Chapter 1The night before my wedding, my stepsister Brielle Fairchild drugged me and shoved me into a stranger's room.
Then she took my place in the arranged marriage.
When I woke up, I rushed to the wedding venue with DNA evidence proving she was the fake heiress.
The worthless Brielle was banished to some slum, and I—Victoria Fairchild—successfully married Finn Thorne instead.
After our marriage, Finn treated me like a queen—until I went into labor, when he had the doc cut my belly open alive.
He took the baby, cradling Brielle in his arms, looking at me with disgust.
"A dirty slut thinks she can push my girl around? Your dad’s a vegetable thanks to me, your company's mine. You're WORTHLESS now."
Brielle stuffed a basin full of leeches into my open belly, then sewed the incision shut with a smile.
"Thanks for birthing my and Finn's baby, sis. Saved me all that pregnancy trouble. Now you can go play your 'real heiress' in hell~"
I died in severe pain as the leeches drained my blood, filled with rage and regret.
But death wasn't the end.
I opened my eyes again, back on the night they drugged me.
...
My father's phone call jolted me awake.
"Victoria, the Thorne family's wedding convoy is here. Where are you?"
"Are those online rumors about you sleeping with another man true? The Thornes are mortified—they just replaced you with Brielle for the union!"
Dad's voice was frantic, tinged with disappointment.
I instinctively opened Twitter.
Same shit in my past life.
The footage showed Brielle escorting me into the hotel room. Moments later, a man's shadow appeared at the door.
He went in and never came out all night.
Perfect evidence of my supposed cheating. The internet was already ripping me to shreds.
"Dad, I'll explain everything when I get home."
I threw on my clothes and headed for the door, but heard a lighter click behind me.
"What, you're just going to sleep with me and walk away? Are Fairchild heiresses always this irresponsible?"
I frowned and turned around, then froze.
Through the cigarette smoke, I saw a face that belonged in a magazine—perfect face and this aura that screamed power and money.
In my previous life, I'd fled in anger and shame before the man woke up, never even seeing his face.
But now, this face was completely different from the 'young cousin' Brielle had deliberately brought yesterday. Had he entered the wrong room?
I pulled some cash from my purse and tossed it on the bed.
"Not bad service last night. Here's your payment."
"And don't get any crazy ideas about me taking responsibility. I'm afraid you simply don't meet the standard."
I walked out before he could say another word.
This time, I sure as hell wasn't marrying that asshole Finn. Might as well have some fun first.
What I didn't know was that the moment I left the hotel, every trending topic about me on Twitter mysteriously disappeared.
Back home, Dad and Grandma Diana rushed over, looking worried sick.
"Honey, you've always been such a good girl, never caused us any trouble. What on earth happened?"
I secretly pinched myself hard enough to bring tears to my eyes.
"I honestly don't know, Dad. Brielle insisted on this bachelorette thing, kept pushing drinks on me. Said she wanted me to meet her cousin. Then Brielle said she'd help me rest, but when I woke up today, I was..."
My stepmother Eliana stood there in her fancy dress, rolling her eyes.
"So now it's Brielle's fault? Can't own your mistakes, so you're throwing your sister under the bus? Aren't you afraid of karma? Do you have any proof?"
"You embarrassed this entire family. Thank God Brielle stepped up to agree the arranged marriage, or the Thornes would never have let this slide. You'd better thank your sister properly."
I laughed coldly inside.
Here I was, the victim, and somehow I was the villain who should be grateful to that backstabbing bitch.
"Mr. Fairchild, Miss Brielle left her backup phone when she rushed out. I was gonna drop it off at the hotel, but... well, I accidentally hit play on this video."
Our butler handed Dad the phone, looking grim.
The footage was from Brielle's bedroom. She was naked, wrapped around Finn.
"Finn, you're really not gonna marry her, right? I've been yours for so long—if you don't want me, I might as well jump off a building..."
"Relax, babe. Your little cousin already slipped the roofies in Victoria's drink. Once the cheating scandal breaks, Mom will lose her shit and boot Victoria out. And I'll switch you in as my bride."
Dad's face turned purple with rage, and he slapped Eliana across the face.
"This is what you call sensible?! A sister sleeping with her future brother-in-law in her own home, drugging her own sister to steal her wedding, spreading rumors across the entire city—did you ever think about how Victoria would face anyone again?!"
"Can't even raise your own fucking kid right, and you're standing there in makeup talking shit? How did I end up with such a trashy daughter?"
Watching Eliana's face swell, I couldn't help but smirk slightly.
Where would Brielle get a backup phone?
This was all orchestrated by me—I'd already instructed the butler to set up this little performance.
I could do without the man, but steal what's mine and try to nail me to a pillar of shame for life, subjected to everyone's pointing and whispering?
Dream on!
"No way! The wedding hasn't started yet—we're going to the hotel right now to drag that little bitch back!"
"Victoria got set up. Her mother arranged this marriage before she died. I'm not letting some slut steal it and leave Victoria's mother's spirit restless!""
Grandma's voice cold, and Dad nodded emphatically.
Then the butler went white, staring at his phone.
"Mr. Fairchild, Mrs. Fairchild... I'm afraid it's too late. Mr. Thorne and Miss Brielle went straight to City Hall to get their marriage license!"
Chapter 2
Right then, my phone buzzed with two messages.
The first one was from Mount Sinai's private genetics lab.
"Miss Fairchild, Mr. Thorne's security team just destroyed our facility and torched all the DNA reports. They said anyone who takes your business again won't live to regret it."
The second was from Finn.
"Victoria, quit trying to fuck with Brielle. I married her, we're done!"
Son of a bitch. He was reborn too.
That's the only way he could've rushed to City Hall with Brielle so fast, or destroyed the paternity test proving she wasn't Dad's real daughter.
My mom and Finn's mother Grace had been best friends back in the day.
Arranged marriages are just how things work in elite circle, and since I'd been crushing on Finn since we were kids, our families made it official with an engagement.
In my previous life, I'd accidentally discovered Brielle wasn't Dad's real daughter. So I crashed their wedding with the paternity test and exposed how she'd set me up.
A backstabbing fake heiress had zero value—she was just dead weight.
In New York's elite circles, apart from the untouchable Reed family, only the Thornes and Fairchilds were in the same league—old money, real power.
For business reasons, the Thornes eventually caved. They shipped Brielle off to some nowhere town and let me marry Finn instead.
After our wedding, Finn played the devoted husband perfectly. Hell, he even cleared his calendar to pamper me through my entire pregnancy.
But when he refused to let the doctors give me anesthesia and had them cut me open while I was conscious—I realized it's one big fucking lie to fool me and Dad.
He'd sweet-talked us into signing over the company, but he'd already implanted his and Brielle's embryo in my womb. All that loving care during my pregnancy? He just didn't want anything to happen to their kid.
Hearing the butler's words, my stepmother perked up again.
"Honey, Brielle's your daughter too. Why should her marriage be second-rate compared to her sister's? Besides, Victoria's mom is dead for years. That kiddie engagement doesn't mean shit anymore."
"Brielle's legally Mrs. Thorne now. You gonna force your own daughter to divorce? Come on, honey, don't play favorites."
Grandma whacked her with her quad cane.
"Bullshit! Think that little bitch pulled this off without you coaching her every step? Victoria's mom died young, so we hired you as her nanny. Then you drugged my son and slept with him. You and your bastard daughter are exactly the same!"
Dad grabbed Eliana by the collar.
"I only married you because of the kid, trying to do right by the kid. But I warned you from day one: you or your kid ever mess with Victoria, I'll bury you both!"
"Look what you raised. You're not going to any wedding today. Butler, freeze all her accounts. She doesn't leave this house without my say-so. And if I find out you were in on this, I'll fucking destory you!"
As security dragged Eliana away, she was still running her mouth.
"Whatever! My Brielle's Mrs. Thorne now. Forget your chump change—my daughter and son-in-law will hand me the whole Thorne Group!"
Seeing Dad struggling to breathe in angry, I quickly stepped in.
"Dad, it's okay. I didn't want to marry Finn anyway. A guy who cheats like that? I'd never be happy with him. Mom would totally support my decision."
"If Brielle wants him that bad, she can have him. No point starting a war with the Thornes. We've got too many deals on the table, and this company's our family legacy. I won't let my drama screw that up."
Dad cupped my face, voice cracking with guilt.
"Sweetheart, I let you down. Failed to protect you. I'm transferring all my shares to you right now—least I can do to make this right."
Grandma grabbed my hands with tears streaming down her face, looking heartbroken.
But honestly? I wasn't upset at all.
Trading one toxic marriage for control of the Fairchild family? Best deal I ever made.
Then our housekeeper suddenly shoved her phone in my face, pointing at Finn and Brielle's marriage license photo.
"Miss Victoria, look at this! That diamond bracelet on Miss Brielle's wrist—that's the antique your mother left you! It's worth a fortune!"
"I remember this morning when Mr. Thorne came by, Miss Brielle and Mrs. Eliana spent forever in your bedroom. They stolen it!"
My blood went ice cold. I snatched the phone for a closer look.
Sure enough, it was Mom's bracelet.
Even after Dad remarried, Grandma controlled the family money. So when Eliana couldn't afford decent jewelry for her daughter's wedding, the cunt just stole from my dead mother instead.
"That woman's lost her goddamn mind! I'm getting answers right now!" Father's face darkened as he moved toward the stairs, but I stopped him.
"Dad, confronting her won't help now. The bracelet's already on Brielle's wrist."
Grandma slammed her cane hard on the floor.
"Then we're going to that hotel! Nobody treats us like this!"
