He Dumped Me For a Heiress, Unaware I Owned His Whole Legacy Chapter 01

He Dumped Me For a Heiress, Unaware I Owned His Whole Legacy Chapter 01

Five years of secret romance, and Ewan Knight was already bored of it.

He’d gotten engaged to his first love the very next day.

I chased him all the way to the upscale downtown banquet hall, only to be harshly barred at the entrance, written off as a delusional stalker.

“Elowen Hale, I’ve turned down seven of your marriage proposals. I’ve never once gone public with us. How can you still not get it?”

“I’m the designated heir of Knight. My wife has to be Liora Croft, someone of equal elite standing—not a helpless orphan with no family, just like you.”

I froze where I stood.

Ewan let out a cold, mocking huff.

“I’ll cut you some slack, seeing as you’ve stuck by me for five years.”

“I’ve set up a blind date for you next week. The guy’s the old man’s adopted ward. If you’re this starved for affection, go cling to someone else instead.”

My throat burned, eyes stinging with unshed tears.

Five whole years of my whole heart laid out for him, and it meant absolutely nothing in his eyes.

“Ewan, think this through. Are you certain you want me to go?”

He had no clue.

Today marked the final day of the private wager I’d made with my brother.

If I lost this bet,

his title as Knight’s heir would vanish for good.

…

Ewan brushed my words off, convinced I was just throwing a petty, empty threat out of hurt.

“Elowen, I’ll admit breaking this off out of the blue was cruel, but I had no other choice.”

“Marrying Liora is the only way I lock down full control of Knight Group.”

I stared at the man who’d saved my life twice, the man I’d loved for half a decade.

A heavy ache flooded my eyes.

“Ewan, what if I told you Liora can’t give you any of the things I can?”

Ewan laughed like I’d just told the most ridiculous joke he’d ever heard.

“Don’t spout nonsense. What could you possibly offer me? Do you know why the old man officially named me heir all of a sudden?”

“It’s because Liora and I got our marriage license.”

“Liora’s never tolerated sharing anything, not even a glance. If she finds out about our five years together, she’ll leave me without a second thought.”

In that split second, everything clicked into place.

Over these past three years, I’d asked Ewan to marry me seven separate times.

Each time, he’d claim Knight Group work swallowed all his time, telling me to wait just a little longer.

When work finally slowed, he’d shift blame to his family, saying they’d never accept my background and begging me to give him more time to smooth things over.

I’d tried to reassure him repeatedly, explaining my own family held plenty of status—he never had to carry that burden for me.

But he’d never believed a word of it.

On my seventh proposal, he’d flat out told me.

“Elowen, I don’t believe in marriage. I’ll never tie the knot with anyone for the rest of my life.”

That day, I’d already known I was going to lose.

I’d just been too stubborn to accept it.

I’d gambled one last time on five years of love, clinging to hope.

Now, standing here with him newly engaged to Liora, I’d lost all the same.

Ewan reached out and wiped the tears off my cheeks, letting out a weary sigh.

“If you date the old man’s adopted ward, we’ll practically be family.”

“We’ll still get to sneak time together, and Liora won’t grow suspicious of a thing.”

Ice spread through every inch of my body. I stared at him, utterly stunned.

“Ewan, you’re asking me to stay your hidden mistress?”

Ewan smiled like his logic was perfectly reasonable.

“What else am I supposed to do? I can’t marry you, yet I can’t bear to hurt you or Liora either.”

“This is the only solution that works for everyone.”

“You’ll go on that blind date with Silas Knight, won’t you? It’s the only way you’ll still get to see me.”

At that moment, gazing at the man I’d loved for five years, a sharp wave of revulsion twisted in my chest.

Before I could form a reply, a soft feminine voice drifted out from behind Ewan.

“Ewan, all our friends can’t find you to toast. What are you doing out here alone?”

Liora threw herself straight into Ewan’s arms.

She turned to face me, her gaze sharp and filled with unmasked hostility.

“Ewan, who’s this woman?”