On the day of my wedding, I knew perfectly well that the cup of chamomile tea my half-sister handed me was laced with sedatives. Still, I smiled and drank every last drop. I watched her eagerly slip into my custom bridal gown and climb into the wedding limousine belonging to Tristan Vance, the golden boy of Manhattan’s elite. In my previous life, I woke up hysterical. I tore apart her innocent facade, ruined her reputation, and had her banished from New York. Meanwhile, I married Tristan. Using my father’s authority as a Four-Star General at the Pentagon, I helped Tristan wash his family’s dirty money clean and pushed him to the absolute pinnacle of power. It wasn't until I was lying on my deathbed after a critical surgery that the truth came out. Tristan dismissed my doctors, wrapped his arm around my sister, and held their one-month-old son. He looked down at me with cold, calculating eyes. "Chloe, if it weren't for the Sterling family's military connections, I would have sent you to your grave years ago for the way you treated Harper. Now that your father is under federal investigation and can't even save himself, it's time you give up your seat." My sister ground the heel of her stiletto into my fingers, her smile twisted and cruel. "Sister, the empire you built? My baby and I will enjoy it to the fullest. From now on, the title and glory of Mrs. Vance are finally returning to their rightful owner." Amidst the agonizing pain and soul-crushing betrayal, I took my last breath. Then, I opened my eyes. I was reborn, right back on the morning of my wedding. …… Outside the window, the faint, melodic notes of the wedding march drifted into the room. I sat up, waited in the silence for about fifteen minutes, and then massaged my temples before pushing the door open. My mother was just turning to walk down the hall, the unshed tears still glistening in the corners of her eyes. She looked up, freezing when she saw me leaning against the doorframe. A loud gasp escaped her lips. Hearing the noise, my father turned around and froze. "Chloe? Didn't you just get in the car?" He pointed a shaking finger toward the front gates in absolute shock. "Then who the hell was wearing the wedding dress and just got driven away?" I placed a hand over my chest, feigning panic and confusion. "No way... Last night, Harper told me how much she was going to miss me. She brought me a cup of warm chamomile tea. After I drank it, my head felt so heavy, and I slept right through until just now..." The joyous, celebratory atmosphere of the estate instantly plummeted to freezing. The gathered high-society guests exchanged subtle, knowing glances. My mother’s chest heaved violently. She nearly collapsed before her voice rang out like a whip, "Bring Ruby to me right now!" Ruby, the mistress, was dragged out of the crowd by my father's military aides. She was clutching a designer suitcase, clearly having tried to slip away in the chaos. "No wonder you were crying harder than me earlier," my mother sneered. "I thought you were actually heartbroken to see my daughter leave. Turns out, you were crying tears of joy because you personally sent your own daughter into the Vance family's limousine!" Ruby’s eyes darted around nervously, but she forced a brazen look onto her face. "What do you mean, Madam? The eldest Miss overslept and missed her own wedding. How can you pin this on my poor Harper?" Before she could finish her sentence, the estate butler hurried over, his voice hushed but urgent. "General, Madam, the motorcade from the Hayes family has arrived at the gates for the Second Miss." My mother's face was covered in frost. "Which car did Harper get into? Chase her down and bring her back!" A cold smirk ghosted across my lips. It had been almost half an hour. By now, she was definitely already inside Tristan Vance’s Upper East Side penthouse. And knowing Tristan, he had probably been unable to keep his hands off her the second the doors closed. My eyes swept over the poorly concealed triumph at the corners of Ruby’s mouth. Everything clicked into place. This mother and daughter had played a brilliant hand. Years ago, Ruby was planted by my father’s political rivals. She drugged him, got pregnant with Harper, and my father—to protect his military reputation—had no choice but to let them into the estate. Now, Harper was using the exact same playbook. She drugged me, swapped our places, and stole my groom. Even if I realized it now, the damage was done. The rice was already cooked. There were only two choices laid out before me: swallow this ultimate humiliation, or take her place and marry into the Hayes family. The Hayes family wasn't old money or a massive political dynasty, but Carter Hayes was young, fiercely capable, and already my father’s most trusted Colonel. His military record was decorated with honors, and his future in Washington was limitless. My father had personally arranged Harper's marriage to him because he admired Carter's steadfast and resilient character. But Harper had stolen the sky and swapped the sun. She took the billionaire heir she coveted and tossed the military arrangement she despised right into my lap. If I accepted this, within half a day, the news would spread across all of New York: the eldest Sterling daughter was tossed aside like garbage by the Vance family, forcing her to marry the Hayes boy instead. I would become the laughingstock of the entire elite social circle. 