Chapter 1
I'd woken up as a rich man's wife. My husband spoiled me, I had a son and a daughter, and I thought I'd hit the jackpot without effort.
Everything changed when a girl showed up on my doorstep. She was sobbing, calling my husband Dad. "After sixteen years, I've finally found you."
I sipped my cola calmly, ready to watch some crazy family drama unfold.
But she pointed straight at me and claimed, "You're the fake. You stole my mom's place, and those kids of yours are nothing but bastards."
*****
"Dad!" A girl showed up at the entrance to the dining room, waiting for Edward Grant.
She wore a faded T-shirt, her hair messily tied back. She looked up at Edward sitting at the head of the table, with tears streaming down her face. "After sixteen years, I've finally found you."
Everyone in the dining room froze in shock.
Grace Grant stopped chewing her apple. Lucas Grant paused with his coffee halfway to his lips. Charlie Jones, standing nearby, widened his eyes in surprise.
Edward sat at the head of the table with a slight frown, keeping calm and saying nothing.
And I was enjoying my cola, feeling pretty pleased with myself.
Cola was the single greatest thing ever invented, hands down.
Life might throw curveballs, but I'd always lived by this rule: no matter what hit the fan, delicious foods came first.
This girl was Emily Simon, seventeen years old. She claimed to be the daughter Edward had after a drunken one-night stand at a bar seventeen years ago.
Her mom, Victoria Simon, used to work as a waitress at Muse Bar. One night, Edward got wasted, they hooked up, and she ended up pregnant. Victoria raised Emily all by herself for seventeen years.
Now, with Victoria seriously ill and on her last legs, Emily finally worked up the nerve to show up and ask for recognition.
"Dad, my mom is really dying. The only thing she's ever wanted is for me to be recognized as your daughter." Emily was sobbing hard. Her body shook, and her voice was rough and broken.
She continued, "I know I shouldn't bother you, but I have nowhere else to turn."
Her words were heartfelt, her face streaked with tears, while a few young maids nearby gossiped about the scene.
Edward glanced at me.
I gave him a slight nod.
"Alright," Edward said. "Charlie, arrange a room for her. And set up the paternity test."
"Thank you, Dad." Emily bowed before the maid came up to her.
She shot me a glance full of hate. Then her gaze shifted to Grace and Lucas, and I caught a smirk on her lips. It was subtle, but I found it right away.
That was a winner's smile. It seemed she already believed the game was hers.
*****
Charlie broke the news about Emily being Edward's daughter at breakfast.
In the morning, my phone dinged.
Edward texted me: [Are you awake? Breakfast's ready.]
I sent him a kiss emoji and took my sweet time getting dressed and freshening up.
My name was Charlotte Smith, and I was the wife of the chairman of Grant Holdings.
When I first woke up in this world five years ago, all I remembered was my name, Charlotte Smith.
But it didn't take long for me to realize I'd hit the jackpot with this new identity.
My husband, Edward, was the heir of the Grant family and the chairman of Grant Holdings. He was 6.23 feet tall, the perfect leading man from a romance drama.
He wasn't easy to get along with. People said he'd been through some tough stuff, so he barely paid me any mind at first.
I wanted to live easily with money, so I had to win over this cold, rich guy.
To do that, I started figuring out what he liked and did whatever I could to get on his good side.
Little by little, he went from ignoring me to depending on me.
He'd kiss me before he left every morning. The first thing he said when he walked in was "Honey, I'm home", and he had to hold me at night, or he couldn't fall asleep.
Edward, in his forties, was the kind of guy I used to dream about.
After I finished getting ready, I went downstairs to find everyone already seated in the dining room.
Edward was at the head of the table, dressed in dark blue lounge clothes. He smiled as soon as he saw me. "Honey, come here."
"Alright." I walked over and kissed him on the cheek, and then took my seat.
My kids, Lucas and Grace, were sitting across from me.
As soon as I sat down, Lucas placed a fruit platter in front of me.
Grace was halfway through her sandwich and grinned when she saw me. "Mom, you're glowing today."
"Hey, all that pampering pays off," I replied.
"How's that face cream you got yesterday?"
"It works like a charm. I'll grab one for you next time."
"Thanks, Mom."
Edward glanced at us and shook his head. "Shopping is basically your full-time job."
"Why? Do you mean I can't spend your money now?" I shot him a playful look.
"No, that's what I earn it for. I make money so you can enjoy it," he said softly.
Lucas put down his phone, deadpan. "Dad, you're totally whipped."
"I'd like to spoil my wife like this," Edward retorted.
"Alright, as you please," Lucas agreed.
I picked up a piece of cake and enjoyed it.
"Got any plans today?" Edward asked.
"I'm hitting the spa this morning. Then, I'll have coffee and snacks with Mrs. Lewis and other friends this afternoon. What about you?" I asked Edward in return.
"I've got a board meeting this morning, but I might be back early this afternoon."
"So, we have dinner together tonight?"
"Sure. What are you in the mood for?"
"Let's figure it out when you're home. I'll give it some thought."
"Okay."