Chapter 1
A dozen middle–aged men in suits and ties were sitting at a luxurious long table.
My father sat in the main seat and smiled at me lovingly. “Zoe, make your choice! Your elders are all looking forward to you settling down soon.”
There were lots to be drawn on the table, each of which represented a young man from a noble family.
There was only one that looked like no one had picked up before.
My eyes fell on the faded lot in the corner. Ryan’s name was on it.
Ryan was known to be a madman whom everyone in New York avoided.
It was rumored that he burned his biological mother to death with his own hands, his face was disfigured, and his left leg was disabled.
The Mitchell family refused to even have their more respected elders show up, and only sent an uncle who was a nobody, for the lot–drawing.
But I remembered that in my previous life, I was locked in a cage, and those once smiling faces of flattery turned into cold eyes of indifferent bystanders, smirking and taking pictures for fun.
Only Ryan took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood off my face when I was dying.
I reached out and drew his lot without hesitation.
The whole place was dead silent.
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My father’s looks suddenly changed. “Zoe! You…”
I said firmly, “I’m picking him.”
My father stared at me intently, and finally slumped into his chair, sighing heavily. “Okay! But if he dares to hurt you in the slightest…”
He didn’t finish his words, but everyone present understood the weight of those words.
As soon as I walked out the door, I bumped into Marcus and Stella.
Stella’s eyes were bloodshot, and her shoulders were shaking slightly, looking like she had suffered a great injustice.
“Ms. Carrigan,” she said in a choked voice, “I know you hated me, but the studio was my life. Why did you destroy it?”
Marcus stepped in protectively, his gaze icy. “Zoe, do you have to do such a vicious thing just to marry me?”
I glanced at them calmly and said, “I didn’t do anything.”
When I turned to leave, he grabbed my wrist hard.
“Apologize! Pay for the damages! Or else, don’t even think about ever being a part of the Aldridge family!”
Stella hurriedly grabbed his arm. “Marcus, stop, please! Zoe, it’s all my fault!”
She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “I’ll get on my knees for you. Will you please give me back the studio?”
Marcus became even angrier after hearing this. “Apologize to Stella. She
in poor health. Give her that nursing home under your name. Also,
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provide her with 20 caretakers, the best ones. Plus a dedicated medical team, on call 24 hours a day.”
I shook off Marcus’s hand and laughed out loud. “Marcus, aren’t you thinking too highly of yourself?
“The lot I’ve drawn was not yours at all.”
There was a strange flash in Stella’s eyes.
“What did you say?” Marcus’s pupils dilated suddenly, and then he let out a sarcastic laugh. “Why are you pretending? Aren’t you just jealous that I’m nice to Stella?”
I found it too tedious to argue any further, so I just turned and left.
Thinking that I could finally change my partner in this life and get rid of Marcus the madman, I felt a surge of pleasure warming up deep within.
The next day, I went to a gallery under my name, wanting to pick a painting as a gift to Ryan.
When I pushed open the door, I froze in place.
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