His Dark Love

Married To My Ex-Fiancé's Silent Uncle

Ming Yue

Twenty minutes before the "Wedding of the Century" at The Plaza, I stood outside the Presidential Suite in a fifty-thousand-dollar Vera Wang gown. I was the girl from a West Virginia trailer park about to marry Hugh Maxwell, the golden heir to a billion-dollar defense empire. I pushed the door open only to find Hugh pinned against the bed with my own stepsister, Floy. She was wearing my bridal diamond necklace, and the sounds of their laughter scraped against my eardrums like sandpaper. I didn't scream; I listened as Hugh grunted that once the wedding was over and the trust fund unlocked, he'd dump "that hillbilly trash" on a bus back to the mountains. They weren't just cheating; they were planning to steal my family's land deeds and leave me with nothing. When I set off the sprinklers and exposed their naked bodies to the paparazzi, the Maxwell family didn't apologize. They called me a "greedy peasant" and threatened to ruin my life unless I signed a new deal to save their crashing stock. I realized then that I was never a bride to them. I was a transaction, a rounding error in a ledger to be used and discarded. They thought my poverty made me weak and my silence made me a victim. "If we don't have a marriage certificate by midnight, the bank freezes thirty percent of our liquidity," their lawyer warned. So, I gave them exactly what they wanted. I used a loophole in their hundred-year-old family covenant and married the only other direct heir available. I didn't marry Hugh. I walked into the ICU and married his uncle, Fleet Maxwell-the legendary war hero who had been in a vegetative state for months. Now, I am the matriarch of the Maxwell dynasty. I've suspended Hugh's executive powers, exiled my mother-in-law to the Swiss Alps, and taken control of the family vault. They think I'm just a gold-digger waiting for a "corpse" to die so I can collect a fifty-million-dollar widow's payout. But last night, as I lay beside my comatose husband, the man they called a vegetable gripped my hand back.

Modern Scheming Contract marriage Billionaires CEO Flash Marriage Revenge Age Gap

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"Welcome to Blackwood Manor, Miss Emilia," the butler said, bowing slightly as he took her cloak. "I'll show you to your quarters.

"Thank you, Mr. Jenkins," Emilia replied, her eyes scanning the grand foyer. "The manor is even more impressive than I expected."

"Yes, milady... I mean, Miss Emilia," Mr. Jenkins corrected himself with a hint of a smile. "The Blackwoods have lived here for generations. It's a grand old place, but it has its... quirks."

Emilia raised an eyebrow. "Quirks?"

Mr. Jenkins leaned in, his voice lowering. "Some say the manor is... haunted. But I'm sure it's just old house creaks and groans."

Emilia chuckled. "I'm not one to believe in ghost stories, Mr. Jenkins. I'm here to care for the children."

"Ah, yes, the young master and mistress," Mr. Jenkins said, leading her up the stairs. "They're... spirited, shall we say. You'll have your hands full."

As they reached the nursery, Emilia heard the sound of laughter and playful shouts. She smiled, feeling a sense of excitement. This was going to be a challenge, but she was ready.

"Ah, Miss Emilia, let me introduce you to the children," Lady Blackwood said, sweeping into the room. "This is my son, Edward, and my daughter, Sophia."

Emilia curtsied. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm here to help you learn and grow."

Edward, a boy of about 10 years old, looked up at her with piercing green eyes. "I don't need a governess," he said, his voice sullen.

Sophia, on the other hand, smiled shyly. "I'm glad you're here, Miss Emilia. I've been wanting someone to play with."

As Emilia began to get to know the children, she noticed that the manor seemed to be... watching her. She felt eyes on her, even when she was alone. She shook off the feeling, attributing it to her imagination.

But as the day drew to a close, Emilia couldn't shake the sense that something was off about Blackwood Manor. And she couldn't help but wonder what secrets the family was hiding.

Lord Blackwood sat in his study, staring into the flames dancing in the fireplace. He rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of his responsibilities bearing down on him. The Blackwood family had always been cursed, some would say. Generations of wealth and power came with a terrible price.

He thought about his children, Edward and Sophia. They were innocent, unaware of the darkness that lurked within the manor walls. He had done everything to protect them, to keep them safe from the family's secrets. But he knew it was only a matter of time before they discovered the truth.

A knock at the door broke the silence. "Enter," he called out.

Mr. Jenkins stepped in, his expression somber. "My lord, the new governess, Miss Emilia, seems like a capable woman."

Lord Blackwood nodded. "Good. I want her to keep the children safe, to teach them what's proper and decent. I don't want them... tainted by our family's... condition."

Mr. Jenkins hesitated before speaking. "If I may, my lord, there's something you should know. Miss Emilia seems... curious. She asked questions about the manor, about the family's history."

Lord Blackwood's eyes narrowed. "I'll speak with her. Make sure she understands the importance of discretion."

As Mr. Jenkins left, Lord Blackwood couldn't shake the feeling that Miss Emilia's arrival marked a turning point. He knew that the family's secrets wouldn't stay hidden forever. The question was, what would happen when the truth finally came to light?

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