Marrying Your Older Sister

Cole clicked his tongue a few times. “You have no choice, Jace. You’ll just have to put up with it for now. Evelyn’s heart belongs to me.”

Evelyn let out a smug little laugh. Admiring her freshly done nails, she gave me a sidelong glance.

“What’s he got to complain about? He’s head over heels in love with me. Giving him one day a week is already more than he deserves.”

Her words twisted something deep in my chest. That Evelyn felt so unfamiliar, I almost couldn’t recognize her.

Years ago, she had loved me so much. When I was bedridden with a fever of 104 degrees Farenheit that refused to break, she abandoned all her work to stay by my side day and night. She even traveled to a renowned church in the neighboring city, praying for my health on her knees day and night until her knees were raw with blood.

I had been so heartbroken that I could barely speak, lecturing her for being foolish. However, she cupped my face tenderly in her hands and said, “As long as you’re safe and healthy, even if it costs me my life, it’s worth it.”

Those memories were still vivid. Yet now, reality was unrecognizable.

I swallowed the storm rising in my chest and met Evelyn’s glimmering eyes. Lifting my hand, I showed the wedding band on my finger and tried to keep my tone steady.

“You’ve got the wrong person. And besides, I’m already married.”

The room instantly fell silent. Everyone exchanged looks, their eyes darting around until laughter suddenly erupted.

Evelyn raised her brows slightly, glancing at my ring with complete indifference.

“Married? To who? Some middle-aged woman? Look at how shabby you are. That ring has to be from the bargain bin at a dollar store. What? You think flashing it will jog my memory?”

Before I could react, she shot up from the couch and yanked the ring off my finger. I was exhausted from days of work and didn’t manage to dodge in time.

Cole stepped forward, examining the ring closely before bursting into laughter.

“Evelyn, doesn’t this look just like the rings of Eternal Hearts your sister bid on in France three years ago? Don’t tell me the wife Jace’s talking about is your sister, Valerie Gates?”

He shot me a mocking glance while tossing the ring in his hand up into the air.

The room grew even rowdier. To them, the idea was absurd. After all, Valerie was the Gates family’s heir.

She was ruthless and decisive, the kind of ice queen in business no one dared to cross. Yet, three years ago, she suddenly married in secret. She loved her mysterious husband so fiercely that some might call it an obsession.

For years, no matter how hard the media dug, no one had uncovered even a trace of that man or their daughter.

“Jace, don’t tell me you’re claiming to be the mystery man everyone’s been trying to unmask for three years?”

Cole tossed the ring high in the air and caught it, landing back in his palm. Under the glow of the lights, it sparkled with a dazzling brilliance.

“I’m not gonna lie, though. The craftsmanship is impressive for a fake. Which factory did you get this knockoff from?”

Their constant jeers wore thin on me.

“Put my ring down. It’s real–”

Before I could finish, Evelyn slapped me hard across the face. Pain stung as heat spread across my cheek.

“Jace, have you lost your mind? How dare you spread lies about Val? Everyone knows she’s obsessed with her husband. Not even I have seen his face, and you dare to pretend to be him? Who gave you the nerve?”

I licked my dry lips and slowly turned back to meet Evelyn’s eyes.