Trampled To The Bottom, Now I'm At The Top

Chelsey looked at Harold coldly. "The Warrens wanted Emily to marry Dylan. What do you think they'll do when they find out you switched the bride without telling them?" she said.

Under her gaze, Harold shifted uneasily. "Don't worry. The Warrens already agreed to it," he replied.

Chelsey didn't raise her voice, but her words came out colder than before. "So because I'm not really your daughter, you think you can just hand me over to them?"

Harold showed no sign of guilt. "We took care of you all these years. You can at least do this much for us. And you're marrying into the Warren family. You'll never have to worry about money again, so stop acting like we're ruining your life," he retorted.

Arthur Warren, Dylan's grandfather, had offered a hundred million dollars as part of the marriage arrangement. Even more tempting to him was the connection to the Warren family. It would push the Clarks much higher in elite society and give him exactly the status and respect he had always wanted.

Lorraine Clark, Harold's wife, had remained silent until then. When she finally spoke, there was no sympathy in her voice. "Chelsey, we're not trying to be cruel. The Warrens have too much power. If we refuse them, they could destroy this family without even trying. Emily has already been through enough, and we can't make her go through this too."

Lorraine took a moment before she went on, "You've also seen what's happening between her and Damien. They're together now. You spent more than twenty years living the life that should've been hers, so marrying Dylan for her is the least you can do after everything she lost."

Emily rose from her seat and walked around Chelsey slowly. She still wore the same weak, innocent expression, but there was a faint trace of satisfaction in her eyes. "Chelsey, don't be mad at Mom and Dad. They just feel bad for everything I went through..."

Chelsey's heart shifted slightly at those words. She had met Dylan before, and she already needed a reason to get into the Warren family so she could investigate something.

For her, an arranged marriage had never been about love, so the identity of the man didn't make much difference. As for Dylan's illness... that might even work in her favor. She could use the chance to sharpen her medical skills.

Chelsey stayed quiet for a moment before giving her answer. Her decision was already made. "Fine. I'll marry him. Consider that my way of paying the Clark family back for raising me. After this, I don't owe any of you anything."

She wanted to see how long the Clark family could survive in Esugend's business world once she stopped helping them behind the scenes.

...

The Warren family's estate carried a heavy, serious atmosphere that made its status impossible to ignore.

Arthur sat in the main seat of the living room.

Dylan sat beside him in a wheelchair. He wore a well-fitted black suit, with a thin blanket covering his long legs.

His face was striking enough to draw attention immediately, with deep-set eyes and a sharp jawline. Long years of illness had left a cold distance in his gaze. He glanced at Chelsey only briefly, and nothing in his expression showed what he was thinking.

Chelsey looked back at him and felt a slight stir in her chest. So this was her husband.

Arthur studied Chelsey carefully. She was certainly attractive, but her background left much to be desired. She wasn't the Clarks' real daughter, and she had been sent to the countryside since she was a little girl. That probably meant she had little experience with high society.

Given his grandson's condition, he couldn't afford to be too selective. In the end, he agreed to let Chelsey marry Dylan in Emily's place. Then he even pulled some strings to get them legally married in the system without them appearing in person, in case they reconsidered.

Arthur looked directly at Chelsey and asked, "You know about Dylan's condition, don't you? I'm giving you one year. I expect you to be pregnant with his child by then. Otherwise..."

Chelsey frowned at the way he spoke to her. His words made it sound as if her only purpose was to have a child, and the thought disgusted her.

Dylan showed no reaction at all. He looked like he was simply waiting for the conversation to be over.

His father was Arthur's eldest son. His parents had died when he was young, and his uncle had been working against him for years. Arthur wanted this marriage because an heir would strengthen his position in the family. He didn't care who he married as long as the arrangement served that purpose.

Harold quickly nodded and gave Arthur an eager smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Warren. Chelsey's perfectly healthy, and I'm sure she'll give the Warren family an heir."

Arthur waved a hand as he addressed Chelsey. "Take Dylan back to his room. I need to talk to your father alone. And with Dylan's condition, you'll probably have to make the first move in bed. Put some effort into it and do what you're supposed to do as his wife."

Heat rushed to Chelsey's face after hearing him say it so openly. He really had no problem saying exactly what was on his mind.

Harold immediately put on the voice of a strict, concerned father. "Chelsey, you're Dylan's wife now. You need to take good care of him. Don't start making trouble or acting spoiled. Do you understand?" he said.

Chelsey ignored the fake concern in his lecture. She stepped behind Dylan's wheelchair and pushed him toward his room.

Dylan's room was decorated almost entirely in shades of gray. Everything looked simple and cold, which suited his distant personality perfectly.