A Sham Marriage with Unexpected Benefits

“This is merely a marriage of convenience, Young Master.” I eloped under darkness with Eric Orleans, the man destined to be my stepbrother, finding myself in an impromptu wedding ceremony. The people at this altar should have been my mother and Eric’s father. “If you’re discovered, you’re finished,” my mother silently warned from the audience, witnessing the ceremony that was rightfully hers. Forgive me, mother, but this desperate act is to protect our family from that dangerous man who would destroy us all. The relentless camera flashes ensured tomorrow’s headlines would scream of our scandalous midnight union and the kiss we shared at the altar. While the gossip will be fierce, it remains a carefully constructed facade, a fraudulent marriage for survival.