The Stepsister Who Stole My Wedding
Instantly, I knew: he’d fallen for his stepsister.
That night, I laid out his options coldly:
1. I’d walk away quietly, but wouldn’t take blame for their scandal.
2. He’d cut ties with her, and our business marriage would proceed.
He chain-smoked till dawn—a man who never smoked.
Next morning, he shipped her abroad, telling me:
“You’re the only one who can stand beside me, Clara. We’re equals.”
At our wedding, as elites cheered our “union of the century,” Sophie burst in wearing a wedding dress, tears streaming:
“Tedd, I just want to be with you!”
He moved toward her instinctively.
I gripped his tuxedo jacket, hissing: “One more step and we’re done.”
He tore free with a muttered “Sorry”—never looking back.
Left at the altar under a thousand stares, I watched them flee.
My heart’s last embers turned to ash.
Investment agreement: shredded. If he wanted war, I’d show no mercy.
1
The whispers from the crowd below rose like a tidal wave.
“Clara Norton has the worst luck. Her own stepsister-in-law just stole her groom.”
“I heard the stepsister is some kind of influencer, wrote a secret online diary about her crush for like, two thousand days. The whole internet is shipping their creepy step-sibling romance, and now they’re calling Clara the homewrecker.”
“You have to admit, the girl’s got guts. Everyone knows this merger was supposed to save both their companies.”
My father’s cane slammed against the marble floor, the sound echoing his rage. He looked like he was about to have a stroke. “The Crofts are grinding our family’s name into the dirt! Clara, come home with me! We are not going through with this!”
I placed a hand on his trembling arm, digging my nails into my own palm to steady my voice. “Dad, wait.”
I turned, facing the sea of mocking and pitying stares. With a decisive tug, I pulled the veil from my hair. “Please inform the guests that the wedding is canceled. The Norton Corporation will cover all expenses.”
Tedd’s stepmother scurried over, a fake smile plastered on her face. “Clara, dear, you have to understand. Sophie has always been so dependent on Tedd. Don’t overthink this…”
She’d been silent when Sophie made her grand entrance, but now that I was calling it off, she was full of excuses.
“Dependent?” I sneered. “So dependent she had to crash my wedding in a wedding dress? Mrs. Croft, your stepdaughter’s little online diary is more dramatic than a soap opera. I’m afraid I’m not cut out to be her future sister-in-law.”
Tedd’s father rushed to smooth things over. “Clara, in my heart, you’ve always been the perfect daughter-in-law! I’ll make this right. I’ll give you 20% of Croft Industries as compensation, and we’ll throw you an even grander wedding another day. Let’s just let this go! Any more drama will be bad for both our families!”
He wanted me to swallow this humiliation.
Drama? I was the one making a scene? They stood by while I was publicly shamed, but the moment I cancel the wedding, they all point their fingers at me.
I laughed, a cold, sharp sound, and brushed their hands away. “I’m not interested in your scraps. You seem to forget that I was the one who pulled Tedd back from the brink. Since you clearly don’t value that, we have nothing more to discuss.”
Tedd’s parents wouldn’t give up, but my father stepped in front of them. “My daughter poured her own money, two billion dollars, into Tedd Croft to save your family! She lost it all and never said a word!” he thundered. “Clients, venues, resources—do you have any idea how many times she had to beg and grovel to secure them for him? She asked for nothing in return, only the hope of a peaceful life. And this is how you repay her?”
“What happened today was a slap in the face to my family! From this moment on, the Norton Corporation is cutting all ties with the Crofts!”
My father’s declaration hung in the air. He took my arm and led me down from the altar.
When I finally looked at my phone, Sophie’s latest social media post was already trending:
【Day 2000. I finally have my light. @TeddCroft】
The picture was of them, locked in a passionate kiss. She was wearing her wedding dress and the ring that was supposed to be mine.
The comment section was a firestorm.
「Sophie is so brave! Two thousand days of secret love finally blossoming!」
「Tedd is a true romantic! Giving up a business merger for true love. This is a real-life fairy tale!」
「I knew it! The way they look at each other… I wish I had a brother who loved me like that!」
And then there were the comments about me. “Wicked witch,” “gold digger,” “old hag.” The words crawled across my screen like maggots.
