Chapter 1 Beauty is a Sin
"Look at this little whore! Never seen a guy before? Already trying to seduce people at such a young age! Not even sparing your own brother!"
"I didn't! Let go of me! It was your son who barged into my room!"
"You shameless hussy! Caught red-handed and still blaming my son! Look at you! Not even wearing clothes!"
Rowan Blair grabbed Emily Johnson by the hair and yanked her to the ground.
Emily's towel almost came undone from Rowan's pull.
Fifteen-year-old Emily clutched the towel tightly with one hand, shaking her head desperately.
"I didn't! I didn't! Rowan! It was Ian Johnson who came into my room while I was showering! I'm not wearing clothes because I was just taking a bath!"
Emily hurriedly defended herself.
"Jasper! Jasper! Do you believe me? I really didn't try to seduce Ian!"
Jasper Johnson glanced at Emily's smooth cheek, turned his head, and coughed lightly, even swallowing discreetly.
Emily was only fifteen, but she was already very beautiful, just like her late mother.
Unfortunately, he had never had the chance with her before she died...
Messing with a cold corpse was a bit unsettling...
He had been waiting for Emily to grow up, but now Ian seemed to like her too.
Jasper's eyes darted around.
He really wanted Rowan just to rip off Emily's towel...
But Rowan kept yelling without taking action, each insult more vicious than the last.
If this continued, the neighbors would hear everything.
Emily was still a minor, and if things got out of hand, she might be sent to another foster home...
That couldn't happen. Such a beautiful girl couldn't be taken by someone else first.
Jasper thought for a moment and then walked over, slapping Rowan across the face.
"Shut up, you idiot! What are you yelling at? Trying to say she's a tramp with bad genes? Let me tell you, she's a Johnson family child, my brother's own daughter! That makes her like my own kid! If you bully her again, I'll kill you!"
Rowan looked at Jasper in disbelief.
Jasper usually had a bad temper, but he rarely hit her unless he was extremely angry.
But ever since Emily came to live with them, Jasper had been acting very dismissive.
Rowan initially didn't let Emily eat at the table, wanting to see Jasper's reaction.
Jasper didn't object.
Rowan learned Jasper's first boundary.
Then Rowan made Emily move out of her room and into the attic. Jasper didn't say much, only mentioning, "Make sure Emily has an extra blanket."
Emily was Kai Johnson's daughter, and Kai was Jasper's younger brother.
Kai had gone to sea with a captain at fifteen and later managed a rubber plantation.
When Emily was eight, Kai and his wife Mia Wilson went to sea to find pearls for Emily's birthday...
Kai mysteriously disappeared.
Emily's mother, Mia, drifted back alone on the yacht.
Sadly, she died a few days after returning.
If it weren't for that accident, Jasper's family wouldn't have had the chance to live in this luxurious mansion...
Jasper was pulled back to reality by Rowan's wailing, reaching out to help Emily up.
"Emily, get up! I believe you, of course, I believe you. Don't cry, my little angel."
Jasper pulled Emily into his arms, his left hand caressing her smooth back...
Emily was terrified and quickly pushed Jasper away.
"No! No! Don't touch me!!"
Emily woke up from the nightmare.
"Emily? What's wrong? Bad dream? It's okay, it's okay."
Bianca Johnson held Emily in her arms, gently patting her back.
"It's okay, just a nightmare, it's not real..."
Bianca's voice was very soothing.
Emily took several deep breaths and finally calmed down.
Bianca was Kai's cousin, close in age, and they had grown up together.
After Kai returned from sea and started his business, Bianca had been his right-hand woman.
Except for that one trip, Bianca didn't want to intrude on Kai and Mia's time together, so she didn't go.
She never expected it to be a final farewell.
Bianca owned ten percent of the rubber plantation's shares.
Even though Jasper later took over Kai's estate, he couldn't take Bianca's shares.
But he did everything to exclude her, not allowing her to participate in the plantation's management.
Bianca had considered selling her shares and leaving Emerald City.
But then fifteen-year-old Emily knocked on her door.
Since then, Bianca and Emily had lived together.
Bianca was thirty-five and had never married.
Emily saw Bianca as both a mother and a sister, and she would discuss everything with Bianca..
"Emily, fifteen years are almost up. What are you planning to do? Are you going to give up those shares?"
Bianca asked softly.
According to Emerald City's laws, a minor's inheritance rights would only take effect at twenty-three.
And they had to be married.
So, for Emily to claim her parents' inheritance, she had to get married before turning twenty-three.