【Chapter 2】 In my past life, Harper had relied on Tristan’s backing to brazenly steal my marriage. At the time, with my parents' furious support, I led our security detail to crash the lavish Hamptons wedding venue. Tristan, terrified of my father's authority in the Armed Forces, flat-out denied knowing about the bride swap. He stood by and watched as my father’s men dragged Harper away in tears. Naturally, I proceeded with the ceremony. After the wedding, Tristan treated me like a queen. I had been naive enough to believe he was genuinely kept in the dark that day. Little did I know, he and Harper had been sleeping together for months. He was simply waiting for the perfect moment, using my family's military influence to expand his illicit empire, before mercilessly throwing us into an abyss of despair. "The Second Miss isn't in her room!" the butler reported urgently. "The wedding dress sent by the Hayes family was left on her bed, but all of her personal belongings and passports are gone!" He handed over a sealed manila envelope. "We found this hidden in a false bottom of the Second Miss's drawer." My father's face was stormy as he tore it open. Inside were several passionate, sickeningly sweet love letters written in Tristan’s own handwriting, along with pieces of breathtakingly expensive jewelry. The veins on my father's forehead throbbed. He violently slammed the envelope right into Ruby’s face. "This is your precious daughter! Seducing her own brother-in-law! You and your spawn have dragged the Sterling family name through the mud!" Harper had obviously treasured those tokens of affection. But the moment I woke up, I knew exactly where to find them and expose them to the light of day. I wanted everyone to see clearly that they had been carrying on an illicit affair long before today. Just as expected, whispers instantly erupted among the high-society guests, their voices dripping with disdain. "The daughter of a homewrecker. The General showing them mercy and letting them stay was already a massive favor, and she repays it by drugging the rightful heiress? Stealing a marriage to climb the Vance social ladder? She’s begging for death!" "That Vance boy is a piece of trash, too. He was engaged to the eldest Miss Sterling, yet he still messed around with that unpresentable side-piece. Shows exactly what kind of character he has!" Ruby calculated the time in her head. Assuming the deed was already done and the wedding finalized, she actually straightened her spine and looked my father in the eye. "General, Harper is still the Second Miss of the Sterling family! Why not just give them your blessing? It would make things much easier to explain to the Vance family..." My mother trembled with rage. She raised her hand and delivered a sharp, echoing slap across Ruby’s face. "Give them my blessing?! You and your bastard daughter use vile, disgusting tricks to steal my daughter's marriage, and you have the audacity to ask for my blessing?!" "Guards! Lock this woman up. We are handing her over to the NYPD later today!" Ruby collapsed onto the floor, screeching at the top of her lungs, "You wouldn't dare touch me! I am Tristan Vance’s mother-in-law now! When my son-in-law finds out, he won't let any of you get away with this!" "I only have one daughter, and her name is Chloe," my father said, his voice dropping to a glacial chill. "Taking you in all these years was the absolute limit of my mercy. Since you dared to plot against my real daughter, don't blame me for what happens next." He waved his hand. Two military aides immediately dragged Ruby away without an ounce of hesitation. 【Chapter 3】 The butler looked conflicted. "General, the Hayes motorcade is still waiting at the gates. They are asking what time they can come in to receive the bride." My father's face was dark as iron. He spoke with absolute finality. "Gather the men. We are heading to the Vance estate! We will tie that wretched girl up, drag her back here, and force her to marry into the Hayes family immediately!" "Dad, don't." I took a step forward, calmly placing a hand on his arm. "If Tristan Vance’s heart belongs to Harper, then I, Chloe Sterling, have zero interest in fighting over a two-timing, unfaithful piece of trash." My eyes were steady and resolute. "Carter Hayes is a man you mentored yourself. He is brilliant, capable, and fiercely loyal. If we reject his motorcade today because of this mess, how will he and the Hayes family ever show their faces in society again? I am willing to marry him." My mother grabbed my hand in shock. "Chloe, don't speak out of anger. How could you possibly..." "Mom, I'm not acting out of spite." I squeezed her hand back. "Carter is young and promising. He's climbed the ranks through his own military merit, and his future is bright. I trust my father's judgment, and I trust Carter's future." Hearing this, the surrounding guests looked at me with deep admiration and respect. "The eldest Miss Sterling truly has an incredible grace and vision. So rare to see!" "Compared to her, that illegitimate daughter who uses dirty tricks is like mud next to a diamond." My mother pulled me into a heartbroken embrace, her voice choking with sobs. "I just don't want you to