Chapter 1Imposter Bride

The day I earned my Ph.D., I secretly flew home to surprise my father and brother. Instead, I walked in on them preparing a wedding for the housekeeper's daughter and my fiancé.

My proud older brother, who had always listened to me, treated her like a princess. He not only gave her the wedding dress our mother had specially designed for me but even knelt to fix her train.

Then my father, who had never lied to me before, stepped onto the stage and publicly announced that the housekeeper's daughter was her daughter. And I was the housekeeper's daughter.

In my previous life, I chose to stay silent to protect the family's reputation. But in the end, they worked together to push me off a cliff.

After my death, my mother was so devastated that my father tricked her into giving up the company and left her with nothing. She eventually died alone on the streets.

Then, by some miracle, I was reborn.

This time, I stormed onto the stage and ripped the veil off the smug housekeeper's daughter. "You're the one who's gone too far! How dare a housekeeper's daughter touch what belongs to me?"

* * *

Everyone in the room was shocked after hearing what I said.

My brother, Ethan Carter, was furious. He shoved me aside, took off his jacket, and draped it over Olivia Carter's shoulders. He pulled her into his arms as she stood there with tears in her eyes.

Then he glared at me coldly. "Emily, have you lost your mind?"

My dad, David Carter, was just as angry.

He slapped me across the face. "How dare a housekeeper's daughter bully her own family? You've gone too far!"

My cheek burned. I looked at Ethan and David, who were clearly taking Olivia's side, and laughed bitterly.

I shot back without holding anything back. "What? She's the one taking what belongs to me! No wonder the wedding was moved up. You deliberately planned Olivia's wedding with my fiancé while I was studying abroad, didn't you? You wanted Olivia to take my place! If I hadn't come back early, you would've gotten away with it!"

The day I earned my Ph.D., I secretly flew home to surprise Ethan and David. Instead, I discovered that they had arranged for Olivia to take my identity and marry my fiancé, Adam Sullivan, in my place.

In my previous life, I had chosen to stay quiet for the sake of the family's reputation. I didn't make a scene.

But what did I get in return? Their betrayal. They worked together to kill me. They even dragged my mother, Christina Carter, into it.

This time, I wouldn't stay silent. I would expose their lies and their whole scheme in front of everyone. And I would make them pay.

Olivia said nothing at first.

Instead, she forced out a few tears and put on a helpless, innocent look. "Emily, we've always treated you so well. How can you say things like this?

"Yes, you're the housekeeper's daughter, but you lost your father when you were young. Dad felt sorry for you, so he kindly supported you as you grew up. I've always treated you like my own sister, too. You've always been treated well in our home.

"When Mom heard that you wanted to study abroad, she agreed right away. She was even worried about your safety and went with you. Even when you borrowed my clothes, I never complained.

"I know you probably wanted my wedding dress this time, too. But Mom had it specially made for me. That's the one thing I can't give you."

She kept twisting the truth. Soon, everyone around us started looking at me strangely and whispering among themselves.

"A nobody trying to play somebody? She's shameless!"

"Exactly. Emily is so ungrateful! Who does she think she is? She's meant to stay at the bottom of the ladder! She should know her place..."

Ethan gently wiped Olivia's tears with his thumb.

But when he looked at me, his eyes were full of blame and coldness. "What are you waiting for? Give the veil back to Olivia!"

At that moment, he suddenly felt like a stranger.

In my eyes, Ethan had always loved me. He had spoiled me and never even raised his voice at me.

But everything changed after Olivia appeared.