The Substitute Bride

Chapter 1: Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder, Forced Marriage at the Start

When Claire opened her eyes, her temples throbbed and her wrists ached with sharp, stinging pain.

A woman's sobbing reached her ears. "Claire, how could you be so foolish? Mom just wanted you to marry into the Ashford family in your sister's place. The Ashfords are well-off—you'd have a good life there. Why would you try to slit your wrists?"

Claire: "...?"

What was going on? Was this "Claire" referring to her? She'd slit her wrists?

She looked down at her wrists. They did hurt terribly...

"You're awake? Child, don't be foolish. Don't do anything rash. We've already accepted the Ashfords' bride price of two thousand five hundred and eighty-eight dollars. That money went to your brother for his wedding. We've already booked the hotel for the banquet with the rest. You can't abandon your brother." The woman rushed to speak as soon as she saw Claire awake, her face etched with anxiety.

Claire watched her frantic urgency and confirmed she was indeed being addressed.

Her heart jolted. She had transmigrated?

And from the tone of it, she'd landed in a family that favored sons over daughters. Her mood soured instantly.

A flood of foreign memories rushed into her mind, and she understood at once—she'd been transported into a novel!

She'd become a cannon-fodder side character in a period story.

The female lead was her stepsister, Olivia.

Claire's mother, Martha, had married Olivia's father, Harold, forming a blended family. Olivia was Harold's daughter from his first marriage. After marrying, each brought a daughter into the household, and they later had a son together, whom they named Leo.

Olivia, twenty-two, was the only college graduate in the village and the novel's heroine. Last year, she'd been set up on a blind date with a soldier named Victor, then a deputy regiment commander. Handsome and tall at twenty-seven, his family pressured him to marry. After meeting Olivia, both sides found the match suitable and agreed to wed once she graduated and found a job.

Two months ago, the Ashfords sent a bride price of eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars along with three pieces of gold jewelry. The family used the money for Leo's wedding—eight hundred and eighty-eight went to a pretty young girl as her bride price, and the remaining thousand had a hundred set aside for the hotel banquet. The wedding was two months away.

But then Victor was injured in a mission, burned over fifty percent of his body. The sight was horrifying.

Olivia visited him once and was so terrified she immediately wanted to call off the engagement.

They'd only met through a matchmaker, and Victor, being a soldier, spent most of his time at the base. They'd seen each other just three times: the blind date, the engagement discussion, and the formal meeting with both families.

With little emotional attachment, Olivia refused to marry a disfigured man.

But the bride price had been accepted and partly spent. If Olivia backed out, it meant Leo's fiancée would slip away.

Leo threw a massive tantrum.

Olivia matched his fury. As the family's prized college graduate—a rare treasure in those days—they had to accommodate her. They planned to scrape together the money to return the bride price. But then the Ashfords sent another thousand dollars, as if sensing her reluctance, raising the stakes!

That changed everything. Leo's young fiancée, upon hearing this, demanded a lavish wedding.

Leo was deeply in love with her. After family discussions, they decided Claire would marry Victor instead. They even sent Claire's photo to the Ashfords, asking if they could swap brides.

The Ashfords were accommodating. Claire was pretty, and though she'd only finished her first year of high school—far from Olivia's college education—they couldn't be too picky given their son's condition. They agreed.

But Claire refused. After visiting Victor in the hospital, she had nightmares that night, dreaming of spending her life with a monster. She couldn't sleep for days and told her family she wouldn't go through with it. But she had the least say in the household.

Leo's name alone showed how much they doted on him.

Olivia, though a girl, was a college student.

Only Claire, neither a blood relative nor a boy, became the family's sacrifice.

She tried to resist, but her protests carried no weight. No one cared—not even her own mother.

In despair, she slit her wrists.

Found and rushed to the hospital, she lay unconscious for hours. When she woke, she was no longer the original Claire but a transmigrator from another world.

Claire never expected to end up in this novel. She'd read it before and found it annoying that the cannon-fodder side character shared her name. But since the character had little screen time, she didn't dwell on it.

In the original story, Olivia's life was inspiring—except for letting her stepsister take the fall and taking the space necklace that rightfully belonged to Claire. Those plot points were glossed over, so readers only grumbled briefly before getting swept up in other drama.

Now that Claire was the cannon fodder, she saw how despicable Olivia truly was.