But Emily had just finished her master's degree and was already twenty-two.
With only three months left until she turned twenty-three, she didn't even have a boyfriend.
"No, I can't give up my inheritance rights!"
Emily rubbed her cheeks, gathering her resolve. "Bianca, you mentioned before that you could introduce me to a 'husband,' is that true?"
Bianca frowned and nodded, "Didn't you say before that marriage without a foundation of love couldn't be happy?"
Emily replied helplessly,
"I thought I could find true love in college, but I realized those guys didn't really want to marry me; they just wanted to sleep with me."
Bianca stroked Emily's silky, smooth hair.
Emily had completely inherited Kai and Mia's good looks.
Her skin was incredibly smooth.
Her hair was softer than seaweed.
And her doll-like beauty didn't need any makeup...
Emily was too beautiful. If she married someone incapable, it would be troublesome!
Thinking of this, Bianca made up her mind.
"If you've made up your mind, I'll help you find someone who genuinely wants to marry you. Don't worry, I'll find the right person."
"Bianca, if possible, please do it quickly. I don't want my parents' hard work to be ruined by Jasper."
Since Emily had gone to Bianca's house, Jasper had called the police.
Since Emily was underage, the law required her legal guardian to be a relative first, then a family friend, and lastly a foster family provided by social services.
Emily took the initiative and suggested that if she could live with Bianca, she would give up her child support. It was worth noting that Kai's assets converted to child support would mean Emily could receive at least $500,000 a year.
Jasper's family chose money over women.
This allowed Emily to escape a disaster.
However, it also meant Emily lived in poverty for eight years.
Although Bianca owned ten percent of the shares, she was expelled from the rubber plantation, and the annual dividends she received were barely enough to cover their living expenses.
Now, Emily had graduated with a master's degree and could support herself.
So, the most important thing now was to get married quickly and take the marriage certificate to the lawyer for notarization. Of course, Jasper wouldn't easily hand over the inheritance.
No problem, she could wait.
Therefore, she couldn't wait even a day to find a marriage partner.
Soon, Bianca selected the most suitable candidate from dozens of profiles.
"Mason... the head of security at Aegis Corp?"
Emily looked at the profile Bianca handed her and asked suspiciously.
"Yes, my little angel, you're too beautiful! Ordinary men can't protect you. I think Mason is the strongest man I've ever seen. Just imagine, if you go back to the rubber plantation with him, Jasper's family wouldn't dare to speak loudly!"
"Go quickly! I've already arranged for you to meet him at Unity Square at 2 PM. Don't be late!"
Bianca handed Emily a brand-new halter dress and pushed her out the door.
Unity Square in Emerald City was also known as Lovers' Square.
Not only did it have the most luxurious love-themed hotels, but it also had a city hall where you could get married quickly.
Emily looked at the photo on her phone and glanced around at the entrance of Unity Square.
Soon, she saw a man over six feet tall, wearing an expensive, tailored gray suit, stepping out of a business car.
He looked down at his phone and then glanced around.
His expression was identical to Emily's.
Emily quickly walked over and waved her phone in front of the man.
"Mason?"
"You know me?"
The man asked, surprised.
"You're late, and it's almost three. Let's hurry!"
Emily grabbed the man's wrist and pulled him towards the city hall.
The man initially wanted to break free, but the fresh scent of cedar and sage on Emily made him momentarily forget to let go, allowing the woman to pull him into the city hall...
"My name is Emily, and you? Oh, sorry, you're Mason. I apologize, time is tight. I start a new job tomorrow, so I'm not sure if I'll have time to handle this important matter. What are your plans?"
Emily looked at the man in front of her and adjusted her glasses.
She had a bit of face blindness, so she bought a pair of non-prescription glasses as an excuse. This way, if she mistook someone, they would easily forgive a nearsighted person.
James Smith looked at the marriage certificate in his hand and then checked the photo his mother, Rhea, had sent him. He confirmed that she was even more beautiful in person than in the photo.
But why did this woman call him Mason?
No matter, she could call him whatever she wanted.
After all, it was just a fake marriage.
James's grandmother, Cleo, was ill and worried about James's marriage.
She insisted that James get married before she would agree to surgery.
James originally thought finding a woman to marry would be difficult, but Rhea casually found a suitable woman, and they got the marriage certificate right after meeting.
As long as he took the marriage certificate back, his grandmother should stop causing trouble.
James took a gold-embossed business card from his pocket and handed it to Emily.
"Here's my contact info. If you need anything, just reach out."