Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"Since he's better now, you don't have to pretend to be me anymore." My twin sister, Audrey Goodwin, stood in front of me, her lips curled into a smug smile as she held a tiny pink pill bottle, acting as if it were a treasure. "This stuff's amazing. It took me a lot of effort to get it, but if I just slip a pill into his drink, I'll become Mrs. Strickland in no time!" She looked so pleased, as if she had succeeded in her plan to sleep with Michael Strickland, the most wanted rich heir in Jezelton. She was already picturing herself living the high life as his wife. I stayed calm. I didn't try to talk her out of it like I had in my past life. "Okay," I said lightly. "Good luck." But Audrey wasn't letting me off that easily. She grabbed my arm and leaned in close, whispering, "Don't forget. You've been pretending to be me for a whole year. There's so much I don't know about him and the people in his circle. Until I reach my goal, you're sticking by my side." Then she tossed me a pair of sunglasses and a mask. "Cover your face. If anyone finds out the truth and ruins my plan, you're dead." I just gave her a little smile. "Got it." After a year of being Michael's caretaker, I knew the truth: He wasn't some clueless rich boy. As the heir to a wealthy family, he was sharp and ruthless. Audrey thought she could outsmart him, but she was walking straight into her own grave. And I wasn't gonna stand in her way. Audrey strutted toward him with that special glass of wine. Michael drank it without a second thought, and within minutes, his handsome face turned red, his body unsteady. Audrey, now back as his nurse, rushed to help him upstairs. I slipped her a hotel keycard on the way. "I got you Room 800." Her eyes lit up. "Guess you're not totally useless. Once I'm Mrs. Strickland, I'll hook you up with a driver or a bodyguard. That should keep you comfortable for life. "Help me stand guard outside. Don't let anyone ruin this. If I fail, I'll make sure Mom and Dad tear you apart." I didn't argue. I just followed upstairs, then quietly stood across the hall instead of by her door. Minutes later, there was a loud thud from inside. Then the door swung open, and Michael stumbled out.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Michael's breathing was rough, his whole face tight with anger. He looked as if he was about to explode. Meanwhile, Audrey was sprawled on the floor, knocked out cold with a bleeding cut on her head. I knew it. I knew there was no way she'd ever be able to pull this off. She only got a beating now. But when Michael sobered up, who knew if she'd even live to see another day. I let out a slow breath and turned to leave quietly when suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist. The next second, Michael yanked me into the room next door. I still had on a mask. My eyes, wide with fear, met his. The hotel lights were dim, stretching shadows across the walls. He pinned me against one, his voice low and hoarse. "Your scent, your figure... they feel so familiar. Do I know you?" I froze. No way could I answer him. We'd spent a whole year together—if I spoke, he'd know it was me. I couldn't let anything happen between us. If I did, I'd end up just like Audrey. I fought to break free, but even when Michael was drugged, he was still way stronger than I was. I didn't stand a chance. I opened my mouth, ready to scream for help, when he leaned down suddenly, whispering, "Your eyes... They're beautiful..." I went stiff. For a second, I thought he'd recognized me. Then, he ripped off my mask and kissed me. Panic shot through me. I quickly switched off the lights, but after that, there was no chance to escape. Hours blurred together. Five, maybe six. By the time it was deep into the night, Michael finally let go, his strength fading. Every part of my body hurt, but I forced myself up and put my clothes back on. I wasn't like Audrey, living in some fairytale, believing a rich man would fall for a nobody like her. I wasn't about to get myself caught in a mess I couldn't climb out of. So while he slept, I slipped out. I didn't hesitate or look back. I would just pretend that nothing had happened. But the second I stepped out, I saw a heavyset, greasy-looking man stumbling out of the next room. When he spotted me, he let out a low whistle. I looked past him into the room. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and Audrey was on the bed, her dress torn, completely out cold. As I recalled how she had murdered me in my past life, I just shut the door quietly and walked away. When I got home, my parents rushed to greet me, both carrying plates piled with food, their faces glowing with joy. "Audrey, darling, you're finally back!" But then their smiles froze. "Aurora? Why are you here? Where's Audrey? "Didn't we tell you? You're supposed to stay by her side and protect her, make sure it all goes according to plan!" I stared at them, amazed at how deep their favoritism ran. If Audrey and I didn't look exactly alike, I'd really believe I was adopted. My face stayed cold as I walked past them. "I'm just here to pack my stuff. I'm moving out." My mother's face twisted, ugly with anger. "What the hell are you talking about? How are you gonna afford rent?" As I folded clothes into my bag, I spoke slowly, almost calmly, "If Audrey really ends up marrying Michael, his family will come to visit. What if they saw me and figured it all out? But I can stay if you want." The moment they realized my being around could ruin Audrey's chances, their attitude flipped. They quickly chased me out. "Get out! You're bad luck anyway. I wouldn't want you ruining a good thing for Audrey and bringing our family down with you!"

