He is not My Mr. Right

Raindrops tapped against the floor-to-ceiling window, blurring the glass with indistinct streaks. Howard Silva knelt on one knee, the diamond ring in the velvet box glinting with a cold light. "Mona, marry me." His voice was like honey, sweet enough to make my heart tremble. I covered my mouth as tears welled up unexpectedly. In my twenty-two years, I had never known such a moment. Abandoned at the doorstep of the orphanage, I scrapped through university on a scholarship; nibbling on cold bread in a cramped rental room, I never dared to dream of a scene like this. "I am willing." I choked back a sob and nodded; when my fingertips brushed the warmth of his palm, I almost believed it was an illusion. He rose to embrace me, the scent of cedar mingled with rain enveloping us. "When we marry, we will go to Provence to see the lavender fields." He bowed his head to kiss the crown of my head, his tone as solemn as a vow. In that moment, I believed him utterly. Three days later, as I was trying on the wedding gown Howard Silva had sent me, the doorbell rang. Outside stood a well-dressed couple; the woman's makeup was exquisite, yet it could not conceal the urgency in her eyes. "Are you... Mona Yip?" The man adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his voice trembling ever so slightly. I nodded, a flicker of unease rising in my heart. "We are your biological parents, Jason Johnson and Vivian Sue." The woman's voice trembled even more, "It was our fault back then for losing you..." I could not catch the rest clearly; my ears buzzed with a persistent ringing. So I was not abandoned after all, and I had a name: Nora Johnson. It turned out I was the true daughter of the Johnson family, cast out into the world. The Johnson Family Villa was as vast as a labyrinth, and the crystal chandeliers dazzled painfully in my eyes. Another girl sat on the sofa; her features bore some resemblance to mine, only more vivid. She wore a Chanel suit, and when she saw me, a mocking smile curved at the corner of her lips. "Mom, Dad, is this the 'older sister' you found?" She twisted her fingers, her tone laced with contempt. Vivian Sue took my hand and pushed me forward. "Nora, this is Jennifer Johnson, who has stayed with us all these years in your stead." Jennifer Johnson let out a sneer but remained silent. At dinner, Jason Johnson cleared his throat, shattering the silence. "Nora, there is something... I need your help with." He avoided my gaze. "Jennifer... she does not wish to marry into the Xavier family." The Xavier family? I recalled the family Howard Silva had mentioned, that clan entrenched in the northern part of the city, infamous for their ruthlessness. "Leon Xavier is notoriously cruel; if Jennifer marries into that family, she will be destroyed." Vivian Sue's eyes reddened. "Nora, you and Jennifer resemble each other. Could you... take her place and marry in her stead?" My heart sank suddenly. "Take her place?" I looked at them, my voice strained. "Then what of the wedding between Howard and me..." Jason Johnson interrupted me, his tone growing stern, "Since you have acknowledged the family bond, you ought to do your part for the Johnson Family. Jennifer has been raised with us since childhood; she must not be wronged." "But I do not wish to." I stood up, the chair legs scraping harshly against the floor. "I have already promised Howard." "As for Howard Silva, we will speak with him." Vivian Sue grabbed my arm with surprising strength. "Nora, I beg you." I shook off her hand and stepped back. So the family recognition was a lie; finding a substitute was the true purpose. In the dead of night, I curled up in the guest room bed and sent a message to Howard Silva. "Howard, they are forcing me to marry Leon Xavier in place of Jennifer Johnson." Once sent, the message vanished like a stone sinking into the ocean's depths. At three o'clock in the morning, the cell phone finally lit up. It was not Howard's reply, but a photo sent by Jennifer Johnson. In the photo, she leaned against Howard's chest, their smiles painfully radiant. The caption read: "Sister, thank you for marrying that madman in my place. Howard and I will be happy."