“Two million yuan for the bride price—don’t even think about a penny less!”

“Our Evelyn’s already eighteen, she can get married now!”

“Just wire the money to my card. It’s settled!”

Evelyn Green blinked in disbelief. “Mom, I just turned eighteen. I'm still in school, and it’s not even legally time to marry yet. How can you ask me to get married now?”

Bryony White rolled her eyes. “It’s just an engagement. You can get the license two years later. Right now, while you’re still young, you can marry and bring back a two-million bride price. That’s basically a house, for crying out loud.”

So in her mom’s eyes, she was worth exactly one house...

Evelyn’s voice trembled with anger. “But Jenna’s eighteen too. We’re the same age. Why don’t you marry her off?”

Bryony gave a disdainful laugh. “You? Compared to Jenna? Don’t be ridiculous. You’re dumb, your grades suck. Jenna’s prettier, smarter—she's the daughter I raised with care. She’s got a bright future ahead.”

The words hit Evelyn hard. She snapped, “I'm your real daughter! Jenna isn’t—she was switched at birth with me!”

Eighteen years ago, the hospital made a huge mistake.

Evelyn ended up in an orphanage and only found her biological family a year ago through a missing child website.

The one who should have lived as an orphan, Jenna, had taken her place and lived a charmed life all along.

“Shut your mouth! You’re nothing but a clueless bumpkin from the sticks. I wish I never gave birth to you! You’re the embarrassment of my life!”

Jenna’s eyes flashed with amusement as she put on a concerned face, saying sweetly, “Evelyn, Mom’s only doing this for your own good. Don’t upset her like this. Just say sorry, okay?”

“Jenna, stop pretending! Mom thinks you're a saint, but I know what you are! I'm just a burden to her anyway!”

To Bryony, the daughter she raised for eighteen years—that wasn’t even hers—was the real one in her heart.

And Evelyn, the biological daughter who came from a rural orphanage… was a stain she couldn’t wash off.

“Either bring me two million, or shut up and marry!”

...

Evelyn wandered aimlessly, kicking small pebbles as she walked.

Bryony’s sharp words echoed over and over in her mind, making her chest tighten in pain.

Out of nowhere, something slammed into her from behind, hard enough to throw her off her feet—

And crash! A man landed right on top of her, knocking the air clean out of her lungs.

“Don’t let him get away!”

“He’s limping—how’s he still running?”

“Useless idiots! Go catch him!”

A low, gravelly voice whispered by her ear, absurdly magnetic, “Help me, I’ll give you a hundred million.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened. As she was about to shove him off, her hand froze.

“Wait—d-did you just say a hundred million?”

Grinding her teeth, she dragged him over and shoved him behind a random stack of cardboard boxes.

She tossed down her backpack and casually started scribbling in a notebook, pretending she was just some innocent student.

“Hey! Have you seen a guy with a limp come this way?” snarled one of the men in black.

Evelyn tilted her head, thinking hard, then suddenly pointed in the opposite direction. “Yeah, ran that way.”

“Move it!”

Once the men bolted off, Evelyn rushed over to pull the man out from hiding.

“Alright, where’s my hundred million?” She stretched out her hand expectantly.

The guy's face was flushed red, eyes half-closed. He didn’t respond at all. Dead weight.

Groaning, Evelyn mustered all her strength and dragged him into a nearby hotel.

“This is killing me!” she gasped, finally tossing him onto one of the beds.

Grabbing a damp towel from the bathroom, she wiped his face clean, panting from exhaustion.It was only then that she realized—the guy had a ridiculously handsome face.

He looked about thirty, with sharp features, a defined nose bridge, and thin yet perfectly shaped lips. Straight up looked like a model handcrafted by the gods or something.

Then, out of nowhere, the man’s eyes snapped open. Dark and piercing, like a hawk zeroing in on its prey.

Evelyn Green jolted. "M-Mister, you said you'd give me a hundred million..."

Before she could finish, he suddenly grabbed her hand.

"Ah?!"

Still stunned, she heard him murmur, "Be good, help me… I’ll marry you."

That entire night, Evelyn couldn’t stop regretting everything.

What the heck had she done?

She thought she was just doing a good deed saving someone—turns out, she rescued a freaking wolf in disguise!

The next morning, she sat up slowly, clutching the blanket around her like armor.

The man was nowhere to be seen. She gritted her teeth, fuming.

Jerk.

Total scumbag.

If she ever saw him again, she swore he was dead meat.

Just then, a polite knock came at the door.

And then it creaked open.

A man in a wheelchair rolled into view.

“It’s you!” Evelyn froze in shock.

He raised an eyebrow and waved his hand. In an instant, a crowd of maids swarmed in behind him.

“Miss, may we assist you?”

“Hey, what are you doing?! Stop!”

Half an hour later, Evelyn had been completely made over.

Her hair had been carefully styled to cascade over her shoulders. A soft makeup look graced her face, with just a touch of lipstick that made her complexion glow. She was dressed in a high-fashion piece fresh off the Paris runway.

She looked stunning—like a different person.

A flicker of amazement crossed Alexander Black’s eyes before he sent the maids away.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Alexander Black. About last night… I apologize. Someone drugged me. I wasn’t myself—I crossed a line.”

Evelyn swallowed hard. “So… that hundred million you mentioned…”

“I’m still willing to give you the money. But on one condition.”

“What condition?”

Alexander’s expression turned serious. “I need a bride.”

So, even after fleeing to Donghaishi, those people still wouldn’t leave him alone, resorting to dirty tricks.

He had to get married. To someone they couldn’t manipulate. Someone clean. And the girl in front of him ticked every box.

Evelyn stared at him, wondering if she’d heard him wrong. Was he seriously proposing?

“You think I’m not good enough?” Alexander’s voice chilled.

He let out a bitter laugh. His legs were useless now—what woman would be willing to marry a man like him?

“Forget it. I’ll still give you the money as compensation. Just go.”

“Mister, if I marry you, I get the hundred million? I can still go to school?”

“You can. I won’t restrict your freedom.”

“Okay then! Let’s get married!”

Alexander blinked, clearly not expecting such a quick yes.

As far as Evelyn was concerned, being sold off by Bryony White was way worse.

At least this guy was good-looking and upfront—and a hundred million wasn’t a small deal!

Alexander said, “This is a marriage agreement. You’re underage now. We’ll make it official in a couple of years.”

Pen in hand, Evelyn carefully and seriously signed her name, stroke by stroke.