Wrong Date, Right Man: Lock Me Into His World

The day Madison Wallace was supposed to register her marriage became the exact moment she watched her fiance Kieran Stanley get down on one knee for another woman during a livestream. By five in the afternoon, she was still standing where she was with her phone clenched tightly in her hand. On the screen, Kieran faced a woman with a diamond ring between his fingers while everyone online watched him confess his love. "Kristina, ever since I met you at seventeen, I've never wanted anyone else beside me. You're the person I want to spend my entire life with." The instant Madison saw the ring, her chest tightened. Only last week, she had spotted the velvet box sitting inside Kieran's study. Back then, she stayed awake half the night in excitement because she thought he had prepared it for her. Never once did she imagine another woman would be the one wearing it. "I'll make sure you're happy for the rest of your life!" Right after saying those words, Kieran pulled Kristina Todd closer and kissed her in front of the cameras. The livestream exploded with comments almost immediately. "Oh my god! Kieran actually proposed to the actress Kristina!" "They've loved each other since they were young, and now they're finally together!" "This is seriously like something out of a romance movie. They're perfect together!" Blessings and congratulations flooded the screen one after another. Madison tightened her grip around her phone until her fingers nearly lost color. Instinctively, she opened her contacts and searched for Kieran's number. Part of her still wanted to believe there had been some kind of misunderstanding. She needed to hear him deny it himself. Only yesterday evening, he had wrapped his arms around her while talking about the future they would build together. How could the same man propose to someone else less than a day later? The moment she found his contact, her phone suddenly rang first. The caller was her best friend, Elin Stanley. For a brief moment, Madison forgot how to react before finally answering the call. The second it connected, Elin's angry voice burst through the speaker. "Maddie, did you check the news yet? Kristina turned out to be the adopted daughter my parents took in years ago. She used to date my brother when they were younger, but my parents later found out, split them apart and shipped her overseas. And now she's suddenly back as some huge celebrity!" Even while her emotions twisted violently inside her, Madison forced herself to sound steady. "Is that so?" "Seriously! After Kristina left, my brother completely lost it. I even heard he found another girl who resembled her and kept her around for five whole years as a replacement. And now that Kristina's returned, he's gone running back to her without hesitation. Doesn't that sound completely ridiculous?" Every word stabbed straight into Madison's chest. So Kristina had been raised by the Stanley family all along. She and Kieran shared a history that dated back years, and their relationship had been torn apart when she was sent abroad. Meanwhile, Madison had never heard a single thing about it. Not once had Kieran ever brought Kristina up. For five years, Madison believed she had finally met the man she wanted to spend her life with. In the end, she was nothing more than a substitute standing in another woman's place. Silence stretched between them long enough for Elin to grow confused. "Maddie? Are you there? Did I call at a bad time? Weren't you planning to tell me something important today? What is it?" Madison parted her lips, but her throat tightened too much for words to come out. As Kieran's younger sister, Elin had no idea Madison had been secretly dating him this entire time. Madison never told her because Kieran insisted their relationship stay hidden from everyone—his family included. That secret lasted for five long years. Only now did the truth finally become clear to her. Kieran wasn't avoiding the public because he valued privacy. From the very start, Madison had only existed as a temporary replacement for the woman he truly loved. Madison sank her teeth into her lower lip while a bitter chill spread across her chest. After shutting her eyes for a moment, she finally spoke in a rough voice. "Elin... can you help me with something?" "Just say what you need." After taking a quiet breath, Madison spoke softly. "You know plenty of people, right? Can you arrange a blind date for me?" The line went completely quiet. Several seconds passed before Elin nearly shouted into the phone. "Hold on, what?! Since when are you interested in blind dates? Maddie, you've barely even dated anyone seriously before. What brought this on all of a sudden?" Instead of answering, Madison stayed silent. Some truths had remained buried for years, and she had never shared them with anyone, including Elin. Madison was the daughter of the Wallace family from Agoshire, while her father held the position of Chairman at the Wallace Group. Madison had an older half-brother, and after her stepmother entered the family, her days at home became harder and harder to endure. Last year, on her birthday, her father called her into his study for a private conversation. He promised her thirty percent of the company's shares under one condition—she had to get married before turning twenty-five. If she failed, every share would be handed over to her older brother instead. And in another six months, Madison would reach that age. "I can't afford to waste time anymore," Madison replied quietly. "Just tell me whether you know anyone suitable." "Actually... I do know a few men around our age who are looking to settle down." Elin still sounded uncertain. "But at least tell me what type of man you want." "Someone decent." Madison stopped briefly before continuing in a cold tone, "As long as he isn't anything like your brother." Elin went silent for a second before laughing outright. "Fair enough. My brother really is trash." The sound of rapid typing echoed through the call, and Madison guessed Elin had already started searching through her contact list. A moment later, Elin sounded excited once more. "You know what? I actually have someone perfect for you. He's good-looking, and he just came back after studying overseas. If you want, I can introduce you two." Madison fell quiet briefly before replying, "Arrange it. I want to meet him today. As soon as possible."