Rebirth: Shattering the Stepmother's Inheritance Plot

Gavin Liam proposed to me in front of all the teachers and students.

"I want to marry you. I will surely make you happy."

He was wearing a bachelor's gown. Kneeling on one knee, he held a graduation certificate in one hand and a ring box in the other.

He smiled radiantly.

"They are a model couple on campus."

"They are destined to be together by their names! What a perfect match!"

"From freshman year to postgraduate school, it took them a whole six years. The couple I have been shipping will be officially married. Sob..."

The classmates around me were excitedly cheering, saying, "Say yes to him! Say yes to him!"

I stood there in a daze.

Gavin should have said, "Ariel Berg, would you marry me?" But he didn't.

Libby Carter, my stepmother, came to attend my graduation ceremony. She poked her head out from behind me and leaned close to my ear.

"Ariel, you should agree to Gavin first. There are so many people watching."

Under the situation, I was awkward.

I wanted her to help me round up the scene so that I didn't have to force myself to decide.

After my father passed away, my stepmother and I had a close bond, which was like that of best friends. We were relying on each other for support.

I frowned and gestured to her with my eyes, "Libby, I haven't..."

Before I could finish my words, Libby excitedly shouted out.

"She promised. She promised!"

"When my Ariel and Gavin get married, everyone, you should attend the wedding banquet."

"If Ariel gets married early and settles down for life, both Ariel's dad and I will feel relieved."

Amid the applause and flowers, Gavin put a ring on my fingers, which was one size bigger for me.

At that time, I didn't know how big of a trap it was.

On the way home, the driver and Ariel sat in the front seat.

Gavin was close to me, saying, "Let's go get our marriage certificate tomorrow."

I couldn't help but feel wronged. With tears welling up in my eyes, I lowered my head and turned the ring on my fingers, which was too big for me.

"Gavin, I don't even know when we started dating."

"Now how come we are getting married?"

Gavin looked puzzled, asking, "Didn't we agree to be together after your post-graduate?"

Libby echoed, saying, "Yes, Ariel, haven't you two been living together for two years?"

"It is sort of."

To be precise, Gavin and I occasionally stayed in a villa close to the laboratory.

I had been chasing Gavin for four years in college. He hardly paid attention to me.

For him, a poor and independent academic overachiever, he always found me, a rich girl, an eyesore.

He changed his attitude towards me since he started his postgraduate studies.

After graduating from college, he had to work for a living. It was I who asked my stepmother, who was a member of the board of directors, to set up a scholarship for him to pursue his postgraduate studies.

At that time, he was extremely grateful to the board of director's office.

When Libby handed me the villa key and asked me to bring my boyfriend to live there, he neither denied nor refused. He did so probably out of gratitude.

He confirmed with me about my relationship with Libby.

The light in his eyes couldn't be concealed. He asked gently, "Will Director Libby live there too?"

Libby smiled lightly.

"When I had a job to handle there before, I would go there. Now, you two should settle down."

"But you should be there when you have to experiment, right? After all, it's quite far from the school."

I hadn't answered yet, but Gavin spoke politely first.

"Yes, Director Libby, you don't have to worry too much. It's more convenient for you to work if you live in your villa."

Libby smiled. I nodded too.

Later, due to Gavin's research, he always had to do experiments.

When I was not busy, I would go to the villa to find him. We would have meals together, watch movies, and take a walk.

We seemed to be indeed in love.

Gavin's eager tone brought me back to reality.

"Ariel, if you think I didn't do well before, tell me. I will change."

Gavin was sincere.

I muttered, "You never formally confessed, so how could it be considered that we were in a relationship before?"

He chuckled. With his face getting closer to mine, his breath was blowing on my face.

It seemed that he was about to kiss me.

"So, given how we got along before, was I being a rogue?"