I scrolled, a bitter smile on my face.
Sophie was a full seven years younger than Tedd. She and her mother had joined the Croft family when she was twelve. At first, I thought she was just a sweet kid and went out of my way to be kind to her. But she had a habit of interrupting my dates with Tedd. Once, I even found thumbtacks hidden in my slippers.
When I told Tedd, he berated Sophie, and their relationship became frosty. Or so I thought.
Then I discovered her Instagram account, where she meticulously documented her “secret love” for her stepbrother, day after day. Last year, she posted about “my brother getting drunk and sleeping in my room by mistake,” accompanied by a photo of one of Tedd’s shirts. The post went viral, and I was bombarded with messages from strangers asking when the “old hag” was going to die.
Three months ago, she posted a picture of herself in a drenched white dress, with the caption, “Waiting for my brother to bring me an umbrella outside his office in the storm.” That was the day Tedd had used a “work emergency” as an excuse to ditch me at a contract signing and rush to pick her up.
Her followers ate it up. “He’s totally into you! Make a move!” “No brother looks at his sister like that. Just get married already!”
That’s when I realized her innocent act was just that—an act. But I wasn’t worried. Tedd was always a pragmatist, putting his family’s business interests above all else. A scandal like this would be bad for both of us. I trusted him to be sensible.
Until today. Until she stood in my place, in a wedding dress, turning me into the villain who stood in the way of true love for the whole world to see.
It turned out Tedd’s feelings for his stepsister were far from simple.
2
The runaway groom scandal spread like a virus. Croft Industries’ stock went into a freefall, and sponsors began pulling out one after another. After three days of this, the Crofts finally broke.
Tedd’s father brought him to our home to apologize.
“Clara,” Mr. Croft began, his face a mask of sycophantic smiles, “it was all a misunderstanding. I’ve arranged a dinner for Tedd to make it up to you. And I’ve punished that insolent girl, don’t you worry! Once you’re married, you’ll be the lady of the house. She won’t dare step out of line!”
I looked at Tedd’s face, which was a thundercloud of resentment, and almost laughed. “Mr. Croft, do you really think I need that title?”
My father slammed his teacup down on the table. “Make it up to us? Or are you just worried about your stock price hitting rock bottom?”
Mr. Croft’s smile faltered. “Arthur, you jest. The children’s happiness is what’s most important. Tedd, apologize to Clara. Now.”
Tedd jerked his head away, his eyes blazing. “I did nothing wrong!”
“Shut your mouth!” his father hissed, kicking him sharply behind the knee. “You’re destroying this family! Do you think Sophie’s little online following can save the company? Our investors are pulling out!”
Tedd’s jaw was clenched, his knuckles white. “Why? I’ve lived my whole life by your rules! Why can’t I have this one thing for myself, this one chance at real love?”
“You—!” His father trembled with rage. He turned to me, his voice pleading. “Clara, for the sake of our families’ long friendship, give Tedd one more chance. If you forgive him, we’ll give you half of the profits from the Croft’s main project. And once you’re married, you’ll have full control of the overseas expansion!”
I paused. The overseas expansion was a massive prize, one my family had been trying and failing to secure for years. If the Crofts were willing to let us in, holding a grudge was pointless from a business perspective.
My father saw the look on my face and knew I was considering it. He took a deep breath. “We have three conditions. First, Sophie is to be sent abroad permanently. She is never to return.”
Before he could finish, Tedd cut him off. “Impossible! I’ll marry Clara, but Sophie must live with us. I’ll take care of her for the rest of her life. She can’t leave me!”
“What did you say?” My nails dug into my palms.
“I said,” his voice was like shards of ice, “you can be Mrs. Croft. She won’t challenge you. But I will never send her away again!”
Crack. I slapped him across the face.
Tedd pointed a shaking finger at me. “Clara Norton, don’t push it! If you back me into a corner, I’ll take everyone down with me. Your precious overseas project is still in our hands.”
