Chapter 1
To outsiders, my marriage into the Sterling family was an act of destiny, a stroke of good fortune. As one of the most renowned old-money families in the city, the Sterlings typically arranged strategic business marriages. And I? I was just a discarded orphan, living under someone else’s roof.
I was only six when my parents died. More than sadness, I felt a gripping fear for the future. My uncles, caught in a bitter fight over the family inheritance, couldn’t stand the sight of me. They claimed I was cursed, a jinx, and none of them wanted the responsibility. So, they decided to send me to an orphanage.
I didn’t want to go. I’d heard stories of a monster there that ate kids who didn’t sleep. Desperate, I found my father’s old phone and tried calling Aunt Clara. It was my first time reaching out to any of my father’s relatives. He’d been a scion of a wealthy family himself, but he’d cut ties with them all to marry my mother.
Aunt Clara listened to my plea, then hung up without a word. I tried to console myself. My father had hurt her deeply; it was only natural she wouldn’t want to deal with me. But for some reason, the tears just wouldn’t stop flowing, no matter how much I wiped.
The next morning, I woke up early, packed my backpack, and prepared to run away. I’d rather go hungry and sleep under a bridge than be eaten by some monster. But the moment I slipped out of my room, I bumped into a woman. I recognized her instantly—it was Aunt Clara. She looked so much like my father.
Aunt Clara gently touched my head and asked if I’d had breakfast. I shook my head. She picked me up, carried me to her car, and drove me back to her home. My grandparents had passed away long ago. Aunt Clara frowned, looking at my thin, gaunt frame.
“I have Liam and Lily to look after; I don’t have time for him. You brought this trouble home, you deal with it yourself,” my uncle snapped.
“Don’t worry, he’s a good kid. Just give him food, and he’ll manage everything else on his own,” Aunt Clara replied, though a little hesitantly.
To prove Aunt Clara right, I started teaching myself to eat, dress, go to school, and sleep independently. Beyond that, I proactively helped look after my younger cousin, Lily. My cousin Liam, who was only two months older than me, was a proud young master. Growing up, he never called me his younger brother. Instead, he treated me like a servant, barking orders. But I never got angry. Everyone has their fate. He certainly had reasons to be proud. For me, just growing up safely and healthily felt like a miracle.
After high school, Aunt Clara wanted to send Liam and me to study in the UK. But Mira Sterling’s appearance completely derailed all our plans.