In the original, Olivia only accidentally bonded with the space after Claire's forced marriage. Claire, terrified of her disfigured husband, kept their relationship cold. Olivia discovered the space's spiritual spring, used it as toner, and sent it to Victor, healing his burns and earning their eternal gratitude.

But the space necklace? Claire had saved for months to buy it for herself. Olivia fancied it, and the whole family pressured Claire to give it up as a "dowry gift" for Olivia.

"Claire? Why aren't you talking? Don't scare me—are you okay?" The woman beside her panicked.

Claire looked at her. This woman, Martha, was the original's mother.

Claire pulled her hand back. "I'll marry in her place. But since I'm taking my sister's spot, shouldn't she return the necklace I gave her?"

At this, Olivia, standing nearby with a worried expression, curled her lip in disdain.

She'd already given her the necklace. How could her sister ask for it back? Once given, it was given.

Chapter 2: The Bride Price? The Dowry? If Not, I'll Find My Own Way

Claire turned to Martha. "You made me give her that necklace because she was getting married—it was supposed to be my gift to her dowry. But now she's not marrying, and I'm taking her place. You should give it back. I saved for months to buy it."

Olivia thought her sister was petty, but she preferred Claire to marry Victor. If Claire refused and the family wanted to keep the bride price, Olivia would have to go through with it.

She definitely didn't want that!

A college graduate like her couldn't marry a disfigured man!

"Claire, I'll return the necklace. But let's agree: I'm not marrying, so I don't need a dowry. If I give it back, you have to go through with this. Stop being so stubborn. You don't know how worried Mom was—she stayed by your side, afraid something would happen to you." Olivia's tone was gentle.

Claire laughed coldly. "It was always mine. You wanted it, and everyone forced me to give it to you. Now I'm the bad guy for asking? And Mom... she wasn't worried about me. She was afraid I wouldn't marry and she'd have to return the bride price to the Ashfords."

Martha and Olivia's faces darkened.

Martha snapped, "What kind of talk is that! I'm your mother! Of course I worry about you! How can you think that?"

"Mom, the first thing you said when I woke up was not to kill myself and to think of my brother. Am I wrong to think that? If you don't want me to overthink, treat me better. I've lost too much blood—I need nourishing soup. Go home and make me some, and bring back the necklace you 'took' from me." Claire emphasized the word "took."

She added, "And since I'm marrying in my sister's place, shouldn't I get the dowry meant for her?"

Olivia bristled. "No way! My dowry—my father gave me things from my late mother, and my grandparents' gifts too. You can't have those."

Martha chimed in, "That's right, Claire. Those are from Olivia's birth mother. You can't take them."

Claire was speechless. They guarded their own possessions fiercely but had no qualms about stealing her space necklace.

She knew arguing was pointless. She'd already made up her mind. "Fine. But Mom, whatever you were going to give me—I should still get that, right?"

Martha looked awkward. "Child, I have no money. I only make twenty-five dollars a month, and it all goes to your brother."

"Then what about the bride price from the Ashfords? Can I take that?"

Martha's face soured. "You know what that money's for—it's for your brother's wedding!"

Claire nearly laughed in frustration.

If the original Claire were here, she'd probably be guilt-tripped again.

The original had been so spineless. Except for refusing to marry Victor, she'd let Martha control her entire life.

If Claire hadn't taken over, her future would have been miserable.

"My brother doesn't need the whole bride price for his wedding. You should give me some. If I show up with nothing, won't I be a laughingstock?"

Martha shot up from her chair. "What dowry do you need? The Ashfords added money because they wanted someone to marry him. They won't care whether you bring anything!"

"Your brother needs money for his wedding now. And I raised you..."

Claire cut her off. "Then at least go home and make me some soup, okay?"

She knew the necklace Olivia had taken contained a space that could store things.

Since they wouldn't give her anything willingly, she'd just take everything valuable herself.

"Fine!" Martha agreed to make soup, but as she stood, she caught Olivia signaling her.

She paused, then turned back. "Claire, since you're awake, let's go home. Hospital stays cost money—we should save where we can."

Claire was furious.

She'd just woken up, and they wanted to discharge her to save a few bucks.

"Right, Claire." Olivia chimed in. "Let's go home. We can use the money we save to buy you some chicken soup."

Claire turned away, staring at the blank wall with a dead expression.

Fine. She was stuck in this novel now. She'd take it one step at a time. Getting angry at them wasn't worth it.

"Then go ahead and check me out." Claire forced a bitter smile. "I want to see that necklace when I get home."

