end of the road. An impressive gold-embossed nameplate mounted on the gate pillar gleamed under the early afternoon sun.It bore only three numbers—001—yet it made a statement all on its own. After all, unique numbers like that were reserved only for developers or original owners.And if my memory served me right, Monarch Park was







