The Vampire's substitute bride

It is an ordinary winter morning. Seventeen-year-old Ella wakes up early and prepares breakfast in the kitchen. She toasts bread, fries eggs, and bacon, and sets everything on the dining table. "Breakfast is ready," Ella calls out. Five minutes later, her father, Mike, and stepmother, Mary, both wearing robes, walk into the dining room, yawning. "Good morning," her father greets Ella while Mary remains silent and starts eating as soon as she takes the plate. After a while, another beautiful girl in a school uniform appears in the dining room. "Eggs and bacon again," she complains.

"I wanted cereal." Mary interrupts, saying, "Sara, stop complaining." Then Mary turns her gaze to Ella. "Remember to go to the supermarket after school today. I believe I gave you the shopping list for this week last night." Ella nods in agreement, and the dining room returns to silence, with only the sound of chewing food.

Ella's mother passed away when she was born. Her father later married Mary, and they had their biological daughter, Sara. In this family, Ella gradually takes on the role of Cinderella, responsible for many household chores, while Sara always targets Ella both at home and at school.

After school, a pale, slender brunette girl appears at the town's largest supermarket. "Milk, cereal..." Ella murmurs, lowering her hat brim, and carefully checking her shopping cart and the shopping list in her hand. "Done." After paying, Ella puts the groceries into her bag and prepares to take the nearest bus home. "Well, well, if it isn't Ella. May I check your bag please?" The thing Ella hates the most happens. Ella rolls her eyes and looks at the blond boy in front of her. "Of course, you can." This boy is George, who is seeking a romantic relationship with her stepsister, Sara. Under Sara's instructions, this part-time supermarket employee harasses Ella whenever he has the chance.

Ella opens her bag. "Go ahead." However, George doesn't look inside the bag but instead reaches into Ella's coat pocket. "What are you doing?" Ella can't dodge in time, and she sees George pulling out a lipstick from her pocket. "Miss, what is this? Can you explain? Can I see if your receipt includes this item?" Ella looks astonished at the lipstick in front of her. She realizes that George has come up with a new plan to make trouble for her. "I don't know. I didn't take that. Perhaps you know more about what's going on. " Ella explains. "Miss, what do you mean? Did the lipstick just jump into your pocket by itself? I think we have a thief here. Manager, I believe we need to call the police," George proudly states as he reaches for his phone, ready to make a call.

"I saw that the lipstick was already in your hand. I can testify for her," a clear voice interrupts George's actions. A very handsome youth walks over, tall and sculpted, with deep green eyes. "But... but, sir, do you have any evidence?" George clearly didn't anticipate the boy's appearance. It was a quiet weekday afternoon at the supermarket, with very few customers around. George never expected someone to be so foolish as to interfere with his plan. Initially, he had intended to have Ella taken away by the police. While a lipstick may not seem like a big deal, his goal was to embarrass Ella and earn praise from Sara.

"What's going on here?" The supermarket manager hurriedly walks over. He is a middle-aged man of average build, with golden hair similar to George's. "This young lady was accused of stealing lipstick from the shelf without paying. I was planning to call the police," George explains, a malicious grin spreads across George's face as he catches sight of the manager, expecting that his cunning plan will succeed.

The manager is his uncle, so he is certain he will be believed. That's why he dared to play tricks on Ella in the supermarket. However, the manager bypasses George and looks at the youth behind him. "Mr. Hastings! I can't believe you actually came," the manager says, his face filled with smiles. "Just dropping by," the man replies. "But I happened to see this employee wrongly accusing this beautiful young lady. It doesn't align with our group's service principles." "Is it true? George, what's going on?" George stands there, dumbfounded, opening his mouth and stuttering, not knowing what to say. "I think there must be a misunderstanding, Mr. Hastings." The manager quickly explains when George doesn't speak.

"It's not a misunderstanding. George wanted to pursue my stepsister, and my stepsister doesn't like me. So George decided to play tricks on me to please my stepsister," Ella says. "You're making things up! Do you have any evidence?" George, whose intentions were exposed, can't hold back any longer. He turns red, shouting loudly. "I believe the surveillance footage in the supermarket can prove everything. I saw this employee take the lipstick from the shelf and pretended to take it out of this young lady's pocket. Perhaps you don't know, but all of Hastings' chain supermarkets installed surveillance cameras last week. There happens to be one near the cosmetics counter." The man called as Mr. Hastings calmly explains. Now there is solid evidence. George's face turns from red to white, and he finally slumps against the wall, powerless.