be wronged..." My father took a deep, shuddering breath. "That Vance boy dared to humiliate my daughter like this. From this day forward, he can forget about getting even a shred of protection from me! Those gray-area businesses he runs on the coasts? Let's see how well they do without my cover!" His tone was ruthless. "But right now, I must go to the Vance family and demand an explanation. Otherwise, that arrogant punk will really think the Sterling family is weak and easy to manipulate!" By the time our convoy arrived at the Vance family's breathtaking Upper East Side penthouse, the wedding reception was in full swing. The elite guests paused, turning their heads and whispering furiously as our imposing group stormed into the ballroom. "Isn't that the eldest Miss Sterling? Wasn't she supposed to be today's bride? Why is she just walking in now?" "Wait, then who was the woman who exchanged rings with Mr. Vance and was just taken upstairs?" An uncle who had accompanied us let out a cold scoff. "Just a bastard daughter born from a mistress. She used underhanded drugs to steal her older sister's wedding!" The ballroom erupted into a tidal wave of shocked gasps and gossip. As the commotion grew louder, Tristan finally descended the grand staircase. Seeing me, he immediately took the offensive, scolding me before I could speak: "Chloe, haven't you made enough of a scene? You can't blame Harper for all of this!" "If you want to blame someone, blame the fact that your family scheduled your weddings on the exact same day. She simply got confused and got into the wrong limousine. And I," he paused, his eyes completely devoid of guilt, "had a few too many drinks earlier. I was caught up in the moment and mistook her for you. What's done is done. I have to take responsibility for her now." He looked down at me from the stairs. "But don't worry. With my status in New York, I won't just toss you aside. I'll make sure there's always a place for you by my side." 【Chapter 4】 I almost wanted to clap and cheer for his shameless, breathtaking audacity. Leave a place for me by his side? What century did he think we were living in? Did he really think he was some king who could have a wife and a harem? If it weren't for the massive shadow of the Sterling family protecting him, his shady, borderline-illegal empire would have been eradicated by the feds ages ago. He wouldn't even have the platform to stand here and spew this garbage. Did he seriously believe the daughter of a high-ranking General would settle for being his side-piece? My father was so furious he actually laughed. "Tristan Vance, say that one more time? You want my daughter to be your mistress? Who the hell gave you the nerve?! Have you forgotten who keeps you out of federal prison?!" Just then, Mr. Vance—Tristan's father—hurried out of the VIP lounge. "General, what's all this..." He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me. "Chloe? What are you doing down here?" My mother violently threw the stack of love letters directly at his chest. "Read them yourself, Richard Vance! Your precious son has been sleeping with that illegitimate wretch behind our backs. They conspired to drug my daughter and steal her wedding! Today, your family owes the Sterlings an explanation!" Mr. Vance’s face turned a sickening shade of purple. He raised his heavy walking cane and cracked it viciously across Tristan’s back. "You ungrateful bastard! Explain yourself! What is the meaning of this?!" Before Tristan could defend himself, Harper stumbled out of the elevator. She was clutching a silk bathrobe that wasn't even fully buttoned, tears streaming down her face as she threw herself in front of Tristan to shield him. "Mr. Vance, it's not Tristan's fault! It's all my fault. I just couldn't control my feelings for him. If you have to hit someone, hit me!" She then turned her tear-streaked face to my father. Her voice was trembling, but every word was a calculated trap. "Dad, it's already done. If you make a massive scene, the Sterling family's military reputation will be ruined. Think of the press. You'll lose face..." My mother's fingertips shook with rage. "You didn't care about the Sterling family's face when you drugged my daughter and stole her groom! And now that we are demanding justice, we are the ones ruining the reputation?! You shameless little bitch!" I stepped forward, my voice eerily calm. "Harper, if you had just been honest with me from the beginning, I might have simply let you have him. Why did you have to use such dirty, underhanded tactics on the morning of my wedding? Did you want to humiliate me, or did you want to turn the entire Sterling family into a joke across New York?" Her face went stark white as I hit the nail on the head. "Tristan and I are truly in love..." she whimpered, looking up at Tristan like a helpless doe. The elite crowd wasn't stupid. They saw right through the theatrics and began whispering loudly: "Like mother, like daughter! Her mother climbed into the General's bed using dirty tricks, and the daughter is even better at it!" "If she were my daughter, I'd break her legs!" Someone even called out sarcastically to Mr. Vance: "Richard, if your son pulls a stunt like this and your family doesn't make it right today, you're going to have a very hard time doing business in this city." 