The Fake Heiress Plays to Win

The Sullivans, one of Delston's richest families, are coming to the orphanage to find their long-lost daughter. Before they arrive, my childhood friend, Alex Jenkins, hands me a gold pendant. "Mr. Anderson said you were wearing this when you were first brought here. He told me to return it to you." Comments suddenly begin appearing one after another in front of me. "Wait, Alex gave Olivia's pendant to Rhea? Is he seriously trying to pass Rhea off as the Sullivan daughter?" "Of course he is. Olivia's pregnant. What rich family wants its long-lost daughter showing up pregnant and unmarried?" "They'll let Rhea take her place until Olivia has the baby. Then Olivia can come back, expose her, and take her place in the family. She's the real Sullivan, after all." "Poor Rhea has no clue what's really going on. Now everyone's going to think she's some scheming orphan trying to worm her way into a rich family." And that was exactly what happened the first time around. Thrilled, I went to meet the Sullivans with the gold pendant. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan mistook me for their long-lost daughter and spoiled me rotten. Then, at my birthday party two years later, Olivia Sullivan burst in sobbing. She accused me of stealing her pendant and taking her place in the family. Alex turned on me too, telling everyone I'd been manipulative since we were kids. Overnight, I became the most hated woman in Delston high society. The entire industry blacklisted me, and in the end, I died on the streets. When I opened my eyes again, Alex was holding out the same gold pendant to me. And yet, I still smile and take it. Chapter 1 "Rhea, this is for you." Alex Jenkins smiled as he pressed a gold pendant into my palm. The metal was still warm from his hand. "Mr. Anderson said this was the only thing you had with you when you were first brought to the orphanage. I thought it might help you find your family." I stared down at the familiar pendant. Suddenly, several lines of text appeared in front of me. "Here we go! The classic gold-pendant handoff! Here comes the fake heiress!" "Alex is ruthless. He's actually going to pass Rhea off as Olivia just so she can stay away from the Sullivans until her pregnancy is over." "Poor Rhea. She's about to spend two whole years taking the fall for Olivia." My fingers tightened around the pendant until my knuckles went white. I looked up at the man whose plan had gotten me killed in my first life. His eyes were full of calculation and anticipation, but he hid it so well no one else would have noticed. I sniffled and willed my eyes to fill with tears. "Really? Thanks, Alex! I mean it. Thank you so much!" I pressed the gold pendant tightly to my chest and gave him the same overwhelmed, grateful look I had in my first life. A smug glint flashed in Alex's eyes when he saw I'd taken the bait, but his voice stayed as gentle as ever. "Don't be silly. You don't have to thank me. Not you." Just then, a black Rolls-Royce pulled up outside the orphanage. An elegant couple stepped out. I recognized them immediately as Henry Sullivan, chairman of Sullivan Group, and his wife, Hannah Whitlock. Just like in my first life, Hannah froze when she saw the gold pendant against my chest. Then she hurried toward me, her voice trembling. "Honey, that pendant…" I played along, taking a step back and making myself look timid. "Ma'am, who are you?" Henry came up behind Hannah and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He looked at me, guilt and emotion warring in his eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with feeling. "We're your parents, sweetheart. We've been looking for you for 19 years." Hannah couldn't hold back any longer. She pulled me into her arms and broke down sobbing. "My baby… I finally found you…" Still in Hannah's arms, I quietly glanced up at Alex a short distance away. He hadn't moved. He simply gave me an encouraging smile. I lowered my eyes before he could see how cold my gaze had become. The Sullivan mansion was even more extravagant than I'd imagined. Hannah took my hand and led me into an enormous bedroom that looked like it belonged to a princess. "Rhea, you've been through so much all these years. Let me make it up to you." She pressed a black card into my hand, her voice catching with emotion. "There's no PIN and no spending limit. Buy whatever you want. Don't worry about the money." Henry, who had followed us in, nodded. "The card is yours. From now on, you're the Sullivans' only daughter." Chapter 2 More comments appeared in front of me almost immediately. "Here it comes! The unlimited black card! Last time, Rhea was too scared to spend a single cent because she thought everyone would call her a gold digger." "And what did that get her? They still treated her like some nobody who didn't belong in their world." "Olivia ended up with the card anyway and spent tens of millions on luxury goods without batting an eye." "Spend it, Rhea! Don't hold back! If you don't, someone else will happily spend it for you!" I smiled. They were right. In my first life, I'd been almost afraid to use that card. I thought that if I stayed obedient and never asked for much, I could earn Henry and Hannah's genuine affection. What a joke. "Thank you, Mom and Dad." I took the card without hesitation, but I didn't gush over it either. Henry and Hannah both paused. They'd probably expected someone who had grown up in an orphanage to be overwhelmed by everything they were giving me. I didn't give them much time to study my reaction. Once I had the room to myself, I opened the new, top-of-the-line laptop the Sullivans had gotten for me. I needed money, and a lot of it. That black card was the first move I needed to set everything else in