Married the Disabled Heir, Broke Three Hearts

Chapter 1 I, a woman, was the only heir of the Guthrine family.

Everyone assumed the three men Dad adopted since they were young were the true heirs, but they barely spared me a glance.

Countless times, I tried to flirt with Nathan, only to receive his mocking gaze in return.

I assumed he acted the same with all women, but I saw him getting on his knees before Cecelia. He made her a promise.

Nathan said, “I agreed to marry her because I wanted to repay the Guthrine family’s kindness. Once I become the heir, I’ll marry you loud and proud. I’ll give Sherry a few million dollars to live her life abroad as long as she doesn’t hurt you. You’re the only bride for me.”

…

Dad asked about my choice the day before the shareholders’ meeting.

Recalling the evasive gazes of the three men, I smiled and said, “Let’s go with Felix Hamilton from Jorvale. My marriage should, of course, maximize our interests. After all, I’m still the heir of the Guthrine family.”

Dad frowned and asked, “Felix was paralyzed in a car accident five years ago. Not only is he disabled, but he’s also impotent. Are you sure?”

Despite my soft tone, I replied firmly, “People of our class are not meant for true love. Since we’re putting our interests first, of course, I’ll choose the Hamilton family. They will bring us the greatest advantage.”

Dad had a sombre look. “That may be true, but did none of the three guys I adopted catch your eye?”

He loved Mom deeply, yet she died of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage the year I was born.

Dad couldn’t bring himself to remarry, yet he also couldn’t rest easy leaving the Guthrine family business to me, a woman. As such, he took the advice of his best friend and adopted three boys from the orphanage.

He drafted a will early on. No matter which one of them I chose, he would help me manage the company with me and keep the other board members in check.

While Dad loved me dearly, it didn’t stop him from thinking that a woman couldn’t handle Guthrine Corporation on her own.

I turned to look at him. “Although Felix is paralyzed and impotent, I could still have his child through sperm retrieval and IVF. He’s also the sole heir of the Hamilton family. I’d rather align myself with a powerful ally rather than choose an orphan to support the Guthrine family.”

Dad nodded and replied, “Since the three of them don’t have what it takes to win your heart, there’s no reason for them to stay in the Guthrine Corporation anymore.”

If I had only mentioned that it was because Nathan didn’t love me and I didn’t want to force him to, Dad would have forced him to get on his knees before me. He would demand an explanation from Nathan for refusing me.

I refused to let Dad use years of kindness as leverage against Nathan. I didn’t want to force Nathan to marry me, nor did I want to get stuck in a loveless marriage with him.

Besides, I was already disappointed about what he had said.

The best I could do was to part ways with him amicably.

…

As we walked out of the office, Dad shot Nathan a sideways glance.

After dutifully seeing Dad off, Nathan turned around and frowned at me. “What did you tattle about this time?”

His gaze was full of contempt and impatience. It was as if I’d committed some unforgivable crime.

Before I could even reply, Shawn Carlton scoffed from the side. “What else could it be about? Probably something about the three of us leaving her out and not spoiling her enough.”

Samuel Locke also sneered. “It’s already the 21st century, Ms. Guthrine. Do you think having a bit of money would make you a princess that everyone’s lives would revolve around?”

The three of them were sharp-tongued. They mercilessly hurt me with their words.

Confused, I asked, “Since none of you wanted to marry me, why didn’t anyone tell my dad about it?”

Although Dad had adopted them in hopes that one of them would become my husband, he wouldn’t force them into it. If they refused, he would’ve prepared a hefty sum and sent them abroad for a carefree life.

Chapter 2 In the end, they just couldn’t walk away from the Guthrine family’s wealth.

Hot-tempered Samuel clicked his tongue impatiently. “Easy for you to say. The three of us have been living off the Guthrines like charity cases. What choice do we have exactly? We’re basically like your pets!”

Nathan looked at me. His face was drained of colour. “Go ahead and pick me if you want. Just don’t make things hard for the two of them in the future.”

Shawn and Samuel were touched when they heard that.

I felt nothing but bitterness deep down when I saw Nathan’s expression. It was as if he were making a noble sacrifice.

Before I could reply, Cecelia suddenly showed up. As soon as she saw me, she immediately hid behind Nathan, as if startled.

He instinctively stepped in front of her. “She didn’t do anything, so just let her be for today.”

I looked at them, perplexed. Only then did I realize that the three men who were supposed to take my side were now standing in front of Cecelia, as if worried I might bully her.

When Cecelia arrived at the Guthrine residence five years ago, she gave me a hair clip.

In return, I gave her a bracelet worth a hundred thousand dollars as a welcome gift.