Olivia's expression darkened. "It's just a cheap necklace. What's the big deal? You keep bringing it up!"

"You wouldn't understand, sister. I'm broke. I need something decent to my name, or I'll feel inferior." Claire closed her eyes, dismissing them. Martha had no choice but to handle the discharge.

The paperwork was done quickly. The doctor warned, "Make sure she rests well at home."

Martha, eager to leave, mumbled a few words and dragged Claire away. The doctor shook his head.

"You're hurting me!" Claire pulled her hand back, unlike the original.

Martha glanced back, puzzled. Her usually obedient daughter seemed different. Had she been scared by Victor?

Olivia thought the same. She shuddered, remembering her own visit to Victor. If her sister was this terrified, he must look even worse now.

She patted her chest in relief. "Good thing I don't have to marry him."

Soon, they reached a small building. The area wasn't great, and noisy chatter drifted from inside.

They climbed to the second floor. Opening the door revealed a cramped home, just as Claire remembered.

Old-fashioned furnishings filled the space. Claire glanced around and sat on the sofa.

Within minutes, the door opened again. In walked Harold, in his forties, and her nineteen-year-old brother, Leo.

Leo, spoiled rotten, was overweight with a pimply, rough face.

He looked greasy.

Claire looked away, disgusted.

"Mom," Leo said, not even glancing at Claire as he headed inside. "Make some chicken soup this afternoon. I'm craving it!"

"The Ashfords sent a lot of good stuff, right? Throw some in to nourish me." Leo exaggerated, and Claire found it absurd.

He was already fat and well-fed. What more did he need to nourish?

"Of course! My poor Leo, go sit down. I'll make the soup right away and put all the good stuff in!" Martha didn't hesitate. She grabbed the chicken she'd bought two days ago and started chopping.

Claire leaned back on the sofa, eyes closed. Harold sat beside her. "Claire, feeling better?"

It sounded caring, but Claire knew better. Harold was a sly fox, a smiling tiger.

He only asked because he was worried she'd refuse to marry.

"I'm fine. I just need some nourishing soup. Otherwise, I might not last long after the wedding." Claire glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

Harold, hearing she was willing, beamed. "That's the spirit. Drink some soup when your mom makes it. Rest well."

He left without another word. There was no fatherly love there.

Claire didn't want to talk to them anyway. When Olivia came out of her room, Claire immediately opened her eyes and held out her hand. "Sister, it's time to return my necklace."

Olivia rolled her eyes.

What was wrong with this sister? So tacky. It was just a cheap necklace, and she kept nagging about it. So pathetic.

Chapter 3: Getting the Space Necklace Back

Claire saw her expression and played her trump card.

"Sister," she said, still lounging on the sofa, but her gaze turned sharp and warning. "I've already died once. If you don't give back what I worked so hard to save for, then I won't marry. I'll die again!"

This family was disgusting. Without a threat, Olivia would never give it back.

Even if she didn't want the necklace anymore, she'd keep it out of spite.

That was her possessiveness.

But Claire couldn't let her keep it a moment longer. If Olivia accidentally bonded with the space, Claire would lose her chance.

It worked.

Olivia's face darkened further. She muttered curses about Claire being tacky but turned and went to her room.

Compared to marrying Victor, a cheap necklace meant nothing.

She'd worn it for a while and was bored with it anyway. Returning it was no big deal.

Claire was a pitiful wretch.

Comforted by this thought, Olivia grabbed the necklace and tossed it onto the sofa. "Here. It's just a cheap thing. I don't care about it."

Claire's heart settled the moment she saw the necklace.

She'd somehow ended up in this ridiculous period novel, but with the space, her future was secure.

This was her lifeline!

"Of course you don't care, sister. You have everything. And what you don't have, you take from me. What you don't want, you force on me." Claire's tone was dripping with sarcasm as she clutched the necklace and headed to her room.

Once inside, she closed the door. Exhausted, she dragged herself to the bed, grabbed a needle from the curtain, pricked her finger, and squeezed a drop of blood onto the necklace.

The necklace vibrated in her hand, emitting a faint glow.

The next second, Claire closed her eyes and found herself inside the space.

It contained a spiritual spring and fertile fields, lush and green, stretching out peacefully. A large modern house stood nearby.

Claire looked around and entered the house.

Inside, she was stunned and overjoyed.

"A skincare research lab!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. In her past life, she'd worked in this field, developing herbal skincare products that were harmless and beneficial.