My father shot to his feet, pointing his cane at the door. “Get out! Don’t think you can threaten us with that! You didn’t come here to negotiate in good faith!”
Mr. Croft tried to argue, but my father jabbed the cane in his direction. “From now on, not even a dog from the Croft family is welcome in this house!”
As I watched them scramble away, I had a moment of clarity. With people like this, there was no need for decency.
3
The night after I threw the Crofts out, I was working late. The lights of the office building were winking out one by one. As I turned into the parking garage, several men in baseball caps lunged out of the shadows.
They clamped a hand over my mouth and dragged me into a blind spot, away from the security cameras.
I struggled wildly. “Don’t touch me! I have money, I can give you anything!”
But no matter how much I begged, they wouldn’t stop. They pawed at me, their hands rough and violating. Pain shot through my body, leaving me trembling.
Just as I thought it was over, a security guard’s flashlight cut through the darkness. The men cursed and threw me aside like a piece of trash.
At 3 a.m., the photos hit the internet.
Me, disheveled and slumped against a wall, with the headline: 【NORTON CORP CEO’S LATE-NIGHT TRYST: CAUGHT IN DARK ALLEY WITH MULTIPLE MEN】
Sophie’s social media was updated almost instantly. A video of her, crying prettily. “I can’t believe it… what Tedd must have gone through all these years…”
Tedd retweeted it, his caption oozing with the quiet suffering of a victim: 「Let the past be the past. I only hope Ms. Norton will conduct herself with more dignity in the future.」
The comments were daggers.
【And I used to admire her as a role model. Turns out she just slept her way to the top.】
【Tedd is such a class act, defending her even after she cheated! No wonder he ran from that wedding. Who would want to marry a woman like that?】
【Boycott Norton Corp! If the boss is that morally corrupt, the company can’t be clean.】
【I wouldn’t even marry a woman like her if it was my second marriage!】
My assistant, Alex, stood beside me, his face pale with panic. “Ms. Norton, the stock has plummeted 15%. Several partners have sent termination letters…” He was trying to keep his voice from shaking.
On the financial news channel, a bold headline flashed across the screen: 【NORTON CORP ENGULFED IN SCANDAL, MARKET VALUE EVAPORATES BY BILLIONS】
“The protestors and reporters downstairs are getting out of control! Security can’t hold them!” my secretary gasped, rushing in with sweat beading on her forehead.
Just then, the revolving doors swished open.
My father’s car pulled up to the steps, and a team of black-suited bodyguards swiftly formed a protective perimeter. The sharp crack of his cane on the marble floor instantly quieted the mob.
“Who sent you?” My father’s voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the crowd with an undeniable authority. “If you are here to stir up trouble without cause, we will investigate this to the fullest extent of the law.”
A man at the front of the crowd suddenly jumped forward, brandishing something in his hand. “Cut the crap, old man! You and your daughter are both trash! If you have nothing to hide, why won’t you come out and explain yourselves?”
I started to step forward, but my father held me back. He walked slowly toward the man, his expression grave. “The Norton family has been in business for fifty years, and we have always acted with integrity. If you have any legitimate concerns, I welcome you to report them to the proper authorities. But if you cannot substantiate your claims here today, I will sue every single one of you for defamation.”
The man was speechless. The crowd shifted uneasily. His eyes darted around, and then he suddenly lunged at my father before trying to flee.
The bodyguards moved to intercept, but they only managed to block part of the impact. The force of the push sent my father stumbling backward into the crowd. He fell, and was instantly swallowed by the surging mob, trampled underfoot.
“DAD!” My vision tunneled. I shoved my way through the bodies and threw myself over him.
The lobby erupted into chaos.
People screamed and tried to run, but the bodyguards held them fast. I felt for his hand; it was already growing cold. My voice shook. “Alex, call an ambulance! And get the legal team on the phone. I want every frame of security footage reviewed. Find out who that man was and who he works for. Dig up everything!”
The ambulance wailed its way to us. My father was rushed to the hospital. When the doctor emerged with the CT scans, his white coat was spattered with blood. “Acute cerebral hemorrhage, compounded by the shock. We need to operate immediately.”
