Marry Me, My Deceitful Lover

In March, the pear blossoms at the Elliott family's residence were strewn across the ground, wet from the rain.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was unusually somber.

Today marked the first family breakfast since the real daughter of the Elliots had been found.

Seated at her usual spot, Tricia Elliott couldn't shake the feeling that some regarded her mockingly. Wanting to speak out but constrained by her current status, she could only grit her teeth and bear it. She quietly asked her brother, "Jeremy, when can we have breakfast?"

Jeremy Elliott glanced at his sister, noticing her effort to conceal her distress, her eyes red. Feeling compassion, he held her hand and called out impatiently to a servant. "Go upstairs and see if she's ready."

He still wasn't accustomed to referring to Danielle Gordon, his biological sister, by name. Noticing the unease on Tricia's face, he reassured her quietly, "Don't be afraid. I'm on your side."

Tricia smiled gratefully at him, feeling a surge of pride. Even if she wasn't the biological daughter, someone still cherished her.

After a short wait, a figure appeared at the stairway. It wasn't that Danielle was intentionally late. She often skipped breakfast and was unaware of the Elliotts' emphasis on this family meal. She looked graceful and beautiful without any makeup, in stark contrast to Tricia, who had worn a full face of makeup in an attempt to outshine her.

Danielle effortlessly outshone Tricia regardless.

Overcome with jealousy but maintaining a facade of calm, Tricia said, "Danielle, you're here."

Danielle glanced at her and took her seat without a word.

Silence ensued.

Tricia's eyes welled up with tears.

Jeremy's expression grew stern. "Why are you so cold to Tricia?"

"Do I have to respond with a bow or something?" Danielle countered. She sensed Tricia's dislike for her, which bordered on hostility.

Jeremy was pissed off at Danielle's remarks. Trying to ease the tension, Tricia intervened, "Jeremy, I'm fine. Maybe Danielle just got back and isn't familiar with the family rules..."

Her words hinted that Danielle was a country girl and lacked of manners.

Danielle remained silent, choosing not to respond. She was new to the Elliott family and, although not fearful, preferred to avoid conflict.

Her parents, Steve Elliott and Rhonda Elliott, exchanged a few words to ease the tension. Finally, they began their meal.

At the table, Steve mentioned, "Danielle, it's been busy lately. It might take some time to change your last name."

Danielle nodded, understanding the Elliotts hesitated about having her family name changed.

Though Danielle was their biological daughter, it was Tricia they had raised. They needed to consider her feelings.

Once Danielle's last name was changed, Tricia would become the real outsider. Anyway, the name change didn't seem crucial to Danielle.

"I understand."

Relieved by her response, Steve finally relaxed and offered her more food, feeling a twinge of guilt. "Danielle, have some more."

"Thank you, Dad." Danielle thanked him but avoided eating the food he offered. She was not accustomed to such gestures.

Watching them behave like a family, Tricia couldn't bear it. She suddenly began to sob.

Danielle instantly knew Tricia was about to cause a scene.

Jeremy dropped his utensils and comforted her, "Tricia, are you okay?"

"I feel guilty," Tricia said, turning to Danielle with tears in her eyes. "If it weren't for a mistake, Danielle wouldn't have grown up in the countryside. Maybe I should move out. It feels like the right thing to do."

"Who said it's right?" Jeremy frowned, clearly upset.

As Tricia continued to cry, he glared at Danielle and declared, "No matter what anyone else says, you're my sister. Your last name is Elliott. If anyone asks you to move out, I'd be the first to disagree!"

Danielle couldn't help but smile. Her brother seemed somewhat naive.

The expressions of the others at the table grew inscrutable, their eyes shifting between Danielle and Tricia, slowly piecing things together.

Steve, who initially felt a pang of guilt towards Danielle, now intervened, affirming, "Jeremy is right. Tricia, you will always be an Elliott."

Danielle observed the unfolding drama, finding it as intriguing as watching a play. She couldn't understand why they had brought her back if they didn't truly welcome her.

They finished their meal in a strained silence.

Afterward, Jeremy planned to drive Danielle and Tricia to the Harper family's residence.

There was an engagement arrangement between the two families, and it was Tricia who was engaged to Chris Harper. Now that the real daughter of the Elliotts had returned, the engagement could not proceed. Carolyn Harper, Chris' grandmother, felt compassion for Danielle and decided to intervene, planning to replace the original bride-to-be.

Today, Jeremy was taking Danielle to meet the Harpers.

Standing in the courtyard while waiting for Jeremy to arrive, Tricia approached Danielle and said in a roundabout way, "Danielle, if Chris shows any signs of hostility, don't mind him. We grew up together. Now that you are his fiancee, it might feel strange to him."

She implied that Danielle was intruding on her relationship with Chris.

If Danielle had been less understanding, she might have been upset, possibly leading to an argument. But she was indifferent to the engagement. If not for Carolyn's insistence, she wouldn't have wanted it at all.

"It doesn't matter," she said with a smile. She wanted to avoid conflict, but Tricia continued to provoke her. Finally, she had had enough. "We will get acquainted. You don't need to worry about us."

Tricia's face turned white with rage. She had once been Chris' fiancee, a status that had made many people envious. But Carolyn did not favor her, and those who once envied her would surely mock her. To her astonishment, Danielle was not easily manipulated.

Tricia had planned to further provoke Danielle to the point where she did something crazy so that the rest of the Elliott family would dislike her. In that case, Danielle would be disowned and Tricia would be the only daughter of the Elliotts. But before she could say more, Jeremy pulled up in front of them.

Rolling down the window, he sensed the tension. "What's wrong?"

Just as Tricia was about to complain, Danielle interjected, "Nothing. I was just chatting with Tricia and learning a lot about the Harpers. We had a good talk." She then turned to Tricia with a sweet smile and added, "Right?"