The lab was fully equipped, even better than her previous one.

She'd been a skincare expert in her old life, winning awards at a young age.

She thought she'd never work in this field again, but fate had other plans.

The more she thought about it, the happier she became. After exploring the lab, she stepped outside, cupped her hands in the spiritual spring, and drank.

In the novel, the spring had miraculous properties.

Olivia had bonded with the space and used the water to heal Victor's burns, earning his gratitude. He later helped her career when she needed it.

Because of this, the original Claire believed Victor still loved Olivia, causing strife in their marriage. She eventually died young in a car accident.

Now that Claire had bonded with the space, she could heal Victor after the wedding. The spiritual spring would also restore her own health.

After drinking the spring water, she felt invigorated. She looked forward to the future.

Olivia might be the novel's heroine, but now that Claire was here, Olivia's story was over.

"Dinner!"

Claire had stayed in the space for a while before coming out. Soon, she heard someone calling.

She opened the door and sat directly at the table.

The family froze for a few seconds. Leo frowned. "Claire, are you blind? Can't you see we're missing bowls? What do you think you're doing?"

He'd never seen her as a sister—just a servant.

"And you?" Claire wasn't about to indulge him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm injured. I'm waiting for dinner. You have working hands and feet—go get the bowls yourself." Claire ignored the family and waited quietly.

Harold and Martha stood at the kitchen doorway, exchanging glances.

"It's just bowls. Can't you stop fighting?" Harold's expression shifted as he brought the bowls to the table. "Claire's hurt. Let her rest."

Martha said nothing but shot Claire venomous looks.

Claire knew why—she'd scolded her precious son.

Leo wanted to argue, but Harold pressed his shoulder and gave him a warning look. The family finally began eating.

Claire picked up her bowl. When Leo reached for the largest drumstick, she was faster, snatching it into her bowl.

"Claire!" Leo fumed. The drumsticks and best meat had always been his. How dare she?

Claire ignored him, eating the drumstick slowly and even helping herself to several bowls of soup.

Martha couldn't take it anymore. She put down her chopsticks. "Claire, you're sick. You can have some, but that drumstick is your brother's. How can you steal it? How did I raise such an ungrateful child?"

Harold stayed silent.

He was a cunning old fox. Since Martha had spoken, he didn't need to.

"If I don't recover, how can I marry? Do you want me to die at the wedding?" Claire drank another bowl of soup.

To be fair, Martha was a good cook. The soup was rich with medicinal herbs and delicious.

At Claire's words, the family fell silent.

Seeing the tension, Harold nudged Martha. "Say less. What's wrong with her having some soup?"

Martha was furious but couldn't respond. Claire finished her soup. "I'm going to rest."

She went to her room.

Martha ground her teeth in anger, but Harold scanned the table. "Bear with it for a couple more days. Once she's married, it'll be over."

He had no affection for Claire, but her marriage would bring in over two thousand dollars. A few days of patience was nothing.

Leo wanted to argue, but Harold glared at him. Remembering his own wedding, Leo swallowed his pride. "It's just a drumstick. Once she's gone, I'll eat as many as I want!"

"She can choke on it, the starving ghost!"

Leo stood up. Martha quickly pulled out some money. "Leo, go see Rose. We'll handle things quickly. The hotel's booked. Buy her whatever she likes."

Leo took the money, though he thought it was too little. Still, he pocketed it.

"Thanks, Mom. Once Rose moves in, you'll have a good life!"

Martha beamed at his empty promises. Olivia rolled her eyes but said nothing.

After dinner, she went to her room.

Harold reminded Martha, "Since she's agreed to marry, don't push too hard."

Martha reluctantly agreed.

Back in her room, Claire thought for a long time. Before the wedding, she needed to get her hands on the family's assets and the Ashfords' bride price and gold.

With her space, hiding them was easy.

She just needed to find a time to drug them all to sleep.

Then she could act.

With a plan in mind, Claire lay down. That night, she entered the space again, drank more spring water, and then slept.

Her body was severely depleted. She fell asleep quickly.

The next morning, Claire woke, drank some spring water, and was about to open her door when she heard murmuring outside.

"Leo, drink this soup and eat this drumstick quickly, before that wretched girl gets to it." Martha placed a steaming bowl on the table.

Leo was about to drink when Claire emerged from her room.

Before they could react, she strode over. "So that's why there was only one drumstick last night. Mom, you hid it!"