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

By the time I was headed downstairs with my bags, I ran into Audrey, hobbling through the door. Her clothes were ripped, as if someone had yanked them apart. Bruises covered her arms and legs. But her face was practically glowing. "Mom, Dad," she said proudly, "Michael wore me out. But I think it's done. We're good now." I could tell by her smirk that she had no idea what really happened after she got knocked out. She thought she'd had some kind of steamy, hot lovemaking session with Michael. Well, I couldn't wait to see the grin being wiped from her face when the truth came crashing down. - Audrey glanced at me with that same smug look, then noticed the suitcase in my hand. Her lips curled into a cold little smile. "Are you leaving?" she asked, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "My wedding's pretty much set. But you're not getting any younger, and there's still no ring on your finger. I don't want you spending the rest of your life alone." Her eyes lit up suddenly, and she clapped her hands together. "How about this? I'll introduce you to someone!""No, thanks," I said flatly. Her eyes filled with fake tears instantly. She turned to our parents, whining as if she'd been wronged. "Even though Mr. Strickland and I have done the deed, I hope we'll organize a grand wedding, so people won't look down on me. "I found Aurora a match. The guy's willing to give us 200 thousand dollars as a wedding gift!" The moment my mother heard that number, her eyes lit up. But when she saw I wasn't excited, she slapped me across the face hard, then she jabbed a finger in my face. "Since when do you get to talk back in this house?" she snapped. "This marriage is perfect for you! As your parents, we get to decide. You'll meet him, marry him, and bring that money home so your sister's wedding doesn't look shabby!" I laughed, but there was no humor in it, just pure anger bubbling up. I couldn't believe they were forcing me to marry a stranger for this. I snapped, "She wants to marry rich—what's that got to do with me? "Do you even know who the guy is? It's Mr. Meyer, a 60-year-old man! If you're that desperate for the money, why don't you divorce Dad and marry him yourself? Oh, wait—you don't want to? Then don't shove me into hell just because you're too scared to go!" My father's face turned red, and before I knew it, he slapped me twice. My cheek burned like fire. "Aurora! How dare you talk to us like that!" he roared. "What's so bad about Mr. Meyer? He's a small business owner! You'd be living in comfort. Do you actually think we'd hurt you? "You're the one who couldn't catch a rich man. And now you've got the nerve to argue with your mother? Look at yourself! You're worthless. You don't bring a damn thing to this family. "This house isn't a charity. If you don't want Mr. Meyer, fine. Go find some other man willing to give away 200 grand for you. Otherwise, shut up and do as you're told." My cheek was swollen, stinging with every breath. I stared at my parents, baffled by how shamelessly biased and selfish they were. Even though I'd already lost hope in this family long ago, I still wanted an explanation. "Why?" My voice cracked, heavy with pain. "Why is Audrey the chosen one, and I'm just the one you want to sell off? We're identical twins. I'm your daughter, too. Why do you hate me so much that you'd marry me off to a 60-year-old man just so you could organize a grand wedding for her?" My voice shook, but I forced the words out. "If you only wanted one child, if you only ever wanted her… then why keep me at all? Why didn't you get rid of me back then?" They didn't even flinch. They showed no regret or shame. They just looked at me with cold eyes and said…

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

"The tarot reader back then was right. You bring us bad luck! You're nothing like your sister who is sweet and obedient. She came into this world to bring good luck to our family." So all the pain I'd gone through over the years… all because of a few empty sentences from some tarot reader. I couldn't help but laugh. Whatever scraps of hope and love I still held for this family were shattered completely. Fine. I'd take today's humiliation as paying them back for raising me. "I'm not marrying that old man. If you need money, figure it out yourselves. Since you've never liked me, I'll leave. I don't care about your stupid marry-rich dreams." I grabbed my suitcase and turned to go. Audrey's cold voice stopped me. "You don't wanna get married? Fine. But if you move out, you'd better not be wandering around too much. And make sure