Chapter2
“Margaret Barnes, if it weren’t for you, Gianna wouldn’t have suffered all these years. How
think you’re worthy of being with me? You’re nothing but a fraud. The person I’m
meant to marry is Gianna.”
dare you
With that, Christian turned and slipped the engagement ring onto Gianna’s finger. Gianna
lightly caressed the ring, casting me a smug, provocative glance.
The crowd of reporters and guests erupted into a frenzy, their murmurs echoing throughout the room. In that moment, every ounce of my dignity shattered, scattered like fragments on the floor.
Christian’s parents were furious, shouting at him, “Christian, have you lost your mind? Do you realize where you are and what you’re doing?”
But Christian remained indifferent, taking Gianna’s hand and announcing to everyone, “Perhaps you’re unaware, but she is the true Barnes daughter, Gianna. Margaret has been living in her place for all these years, stealing her rightful life, while Gianna endured hardships. Now that the real heiress has returned, the one I should be engaged to is
Gianna.”
The reporters, eager for such explosive news, pounced.
“Miss Margaret, is what he said true? How are you feeling right now?”
I glanced at the two of them. Gianna nestled against Christian’s chest like a delicate bird, flashing me a mocking smile, while Christian stared coldly in my direction.
I felt a flicker of sadness, but it didn’t consume me. I had faced far worse. With a calm smile, I replied to the reporters, “He’s right. There was a mix–up at birth. Although Christian and I have been together for years, I understand that once my sister returned, the two of them became inseparable. Today, we’re simply taking the opportunity to announce her identity. As for me, Margaret, the person I’m truly getting engaged to is Robert Hughes.”
The room fell into stunned silence before the chatter erupted anew. All eyes turned to
Marrying Without My Eight–Year Boyfriend Knowing
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Roboy. He looked bewildered at first but quickly understood my signal. He strode toward me, pulled out a diamond ring, and slipped it onto my finger under the gaze of the entire Crowd.
Christian, who had been watching with a cold sneer moments earlier, couldn’t sit still any longer.
“Margaret, have you lost your mind? The Hughes family is on the brink of bankruptcy, and Robert is an illegitimate child. Even if I’ve abandoned you, there’s no need to throw yourself
io such a pathetic engagement.”
I held back a laugh, the corners of my lips curling into a faint smirk.
“Mr. Christian Torres, this is my business. I don’t think it concerns you.”
Christian was momentarily speechless, while Gianna let out a disdainful scoff.
“A fraud and an illegitimate child–a perfect match.”
Maintaining my smile, I continued, “Regarding the mix–up with Gianna, I deeply regret it. While it wasn’t intentional on my part, I’ll do my best to make amends. So, I’ve decided to leave the Barnes family from this day forward. From now on, my actions and choices will have nothing to do with them.”
This was probably what Gianna had wanted all along, using public opinion to force me out of the Barnes family. The spectacle was over, and I imagined it would be plastered all over
the headlines by tomorrow.
After the chaos subsided, Jacob slapped Gianna hard across the face.
“Do you even know what you’ve done? Driving your sister away–how does that benefit our family? Out of all the men you could’ve chosen, you had to go after your sister’s fiancé? Have you no shame?”
Gianna clutched her cheek, tears of indignation spilling over.
“Why shouldn’t I? It was supposed to be mine! Christian should’ve been mine all along. She lived my life for years–why shouldn’t I take it back and kick her out?”
Jacob clutched his chest, overcome with anger. I hurriedly took out his medication and
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Chapter2
handed it to him.
Looking at me with guilt–ridden eyes, Jacob said, “Margaret, I’ve wronged you. Do you really have to leave our family?”
Lowering my gaze, I replied softly, “Yes. Thank you for raising me all these years. Moving
forward, please take care of the company.”
Gianna scoffed, unconcerned.
“Hmph, our family has me now. The Barnes family business will belong to me in the future. You, an outsider, have no place meddling in it.”
At this moment, Christian approached, gently holding Gianna’s hand and patting his chest as if making a vow.
“That’s right, Uncle. You should have faith in Gianna. With her talent and your genes, our two families‘ businesses will only grow bigger and stronger. It’s only a matter of time before we surpass the Butler Group.”
The Butler Group was a dominant force in the business world, while the Torres family had only recently risen to prominence in the past two years. Many hailed Christian as a business genius, and he clearly thought so too.
