After He Chose Her Sister, I Became His Boss

At the charity auction, my ex-boyfriend Beckham George bid fifty million dollars on a gemstone necklace symbolizing eternal love. In front of everyone, he held up the necklace and proposed to me. The room erupted with applause; everyone was certain I would nod and say yes. After all, I fell for him the day I was welcomed back into the Simmons family and pursued him passionately throughout our four years in college.

But they all seemed to forget.

Back then, when I was suffering from a heart condition and needed urgent surgery, he cut off all my credit cards because of something Ruby Simmons said. He even went public, accusing me of faking illness and forging medical records for attention. During that time, I endured brutal online abuse. My parents despised me, friends distanced themselves, and without money, I was expelled from the hospital.

Disheartened, I left the Simmons family and returned to my adoptive parents. Once my health improved and I was able to get out again, both families and mutual friends urged me:

"In all these years, Beckham has ignored countless wealthy heiresses. His heart is only set on you; he's been waiting for you to come back so he can marry you."

"All of that is in the past. He's overlooked your mistakes, Kiana. What more could you ask for?"

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Just as I entered the auction hall, my biological parents pulled me aside. Mom was displeased and reprimanded me, "Kiana, have you even considered us?"

"You left home over something so trivial, disappearing for four years. What kind of child does that?"

I kept my head down, adjusting my Victorian-style dress, ignoring her remarks. I've already dealt with the consequences of desperately seeking family bonds. They continued their tiresome chatter, and as I remained unresponsive, my mother grabbed my arm tightly:

"Did you hear me? For four years, Beckham has been looking everywhere for you, ignoring even the most accomplished heiresses."

"After you left, he went public to defend you, pleading with everyone not to target you online. Such a proud man stooping low for you—how could you abandon him for your own freedom?"

Her voice escalated, attracting attention from those around us. People began to gossip, speculating about my jealousy of Ruby Simmons, my petty reasons for leaving, and my intentional disappearance. My scandal with Beckham accusing me of faking medical records was well-known; today, they scorned me just like four years ago.

But I no longer cared.

I pulled my arm away, revealing distinct marks where she'd grabbed me. "That’s just his perspective. I've long forgotten the past."

People stared at me in shock. I could imagine why they were surprised. After all, during my four years in college, everyone knew Kiana Mason, the Simmons family's reclaimed daughter, was devoted to Beckham George.

The two universities were two hours apart, yet I made the trek every day to have meals with him. When he played golf, I carried bottled water, serving as his caddy until I was exhausted. Traveling with him to competitions in other states, I skipped classes, prepared his meals, and was there whenever he needed. One time, hearing he was injured, I rushed to see him, only to crash my car, resulting in a fractured leg that left me in the hospital for half a month.

Finally, one day, Beckham was touched by my persistence and accepted my confession on graduation day. Once we were together, he was the one making compromises, balancing the expectations of both our families. They’d arranged for our engagement once the mourning period for Beckham’s grandfather ended. I eagerly anticipated the next fall, the season of our impending happiness.

But what awaited me first was Ruby Simmons, sent abroad by her parents during her sophomore year, returning home after finding fame as an influencer.

Our first encounter was during a snowstorm.

She wrapped in fur, aimed her camera at me, adopting a timid expression: "Sister, are you upset that I took your parents away..."

Beckham wrapped my knitted scarf around her neck, his disapproving gaze sweeping over me: "Kiana, it wasn’t Ruby's fault the mix-up happened years ago; you shouldn't blame her."

I didn't understand how I became the one at fault when I hadn’t said a word. But from that day on, Beckham—who once spent every waking moment with me—became Ruby Simmons's sidekick.

She talked about creating a homecoming video; he accompanied her to visit every relative. She claimed fans adored their interactions; he happily appeared in her livestreams. Their seamless camaraderie frequently trended online, yet no one clarified they weren't a couple.

When I finally approached Beckham George with Ruby's videos after a week, he was busy planning a surprise for her birthday. Seeing my displeasure, he impatiently pushed me away.

"Kiana, I've always seen Ruby as a little sister. What’s there to be envious of?"

"She's an influencer. We need to prepare for her birthday properly to boost her followers; you’re only holding me up here."

"You... how could you step on Ruby’s poster!"

He abruptly snatched away the poster I accidentally stepped on. I staggered back, and as he gently smoothed the poster, I collapsed heavily to the ground.