After Marrying the Autistic Heiress for My Cousin

To repay my uncle’s kindness for raising me, I took my cousin’s place.

I married into the powerful Harrison family.

Their eldest daughter, Elara Harrison, has autism.

For seven years, she was nothing but cold to me.

I swallowed my pride, constantly trying to get closer.

But all I got in return was endless disdain and mockery.

Later, I successfully helped her organize a painting exhibition.

Yet, in front of me, she clasped another man’s hand.

I knew my duty was done.

It was time to leave.

To outsiders, my marrying into the Harrison family was a miracle, a blessing from above. As Riverdale’s most prestigious old money family, they always married within their social circles, matching wealth and prestige. And I? I was just an orphan, a charity case, living under someone else’s roof.

My parents died when I was six. More than grief, I felt an overwhelming terror for the future. My uncles fought viciously over the inheritance. They saw me as a jinx, believing I’d bring bad luck, and none of them wanted the responsibility. So, they decided to throw me into an orphanage.

I didn’t want to go to an orphanage; I’d heard there was a terrifying monster there that ate children who didn’t sleep. I found the phone my mom left behind and dialed Robert’s number. It was my first time contacting my mom’s side of the family. Mom had also been a wealthy heiress, but she’d cut ties with her family to marry Dad, no matter the cost.

Uncle Robert listened to my request, silent, then the line went dead. Just like that, he hung up. I tried to tell myself he was still heartbroken over my mom, and it made sense he wouldn’t want anything to do with me. But for some reason, tears streamed down my face, endless and uncontrollable.

The next day, I woke up early, packed my backpack, and prepared to run away. I’d rather starve and sleep under a bridge than be eaten by a monster. But just as I crept out of my room, I bumped into a man. I recognized him instantly as Robert; he looked so much like my mom. Robert ruffled my hair and asked if I’d had breakfast. I said no. He picked me up, put me in his car, and took me to the Robertson family home.

My grandparents had passed away long ago. Aunt Sarah frowned, looking at my scrawny frame.

“I have to take care of Ryan and Noah, I don’t have time for him. You brought this trouble home, you deal with it.”

“Don’t worry, he’s a good kid. You just need to give him food, he can handle the rest himself.”

To prove Robert right, I started learning to eat, dress, go to school, and sleep on my own. Beyond that, I proactively helped look after my younger cousins. Ryan was only two months younger than me, a proud little prince. He never called me “brother,” instead treating me like a servant, barking orders. But I didn’t get angry. Everyone has their own destiny, and he certainly had reason to be proud. As for me, simply growing up safe and healthy was a blessing.

After high school, Robert wanted to send Ryan and me to study in the UK. But Elara’s appearance derailed everything.

She came with Mr. Harrison to the Robertson’s home to propose marriage. My grandfather, when he was alive, had indeed made a casual promise with Mr. Harrison’s father a childhood engagement for their descendants. It was a joke made over drinks years ago, and no one in my family ever imagined Mr. Harrison would actually take it seriously.

The atmosphere was awkward. Elara, who had been silently looking down, suddenly stood up and walked towards the backyard. Sarah quickly ordered me to follow, telling me to take good care of her.

At first, I didn’t know she had autism. I just found it strange that this Harrison heiress was so rude. It was late spring, and the roses in the garden were blooming beautifully. Elara, as if by magic, pulled out a sketchbook and some charcoal from her backpack and began drawing with intense focus. I didn’t dare disturb her, so I stood behind her, quietly watching.

It’s no exaggeration to say Elara was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her bone structure was exquisite, her skin as fair as jade. Her deep, unsettling eyes held a cool, aloof aura. Just as I was silently marveling at the luck of her birth, something sudden happened.

Elara seemed deeply dissatisfied with her drawing. Frustrated, she crumpled the paper into a ball. I wanted to offer comfort, but she suddenly reached out and squeezed a thorny rose stem. Blood instantly welled up and ran down her hand, but she didn’t seem to feel any pain. Instead, she tilted her head, looking thoughtful.

“Let go! Quickly, let go!”