"You must have known I'd want it tonight, right?" Claire smiled.

Martha and Leo were baffled.

Shouldn't she be angry that they'd hidden it? Was she crazy, smiling like that?

But before they could react, Claire grabbed the soup and took a big gulp.

Then she picked up the drumstick, devoured it in front of them, and tossed the bone into the bowl. "Thanks, Mom. It was delicious."

She headed to the bathroom to wash up.

The two on the sofa were stunned. By the time they realized, the bowl was empty.

"Claire! Are you a starving ghost?!"

"You stole my drumstick yesterday, and now—"

The curses continued. Martha joined in, but Claire didn't care.

She'd drunk plenty of spring water, but her body was still weak. If there was chicken soup, why shouldn't she have it?

No one would dare touch her before the wedding.

The shouting went on. Claire washed her face, lay down for a bit, and when she got up, the house was empty.

She quickly entered the space, disguised herself, and left.

The family was out—Leo with his fiancée, Harold and Martha at work, and Olivia too.

She could use this chance to buy sleeping pills far away.

The original Claire had hidden some pocket money under her bed. Otherwise, Claire would have been stuck.

She couldn't even afford sleeping pills!

After a long detour, she went to a distant shop.

To ensure the dosage, she bought a little from one shop and a little from another. Once she had enough, she rushed home.

Timing was perfect. She'd just washed up and lay down when Martha and the others returned.

Martha saw the messy floor—trash unemptied, living room unswept—and her temper flared.

She burst into Claire's room. "What do you do all day? You can't even sweep the floor?"

"Rest and recover." Claire didn't look up. "What else would I be doing?"

Martha's head throbbed. She slammed the door. "Get out and help with dinner, or I'll beat you, even if you're the Queen of Heaven!"

She'd always been harsh with Claire. After a day of restraint and with Harold not home, she couldn't hold back anymore.

Even if Claire was getting married, she was still her daughter.

Others couldn't scold her, but Martha could.

Claire shook her head for the original Claire. What a family. She should have run away long ago.

But this gave her the perfect chance.

She got up slowly, hiding the sleeping pills in her pocket. She'd slip them into the food unnoticed.

"I'm not feeling well. I'm really tired. Maybe I should—"

Martha grabbed her and dragged her into the kitchen. "Stop your nonsense. You're helping with dinner. Do what I say, or you don't eat!"

Claire pushed her away. "Fine!"

Martha was satisfied. "Thought you could get away with anything?"

Claire smirked inwardly. This was the last time she'd indulge this so-called mother.

She'd heard people say some didn't deserve to be parents. Now she understood.

Martha was one of them.

Claire would leave this family.

Martha, wanting to assert dominance, prepped the ingredients and left everything to Claire.

Claire didn't mind. She tossed the food into the pan, stir-fried it casually, and sprinkled in the sleeping pills without anyone noticing.

She set aside two dishes for herself.

"Dinner!"

As soon as the food was ready, Claire called out. The family sat at the table like royalty, waiting to be served.

She ignored them. She filled her bowl, grabbed two dishes, and sat down to eat.

Olivia and the others were furious. Finally, Harold told Martha to serve.

"Claire," Olivia said, playing the good sister, "we're still family. You don't have to be so cold."

Claire, a tough cookie in her past life, now had the space. She wasn't afraid.

She smirked coldly. "I'm marrying in your place. Can't I have a couple of good days?"

She shot Martha a cold look. "I didn't have a good life with my own mother. So what if I don't want to cook now?"

"What kind of talk is that?" Martha snapped. "If I hadn't married your stepfather, you'd have starved to death long ago!"

Chapter 5: Cleaning Out the Family's Wealth

Claire shrugged and said nothing. They brought the dishes to the table. She ate a few bites, finished her rice, and said, "Enjoy."

The family exchanged glances but finished dinner and cleaned up.

---

That night, Claire lay in bed, listening. Once she heard them asleep, she entered the space for a while.

When she came out, she left her room and made some noise. No one stirred.

Satisfied they were all dead asleep, she opened Harold and Martha's door. She searched Harold's pockets, finding quite a bit of hidden cash.

Then she found the Ashfords' bride price at the bottom of a cabinet.

It had been over two thousand, but Martha had spent some. Claire didn't count it—she just took it all, along with the three pieces of gold jewelry from a small box in the corner and some of Martha's trinkets.

She also went to Olivia's room.