your phone's on 24/7. If I call, you have to pick up within three seconds. "I'm about to become Mrs. Strickland. He'll propose to me and marry me soon. But I don't know much about how to take care of him. When he asks, you'll have to feed me the answers. Got it?" I turned my head and looked at her. Audrey tossed her hair back and pulled out her phone, snapping a picture of the bruises on her skin. To her, they weren't shameful but her golden ticket into high society. My parents were all smiles, fussing over her proudly, as if she were already some rich man's wife. They chimed in, "Do your best to help Audrey. Once she marries Mr. Strickland, maybe she'll help you, too. She can introduce you to a driver or a bodyguard who works for wealthy families. That's the only way you'll find someone." I almost laughed. They had no idea what really happened that night. They had no clue what it meant to cross Michael. The Stricklands weren't just old money—they were powerful and untouchable. Anyone who tried to scheme against them would get destroyed, not rewarded. The only smart thing to do was to cut ties and walk away. "We're not that close, so don't bother trying to set me up with someone. You live your lives, and I'll live mine." - Audrey and I had switched places completely. For the next few days, everything stayed quiet. There was not a single word about the most wanted rich heir of Jezelton being tricked. Then came the day Michael had to go for a checkup, and Audrey told me to wait near the hospital in case she needed me. I went. Not just because she told me to, but because I wanted to see how he was doing. That night, he'd knocked Audrey out. He'd been furious at her throwing herself at him. Even though I had accidentally run into him and ended up helping with his condition, he should've been plotting his revenge against her. But instead, he did nothing. I hid behind my sunglasses and mask, watching them carefully. What I saw made no sense. They were laughing together, looking into each other's eyes like something out of a movie. To anyone else, they looked like the perfect couple, completely in love. I couldn't wrap my head around it. What was Michael planning? Why wasn't he furious with her? Why was he suddenly acting so close to her? I stood there for so long, lost in my thoughts, that I didn't even notice when they walked in my direction. When they passed me, Michael paused for just a second. My heart jumped into my throat. Did he recognize me? But then he kept walking, as if nothing had happened. I let out a shaky breath, relieved… but at the same time, a little disappointed. That night, he had ripped off my mask. I'd switched the lights off right away, but I still didn't know if he'd seen my face.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

It seemed that Michael really hadn't recognized me. When I got home, Audrey called. She was satisfied I hadn't shown my face, but she still sounded irritated. "Other than being blind before, does Michael have any other problems?" I paused for a moment before answering, "No." She let out a sharp little laugh. "Seriously? By now, since we already spent the night together, shouldn't he be all over me like that night? Instead, he's acting like some saint who won't even touch me! "But whatever. I heard from his assistant that he's planning to propose to me at the company's annual party this year." Propose? Michael was actually dating Audrey now? Had he forgotten he had walked out of the room that night? Or was he setting up some huge revenge plot? The thought had me quiet for a long time, curiosity eating at me. "Sounds like a dream come true," I said. "Dream come true, my foot! What kind of woman can stand a man who won't even lay a finger on her?" Audrey snapped. "That's why I was thinking I should just get pregnant first. With our family background, it's not exactly easy to marry into money unless you've already got a baby on the way." My parents jumped right in with advice, suggesting Audrey should get Michael drunk again. Or maybe I could approach him as his nurse and slip him more pills. They wanted to make sure Audrey slept with him enough times to guarantee a pregnancy. I was stunned. They really wanted to keep using dirty tricks like that. Worse, they wanted to drag me into it, too. If I kept being tied to them, one day, they'd pull me straight down with them. I refused to help. That, of course, set my parents off. "You coward! If you won't help now, don't think you'll get to enjoy the good life once Audrey makes it big!" Audrey sneered as well, "First, she wouldn't marry Mr. Meyer to get me 200 thousand dollars for my wedding, and