I panicked. Miss Harrison was a distinguished guest of the Robertsons, and if she got hurt under my watch, who knew how much trouble it would cause Robert. I shouted loudly, but she didn’t react at all. Left with no choice, I reached out to pull her arm. The moment my hand brushed her sleeve, she suddenly erupted in a furious rage, pushing me violently to the ground.

I was terrified; her expression was truly frightening. I even thought she might hit me. But she didn’t. She just turned back and resumed drawing. Mr. Harrison, hearing the commotion, rushed over. He was clearly used to this, and quickly took his daughter away.

After they left, Ryan threw a fit.

“I won’t marry her! I’m going to the UK! If you dare force me, I’ll I’ll do something drastic!”

Robert’s pain was overshadowed by helplessness. Most of the Robertson family’s business depended on the Harrisons; if we offended Mr. Harrison, the consequences would be unimaginable. Sarah comforted her son, while secretly glancing at me.

“The Robertsons don’t just have one son! Why are you always pushing Ryan into this?”

My cousin Ryan nodded emphatically.

“Exactly! Let Leo do it! Mom and Dad have raised him all these years, it can’t be for nothing.”

“What are you saying? Miss Harrison has autism. How can I push Leo into such a difficult situation?”

“So you’d rather let your own son walk into a nightmare”

Robert and Sarah argued all night. I hid in my room, listening in silence, my decision already made.

The next day, I told Robert I was willing to step in for Ryan and marry into the Harrison family.

“Ryan is right. You and Sarah have been so good to me. It’s time for me to repay that kindness.”

Robert’s eyes welled up. He took my hand, wanting to say something, but ultimately nothing came out.

Because of Elara’s condition, the wedding was simple. I thought she was willing to marry, that she was ready to share her life with me. But I was wrong. On our wedding night, the moment I stepped into the bridal suite, her face hardened.

“Get out!”

“This is my room.”

“You’re not sleeping here.”

I tried to reason with her, to explain the meaning of marriage. But she wouldn’t listen. Instead, she tore up all the wedding photos in the room. Feeling utterly helpless, I had no choice but to turn and leave, my tail between my legs.

Mr. Harrison, seeing the situation, sighed deeply and called me into his study. He told me Elara wasn’t inherently bad, just reclusive and unwilling to interact with people. Since I had married into the Harrison family, I had to take on the responsibility of caring for my wife. He believed that if I was devoted enough, I could help her open up and accept me.

I decided to try.

Caring for someone with autism was an emotionally and physically draining task. Every day, I cooked her three meals, reminded her to take her medicine on time, and took her for follow-up appointments at the hospital. To understand her more deeply, I bought every book on autism I could find, devouring them until the early hours of the morning.

My efforts gradually began to yield results. Elara slowly got used to my presence, no longer resisting me as she had at first. I was allowed to ride in the same car as her, or sit at the same table for meals. Knowing I liked fruit, she would personally arrange a beautiful fruit platter for me. My immune system was weak, and I often caught colds and fevers. She would bring me ginger tea and force me to drink it.

Years flew by. We both grew accustomed to this routine. The only one still dissatisfied was Mr. Harrison. Every few days, he would talk to me, his goal always the same: to pressure us into having a child. Forced into a corner, I had to be direct. Elara had no understanding of physical intimacy, nor did she allow me to sleep in the same bed as her. Mr. Harrison grew agitated and sent Elara for a medical check-up. The doctor said her physical functions were fine; she just couldn’t overcome the psychological barrier to accepting such an intimate relationship.

“It all comes down to you! Can’t you find a way to make her fall in love with you?”

I was lost and helpless. What was love? I didn’t even fully understand it myself, let alone Elara.

In the seventh year of our marriage, Mr. Harrison delivered his final ultimatum.

“The Harrison family needs an heir. If you two can have a child, then have one. If not, I’ll find someone else to have one. But if that happens, I won’t have time for the Robertson family business!”

Faced with such a blatant threat, I had no choice but to give in.

