All Chapters of For Better, Not Yours: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Charles Ford's voice came through from the other end of the line. His voice was low and a little hoarse. "Whitney, what nonsense are you talking about?" I let out a soft laugh, tinged with mockery. "You saw the news, didn't you? That wonderful son of yours? He disgusts me. I'm serious. I want someone else." There was a pause. Silence for a few seconds, and then his voice returned, trembling slightly, "This isn't something we can talk about over the phone. I'll come see you." "Sure," I said coolly, "I'll be waiting at home." The corners of my lips lifted into a small smile, my eyes flashing with quiet determination. Charles was just a little over thirty, but due to a hereditary condition that made it difficult for him to have children, years of IVF attempts all failed. In the end, he had no choice but to adopt Jayden Ford from a distant branch of the family and groom him as the heir. As for my family—the Sheridan family—our place in this marriage with the Ford family rested

I was trembling with rage. If they went through with this, both I and the entire Sheridan family would become a laughingstock. Jayden, however, seemed convinced that his absurd plan made perfect sense. His tone grew even more resolute. "Whitney, I know it's unfair to you, but Luna has been through a lot. Just think about the child—" I cut him off coldly, "Jayden, you bastard! You want me to go through this shit show of a wedding with you? So, you get the marriage license with me, but it's Lunara who gets the wedding night? "And then you want me, the legal wife, to raise your illegitimate child? Do you think I, Whitney Sheridan, am some beggar off the street, someone you can push around as you wish?" My voice was rising, drawing curious and judgmental looks from the other customers in the bridal shop. Lunara began to sniffle pitifully behind him. "Please don't be angry, Ms. Sheridan. I know I'm just a lowly peasant, that I'm unworthy of this. I just wanted to be a bride, j

My fingertips gently brushed across the embossed invitation in my hand. The gold lettering shimmered under the light, clearly spelling out: Mr. Charles Ford & Ms. Whitney Sheridan. The corners of my lips lifted into a faint, serene smile. Downstairs, Jayden and Lunara's wedding should be starting now. Or maybe not, given how embarrassingly few guests showed up. Meanwhile, upstairs, at my wedding, the atmosphere was entirely different. Inside the lavishly decorated grand ballroom, political elites and business moguls filled every seat. I strolled down the aisle, arm in arm with Charles. He stood tall and composed, his presence commanding. Unlike Jayden, his presence held the weight of time and the gravitas of a mighty man. He leaned close to whisper in my ear, "Don't be nervous." I looked up at him with a calm smile. "With you by my side, there's nothing to be nervous about." When he slid the ring onto my finger, my heart did not race the way I imagined it would. I

"Well, my dear, was that a surprise to your satisfaction?" Charles gripped my hand tightly, his voice trembling with emotion. "Whitney, you've given me the greatest gift I could ever imagine! You have no idea, all these years, I've been tormented by the fact that I might never have children of my own. "But now, not only are you giving me two children, but you're also doing it at the moment I needed it most. I've made up my mind. From today on, 6% of Ford Corporation's shares will be yours." Gasps rippled through the crowd. 6% of Ford Corporation—that was an astronomical figure, enough to make any elite family go green with envy. Jayden's face turned even darker. After all these years of being groomed as the heir, Charles never granted him any real shares, not a single percent. Suddenly, Jayden snapped, his voice taut with suppressed fury. "Dad, are you serious? How do you even know those kids are yours?" I laughed coldly in my heart. He could not hold it in any long

"It's not true! Jayden, please listen to me! The baby is yours!" A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the room. "You bitch! What do you have to say to this? The DNA results are in. How much longer are you planning to lie to me?!" Lunara's cries and pleas kept coming, interspersed with the thuds of heavy objects crashing to the floor. Downstairs, I sipped on my tea slowly and contentedly, listening to the chaos upstairs. I could not have felt more at ease. When Lunara's screams turned increasingly shrill and desperate, I figured it was about time to intervene. Putting on a worried expression, I gently held my waist, carefully making my way up the stairs, one slow step at a time. I stood outside their bedroom door, raised my voice, and called out with concern. "Oh, Jayden, come on now. What couple doesn't argue now and then? Lunara did give birth to your child, didn't she? How could you raise your hand against her like this?" Inside, Lunara's cries became even more m