All Chapters of Married the Dead; Broke the Living: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

Dad, who'd always pampered me, went pale and rushed over to feel my forehead."Ariel! What are you even saying? He might've been the Roosevelts' eldest and the heir to the richest family in Jastrelle, but he's gone. Don't even think about something that morbid!"But all the other candidates were Jastrelle's infamous trust-fund brats, guys who lived to gorge and loaf. There was nothing they wouldn't stoop to. I would rather die than marry any of them.The only man I ever admired, Felix Ledger, sat in the waiting area by the window, making eyes at his adoptive sister, Winnie Ledger. They were practically glued together, looking sweet enough to rot teeth."Felix, that bitch won't stop clinging to you. What if she actually picks you?" Winnie asked.Tears streaked both her cheeks, leaving her small and fragile.He snorted. "She thinks she has a claim on me just because she saved us when our family collapsed. She's vicious. If she's shameless enough to force me into marrying her, I'll

Chapter 2

Felix's eyes widened. He clamped down on my wrist so hard that a bruise bloomed almost instantly."Winnie said you're vicious and you put on the helpless act around me. Looks like she was right!"I looked at a man who no longer had anything to do with me and shook him off. "What difference would the truth make? You don't listen or look. You never see people for who they are."Felix's face twisted with rage. He swung for me, but a hand caught his wrist in midair. When he and Winnie saw who it was, the blood drained from their faces.Mr. James and Mrs. Ruby Roosevelt, the wealthiest couple in town and the ones hosting Raphael's funeral, had arrived."Ariel will soon carry our name. We won't let the likes of you lay a hand on her."Before Felix could react, Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt softened their expressions and turned to me with warmth."Ariel, we've heard the Magnussens have been tight on funds lately. Don't worry. After what you've given up, we'll back Magnussen Group in full."W

Chapter 3

I clenched my teeth and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, wrestling with myself for what felt like forever. In the end, I shut my eyes and fumbled to unbutton Raphael's shirt."When we were kids, you pissed on my bike tire. Never thought I'd end up dealing with you now..."I cursed under my breath, my hands trembling as they moved lower.When I finally reached his zipper, the bulge underneath made my heart leap into my throat. I screamed before I could stop myself.Felix pounded on the door like a madman until the bodyguards dragged him off.Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt rushed in. When they noticed the involuntary reaction below Raphael's waist, they gave me an embarrassed smile."Sorry, we forgot to mention it. The doctor said that a man's body can still respond for up to three hours after death. Don't worry. It should go back to normal in about half an hour. Once you two are finished here, we'll announce the union of our families!"I nodded shakily and watched them leave, r

Chapter 4

The crowd broke into screams. Terrified family members bolted in all directions, only to realize the bodyguards had locked every exit.My heart lurched. Could Raphael really be playing one last prank from beyond the grave?Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt were sweating at the temples but kept their composure. They immediately called out to the family doctor. "Go check on Raphael!"What was strange was that the doctor didn't even check Raphael's condition before pulling out a syringe and heading straight for him.A bad feeling shot through me. Raphael might've been a bastard, but I wasn't about to let someone use that as an excuse to harm him.I forced myself to stand between him and the casket, glaring coldly at the doctor. "What are you trying to inject him with?"The doctor stammered, "M-Mr. Raphael's body wasn't in full rigor. When you wiped him down earlier, it triggered a reaction below his waist. That got his blood moving again, and he came back."I'm worried he might lash out in co

Chapter 5

"After the Ledgers went bankrupt, Mr. and Mrs. Ledger jumped to their deaths in despair. The Magnussens took Felix and Winnie in and have looked after them ever since."Turns out Mr. Magnussen's a wolf in sheep's clothing. He brought them home just to entertain Ariel!""No wonder the Magnussens, who'd once rivaled the Roosevelts, have been falling apart lately. The father and daughter have pulled so many rotten stunts that it finally caught up with them!""As soon as Ariel married someone else, the Magnussens burned their bridges. They're utterly heartless!"Dad was left speechless, his body shaking with anger.Raphael hauled himself up and slapped Winnie across the face. "That's my father-in-law you're slandering! Who else wants to try it?"Before anyone could react, Raphael wrapped an arm around my waist and gave Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt a mocking look."I'll admit. I'm quite pleased with the marriage you arranged for me. But that doesn't erase the fact that you two impersonated

Chapter 6

Felix froze, staring at Winnie in confusion. "Winnie, what are you talking about? I'm your brother!"Winnie smiled sweetly, resting her hand on his cheek. "Why does the golden girl from Jastrelle get to pick her groom by drawing lots, while people like us, born with nothing, have to give up the ones we love?"When I was little, I swore I'd pick the man I loved most and shape him into exactly who I wanted. The moment I stepped into the Ledger residence, you became my choice."Don't worry, Felix. Once you marry me, the Roosevelts' and the Magnussens' fortunes will both be yours too."Felix shook his head and took a step back. "You... hid this from me all this time. So you're the one who's been after me all along! And you actually thought you could change me?"Raphael suddenly burst out laughing. The bodyguards loosened their grip on him, me, and Dad."Finally, all of you crawled out and stepped right into the trap. Guess our little performance paid off."The impostors and Winnie f

Chapter 7

"Who said that?"Suddenly, the real Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt were helped inside."I should thank you all. If it weren't for your little performance, Raphael wouldn't have ended up marrying the woman he wanted. He probably would've gone and crashed the ceremony, and we Roosevelts would've become a laughingstock instead."The impostors were stunned. "No way... We hid you so well! How could anyone have gotten you out?"Raphael smirked. "That silicone mask maker is famous for keeping his mouth shut. He'd never tell anyone whose faces you two copied. But we did some digging on what he sells."Those custom masks you're wearing can't stay on for more than three hours before they have to be refrigerated again. Otherwise, they'll start to melt and might even burn your skin."So you had to stash them in my family's walk-in freezer, the one nobody uses, to cool them down fast enough to keep your little secret safe."Funny thing is, after I was poisoned this morning and stopped breathing, you

Chapter 8

Felix snapped, "No wonder you've been gunning for Ariel ever since you joined the Ledgers. Turns out you were the manipulative one all along! You made me afraid to admit how much I loved her."And after the Magnussens kept us afloat, you kept trashing them, saying they looked down on us. You stoked my pride until I mistook Ariel's love for control and pressure!"He suddenly dropped to his knees in front of me. "Ariel, I'm sorry. I couldn't see straight. I know the truth now. I won't doubt you again, not for a second. I know you only married that trust-fund brat because you were angry with me."But now that the misunderstanding's cleared up, let's go ahead with our wedding. I swear I'll keep you safe and make sure you live a peaceful life, okay?"I gave a faint smile. "It's true. I married Raphael out of spite and planned to live as his widow. But after everything, I've seen a different side of him. He's magnetic and incredible."And I've seen another side of you too. You talk like

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP