Chapter 1

Everyone said I was raised too sheltered for my own good.

Even after my mom was driven to her grave by Nancy, the homewrecker who took her place, I just sat there, munching on chips and watching TV like nothing had happened.

I even started calling Nancy "Mom" for a few bucks.

My fiancé thought I was cheap and ended up hooking up with my stepsister, Jessica.

Later, the Carter Group wanted to arrange a marriage with our family's heir.

Jessica wasn't having it and cried to Dad.

She choked out, "The CEO of the Carter Group is a cripple and can't even get it up. I'm not marrying him. Dad, you wouldn't really make me go through that, would you?"

My fiancé begged me, saying, "You can't force love. I love Jessica, and I only see you as a little sister. Just do me this favor and marry into the Carter family for her."

Dad looked at me, and my eyes sparkled. I said, "Wait, does that mean I'm the heir of our family now?"

They nodded eagerly, and I grinned. I said, "I'm in."

People in the know all thought I was a fool, treating a meaningless title like it was some kind of treasure.

But when I became a multi-billionaire, carrying myself with poise at those high-end dinner parties, they all ended up regretting it.

*****

Jessica whispered, "Brian, watch it.

"Don't let Lily catch us, or she'll start drama again."

I followed the voices and spotted my stepsister, Jessica, and my fiancé, Brian, tangled up together in a hidden corner of the garden.

Brian was kissing her, totally dismissive.

He scoffed, "So what if she sees us? She's a complete idiot. She's caught us before, and all it took was some dumb excuse about 'rehearsing a scene' and a fake kiss.

"Toss her a little spending money and she'll even wish us luck with our 'rehearsal.'

"A fool like her? Even if she threw herself at me, I wouldn't want her. You're the real deal, sexy and sharp."

Jessica giggled and gave him a playful slap, teasing him for being so bold and not caring if someone overheard or if they got caught.

I accidentally snapped a branch, giving myself away.

The two of them quickly straightened their clothes and turned to look at me.

Jessica's sweet voice instantly turned to fury.

She snapped, "Lily, why are you always sneaking around like a ghost? Can't you just go watch TV or something? If you dare breathe a word about this, you're dead meat."

I looked at them, my face pale, and stammered, "But Jessica, Brian is my fiancé. You snatched him right out from under me, making out with him right in front of me. Where does that leave me?"

Brian frowned in disgust, yanked out a card, and tossed it at me.

He said, "Ran out of the money I gave you already, huh? Take it and get lost. You're such a buzzkill."

I saw the card on the ground, my eyes lit up, and I hurried to pick it up.

But the moment my hand touched the card, Jessica stomped on it hard, sending me crashing to my knees.

Jessica sneered, "Let me spell it out for you. You only got to be Brian's fiancée thanks to your dead mom's luck. But listen up, he only loves me.

"If you ever dare to act like his fiancée again, don't blame me if I slap you across the face."

Brian just watched, arms folded, totally unfazed as she went off on me.

I was on the verge of breaking down, tears streaming, when the butler approached, head bowed, voice steady.

"Ms. Jessica Turner, your father is calling for you," the butler said.

Jessica looked irritated. She pulled her foot back and snapped at me, "Don't forget what I just said. And don't you dare call my mother 'Mom' or you're as good as dead."

Brian wrapped his arm around her waist and left with the butler, all smiles.

I slowly got to my feet, clutching the bank card. I glanced down at my swollen, red hand, and my face hardened, showing a cold edge that was nothing like the clueless girl they thought I was.

Everyone said I was spoiled rotten, betraying my real mom just to please Nancy for some pocket change.

But it was all an act.

Back then, Nancy showed up at our door with Jessica, who was just three months older than me, and tried to force my mom to step aside and divorce my dad.

When my mom refused, Nancy just moved in and started sleeping with my dad right in front of my mom.

My mom had a heart condition, and she was literally driven to death by the stress. Right before she died, she grabbed my hand and told me to live well, not to let hatred consume me.

But I couldn't just let it go. My dad was a total social climber. He built his whole life off my mom, then drove her to her death, and now he was shackled up with Nancy, playing the happy couple.

I felt this was so unfair.

I had been biding my time for years, playing the fool and acting weak, just waiting for my chance to strike back and destroy them all.

I was going to take back everything that belonged to my mom, every last bit of it.