She Chose My Lying Brother Over Me! So I Married a Billionaire & She Regretted It!

Plot Summary

Leander spends four years working in a dangerous coal mine to pay for his older brother Corwin’s college education, believing Corwin’s promise that he’ll never betray him. But when Leander returns home badly injured, he discovers Corwin lied about being hospitalized to get $2,000 from him for Saraphene’s birthday party. Worse, Corwin is dating Saraphene—the woman Leander has loved since childhood—and has told her that Leander is already married.

At the party, Saraphene seems to give Leander a chance to object when Corwin proposes, but Corwin has already convinced him that she loves his brother. Heartbroken, Leander tells them they’ll be happy together. Later that night, a fire breaks out. Leander risks his life to carry Saraphene from the burning house, but Corwin takes credit for the rescue, and Saraphene believes him.

When Lysandra Vance, a former college connection of Corwin’s, reveals that she deliberately caused the fire while seeking revenge on him, Leander refuses to protect his brother any longer. He also finally tells Saraphene that he loves her—only to learn that she loved him too, but has already accepted Corwin’s proposal. A long-running misunderstanding has cost them their chance.

Corwin continues to manipulate everyone. He falsely accuses Leander of betraying him for Lysandra’s money, while Saraphene repeatedly takes Corwin’s side. During a confrontation with Lysandra, a thug accidentally breaks Corwin’s arm, but Saraphene mistakes the mishap for a heroic sacrifice to protect her. Leander’s attempts to correct the story only make him look worse to her.

With his home in ashes and few job prospects, Leander teams up with his childhood friend Bastion to open a barbecue stall. The business gets off to a promising start, but Corwin tries to sell their parents’ house against Leander’s wishes. Lysandra then reveals she bought the property for $250,000—far more than Corwin admitted—and that he secretly kept most of the proceeds.

Lysandra offers to return the house if Leander pretends to be her boyfriend for three months, helping her escape an arranged engagement to the powerful Theron. Leander accepts, and Lysandra begins showing up at the stall with her wealthy friends. One running gag is her lavish spending on Leander’s clothes and meals, contrasted with their chaotic attempt to flee a restaurant bill—because it belongs to Theron’s family.

Theron escalates the rivalry, sending thugs to wreck the barbecue stall and threatening Leander. Lysandra fights back with increasingly outrageous schemes: she engineers a scandal to make her parents believe she and Leander spent the night together, then later sets a trap for Theron with a spiked drink and a group of friends who beat him while he’s incapacitated. The plan works: Theron’s family, eager to avoid a public scandal, agrees to formally break the engagement.

Leander also proves he isn’t after Lysandra’s money by offering to return the money from the house sale, which only deepens her affection for him. Their fake relationship gradually becomes real, culminating in a kiss after Lysandra boldly challenges him to make a move.

Saraphene eventually starts to suspect that Corwin has lied about Leander’s past, especially after seeing his scarred, calloused hands and learning about the coal mine. But she continues to trust Corwin. After marrying her, he resumes his deceitful ways, has affairs, sells confidential information from her family’s company, and takes control of the business. Saraphene loses her family’s support, her career, and her money, eventually falling into poverty.

Leander, meanwhile, leaves the past behind and builds a new life with Lysandra. Saraphene realizes too late that Leander was the person who truly cared for her.

Characters

• Leander: Quiet, hardworking, and loyal. He repeatedly sacrifices for others, though he struggles to speak up for himself.
• Corwin: Leander’s smooth-talking older brother, who lies, exploits Leander’s sacrifices, and manipulates Saraphene.
• Saraphene: Leander’s childhood love, whose faith in Corwin blinds her to the truth until it is too late.
• Lysandra Vance: A wealthy, forceful, quick-tempered woman who begins with a fake-boyfriend arrangement and grows genuinely attached to Leander.
• Theron: Lysandra’s powerful, unfaithful fiancé, who uses intimidation and money to get his way.
• Bastion: Leander’s loyal childhood friend and barbecue-stall business partner.
• Mrs. Gable: Leander’s kind neighbor, who helps him after his home is destroyed.
• Draven and Vaughn: Underworld figures who later help defend Leander’s business.