Runaway Heiress Gets Her New Life

The Sanders family has one rule: if a daughter attends her debutante ball without a partner, the family gets to decide whom she marries. And as the Sanders family's unwanted adopted daughter, I know no one will ask me. Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, I finally work up the courage to ask Jonathan Bale, the man I've secretly loved for years, to be my partner. He smiles, ruffles my hair, and says yes. But that night, Jonathan arrives at the ball with Raine Sanders, the family's real daughter, on his arm. I beg him not to do this to me, but he only seems annoyed. "Stop making such a big deal out of it. If you're that worried, I can just marry you tomorrow," he jokes. "Don't worry. You're not even a real Sanders anyway. Who else is going to want you?" Laughter erupts around us, and I slowly let go of his sleeve. And just like that, I stop fighting it. The next day, Jonathan actually shows up at our house with a marriage proposal in hand. He has come to ask for my hand. But Dad looks at him with a complicated expression. "She was sent to the Fairmont family before dawn," Dad says. "She's about to get married." Chapter 1 Thea's POV "Jonathan," I pleaded, my voice trembling. "But you promised me." I caught him by the sleeve of his tuxedo before the ball began. Jonathan stopped in his tracks and flashed me a careless smile. "I'm sorry. Raine came to me yesterday too," he said. "So, I had to say yes to her." My throat felt tight. "Had to?" I couldn't help but snap at him. "You promised me long before she ever asked. What am I supposed to do now? "Don't you know that if I show up to my debutante ball without a partner, I'll—" "You'll be forced into an arranged marriage?" Raine Sanders' bright voice cut me off. She arrived fashionably late and, right in front of me, slipped her arm through Jonathan's. It felt so deliberate, almost like a declaration of victory. "Thea, why do you always use that as a threat? "It's not like we're living in the old days. No one's going to force you into a marriage you don't want. You're the eldest daughter of the Sanders family, after all. "Even if…" She paused, the corners of her lips curling into a knowing smile. "Even if you're not their biological daughter. "Well, they've raised you all these years. Do you really think Mom and Dad would force you to marry someone you don't love?" Jonathan nodded along, trying to placate me. "Raine has a point, Thea," he said, sounding helpless. "Don't make this into something bigger than it is. Tonight is just a dance. How did you jump from that to an arranged marriage? He raised a hand, seemingly about to ruffle my hair like he always did. But before he could touch me, I quickly turned my head away. Jonathan's expression darkened for a moment. His hand froze in midair before he lowered it. I didn't look at him. All I could think about was the marriage my family was about to force me into. "The party hasn't started yet," I said, turning to leave. "I'll find someone else to dance with." A debutante ball was more than just a celebration of coming of age. It was practically a public announcement of one's eligibility, and couples who attended together were often encouraged toward marriage by their families. I knew people in our circle looked down on me. But surely, after knowing some of them for so many years, there had to be someone willing to help. To Jonathan, however, what I had just said sounded like I was choosing someone else over him. He abruptly pulled his arm free from Raine's and stepped in front of me. "Thea, what exactly are you up to?" "Nothing. I just don't want to be the only one without a partner," I replied evenly. "Since you've already chosen Raine, I'll find someone else. "The party's about to start. Will you let go? I'm running out of time." My words only seemed to make him angrier. "Who are you going to ask? Don't you dare!" he growled. "Come back!" I spun around, glaring at him. I couldn't understand what had gotten into him. "Jonathan, what do you want from me?" I fumed. "You chose her, yet now you're stopping me from finding someone else?" Jonathan looked as though he were hiding something from me. He flushed, but he couldn't seem to find the words. "I've already made arrangements," he finally said, looking away. "You're not going to find another partner tonight. Not anyone but me." The last thing I wanted was to waste another second arguing with him. I yanked my arm free and strode straight to the balcony, where I started calling everyone I could think of. But the friends I'd always been on good terms with gave me almost identical answers. "Sorry, Thea. I already have a date tonight." "It's not that I don't want to