Married to my enemy: he chose her, I choose him

The chandelier above sparkled with opulence, casting golden lights over the grand banquet hall filled with laughter, raised glasses, and whispers of envy. Tonight was supposed to be the pinnacle of Li Xinyue’s life — her engagement party. The eldest daughter of the prestigious Li family, graceful, intelligent, and poised — everyone expected this to be her perfect night. Her fiancé, the equally admired Shen Yichen, stood beside her, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Then, the unexpected happened. Her younger sister, Li Rourou — ever the darling, ever the impulsive — stood up with a mischievous grin and proposed a "game" to lighten the mood. “Why don’t we play something fun? Let’s ask Yichen one simple question… If he had to choose between me and Sister, who would he choose?” The hall fell into a hush. Xinyue’s smile wavered, but she said nothing. After all, it was just a silly joke, right? But Shen Yichen turned toward Rourou with a look no one missed. Not even her. “I’d choose Rourou,” he said. The words dropped like a bomb. The silence that followed was deafening. Everyone turned to Xinyue, waiting for her reaction. Waiting for the usual graceful endurance the eldest daughter of the Li family was known for. Instead, she set her champagne flute down with quiet finality. “Then I wish you both happiness,” she said, voice calm, eyes unreadable. She turned to Shen Yichen, “The engagement is over.” And before the murmurs could rise, she walked across the room — her red silk gown flowing like fire in her wake — straight to the one man her family warned her never to associate with. The Li family’s rival. The cold, dangerous heir of the Ye conglomerate. Ye Chenyan. Under the stunned eyes of her family, the media, and every socialite present, she looked up at him and said, “Let’s get married.” He arched a brow, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Are you serious?” Her gaze didn’t waver. “Deadly.” And so, the perfect daughter who was always expected to endure… chose revenge over humiliation. A marriage of convenience over a love that was never hers. And a path no one saw coming.