Chapter 1

On their fifth wedding anniversary, Leon Sterling revealed the truth about Emily Rivers's background. Emily became the fake heiress of Harbor City's richest family, and the once-envied couple turned into the laughingstock of all Harbor City.

That was until the day at Bluewater Cliff, when Emily let go of Leon's trembling hand.

"Leon Sterling, you never once truly loved me."

Five years later, Emily returned to Harbor City and ripped open the truth behind the whole sick joke. Leon dropped to his knees in front of her, crying his eyes out and begging for forgiveness.

Emily turned away without a shred of mercy and dragged everyone who had hurt her straight into hell.

*****

Everyone knew Leon Sterling was crazy in love with Emily Rivers. Every wedding anniversary, Leon would throw Emily a grand ceremony all over again.

But at this fifth anniversary banquet, Leon brought out a woman who looked strikingly like Emily and made a dramatic announcement to the guests.

"This is Sophia Rivers, the real daughter of the Rivers family, and the woman who was supposed to be my wife."

"As for Emily, she stole Sophia's life for twenty-four years. It's time she paid it back!"

He pointed at the stunned Emily, his voice rising with emotion.

Emily stared at the strange woman in front of her and listened to Leon's words, feeling like the whole thing was beyond ridiculous. She had never even heard that the Rivers family had a missing daughter.

Richard Rivers stepped forward and walked up to Emily. Hope lit up in Emily's eyes. She waited for her father to clear up this insane lie, but Richard only looked relieved, like he'd finally been set free.

A sharp slap rang out, and Emily fell to the floor. Her eyes turned red as she looked at her father in disbelief, her voice shaking.

"Dad?"

Richard shot Emily a vicious glare and pointed at her with open satisfaction.

"Twenty-four years. My real daughter can finally come home. Let me tell you the truth, Emily. You're just an orphan. My daughter was sick since she was little, so we needed someone to take her place and carry the bad luck. That's why we picked you."

Emily went stiff all over, her body turning cold. She didn't move. The light in her eyes just slowly faded away as she stared at them.

She shook her head like crazy and muttered under her breath.

"No way..."

Mrs. Rivers walked onto the stage, elegant and polished as ever.

"Ha. You were nothing but a dog our family raised. Why should my real daughter suffer out in the sticks while a fake like you got to enjoy everything?"

She crouched in front of Emily and lightly patted her cheek, but there was unmistakable hatred in her voice.

"We should thank heaven you looked a little like my daughter. Otherwise, someone like you would've never even gotten near the Rivers family."

"Do you know how much it hurt every time I saw you smiling? Everything you had was supposed to belong to my daughter. Why should a nobody with no family get to enjoy it all like it was yours by right?"

Huge tears rolled down Emily's face, one after another, splashing onto the cold floor. No wonder she had always been sick for no reason as a child. So that was because the Rivers family's real daughter had been using her as a stand-in.

"Emily, now that my daughter is finally back, you're no longer the Rivers heiress. You're just some stray no one wanted. If we hadn't picked you, you'd probably still be out there living on scraps!"

Mrs. Rivers looked thoroughly pleased, staring at Emily like she was trash.

Emily looked at them in disbelief. Her pale lips trembled as she got to her feet and shouted at them.

"But you never asked whether I wanted to be your daughter!"

Her eyes burned red, and her mind went blank.

Mrs. Rivers froze for a second, then another slap came flying down.

"What did you just say? So you're an ungrateful little snake after all. We gave you such a good life, and now you're yelling at me?"

Sophia walked over and looped her arm around Mrs. Rivers affectionately.

"Mom, don't be mad. You still have me now. Oh, and Leon too. I'm the only one who's really his wife."

Emily looked at Leon in disbelief. She couldn't believe that the man who had grown up beside her, fallen in love with her, and shared her bed for five years had known the truth all along.

In that moment, Emily finally realized her whole world had been built on lies. And she didn't even know who she really was.

Leon smiled gently and ruffled Sophia's hair, then took her hand like she was some priceless treasure. But when he turned back to Emily on the floor, his gaze was cold, with not a trace of love left in it.

Emily only found it absurd. She hadn't done a single thing wrong, yet she was the one carrying all their hate and cruelty.

Leon's voice rang out, cold and emotionless.

"Emily, you've lived the good life for all these years. I'm not letting you walk away that easily. You can leave only after you've repaid everything we did for you."

He looked at the tear stains on her face and, for a split second, panic flashed through him. Then Leon crouched down, grabbed Emily by the chin, and locked his eyes on hers.

"Someone take her to the maid's room in the Sterling house. Starting today, Emily Rivers is a maid for the Sterling family. She'll wait on Sophia full-time. She doesn't leave until Sophia forgives her!"