However, Nathan snatched the box away just as I was about to open it. He angrily said, “Are you even trying to take away the keepsake Cecelia’s mother left for her?”

Perplexed, I turned to look at Cecelia, waiting for her to explain that it was something she offered to give me herself. But she fell to her knees unexpectedly and started crying.

She said, “Ms. Guthrine didn’t take it away. I was the one who offered it to her. She’s really good to me. She even gave me a bracelet. I’m not aggrieved at all!”

Cecelia started begging for my forgiveness. The scene made Nathan, Shawn, and Samuel tear up as they recalled their own circumstances. They started accusing me.

“Even if you’re the only daughter of the Guthrine family, you have no right to force someone to hand you their mother’s keepsake!”

“The hair clip might not be worth much, but it’s much more meaningful than that bracelet that’s worth tens of thousands. Give it back to Cecelia now!”

“You’re just as bossy as ever. You don’t care how others feel as long as you’re happy.”

My expression immediately fell, but I thought it might be a misunderstanding. Everything would be fine if I could just find a moment to clear things up.

I suppressed my anger and handed the hair clip back to Cecelia, but she fumbled and dropped it. The hair clip immediately broke into pieces.

She bit down on her lip and yelled, “If you’d rather break it than give it back to me, why bother?”

Nathan couldn’t bear watching the poor getting bullied. His expression darkened immediately as he threatened, “You’d better apologize to Cecelia now, or I won’t marry you!”

Back then, I had already confessed to Nathan. I had told him I wouldn’t marry anyone else but him. He used this as leverage and forced me to submit to Cecelia.

I was too young then. I was too afraid of losing the man I loved to stand up for myself. I could only apologize with tears in my eyes.

But my apology lasted five whole years.

From then on, Cecelia would either drop to her knees or tear up whenever she saw me, even when I didn’t do anything.

My expression grew cold as I looked at Nathan. “If you’re truly worried I might bully Cecelia, you’d better tie her up and keep her around you.”

I was merely being sarcastic, but he frowned and asked, “Are you threatening me? What are you planning to do to Cecelia?”

Samuel clapped his hands sharply and pointed at me. “Don’t tell me it’s because we gave Oceanis to Cecelia. You’re planning to bully her because of that?”

Shawn looked at me coldly. “You already have everything, but Cecelia never had anyone to celebrate her birthday with. It’s just Oceanis. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

My gaze turned icy. “Oceanis?”

Chapter 3 Oceanis was an underground aquarium that has been under construction since the day I was born.

A stretch of top-grade emerald was positioned on the southeast section. When light passed through the rippling seawater, a beauty as breathtaking as the galaxy would unfold.

As the project neared completion six months ago, Dad entrusted the final stages to Nathan. He was supposed to present Oceanis to me at my birthday party, which was just a month away.

But now, what was supposed to be my birthday gift had become Cecelia’s.

My gaze landed on Nathan. He was the one in charge of bringing the project to completion. No one would’ve been allowed inside the unfinished aquarium without his approval.

He grew uneasy under my gaze and turned away in anger. “Cecelia had always been trying to get by in the countryside and never really had the chance to look at the sky. I just want to fulfill one small wish of hers.

“Besides, the aquarium will still belong to you in the end anyway. Stop being unreasonable. I’ll just announce our engagement at your birthday party a month later. Happy now?”

As I looked at Nathan’s condescending expression, I almost thought I was the adopted child here.

However, none of the others realized something was off. Instead, all of them took his side, feeling sorry for him.

“Why bother sacrificing yourself like that? Sherry is stubborn, willful, and wicked. You’d be better off becoming a monk than marrying her!”

“Sherry would be obnoxiously overjoyed to have her long-held wish come true now.”

“Don’t sacrifice your happiness because of me, Nathan. I’ll just get on my knees and beg for Sherry’s forgiveness instead. I’ll do anything for her…”

My throat went dry as I said, “I won’t marry you.”

Nathan raised a brow in surprise.

Samuel and Shawn exchanged glances, clearly worried I might want to marry one of them instead.

I was despised by the three men who grew up together with me. Fearing that I might start crying if I didn’t leave soon, I turned to walk away.

However, Cecelia grabbed my wrist. She dropped down to her knees tearfully.

She said, “Please don’t make things hard for Nathan. The three of them were adopted by the Guthrines, so they’re already beneath you. If you’re upset because they took me to Oceanis and want to complain to Mr. Guthrine, I’m willing to beg for your forgiveness!”

Cecelia remained on her knees until they were scraped and bleeding.

Nathan gently helped her up and turned to look at me angrily. “You’re saying that you won’t marry me now, so you’d better not choose me when the time comes! You’re playing dirty just to make things hard for Cecelia. Aren’t you just trying to use this as an excuse to send her away?”