I sat on a bench outside the ICU, staring at my phone. The hashtag #ArthurNortonAttacked was trending. The comments were a cesspool of “serves him right” and “karma.”
With my father in a coma, I couldn’t afford to care about public opinion.
I stayed by his side for three days before he finally woke up.
He pulled off his oxygen mask, his frail hand gripping mine. “Clara… I believe you…”
“Dad, don’t talk…” I wiped away my tears, but he shook his head stubbornly and had a nurse bring him a pen and paper.
The seventy-year-old man’s hand trembled so much he could barely hold the pen, but he wrote, stroke by painful stroke:
【I, Arthur Norton, wish to make a statement regarding the rumors about my daughter, Clara Norton. All claims of her infidelity and promiscuity are false. The Norton family reserves the right to pursue legal action against all perpetrators of these lies, including but not limited to public apologies and financial compensation. The internet is not above the law. I urge you all to act with decency.】
He insisted on using his own name to clear mine. “Don’t be afraid,” he rasped. “I’m here.”
In that moment, even the sterile smell of the hospital seemed to fade. This proud man, who had never bowed to anyone in his life, was humbling himself before the world for my sake.
A knot of grief and rage tightened in my chest.
Tedd Croft, you should never, ever have touched my family.
4
My father’s statement was like a single ice cube dropped into a boiling pot; it made barely a ripple.
The internet trolls jeered. 【It’s sweet that the old man wants to protect his daughter, but you can’t just lie with a straight face!】
【He’s desperate to save his company, but the evidence is undeniable!】
【@TeddCroft, come look at this! Your ex-father-in-law is so desperate he’s started talking nonsense!】
In stark contrast, Tedd and Sophie launched a “sweetheart offensive.” They dominated the trending topics for three straight days.
Day one was “cozy domestic life,” featuring a photo of Sophie tying an apron on Tedd.
Day two was a “surprise diamond ring,” with the caption, 【Making up for all the lost time.】
On the third day, Sophie posted her pregnancy test results, announcing she was “six weeks along.”
Croft Industries’ stock skyrocketed, surpassing even its previous peak. The same business partners who had once bowed and scraped before me were now falling over themselves to curry favor with Tedd. Even Tedd’s parents, who had initially condemned him, were now making frequent, loving appearances in Sophie’s vlogs, looking every bit the doting in-laws.
“Ms. Norton, the other companies are sending letters, officially withdrawing all their promised resource support…” Alex’s voice trailed off. “The Crofts are also kicking us while we’re down. They’re telling everyone that Norton Corp’s current predicament is ‘all our own doing.’”
I scrolled through my phone. The image of their happy family in Sophie’s latest video was a blinding glare.
A text from an unknown number buzzed on my screen. It was Sophie.
【Clara, have you seen my wedding photos with Tedd? He said he’s going to upgrade everything to be ten times grander than what he planned for you!】
【I saw your father’s statement. Too bad no one believes it. Everyone’s saying he’s gone senile!】
【Oh, and I forgot to tell you. My darling Tedd is now the second-largest shareholder in the hospital where your father is staying. It took him three days to wake up this time. Who knows if he’ll even open his eyes next time?】
【You have to come to our wedding! Don’t worry, Tedd spoils me so much~】
At the bottom of the text was a photo: Sophie, lounging on the custom-designed wedding bed that was supposed to be mine, while Tedd fed her a cherry.
My knuckles turned white as I gripped the phone.
“Ms. Norton, the board has made a decision. They’re asking you to take a temporary leave of absence…” Alex placed a document in front of me. “They said, after the situation calms down…”
I didn’t even look at the file. I walked out of the office.
The sound of disciplined footsteps echoed down the hallway.
A dozen bodyguards in black suits escorted a group of people toward me.
At the lead was a world-renowned neurosurgeon. Behind him were officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission, clutching thick briefcases.
They all bowed respectfully. “Miss Norton.”
I stared at the “wedding vlog” Sophie had just posted, my voice as cold as ice. “Their wedding is in seven days. I’m going to give them a gift they’ll never forget.”
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