help. It's just… My family has something going on." "Thea, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's just…" My friend hesitated. "This is Jonathan's doing. Don't put me in a difficult position." … By the time Dad sent someone to look for me yet again, I still hadn't found anyone. I had no choice but to return to the ballroom alone. The debutante ball had already begun. Jonathan was dancing with Raine in the middle of the floor, the two of them looking every bit the perfect couple. It wasn't until the song ended that he finally noticed me standing at the edge of the dance floor. As if he'd known all along that I'd have nowhere else to turn, he raised an eyebrow and walked toward me with Raine on his arm. "Thea, you've gotten over yourself, haven't you?" he asked in a soft voice, as though he were trying to coax me. "Raine and I had something important to take care of, which is why we came together tonight. "I promise I'll make it up to you. I'll give you a celebration ten times—no, a hundred times more lavish than this." I frowned, not interested in Jonathan's promises about the future. The damage was already done. I had attended the ball alone, and there was nothing I could do about it now. The only thing I could do now was beg Dad to spare me from the arranged marriage, if only for the sake of all the years I'd spent as his daughter. "Whatever," I said coldly. I tried to walk past them toward the stairs, but after being met with one cold response after another, Jonathan finally lost his temper. "Thea, what's your problem?" he blurted out, unable to hold back his frustration anymore. "Stop making such a big deal out of this. If you're that worried, I can just marry you tomorrow!" The words were barely out of his mouth before Jonathan himself seemed to realize what he'd said. Every guest turned to look at us. Raine gently tugged on his arm, and only then did he seem to snap back to reality. "Don't worry. You're just a fake heiress," he hastily added. "Besides me, no one else is going to want you." For a moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped. Then, a quiet snort of laughter came from somewhere in the crowd. Another followed. Soon, whispers spread throughout the ballroom. "Wow. He really said that to her face." "He's harsh, but he's not exactly wrong. Isn't her mother supposed to have been a maid? I've even heard she was her father's mistress. Either way, she's not a real Sanders." "Let's be honest. She's just some girl the Sanders family took in. How could she ever hope to marry into the Bale family?" I'd heard cruel remarks like these for years, so I should've been used to them by now. But when it came from Jonathan, the man I'd loved for ten years, something inside me broke. For the first time, the man standing in front of me felt like a complete stranger. Jonathan regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. He shot an angry glare around the room, and the whispers immediately died. He frowned and took a step toward me, his voice hurried as he tried to take it back. "Thea, that's not what I meant—" "Ms. Sanders!" The voice of the old butler, Boris Manson, came from the staircase above us. He gave me a respectful nod and said, "Mr. Sanders would like to see you in his study." Chapter 2 I stood several feet from Dad's desk, my voice barely above a whisper. "Dad." "You know the rules of the debutante ball," he said. I lowered my eyes. "I do, but—" "No buts." He cut me off and pushed the documents on his desk toward me. "The Fairmont family has already agreed to the marriage," he continued. "They'll send someone to collect you after the ball. Go register the marriage first. The Fairmonts will arrange the wedding and everything else." Unable to process how quickly things were moving, I jerked my head up and stared at Dad in disbelief. "Dad, I don't want—" "Whether you want it or not doesn't matter," he snapped, as though I'd just said something childish. He let out a snort. "Thea, this is a deal. "Never mind the fact that we've raised you for more than 20 years. If I wanted to, I could easily make it look like your biological mother deliberately switched you at birth. "As for evidence? If we need it, we'll find it. "Tell me, if we charge your mom with child kidnapping, where do you think she'd spend the rest of her life?" A chill ran down my spine, but I still tried one last time to fight back. "But Jonathan just—" "Thea," Dad cut me off. "Are you really this stupid, or are you just pretending?" His voice was cold as he continued, "Can't you tell he was being sarcastic? "He chose Raine in front of everyone tonight. What else were you expecting?" A thick and suffocating silence enveloped the study. "If you marry into