now, she won't even help me get pregnant. A stupid and timid person like her doesn't even deserve to be part of our family." Her voice grew sharper and sharper. "You really shouldn't turn me down. Even though I haven't gotten pregnant yet, Michael's already planning to propose. I'm gonna be living the good life. Sure, it's hard for someone like me to marry into money, but it's not impossible. And I'm gonna pull it off. "You don't wanna help? Fine. But listen to me—when I've got money and power, you won't even get the chance to butter me up. Starting today, you're not allowed to come home again. Get out, and stay out!" I hung up without a word. She didn't need to tell me twice. I wasn't going back to that house, not when all I'd ever gotten there was hate. Two lifetimes of favoritism from my parents had burned away whatever hope I'd ever had for them. In my last life, after I died at Audrey's hands, my parents still chose to protect her and tried to bury my body without anyone finding out. At that time, all I felt was a despair worse than death itself. But Audrey's words about Michael proposing at the annual party? That I had to see for myself. I just couldn't believe Michael would let her off so easily instead of coming after her for scheming against him. I couldn't believe he'd suddenly fall for her and want to marry her. No. He had to be playing his own game. - Finally, the day of Strickland Enterprise's annual party came. After putting on a disguise, I slipped into the event.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Audrey showed up in a custom white designer gown, looking like some perfect little angel straight out of a rich CEO romance story. Of course, my parents weren't gonna miss this chance to bask in her "high society" moment. Dressed to the nines in a suit and gown, they went with her to Strickland Enterprise's annual party. People swarmed around Audrey, showering her with compliments. "Audrey, you're so beautiful! No wonder Mr. Strickland is completely obsessed with you. And today, he's gonna propose in front of the whole company. You're seriously the luckiest girl ever!""Gosh, I'm so jealous. Once you become Mrs. Strickland, don't forget about us, okay?" Standing there in the crowd while soaking in all the flattery, Audrey looked like she might float away. She immediately started acting as if she already owned the place. "When I become Mrs. Strickland, I'll make sure my husband gives everyone a raise. Maybe even a few extra days off so we can all celebrate together!" The crowd cheered even louder. Soon, the event shifted into its main program. Michael stood tall in the middle of the room while holding a glass of champagne, looking calm and unreadable. His perfectly tailored black suit made him look even sharper. Maybe it was just me, but I swear he kept glancing my way, which made no sense. I had on a mask, a cap, and the plainest clothes I owned. Even my own family hadn't noticed me, so there was no way he could've. Amid cheers, Michael stepped onto the stage, his voice steady and cool. "Last year, I got into an accident and lost my sight completely. I'd like to thank someone. Because of her careful care, I was able to recover so quickly. "Thank you, Ms. Goodwin." My heart pounded as I listened, trying to keep my face calm. The spotlight landed straight on Audrey. She lifted her chin and gave a shy, blushing smile. "I'm your nurse. Taking care of you was my duty." Michael's lips curled into a smile—the kind that looked dangerous. He glanced at Audrey. "I've prepared a very special surprise for you today. Do you mind coming up here?" That was enough to make Audrey's grin stretch from ear to ear. She thought the proposal was about to happen. "Of course not!" She gathered up her white skirt and ran onto the stage, the crowd cheering her on. My parents had tears in their eyes, already imagining themselves joining the rich and never worrying about money again. The rest of the crowd was buzzing with envy. "Wow, Audrey's so lucky. If I'd known, I would've tried to become Mr. Strickland's nurse, too. It's easy to get someone to fall for you if you're close to them. Now that she's got his attention, she's about to become a rich wife and live the dream!" "Right? The Goodwins are about to skyrocket. Now their daughter's gonna marry the rich, powerful, and handsome Mr. Strickland. They really hit the jackpot." But then, out of nowhere, a tall, broad woman with a hard, scary face stormed onto the stage. She yanked Audrey by the hair. "Mr. Strickland, is this the little tramp you were talking about? The one who climbed into my husband's bed at your party last time?"