A quick search revealed Olivia's so-called "dowry": some valuable items from the era, over two hundred dollars, and heirlooms from her late mother.

Claire grinned and stored everything in her space.

She also took Olivia's nicest dresses, suits, and shoes.

She didn't want used clothes, but she wanted to see Olivia humiliated.

Imagining Olivia's precious belongings piled in a corner of her space like trash was deeply satisfying.

Next, she took eggs and cured meat from the kitchen.

She scoured the house, storing anything useful, even raiding Leo's room.

Finally satisfied, Claire returned to her room and slept soundly until morning.

"Agh!"

Claire woke to a scream.

They'd discovered their loss.

She pretended to rush out, shoes half-on. "What happened?"

The first scream came from Olivia.

She had plans to go shopping with coworkers and wanted to bring a dress to change into after work. But when she opened her wardrobe, it was empty.

At first, she didn't react. Then she checked her drawer and found her money gone.

Panicked, she tore through her cabinets and boxes. Her dowry was gone.

Everything Harold and her late mother had prepared had vanished.

She screamed, clutching her head, disbelief on her face.

The family rushed in. Harold saw the mess and his heart sank.

"Olivia, what's wrong?"

Olivia grabbed his arm. "Dad, we've been robbed! Everything's gone!"

Before Harold could respond, Martha, sensing something wrong, ran out, knocking over Claire, who was watching from the doorway.

Claire fell, rubbing her sore wrist. "Mom, what's going on?"

Martha ignored her. She opened the chest where they'd hidden their valuables and collapsed.

"Harold! Come quick!" Martha wailed. Harold returned to find the cabinet empty.

Their gold, bride price—all gone.

Panicked, Harold checked his coat pockets. Empty.

The family was in chaos. Claire watched from the crowd but pretended to check her own room.

"My... my money's gone too!" She forced out a few tears. "I saved up five dollars for so long, and it's stolen!"

She played her part, slapping her thigh in exaggerated despair.

Inside, she was thrilled. She'd watched enough TV dramas to know how to play the victim.

She could win an Oscar.

The family was frantic. Leo, furious about his own losses, stormed around.

Olivia, on the verge of fainting, grabbed Harold. "Dad, call the police! How will we live without our things?"

Harold quickly called the police.

They arrived swiftly. Martha threw herself at them, sobbing about their loss.

The others sniffled nearby.

"Officers, you have to find the thief!"

"Don't worry, ma'am." The officer frowned at their misery and began investigating.

The police drew neighbors' attention. Everyone craned their necks for gossip.

But the house was at the end of a dead-end corridor, and the police blocked the entrance.

The officers surveyed the scene and noted the stolen items.

"You've already disturbed the scene, so we can't reconstruct it. The theft happened last night, correct?" The officer noted everything.

Martha nodded, tears streaming. "My daughter noticed her things missing this morning. When I checked our room, ours were gone too!"

"Right, right." Claire stood in the corner, crying like a poor little thing. "My five dollars in savings are gone too."

She made sure to be noticed. The officer glanced at her but said nothing.

Finally, they delivered the bad news. "Since the scene has been disturbed and you only lost valuables with little evidence, the investigation may take time. There's no guarantee we'll recover anything. Prepare yourselves."

The family felt like a thunderbolt had struck.

"Officer, isn't there anything you can do?" Martha's legs gave way.

The officer shook his head.

It was a dead end. No signs of forced entry. It barely seemed like a crime.

Once the police left, Martha slammed the door on the nosy neighbors and collapsed in despair.

"How can they be so irresponsible? All our money is gone! What do we do now?"

"Leo's wedding—the hotel's booked, and we still owe the balance. And Rose..."

Martha wailed. Claire squeezed out tears but was celebrating inside.

The family wallowed in misery. Olivia sat on the sofa, fists clenched, confused.

No one noticed her. Martha cried for a long time.

Leo stood up abruptly. "Then figure something out! My wedding's set! Do we have to cancel it? Rose won't marry me!"

He was relentless. Harold smoked in silence. Martha thought for a moment, then her eyes landed on Claire.

She lunged at her, startling Claire.

What now?

Shouldn't she be figuring out how to pay for Leo's wedding? Knowing how much she doted on him, she'd sell her blood if she had to.

But Martha grabbed Claire's hand, pinning all her hopes on her.

"Claire, go talk to Victor!"

"Tell him about our situation. Maybe he'll give you more money. Then we can pay for Leo's wedding!"

"Please, Claire. Help your brother!"