the Fairmont family, I'll have your mother sign a release clearing her of any responsibility," Dad finally said, his tone softening. "We'll agree not to take any legal action against her. "And after that, you'll be completely free." It dawned on me that my freedom was nothing more than a trade for marriage. The irony was almost unbearable. I closed my eyes, and Jonathan's words echoed again and again in my mind. "You're just a fake heiress. Besides me, no one else is going to want you." So, this was how he'd always seen me. It wasn't just that he couldn't save me—he simply chose not to. At this point, I'd given up. I slowly unclenched my fists, my palms slick with moisture. I couldn't tell whether it was sweat or blood. "Fine. I'll do as you say," I finally said. At last, the study door opened. Dad had arranged for two bodyguards to escort me back to my room and help me pack, but I knew they only came to make sure I didn't run. Numbly, I stared at the gift box sitting on my vanity. Inside was a watch—not particularly expensive, but one I'd secretly saved up for after working part-time for months. I'd planned to give it to Jonathan after the ball. Maybe I'd finally tell him everything then, pouring out all the feelings I'd kept buried for ten years—the things I'd never been brave enough to say. But now, I simply pressed my lips together and fastened the watch around my own wrist. One of the bodyguards glanced at it but said nothing. He probably thought I was too naive to know better. If I was going to wear a watch, I might as well wear something expensive. But this one was cheap enough that, if I needed money while I was on the run, I could pawn it quickly and easily without drawing any attention. I hadn't planned to marry into the Fairmont family at all. I was going to run. Chapter 3 If Dad could use my biological mother to manipulate me once, he could use her to control me for the rest of my life. I wasn't stupid enough to trust some damn release agreement. Besides, I was certain that Dad would never let the matter become public for the sake of the Sanders family's reputation. I quietly packed my things. By the time I checked the clock again, the ball was already over. My phone on the table had been vibrating nonstop. It was Jonathan. Message after message appeared on the screen as he tried to explain the situation. "Thea, pick up the phone! "We need to talk. Things aren't what you think. "Thea, I said I'd marry you tomorrow, and I meant it. Where are you? I'll come find you." I reached for the phone to silence it, but one of the bodyguards snatched it away first. "I'm sorry, Ms. Sanders. Mr. Sanders wants you to focus on preparing for the wedding. "As for your phone, the Fairmont family will provide you with a new one. Their people have already arrived." I glanced at the time. It was a little past midnight, and the Fairmonts had arrived far sooner than I'd expected. I was still trying to think of a way to buy myself more time when a knock sounded at the door. Raine leaned against the doorframe, giving the already-open door a few perfunctory knocks. "Congratulations, Thea," she drawled. "Dad said you've agreed to marry into the Fairmont family. "But I heard your future husband lost one eye when he was younger, and that he has quite the temper. Apparently, his first three wives all died at his hands. "You'd better hang in there. At the very least, try to stay alive until Jonathan and I get married. I'd love to invite you to the wedding." I gave her a look and wasted no time in dashing her hopes. "Jonathan isn't going to marry you." The smug smile on Raine's face froze. "He doesn't love you," I continued. "I don't know what happened or why he suddenly changed his mind, but you know as well as I do that even without me, Jonathan would never marry you." Her expression shifted, as though I'd hit a nerve. "So what?" she shot back, forcing a mocking smile. "At least I'm not the one being sent away like some unwanted trash. I'm the Sanders family's real daughter!" I flashed her a small smile and looked past her. Outside the mansion, the sky was pitch-black, rain lashing against the windows. "Raine, want to make a bet? Being a real Sanders won't save you. Your fate won't be much better than mine. "Because to Keagan, we're both nothing more than bargaining chips. He'll marry us off to whoever has the most to offer. "If Jonathan doesn't marry you, you'll just be married off to someone else, won't you?" Anger flashed in Raine's eyes. "That's complete nonsense!" she hissed. "It's the youngest son of the Jarrow family, isn't it?" I folded my arms and sneered. "He abused drugs until both his legs were ruined, and he's been confined to a wheelchair ever since. "Raine, is