motion. Thanks to what I remembered from my first life, I knew exactly which overlooked projects were eventually going to take off. I quickly zeroed in on Vireon Technologies' Helix chip project, Silvergate Studios' prestige streaming series After Midnight, and a biopharmaceutical company on the verge of bankruptcy that was about to be acquired and restructured. I didn't hesitate. I moved huge sums into all three through a complicated series of transactions. The comments immediately went wild. "Holy crap! She's actually spending it! She's going straight for nine figures?" "Has she lost her mind? Vireon Technologies is a bottomless money pit! The Sullivans are going to tear her apart when they find out!" "Wait, isn't After Midnight the show that blows up later? Didn't it make like 300 times what they put into it?" "Wait, I just looked it up. Crawford Group buys that biopharmaceutical company next month, then it releases a breakthrough cancer drug and the stock absolutely skyrockets!" I worked fast. In less than half an hour, an astonishing amount of money had already gone out. Sure enough, someone knocked on the study door. Henry walked in, his expression grim. In his hand was a list of charges the bank had just faxed over. He slapped it down on my desk and stared me down. "Rhea, I just had someone check your spending. This family has plenty of money, but that doesn't mean you can blow through it however you want." He'd obviously done his homework on every project I'd invested in. No wonder he was furious. I left the list untouched and looked him straight in the eye. "Dad, I'm not throwing money away. I'm investing it." Henry gave a humorless laugh. "Investing? You only just left the orphanage. What could you possibly know about investing? Do you have any idea how much money Vireon Technologies has already burned through? "And Silvergate Studios is some third-rate little production company. Are you kidding me?" "Vireon Technologies will announce a major breakthrough in its 2nm chip technology by the end of this month. Once that happens, military-backed investors will move in. "And Silvergate Studios may be making After Midnight on a shoestring budget, but they landed Adrian Lane, the director who just came back from the Elvarra Film Festival with an award. That show is going to be the breakout hit of the year." The anger drained from Henry's face, replaced by wary disbelief as he studied me. "And that biopharmaceutical company will be acquired within a month. Joel Crawford, heir to Crawford Group, will personally oversee the deal. Dad, you've been in business long enough to know what that means." The room went quiet. Henry studied me, waiting for me to crack or give him some sign that I was bluffing. I gave him nothing. After a long moment, he turned and left without another word. In families like the Sullivans, blood only went so far. If I wanted a secure place in that family, I had to prove my value. Just as I'd expected, over the next month, one project after another delivered major breakthroughs. Chapter 3 Vireon Technologies announced a major breakthrough in its 2nm chip technology, and military-backed investors immediately piled in. Its valuation soared tenfold overnight. Then After Midnight, the Silvergate Studios series no one had expected much from, blew up online. With its polished production and smart, twist-filled mystery, it caught fire overseas and became an international phenomenon. The biopharmaceutical company that had been on the verge of bankruptcy was acquired outright by Crawford Group for a staggering sum after developing a groundbreaking targeted cancer drug. Not long after that, Henry called me back into his study. He pushed several documents across the desk. "These are the returns from your investments. Rhea, tell me how you knew." I smiled. "Dad, would you believe me if I said I got lucky?" Henry fell silent. Men like him didn't believe in luck. They trusted judgment and information. And the less he understood about how I knew what I knew, the more valuable I became to him. From that day on, Henry started taking me to Delston's most exclusive business receptions and private dinners. Hannah, meanwhile, took every opportunity to introduce me to eligible young men from the city's wealthiest families. She was clearly trying to find me a suitable match. In my first life, I'd felt like merchandise on display, standing stiffly while wealthy young men looked me over and picked me apart. I'd been so intimidated that I could barely get a full sentence out. This time, I was the one doing the judging. At one event, a man in gold-rimmed glasses asked with an air of self-importance, "Ms. Lennon, what do you think of NFTs?" I held my wineglass and answered evenly, "Mostly hype and speculation. Once the hype dies, the people who bought in are the ones left holding the bag." His expression stiffened. Another rich heir spoke in a smug, overly casual tone, clearly fishing for details about my background. "I heard you only recently reunited with the Sullivans. What were you doing before that?" I met his eyes. "What I did before doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm a Sullivan now. But Mr. Palmer, judging by your company's numbers this quarter, I'd say you have more pressing things to worry about." Their stunned, embarrassed expressions bored me. Then, at a business reception hosted by Crawford Group, I met Joel Crawford. As the host, he was speaking with several major business figures. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, his manner cool and reserved. There was an easy authority in the way he carried himself, as if being in control came naturally to him. Comments flooded my vision. "That's him! Joel is Olivia's endgame!" "Rhea never got invited to events like this in her first life, so of course she never met him." "Wait, wasn't Alex supposed to be Olivia's guy? Why are they saying Joel is her endgame?" "Oh, right! Alex is only the early love interest. Olivia dumps him later and tries to land Joel instead, but Joel wants nothing to do with her." I was still reading when a mocking voice came from behind me. "Well, look who it is. The one the Sullivans just brought back from the countryside. What, you've already figured out how to come to parties like this and land yourself a rich husband?" I turned around. It was Hazel Winkler, whose family owned Winkler Group. She'd taken every opportunity to make my life difficult in my first life too. I had no interest in dealing with her, so I turned to leave. Hazel blocked my path and raised her voice. "What, did I hit a nerve? Then again, with your background, what else do you have going for you besides a pretty face and the Sullivan name?" Her words immediately drew attention. Several people turned to look, including Joel. I stopped and smiled at her. "You're right, Ms. Winkler. None of us gets to choose where we come from. But being born rich is no excuse for being stupid. "Instead of worrying about my past, maybe you should worry about Winkler Group. From what I hear, your company is running out of cash." Hazel went white. "Y-You're making that up!" "You know whether I'm making it up." My smile disappeared, and my gaze turned cold. "If you want to keep what's left of your dignity, walk away." Just then, Joel walked over, a wineglass in hand. Hazel looked shaken, but he didn't even glance at her. His eyes went straight to me. Chapter 4 Joel raised his glass slightly. "It's a pleasure, Ms. Lennon. I heard your take on Winkler Group. You were spot-on." "You're too kind, Mr. Crawford." Then his tone shifted, and a sharper look entered his eyes. "What interests me more is that biopharmaceutical company. Before Crawford Group acquired it, you'd already bought up most of the shares available on the open market. You beat me to it." So he'd already looked into me. "Maybe I just got lucky." I gave him the same answer as before, one that told him absolutely nothing. Joel smiled with the unmistakable appreciation of someone who had finally found a worthy opponent. "Your father certainly hasn't let on how capable you are. Have dinner with me sometime, Ms. Lennon. I think we'll have plenty to talk about." After that, Joel started asking to meet more often. We didn't talk about romance. We talked mergers and acquisitions, emerging technology, and where the global economy was headed. Many of my views caught him off guard, and some clearly impressed him. A month later, Henry called me into his study again. For once, I couldn't quite read his expression. "Rhea, Joel just called me." There was an almost dazed note in his voice. I looked at him calmly and waited. "He wants an alliance between our families. He wants to marry you." The news landed like a bomb. From that moment on, my place in the Sullivan family was untouchable. Around the same time, the huge returns from my investments started rolling in, doubling the Sullivan family's assets. Before long, my 20th birthday came around. The Sullivans and Crawfords decided to throw a lavish joint celebration for my birthday and my engagement to Joel. I stood in front of the mirror in a couture gown worth a fortune and studied my reflection. In my first life, this birthday party had been the beginning of my downfall. Now I was about to live through it again, but this time, everything was different. Crystal chandeliers flooded the ballroom of Delston's most prestigious hotel with light, making it bright as day. I stood beneath the spotlights with my arm linked through Joel's as all of Delston high society watched us. The emcee played up the union between the Sullivan and Crawford families as the social event of the century. "Now, let's give our warmest applause to tonight's brightest star, Rhea Lennon, and wish her a very happy 20th birthday! And let's also celebrate her engagement to Joel Crawford!" Applause thundered through the ballroom. I caught sight of Henry and Hannah below the stage, looking prouder and more satisfied than I had ever seen them. Joel leaned toward me and murmured, "Ready, partner?" I smiled and was about to nod when comments suddenly began piling up in front of me. "Here we go! The classic long-lost-daughter showdown is about to start!" "What a throwback! I've been waiting for this scene!" "Come on! Let's see the fake heiress get absolutely destroyed this time!" The comments were still piling up when a deafening bang cut through the ballroom. The heavy double doors flew open, and the music and applause stopped at once. Everyone turned toward the entrance in shock. Alex burst in, supporting a pale, frail-looking woman. He wore the same self-righteous expression I remembered all too well. Her dress had faded from too many washes, making her look painfully out of place among the designer gowns and tailored suits filling the ballroom. It was Olivia. She had arrived right on cue, ready to follow the same script that had destroyed me in my first life. Dead silence fell over the ballroom. Olivia pulled away from Alex and stumbled toward the head table. "Mom! Dad!" She was sobbing so hard that her voice came out raw with anguish. The look on Hannah's face changed instantly. Henry frowned, his gaze sharpening. Olivia seemed oblivious to everyone around her. A few steps away from Henry and Hannah, she dropped to her knees and looked up through streaming tears. "Mom, Dad! I'm your real daughter!" Her anguished cry rang through the silent ballroom, stunning everyone. "Rhea stole my pendant, the proof that I was your daughter! She took my place and stole the life that should have been mine!"