Chapter 1 Framed

• "I'm your sister-in-law! How could you treat me like this!"
• Nova, who was being accused, was lying on the bed with her clothes all over the place and was angry at the confused young man in front of her.
• Leon White, the man in question and soon-to-be husband to Nova Simpson's elder sister, Yamila Simpson, furrowed his brow, utterly confounded by the situation unfolding before him on the eve of his impending nuptials.
• Tomorrow loomed as the grand day of his wedding, yet none could have foreseen the tumult of this night.
• As Nova attempted to grasp at his trousers, Leon couldn't help but wonder if she had lost her senses entirely.
• His restful slumber had been abruptly interrupted when Nova, claiming to be chilled and frightened, knocked on his door in the dead of night. Sympathy tugged at Leon's heartstrings, prompting him to grant her entry.
• However, the moment the door yielded, Nova barged in, shoving Leon onto the bed and beginning to disrobe herself.
• Leon recoiled, startled. This was his sister-in-law, and he harboured no intentions of engaging in any untoward behaviour. Swiftly, he pushed her away.
• Yet Nova's response was to unleash a piercing scream. "Leon! Let go of me! Help, help!"
• Odd, seeing as she was the one clutching onto him while crying for aid.
• Approaching footsteps outside spurred Leon into a panic, intensifying his struggle to break free from Nova's grasp.
• But she clung to him tenaciously, and with a tear, Leon's trousers were torn asunder.
• At that precise moment, the door exploded open with a resounding crash.
• Yamila, who was engaged to Leon, and Lillian, who was her mother, emerged as two figures, one of whom was elderly and the other of whom was young.
• The scene that met their eyes drained the colour from their faces.
• In fury, Lillian Wood accused, "Leon! You brute! How dare you treat Nova in such a manner?!"
• Faced with the incriminating tableau, Nova hastily cloaked herself with a blanket, imploring, "Mom! Mila! He tried to assault me! Call the police and have him apprehended!"
• Lillian's features twisted into a frown as she directed her words at Yamila. "Look at him, Yamila! Tying the knot with someone like him would spell disaster for your future!"
• Yamila's fists clenched, her teeth grinding together, disbelief etched across her face at Leon's actions.
• Stepping forward, Leon implored, "Mila, please hear me out. Things aren't as they appear!"
• Yamila cast a glance at his torn trousers, emitting a derisive snort. "Leon, how do you expect me to trust you?"
• With tears welling in her eyes, Yamila stormed out of the room, her emotions in turmoil.
• A sudden realisation dawned on Leon. "Surveillance! There must be cameras in this hotel, possibly even in this room. If we can locate them, I can vindicate myself!"
• Lillian interjected sharply, "That's enough!"
• "Leon! Have you no decency? Nova is blameless. If anyone needs any justice, it's her, not you!
• "My daughters are on the brink of ruin because of you!
• "You're done! From now on, you're severed from the Simpsons. The engagement is off!"
• The weight of Lillian's words hit Leon like a sledgehammer. "Mrs. Simpson, what do you mean by calling off the engagement? You set me up for this?"
• Even if trust had been implicit before, Leon now grasps the harsh reality.
• It was evident that Lillian and Nova had colluded to set him up!
• Thankfully, nothing untoward had occurred, or Leon would be facing dire consequences.
• A chilly smirk danced on Lillian's lips as she spoke, her demeanour frosty.
• "It appears you're not as naive as you seem."
• Leon was at a loss. "Why?"
• He had been the Simpsons' saviour! Without him, the family would have perished a decade ago!
• Hailing from Ridge Mountain, twenty-three-year-old Leon had been raised there, learning the healing arts from his mentor.
• Ten years prior, when the Simpsons had been struck by a debilitating illness, their patriarch had led them up the mountain in search of a cure, where they had encountered Leon's mentor.
• Nestled upon Ridge Mountain for several months, the Simpsons' fate took an unexpected turn one day at the mountain's foothills when young Yamila, a mere eleven years of age, stumbled upon a boy teetering on the brink of starvation.
• Despite her tender age, she managed to ferry the boy, nearly her peer, to the mountain's apex, thereby sparing his life. That boy, as fate would have it, was none other than Leon!
• Following a year of intensive care, the Simpsons were at long last wrested from the jaws of death.
• However, their salvation came at a grave cost. Leon's mentor, the venerable divine healer of Ridge Mountain, made the ultimate sacrifice to safeguard the family, breathing his last in the process.
• Though the Simpsons were spared, their recovery hinged upon the consumption of the mountain's unique herbs for a decade.
• This arduous task fell squarely on the shoulders of twelve-year-old Leon.
• In a gesture of gratitude, Old Mr. Simpson orchestrated a matrimonial pact with Leon, pledging that upon the family's full recovery in a decade's time, Leon would descend from the mountain to wed Miss Yamila.
• Over the ensuing decade, Leon remained steadfast in his vigil over Ridge Mountain, dutifully delivering bundles of herbs to the Simpsons at the dawn of each month.
• Initially, his presence was met with warmth, yet as time wore on and Old Mr. Simpson departed this world, their bond began to fray. Nevertheless, Leon continued to anticipate Yamila's presence with fervent hope.
• As the years slipped by, Yamila's sightings during Leon's deliveries grew scarce, with the Simpsons merely offering monetary compensation as a token of gratitude.
• Upon the culmination of the ten-year period, with the Simpsons' health markedly improved, Leon descended from the mountain to honour the marriage pact, only to be met with a shocking reception.
• Not only did they fail to acknowledge his decade-long endeavour to preserve their lives, but they also turned against him, seeking to incarcerate him to annul the engagement.
• Observing Leon's crestfallen countenance, Lillian sneered. "Do you seek enlightenment? Then allow me to elucidate fully!"
• With that declaration, Lillian ushered Leon towards the basement.
• As the door swung open, a sight of opulence unfolded before them—a veritable treasure trove!
• The basement gleamed with an array of precious artefacts: jewels, jade, gold ingots, and antiquities, each exuding an aura of priceless splendour.
• Lillian gestured towards the riches with a hint of triumph. "Behold! These are the offerings dispatched by the Whites as part of the marriage alliance!
• "Have you been keeping up with the latest developments?
• "The patriarch of the White Financiel Group passed away a decade ago, leaving behind a testament that designated an illegitimate offspring as the sole inheritor of his vast wealth.
• "The Whites found him, but unfortunately, he refused to return to the fold."
• "Ten years went by, and he has rescinded his prior decision, now returning to lavish our family with these gifts!
• "Do you grasp the significance of this revelation?
• "It signifies that Yamila is poised to wed into affluence!"
• A bitter smile twisted Leon's features. "So, I've unwittingly become an impediment to your family's aspirations, haven't I?"
• Lillian's sneer was unapologetic. "Leon, let's not fault pragmatism."
• "One is the scion of a financial empire, while the other is a modest mountaineer."
• "Do you honestly believe our family would favour you?"
• Leon countered with a sneer of his own, abruptly interjecting, "Do you happen to know why that illegitimate child disowned their lineage a decade ago?"