Chapter 2
William was big on formalities. Adopting Hannah as his daughter was such a huge deal that it caused quite a stir all over town.
He hosted a lavish party to announce it to everyone in the province.
He even invited my parents and me to stay at the most luxurious hotel around.
On the morning of the party, William had someone deliver custom-tailored outfits for our entire family.
I opened the box and set the dress on the table, a flood of emotions washing over me.
In my previous life, William had prepared this same dress for me when he made me his adopted daughter.
From the moment I slipped it on, I was surrounded by wealth and luxury, but the pain and humiliation I suffered were things only I could truly feel.
Thinking about it, William always had all the dresses custom-made at the same boutique, with the same measurements and the same designer. Hannah's dress was probably identical to the one from my previous life.
Suddenly, a knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts.
I opened the door to find a man in a suit standing there, giving a slight bow. He said, "Ms. Smith, your sister asked you to come over."
I was a bit confused, but I followed him anyway.
As soon as I stepped into Hannah's room, I spotted William sitting on the couch. I nodded at him before heading over to Hannah.
Hannah was seated at her vanity, with a swarm of servants fussing over her. William had even had a celebrity makeup artist flown in just for her.
Hannah shot me a glance, then took out elegant wooden boxes and placed them in front of me. She said, "Summer, can you help me choose which necklace matches my dress better?"
I instantly recognized the boxes. They held the crystal necklaces William had snagged at an overseas auction for 3 million dollars, exactly as he had asked me to choose one in my previous life.
I knew exactly what this party meant. The place was filled with the state's most influential families, and William's kids were there, too. To avoid stirring up jealousy, I turned down William's offer.
This time, Hannah was clearly showing off to me.
I knew that no matter which necklace she picked, it would come across as a challenge to William's kids.
To them, it was like Hannah was trying to assert herself as the new favorite.
I glanced at the necklaces and picked one without much thought. "Hannah, with your beauty, honestly, either would look amazing on you."
Hannah's face lit up, unable to hide her happiness. She said, "You really know how to get on my good side. It's not too late to start winning me over."
I zoned out for a moment, watching her in the mirror, wearing the same dress I once wore in my previous life.
Hannah seemed to catch on. She said, "So, what do you think? Same dress, but now that I've got a new status, doesn't it feel way more special?"
I lowered my gaze and said, "This dress was custom-made for you, so of course it suits your vibe perfectly."
On the outside, I pretended to go along with her, but deep down, I couldn't help feeling secretly pleased.
Honestly, it wasn't so much that she took my place as that I willingly gave it up to her.
Right now, Hannah was still naive enough to think that once the party ended, her glamorous life as a socialite would begin. She had no idea everything was only getting started.
With her vain and slightly overbearing personality, I didn't need to lift a finger. I simply had to go with the flow and let things unfold.
*****
William really was the richest man in the state. The moment the ballroom doors swung open, the place was dripping with luxury.
The guests were all the state's elite: billionaire tycoons, hotshot politicians, and even the governor showed up to pay his respects.
As the party began, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight illuminated the entrance, setting the stage for something grand.
Hannah stepped in gracefully, wearing an elegant white gown that caught everyone's attention.
Guests murmured in admiration, "Wow, Ms. Smith truly looks like a refined young lady."
I quietly glanced at William's biological children. In the midst of all the lively chatter, they were impossible to miss.
Each one of them had a stormy look on their face, like they were itching to tear Hannah apart right then and there.