Chapter 1

My seductive stepmother fell for my husband.

So she went under the knife to look like me, and teamed up with my greedy father to kill me.

After cleaning up the mess, she put on a shy act and went to my marital home...

*****

I hovered beside my stepmother, Vivian Sutton, watching as my husband, Edward Blackwood, pushed the door open and walked in, his expression icy.

It had been half a year since I'd last seen him. His tan had faded, but his eyes were still sharp as ever.

Vivian nervously bit her lip, then walked over to Edward with a smile, speaking softly. "Honey, you're back."

Her face and voice were almost identical to mine.

But we used to be nothing alike.

Half a month ago, Vivian looked down at me as I was dying, her gaze triumphant.

She said, "Evelyn, I went through hell to become you and take your place.

"Don't worry. Your father and your husband only need me now."

As the light faded from my eyes, Vivian's face blurred into darkness.

And my ever-cautious husband never even noticed his wife had been replaced by a stranger.

Edward went to change into his loungewear, and Vivian shamelessly reached out to help him unfasten his belt.

Her eyelids used to lack a crease, and her skin wasn't as tanned as mine. But to become my double, she got one cosmetic surgery after another in the past three years.

After another year of sunbathing, her skin finally became as tanned as mine.

And that was not all. She copied every one of my mannerisms, my likes, my quirks, until she was basically my mirror image.

She said it took her four whole years to pull it off.

Edward glanced down at her. "Did you change your perfume?"

Vivian paused, then replied softly, "Yes. Do you like it?"

Edward lowered his head, his brows furrowing. "No. Switch back to your old one."

Vivian nodded quickly.

After Edward changed, he headed for the study. Vivian hurried after him, her cheeks flushed with shyness.

I didn't want to follow them, because I already knew what was about to happen.

For the past five years of our marriage, Edward and I had sex either in the bedroom or the study.

Edward showed his talent at 12, got sent overseas by his parents at 16. Now, at just 30, he was already a famous biologist.

His job kept him away most of the time, and he rarely had any chance to meet other women.

So every time he came home, it was hell for me.

He was never gentle with me. Instead, he was always rough and domineering.

"Your father married you off to me to please me and for his own gain. If this is a deal, why don't you even try to care about me?" Edward said.

Later, my cousin Grace Sutton told me to be more humble around him and swallow my pride. I listened to her, and that was when he finally stopped being so harsh to me.

But the truth was, it was Grace who was supposed to marry Edward.

Yet everyone in our circle knew Edward was the ice-cold devil.

Even though he was a biologist, he was the real power behind the Blackwood family.

There was once a vain woman who tried to get into his bed, but within two days, her organs shut down and she died. Even the best medical tech couldn't figure out what had killed her.

But Edward had resources that every elite family was after. At that time, the Hart family was already on its last legs due to the Hart patriarch's mismanagement.

So the Hart family came up with the idea of a marriage alliance, hoping to secure a connection with Edward.

Grace, who had been raised by the Hart family, was chosen for the marriage. She was incredibly fertile, and that was why the Harts kept her around.

However, Grace was terrified that Edward would torment her to death, so she begged my father not to send her.

Vivian spent the whole night sweet-talking my father in bed. So in the end, I got shoved into marrying Edward instead of Grace.

Even though I was Dad's real daughter, I'd been invisible. Mom died right after I was born, and I was never likable. I never cried or laughed.

Everyone knew the Hart family had this gorgeous girl, Grace Sutton, but nobody even knew about their real heiress, Evelyn Hart.

I was dumped in Hart Villa to survive on my own, with only Grace dropping by every now and then to keep me company.

In my short life, Grace was the only one who ever showed me any kindness.

So I was willing to marry Edward in Grace's place.