"Damn right! I don't care if Victoria doesn't want this marriage anymore, but the Thornes owe us an explanation for last night!"
By the time we got to the hotel, the wedding was over. Brielle was probably changing her dress, and Finn was waiting around to do the whole glad-handing routine.
The second he spotted me, his face twisted with disgust.
"Victoria, after pulling that nasty shit, you've still got the nerve to show your face here?"
"Knew you couldn't let it go. Trying to crash my wedding with Brielle? Too fucking late, Victoria. We're legally married, wedding's done. You won't change a damn thing!"
Chapter 3
"Since you've been obsessed with me for years, Brielle and I talked it over. You can be her personal maid, and I'll think about keeping you as my side piece."
His tone was so fucking condescending I almost burst out laughing.
Finn was a spoiled trust fund baby with zero business sense—nothing like his dead sharp-as-nails father and grandfather.
Under his watch, the Thorne family's outward glory masked a foundation fraught with decay.
I might be a woman, but I'd been a business prodigy since childhood. Combined with Fairchild influence, that's why Grace had pushed so hard for this marriage.
Without me and my family propping him up, how long did this idiot think he'd last?
Dad was so pissed he smashed a champagne flute on the floor.
"Are you out of your fucking mind, Finn? I haven't even made you pay for what you did to Victoria, and you're talking down to us? Your grandfather's dead—you don't have his protection anymore. Keep pushing and I'll ruin your entire goddamn family!"
Our raised voices caught everyone's attention. The whispers started immediately.
"Isn't that Victoria Fairchild? She cheated on her wedding night and humiliated Mr. Thorne. How does she have the nerve to show up here?"
"Thank God Brielle stepped up to save the family's reputation. I heard her earlier, apologizing so gracefully for her sister's mess. Instead of being grateful, Victoria shows up here making a scene?"
Facing all the gossip, Grandma just smirked and held up her phone.
"With a granddaughter who drugs her own sister and sleeps with her brother-in-law to steal a wedding? Yeah, the Fairchilds should be ashamed!"
When the guests saw the footage and heard the audio, the whole room went dead silent.
Finn's mother appeared out of nowhere. When she saw me, her expression was complicated. Then she forced a smile and walked over to Dad and Grandma.
"I was just about to send someone to get you! What's wrong? Are you upset we started the ceremony without you?"
"It's my fault for spoiling Finn. This is his first wedding, he was so excited. I was worried you'd be too embarrassed by Victoria's... situation... to come. Didn't want to miss the perfect timing..."
Her words died when she spotted the video looping on Grandma's phone.
Grandma's laugh was ice-cold.
"Your son pulls this shit and the Thornes still have the balls to throw a wedding? You were my daughter's best friend, Grace. Aren't you terrified she's going to come back from the grave and drag you to hell?"
Grace went pale, realizing the truth for the first time.
When she looked at me again, her eyes were full of guilt.
To be honest, she really had been close to my mom. Finn's lies and the online scandal had just convinced her she didn't want a "slutty" daughter-in-law.
She whirled around and slapped Finn hard cross his face.
"This is what you meant by Victoria cheating?! How could you do something so fucking vile?! How am I supposed to face her mother when I'm dead?!"
"This wedding doesn't count! You're divorcing that Brielle girl right now, getting on your knees to apologize to Victoria, and marrying her like you were supposed to!"
Before Finn could answer, Brielle rushed over in her dress.
She touched Finn's cheek tenderly, then turned to me with crocodile tears.
"Victoria, please stop pushing Finn. I know I was wrong to set you up, but we're really in love."
"Just because your mom died young doesn't mean Dad and Grandma should always favor you. Every dress I liked went to you, every cake, you got first pick. Even my jewelry was never as nice as yours. Is it so wrong that I didn't want to give up the man I love too?"
"Finn and I have real feelings for each other. Please stop using the family's pity for you to force them to break us up."
"We're legally married now. You're making a scene at our wedding—do you really want to embarrass the whole family?"
I couldn't believe how good Brielle was at playing the victim.
"Yeah, Dad and Grandma pay more attention to me because I lost my mom young. That's because your mother only ever cared about you and never gave a shit about me."
"Those dresses and cakes you mentioned? When didn't I let you choose first? If you'd said one word about liking Finn, I would've stepped aside. But you never did. As for jewelry—that stuff was bought by my dead mother. If you want jewelry, ask your own mom for it."
"You act all sweet and selfless in public, then drug me and shove me into a stranger's bed to steal my wedding. Now you won't even let my family feel sorry for me, and you're actually saying I'm embarrassing everyone? Are you completely shameless?"
Everyone got the picture real quick.
In our circle, plenty of families deal with stepkids and illegitimate children playing the victim for attention. It was a tired old game.
The guests started looking at Brielle with disgust.
I held out my hand to Brielle, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Speaking of jewelry—you've got some expensive taste in theft. Give me back that diamond bracelet. It belonged to my mother, and you don't deserve to wear it."