I stared at him coldly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But don’t worry. I’ll never pick you as my husband.”

I thought Nathan would stop at that, but he grabbed my hand out of nowhere. “Who else would you pick if not me, Shawn or Samuel? Samuel is passionate about the arts and wants to study abroad, and Shawn loves his freedom. You’ve already targeted me, and now you’re trying to go after them too?”

He took a deep breath and continued, “As long as you promise not to bully Cecelia from now on, I’ll marry you. Stop throwing a tantrum, okay?”

Nathan’s gaze was full of exhaustion. He was acting as if I had been tormenting him for the longest time.

I stared at him and replied, “Everything will go as you wish.”

Nathan didn’t want me to bully Cecelia and was unwilling to marry me. All of his problems would be solved once I married Felix.

…

I hadn’t gone to see Nathan in all this time. He only showed up on the day of my birthday party. His expression was cold.

Shawn and Samuel followed behind him, looking equally displeased.

I frowned and turned to look at my assistant, Gwen Blossom. I had made it clear that today’s engagement announcement had nothing to do with them. There was no reason to invite them at all.

Chapter 4 However, Gwen kept shaking her head, insisting that she had nothing to do with this—that they were the ones who showed up uninvited.

I sighed helplessly, ready to pretend I hadn’t seen anything.

The guests were more enthusiastic than I was as they happily greeted Nathan, Shawn, and Samuel.

“You’re truly a remarkable young man, Mr. Sawyer. Didn’t the project you landed last month bring in millions? No wonder Ms. Guthrine only likes you.”

I was the one who landed the deal, while Nathan only went to get the papers signed.

“While Mr. Locke has a fiery temper, he has a strong sense of justice. Ms. Guthrine would never be wrong with him by her side.”

I let out a cold sneer. Samuel was the one who despised and bullied me the most.

“Mr. Carlton is equally handsome and talented too. Ms. Guthrine would be lucky to choose you too. In any case, hope you’ll all look out for us in the future.”

The three of them basked in the spotlight, as if they were the hosts of my birthday party.

Frowning, I was contemplating how to put an end to this farce when they looked down and pulled out their phones at the same time.

Samuel’s expression was the first to darken. He strode over in a hurry and gave me a harsh slap. I almost fell to the ground from the dizziness caused by the impact.

Everyone was shocked by what happened. They quickly stepped back, not wanting to get caught in trouble.

Nathan clenched his fists. He grabbed Samuel, who was about to strike me again, and turned to look at me with gritted teeth. “We’ve already been paraded here like merchandise for you to choose from. What more do you want? Must you push Cecelia to the edge?”

Shawn grew even more displeased upon seeing how puzzled I looked. “I can’t believe you hired people to abduct Cecelia when we’re not with her! Let me tell you—you won’t succeed!”

As soon as I heard his words, I immediately realized that Cecelia was up to her old tricks.

The guests present were either Dad’s close friends or business partners, yet none of them stood up for me when I got slapped in front of them.

My heart grew cold. They must have assumed that I would never be put in charge of Guthrine Corporation, so they dared not offend the three of them.

I cupped my cheek and coldly glared at Samuel. “Apologize to me, now!”

He glanced at my reddening eyes and mocked me, “Cecelia almost got raped. What are you so upset about when you just got a slap? “

Just then, Cecelia ran in crying. Her dress was tattered. She looked as if something had just happened to her.

Nathan quickly removed his suit jacket and draped it around her. He turned around and shot me a disgusted look. “You’re truly as calculative as ever! I’ll never marry someone like you!”

Shawn, who was usually quiet, stepped in front of Cecelia with an icy expression. “Your mom couldn’t give birth to a son to inherit your family business, so she brought in the three of us to be used as tools.

“We’ve already accepted our fates, but clearly that’s still not enough for you. If that’s the case, there’s no need to keep up with this peaceful facade anymore.”

He turned and left, completely disregarding the Guthrine family’s reputation.

Before Nathan left, he haughtily said, “I’ll marry you, but from now on, you’re just for show. You’d better behave if you want me to protect the Guthrine family business.”

I laughed. They seemed to have forgotten that the Guthrines would never have adopted them if it weren’t for me.

Upon seeing that the three of them were about to leave, someone was about to stop them when I yelled, “Let them leave!”

Cecelia cast a provocative sideways glance at me, looking smug as if she had won it all.

I stood there without uttering a word. Then Gwen anxiously asked, “What should we do now? The three of them have left. Who are you picking then?”

The other guests started frowning. “A woman is bound to get married sooner or later. If even the three adopted men who know her inside out didn’t want her, who else would she get married to?”