Chapter 1

“The Hunt household is not your grandmother’s home. Just look at how unruly you are. When we’re inside, make sure you behave yourself. Don’t make a fool out of yourself and embarrass me.”

In front of the Hunt family’s residence, a luxurious black car was parked in front of the gate. Melinda Hunt pressed the doorbell while nagging at Eden Griffith, who was standing next to her and was frowning somewhat impatiently.

Eden had a black sling bag over her pure black hoodie. The cap that she was wearing covered half of her face, and her eyes under the cap’s visor were narrowed as she placed her hands in her pockets. She nodded nonchalantly.

“You better remember what I told you. If you screw up, you’ll get it from me.”

Melinda had been married to the Hunt family for decades and had enjoyed a life of riches. Every move she made was filled with the grace of a proper lady. She glanced at Eden who looked like a thug, and she could feel the anger boiling inside of her again.

“The opportunity to be part of the Ward family is a good chance for you. With your results, you can’t enter a top university anyway. You’re just going to end up as someone else’s employee. If you can marry Alain Ward, it will make life easier for you; at least for a few decades.”

When Eden heard that, she raised her head and looked at the woman who was constantly lecturing her. She suddenly smiled, but her smile was frigid. It wasn’t genuine at all. “If it’s that good, why don’t you ask your second daughter to be part of the family?”

“You and Jas aren’t even on the same level. I raised her with all my heart and soul... She’s going to have an even better life waiting for her. There’s no way I’d let her get married to that person from the Ward family...”

Melinda realized she had become somewhat agitated, and she softened her tone. “Eden, please don’t think that I’m being cruel to you. It’s all thanks to your sister’s smarts and meekness that I’m able to establish my footing in the family. Now that Jerred is dead, the Hunt family is doing worse with each passing day; to the point where we need this marriage to save our family business. If you are part of the Ward family, it is good for both of us.”

About a decade ago, her ex-husband suddenly disappeared, and there was no trace of him, despite having searched for him for two years. She didn’t want to stay in the countryside and live a life of labor and poverty her whole life, so she gave Eden up to Eden’s grandmother and left without looking back.

After that, she got married to Edmund Hunt, second son of the Hunt family, and gave birth to a daughter.

Being both intelligent and humble, Jasmine Hunt was able to earn the love of her grandmother, Catherine Hunt, and Edmund. However, she didn’t have a good life.

The Hunt family was a patriarchal family. Edmund fathered a son, whom he named Jerred Hunt, with his late wife. He was outstanding in every respect and was the pride and joy of the Hunt family.

Thanks to Jerred, the Hunt family’s business had been expanding rapidly over the past few years.

That was why, when the family found out that Melinda was having a daughter, they weren’t that happy.

All these years, she put all her efforts into Jasmine and taught her to become a proper lady in every way. Only then did her life in the family get better.

But Jerred died, and the Hunt family’s business began to suffer.

In order to save the Hunt family’s business, the family demanded that Jasmine marry Alain Ward, the eldest son of the Ward family.

How could she allow that?

Everybody knew that Alain had fallen ill about half a year ago. Not only did he have a terrible temper, but his face was also completely ruined. There were also rumors saying that he could not live for more than two years.

She couldn’t allow Jasmine to become a widow at such a young age and live a lonesome life for the rest of her life.

That was why she had no choice but to sacrifice Eden.

Eden’s cold eyes looked at Melinda as she smirked sarcastically.

See?

That was her biological mother.

She had a way of disguising her selfishness as good intentions.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Melinda frowned as Eden did not respond.

Eden looked away and responded with a hum.

Despite her anger, Melinda could do very little about it.

She pressed the doorbell again, and a maid quickly opened the door.

“Madam Melinda.” The one that opened the door was Mrs. Martin. She had worked for the Hunt family for almost four decades. She was also the person Catherine trusted the most.

Mrs. Martin peeked at Eden, who was behind Melinda. Then, she said, “Madam Catherine is waiting for you.”

She sounded polite, but there wasn’t much respect for her.

Over the years, Melinda had grown accustomed to the condescending attitude of the family’s servants.

She nodded and led Eden in.

The Hunt family residence was huge. They walked for a few minutes before finally arriving in the living room. The door was opened, and the long table was already fully seated, as if they were prepared to have a family meeting.

Catherine was seated in the host’s seat. To her left was her eldest son, Edison Hunt. To her right was her second son, Edmund.

Both sides were seated with Catherine’s daughter-in-law, grandsons and granddaughters.

“Mom, I have Eden with me.” Melinda was very fearful of her mother-in-law. Even her tone was filled with caution. Her demeanor was less overbearing when compared to her conversation with Eden earlier.

Catherine nodded, her somewhat glassy eyes staring at Eden.

Eden had her head hung low, but her hands were still in her pockets as she stood there quietly.

There was a hint of disdain in Catherine’s eyes as she said, “Eden Griffith, you may not have received upper-class education, but you should have at least been taught basic courtesy. Do you not know that you have to greet your elders?”

“What kind of courtesy do you expect from someone who has never received an education from her mother and was raised by a dying grandmother on the outskirts?” Daliah Hunt, Edison's second daughter, spoke. Her words were toxic.

Eden looked up slightly, an icy glint appearing in her eyes with her hands still in her pockets. Despite her figure looking so frail that a breeze could topple her, an invisible but powerful aura seemed to emit from her.

Dahlia was stunned by Eden’s stare, and she instinctively looked away.

“I’m sorry. As a woman from the outskirts, I don’t know what courtesy is.” Eden looked away, her face void of expression as she responded calmly.

Her attitude enraged the Hunt family. One of them couldn’t help but curse, “Hmph! Take a look at your outfit, you pathetic excuse of a woman.”

“Don’t say that. She’s going to marry Alain. What if she keeps score and wants to get payback later?” One of them chortled.

“Ha! Get payback? That is if she survives in that house.”

The mocking came in wave after wave.

At this time, Eden’s phone suddenly started ringing. It was the ringtone of a message coming in. She took out her phone and slowly typed out her reply to the message. She ignored the jeering from the Hunt family.

Seeing that Eden wasn’t paying any attention to her and was on her phone in front of them, Catherine became irritated.

However, she managed to keep her rage under control.

She raised her hand and stopped everyone before staring at Eden. “Did your mother tell you about the marriage?”

What was most important to her was the marriage with the Ward family.

“She did,” Eden said indifferently after she had replied to the message. She raised her head, her icy eyes looking at everyone’s faces.

Catherine nodded. “Even though it’s just a marriage of convenience, the Ward family’s daughter-in-law cannot be someone who doesn’t even have a high school diploma. I hear that your results are terrible. I won’t have you attend Riverside Senior High. Instead, you will attend Sunrise Senior High and complete your senior year.

“You’re only nineteen. We can have the engagement in two days and get the marriage certified when you’re twenty. Then, you can get married when you graduate high school. As for your grandmother… Don’t worry. We’ll arrange for her to be admitted to the best hospital for her treatment. All you need to do is to get married and she won’t be mistreated.”

Melinda had already repeatedly told Eden about this before going to the Hunts.

However, Catherine wanted to go through it one more time personally, just to be sure.

“Fine,” Eden said without hesitation.