A Marriage Borrowed

That wedding ten years ago was like a nightmare from which I could never wake. My brother, Jasper Young, was supposed to be the groom, but he disappeared the night before the wedding. Only the one-year-old daughter, Sophie Young, remained, along with Jennifer Mussolini in a wedding dress, looking lost and helpless. The Mussolini Family is a long-established family in City A, with deeply rooted influence. The Young Family is simply untouchable. Our parents were so anxious that their hair had turned white, pacing back and forth in the living room. In the end, they turned their gaze to me, who had just graduated from university. "Theodore, you will marry Jennifer Mussolini in place of your brother." This wasn't a discussion; it was an order. I looked at the sleeping Sophie Young in her cradle, then thought again of the disappointment in Jennifer's eyes. In the end, I nodded. Ten years slipped by like sand quietly running through my fingers. I went from a fresh graduate to the vice president of Mussolini Group. My relationship with Jennifer Mussolini wasn't exactly close, but we treated each other with respect. Sophie Young was even more clingy, calling me "Dad" again and again, which completely melted my heart. I thought life would continue like this forever. Until this afternoon, when the doorbell suddenly rang. I was stunned the moment I opened the door. The man standing at the entrance resembled me about seventy percent in his features but carried a wild, unruly aura. It's Jasper Young. He's back. He walked into the living room alone and threw his backpack onto the sofa. "Home is still the most comfortable. After visiting thirteen countries, I'm exhausted." As he spoke, his gaze swept across the living room and finally settled on the family portrait on the wall. In the photo, Jennifer Mussolini and I stand on either side, with Sophie Young sitting in the center. He casually pointed at Sophie in the photo and said, "That's my daughter, right? She's all grown up now." The living room fell silent immediately. My parents lowered their heads, afraid to meet his eyes. I clenched my fist tightly, my nails digging deep into my palm. The air was thick with awkwardness and tension. Jasper seemed oblivious, talking on and on about his experiences abroad. No one answered; only Sophie's timid gaze rested on this unfamiliar "uncle."