Chapter 1I Married My Sister's Catfish

The day the Lawrence family—one of Chicago’s most formidable dynasties—arrived at our estate to fulfill the long-standing marriage alliance, my sister, Lindsay, chose that exact moment to stage her grand confession.

“I used Norah’s photos to catfish a poor college student online,” she sobbed, her voice trembling with a rehearsed, fragile grace. “Today, he’s coming to our house to propose. A man that desperate, that destitute... he is the only one I deserve to marry. Mom, Dad, I’m not worthy of the Lawrence match. Please, just send me away!”

She looked up through a veil of tears, a picture of stubborn, self-sacrificing innocence.

My parents, who had always loved her best, didn’t hesitate. My father pointed a trembling finger at me where I sat, quietly watching the theater unfold.

“Lindsay has been raised by our side for years,” he declared. “She has the grace, the social standing to handle a family like the Lawrences. Norah, you are the one who should marry into their house. And since Lindsay used your face for her online romance, you will be the one to marry this poor boy.”

I opened my mouth to refuse. But then, three lines of glowing, translucent text materialized in the air, drifting right before my eyes.

[Oh my god, I’m literally screaming! Don’t let Lindsay push him to her evil sister! That poor kid is actually Hogan Lawrence, the real heir to the Lawrence empire, hiding his identity! The Charles Lawrence who came today is just a useless cousin!]

[Exactly! Hogan played poor online just to find a girl who wouldn’t love him for his billions, and Lindsay is just handing him over? The evil sister is definitely going to agree. She’s greedy; she takes everything she can get!]

[Don’t panic, girls! Hogan doesn’t even know what the sister looks like in real life. He only came because of Norah’s photo. Once they spend a few days together, he’ll realize she’s an imposter and humiliate her! We have to watch closely and help Lindsay!]

I stared at those bizarre, floating words for three seconds.

So that was how it was.

I changed my mind. I tilted my chin up slightly, letting a quiet, compliant smile grace my lips.

“Fine,” I said. “A poor student? I’ll marry him.”

* * *

“Don’t go thinking we’re being unfair,” my mother chimed in, her voice dripping with a practiced, soothing condescension. “You spent all those years in the foster system, Norah. A dynasty like the Lawrences is simply too high-class for you. It wouldn’t suit your... background.”

She was mid-sentence when my words finally registered. “Wait—what? You’re agreeing to marry him?”

I nodded meekly. “Yes, Mom.”

My father blinked, stunned. “You aren’t going to fight Lindsay for the Lawrence match?”

“No,” I said, looking down to hide the cold gleam in my eyes. “I’m the older sister. She’s my younger sister. I shouldn’t be greedy.”

The collective sigh of relief in the room was almost comical.

They had expected me to scream, to tear down the curtains, to make a scene like I always did. Ever since I had been brought back to this cold mansion, my life had been a series of endless, exhausting battles. A fight every three days, a war every five. I fought Lindsay for everything.

For allowance. For the bedroom with the window. For the food on the table.

My parents always told me to be generous, to be the bigger person. They sighed and told me I was too proud, too resentful. But they conveniently ignored the facts. Lindsay’s monthly allowance was five thousand dollars. Mine was fifty.

Lindsay lived in the master suite with the floor-to-ceiling windows and the view of the lake. I was tucked away in the drafty, windowless maid's quarters on the first floor.

Lindsay’s favorite seafood platters covered the dinner table every night, even though I was severely allergic to shellfish. Every time I fought, every time I screamed, I was only begging for a shred of fairness. I had never wanted to steal anything from her.

But now? I changed my mind.

The floating text called me the “evil sister.” They said I was greedy, that I wanted to steal everything.

Fine. I’ll show them what stealing actually looks like.

The floating comments kept scrolling frantically:

[She agreed! The evil sister actually agreed! Is she crazy? She’s trying to steal our male lead!]

[It’s fine, it’s fine. Hogan doesn’t love her anyway. She’ll just live a lonely, sexless life. The moment Hogan finds out the truth, he’ll dump her on her face!]

[Girls, watch closely. The male lead is about to walk through the door. He’s definitely going to recognize Lindsay as his true love!]

Following the guidance of the floating text, I turned my eyes toward the foyer. Right on cue, our butler led a young man into the drawing room.

He wore a washed-out flannel shirt with frayed cuffs, and his jeans were slightly too short, exposing his ankles. Yet, his face was striking. He had sharp, deep-set features, a high brow, and a posture so impeccably straight it betrayed an innate, quiet nobility that no cheap clothes could mask.

“Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Morrison,” he said, his voice a low, steady baritone. “My name is Hogan Lane. I’m Norah’s boyfriend.”

The floating text erupted:

[Oh my god, he is so hot! He and Lindsay are literally made for each other!]

[Ugh, it’s so frustrating! His real name is Hogan Lawrence! He only changed it to hide his identity. Lindsay, baby, please don’t think he’s actually some poor kid!]

[Yes, Lindsay! Hurry up and tell him you’re the one who talked to him online, not Norah!]

No matter how frantic those floating voices were, Lindsay couldn’t see them. My mother stepped in front of her, shielding her protectively, and pointed a trembling hand at me. “Hogan, was it? Norah is right there.”

When Hogan’s gaze landed on me, the floating text wailed.

[Oh no! He recognized her face! He doesn’t know the girl he fell in love with online is actually Lindsay!]

[I believe in him! He’s too smart to be fooled! Our Lindsay is so sweet and pure, he’ll definitely realize this evil sister isn’t his real soulmate!]

[Exactly! He wouldn’t be so shallow that he only cares about a face. He fell in love with Lindsay’s beautiful soul!]

I watched as Hogan’s ears flushed a faint, endearing pink. I tilted my head and let my lips curve into a slow, deliberate smile.

These floating commenters were far too imaginative.

From where I was standing, it looked like this “male lead” of theirs was simply utterly, hopelessly captivated by my face.