that really the man you're going to marry? Honestly, I'd rather—" "You bitch!" Seething with rage, Raine lunged at me and struck me hard across the face. The blow sent me stumbling sideways. My back slammed into the cold, hard corner of the mahogany wardrobe with a dull thud, and I crashed onto the carpet. I covered my rapidly swelling cheek with my left hand, lowering my head as my hair fell across my face. It hurt. But deep down, I was completely calm. I'd finally managed to make Raine lose her temper. Chapter 4 Dad came rushing over at the commotion. He saw me sprawled on the floor in such a sorry state, yet all he did was give Raine a half-hearted scolding. "Raine, that was completely out of line," he chided. "Look at what you've done to her face. How are we supposed to explain this to the Fairmonts? Go back to your room and reflect on what you've done." Hearing this, Raine glanced at my swollen cheek with a smug smile. She snorted and strode right past me. Only then did Dad glance at me with a frown. "Go put some medicine on that," he ordered. "You can't show up at the Fairmonts looking like this." I staggered to my feet. "Dad, the Fairmonts have already arrived," I said evenly, feeling strangely calm. "We shouldn't keep them waiting too long." Dad nodded, immediately disregarding the injuries on my face. He ordered the bodyguards to take my luggage instead. Since Lucian Fairmont wasn't there in person, I followed his assistant, Alex Larson, to the car. From the rearview mirror, I watched the mansion where I'd spent more than 20 years of my life grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared from view. The car sped through the downpour, taking us all the way to the airport. "Mrs. Fairmont, air traffic control hasn't approved the private jet for takeoff because of the weather," Alex said, his brows furrowing into a tight knot. "We'll have to wait until it clears." I nodded and curled up on the sofa in the airport lounge. Not long after, Alex had someone bring me some medicinal cream for the swelling. I opened the door and glanced outside. He was still waiting there. "I can apply it to my face myself, but I think my back is badly bruised too," I said after a moment's thought. "Could you please find a female staff member to help me with that?" … The storm raged through the night, and it wasn't until dawn that the weather finally began to clear. Alex knocked on the lounge door. "Mrs. Fairmont, air traffic control has approved the flight. Please get ready." I hummed in response, gingerly running my fingers over my swollen cheek. "Alex," I called out. "It'll be quite inconvenient to apply the medicine on the plane. Could you ask that staff member to come back? My injuries are still a little sore." Alex didn't suspect a thing. A while later, the same young female staff member walked into the lounge. Our eyes met, and we exchanged a smile. Just then, a loud noise erupted outside. It was Jonathan's voice. "Stop! Mr. Bale, you can't—" "Get out of my way! All of you, get lost! Bring Thea out here!" Jonathan was dressed in a fresh suit, with a group of Bale family bodyguards behind him. He was locked in a tense standoff with Alex and several of the Fairmonts' men. Tension hung thick in the air. "Alex, hand Thea over!" Jonathan snarled, grabbing Alex by the collar. But Alex didn't even flinch. "Mr. Bale, please show some restraint," he reminded him. "Mrs. Fairmont is resting. If you continue behaving like this, am I to take it as a provocation from the Bale family against the Fairmonts?" Jonathan looked as though he'd just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Mrs. Fairmont?" he echoed, his breathing ragged as his chest heaved with anger. "Thea's mine! "I went to the Sanders family first thing this morning to ask for her hand, and that bastard Keagan told me you'd already taken her away before dawn. "What the hell is this? Are you trying to force her into a marriage?" Alex tightened his grip on Jonathan's collar. "Mr. Bale, you were already given your chance," he said coldly. "You were the one who chose Ms. Raine Sanders at the ball last night." Jonathan's voice caught in his throat. He had no intention of arguing with Alex any longer and motioned for his men to force their way inside. "Bullshit! I was deceived!" he roared, his voice hoarse. "Thea's mine, and I'm taking her with me!" The muffled sounds of a scuffle broke out outside, and the standoff instantly descended into chaos. No longer caring for appearances, Alex was just about to order his men to intervene when the young staff member suddenly burst through the door. "Something's wrong!" she shouted. "Mr. Larson, Mrs. Fairmont is gone! The bathroom window is open. "She escaped!"