That evening, I found a steamy romance film and invited Elara to watch it with me. She agreed, but half-way through, she got bored and walked out. After showering, I put on some carefully chosen clothes and, with a pounding heart, knocked on Elara’s bedroom door.

“I’m going to sleep.”

“Whatever it is, talk about it tomorrow.”

Elara blocked the door, not letting me in.

“I just finished a new painting, a hundred birds in flight, and I wanted you to take a look.”

That’s right, to appease Elara, I had even signed up for painting classes. Elara finally agreed to let me in, but her expression was cold, and she wouldn’t even look at me.

“Where is it?”

“Don’t rush. The canvas is a bit large; it needs to be spread out on the bed.”

I struggled to overcome my embarrassment, trying to get closer to Elara, mimicking the movie scenes. But Elara remained unresponsive, her gaze fixed entirely on the canvas.

“Stop painting.”

“What?”

“I said, don’t paint anymore. Your brushstrokes are weak, you have no talent. Even a toddler could draw better than that.”

My face burned crimson; I was mortified.

“If I’m not good, you can teach me. I promise I’ll be your most obedient student.”

I reached out to touch her, but she pushed my hand away violently.

“Get out! Get out of here!”

“You disgusting man! You dirty man!”

“Painting is the most sacred thing! How dare you desecrate it!”

I had never seen Elara so enraged. Her bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at me, as if I had committed some heinous crime. In the past, I would have been terrified and fled the room immediately. But not today.

“Elara, we have to have a child. Otherwise, I can’t stay here anymore.”

“Who wants you to stay here?”

“Look in the mirror! See how repulsive you are!”

“I hate you! You’d better never appear in front of me again!”

“Are you serious?”

Even though I knew she was ill, her words still cut deep. Seven years of companionshipeven a pet cat or dog would develop some affection. Elara nodded emphatically, ignoring the tears in my eyes, and roughly pushed me out the door.

I fell gravely ill. Mr. Harrison, afraid I’d infect his daughter, told me to stay at Robert’s house for a while. Robert, seeing how thin I had become, kept asking if I was being mistreated at the Harrison’s. Fearing his worry, I could only smile and shake my head.

After several years, Ryan had graduated with his master’s degree. He studied jewelry design, founded his own brand after returning to the country, and was already making a name for himself in the industry.

“Leo, thank you. If you hadn’t sacrificed yourself and saved me back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

It was the first time he had called me “brother,” and my eyes suddenly stung with tears. Time truly flies. Everyone else was growing and moving forward. Only I seemed trapped in an endless loop, unable to find a way out.

“Leo, Dad has been working hard to restructure the company in recent years, trying to lessen our dependence on the Harrisons. Ryan and I can also handle things on our own now. If you’re not happy at the Harrison’s, you can leave anytime.”

Ryan’s words utterly shocked me. Until then, I had never considered that my life could have other possibilities.

“I can I really?”

Ryan took my hand and nodded firmly.

“It’s not just my idea. All these years, Mom and Dad have carried a deep sense of guilt. Now, their only wish is for you to be happy.”

“I don’t know. My mind is a mess. Let me think about it.”

I only stayed at Robert’s for three days. Mr. Harrison called, saying Elara couldn’t get used to other people’s cooking, and urged me to come back quickly.

When I got home, I didn’t see Elara. The housekeeper told me that these past few days, she had been out early and back late every day, and had even refused a companion. This was truly strange. In my memory, Elara loved staying home. Every time she went out, I had to coax her for ages. Her not speaking to strangers, being out alone all day C it was unimaginable.

I made her favorite creamy mushroom soup, wanting to eat it with her when she returned. But too much time passed, and I accidentally fell asleep on the sofa. Vaguely, I felt someone else nearby. I suddenly opened my eyes and found Elara staring at me expressionlessly.

“Where were you? Why are you back so late? What if something dangerous happened?”

“Leo.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you know what I hate most about you?”

I was speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond.

“You keep saying I’m your wife, but in your heart, you just treat me like a child who won’t grow up, a useless person who can’t take care of herself. I hate that feeling.”