【Chapter 5】 Mr. Vance looked ready to die of humiliation. He threw his cane to the marble floor with a loud clatter and delivered two stinging, back-to-back slaps right across Tristan’s face. "You piece of trash! Get on your knees and apologize to your father-in-law, your mother-in-law, and to Chloe! Then we are re-doing this ceremony, and you are marrying Chloe today!" Tristan took the blows without flinching. When he looked at me, his eyes were dripping with raw, undisguised malice—the exact same look he gave me right before I died in my past life. In his twisted mind, I was the villain of this story, not the victim. He let out a dark sneer. "Dad, the only woman in my heart is Harper. Chloe is a stuck-up, arrogant princess. I'm sick of just looking at her, and I will never marry her!" "If she's willing to lower her head and be obedient, maybe I'll take her out to social events once in a while. Otherwise, let me make this clear right now: I will never give her the title of my wife! I'd love to see who in New York would dare take a woman that I, Tristan Vance, have publicly discarded!" The sheer audacity of his words left even the hardened socialites in the room gasping in horror. No one could comprehend where this man—who relied entirely on the Sterling family’s military umbrella to survive the criminal underworld—was getting the courage to act so arrogant. Ever since Mr. Vance retired, Tristan had become increasingly reckless. He stole territory from rival syndicates and offended countless dangerous men. It was me who begged my father to deploy resources to save his life when the cartels came for him. Tristan had literally dropped to his knees in front of my father, swearing on his life that he would never betray me. But now, with his wings slightly hardened and a little bit of street cred to his name, he dared to trample on the very people who built him! Seeing my silence, Tristan thought I was intimidated. He pushed his luck even further: "Since you clearly can't let me go, I'll give you one last chance. We can do it the old-fashioned way. You can move in as my mistress." "Pour a drink for Harper, apologize properly to the true Mrs. Vance, and if you behave yourself, I might consider letting you bear one of my children." The ballroom erupted into sheer pandemonium. Even the elders of the Vance family looked away in absolute disgust at his shamelessness. My father’s rage had reached its absolute peak, and it suddenly settled into a terrifying, dead calm. He spoke slowly, his voice echoing in the massive room: "Mr. Vance, you certainly think highly of yourself. The Sterling family cannot reach your lofty heights. And my daughter will certainly not accept your generous offer of being a mistress." He turned his piercing gaze onto Harper. "As for this wretch, as of today, I, Arthur Sterling, have no second daughter! From this second onward, Harper is completely severed from the Sterling family! Whatever she does, whether it brings glory or ruin, it is solely the Vance family's burden to bear!" 【Chapter 6】 Harper forced a few fake tears to fall. "Dad, you always favored my sister anyway. Now you finally get what you want." "But Tristan and I are truly in love. Sister is the real third party here." She turned her chin up to look at me. "I'm going to post on Instagram and let all of New York know that Tristan dumped you! Don't come crawling back begging for him later." I raised a hand to stop my father, who looked ready to explode. "Don't worry," I said smoothly. "Only you would treat a piece of garbage like a prized treasure. Oh, and by the way, the three trucks of dowry sitting in the motorcade outside? I’m taking every single box back." Harper instantly lost her mind, shrieking, "That's my dowry! You have no right to take it!" I let out a cold laugh. "Your pitiful share is still sitting at the estate. I can be generous and have a servant drop it off for you later. But my belongings? Don't even think about touching a single thread." She lunged at me, screaming and trying to tear at my clothes. "You bitch, those are mine!" My mother moved lightning fast, shoving her hard in the chest. My father immediately signaled his military aides to go start the trucks. Tristan snapped his fingers. Instantly, dozens of burly, suited bodyguards swarmed forward, forming a massive wall around my family. "Nobody moves," Tristan sneered. "I gave you an out, and you threw it in my face. Since that dowry followed Harper's car here, it belongs to her. If you try to take it today, you're declaring war on me!" Faced with this mafia-style intimidation, my father didn't even blink. "Tristan Vance, touch me and see what happens." Tristan laughed like a maniac. "Old man, don't think those stars on your shoulder mean everything! If I didn't keep the underground in check, those cartel psychos would have bombed your Pentagon office by now! If you know what's good for you, leave your oldest daughter here for my bed. Otherwise, none of you are walking out of those doors!" My father’s chest heaved violently at the disrespect, his face draining of color. My mother quickly held onto him, rubbing his back to calm his breathing. Harper leaned into Tristan’s chest, giggling mockingly. "See? Your family is so stubborn and blind to reality!" "Leave the dowry here for me. Who knows, maybe when you inevitably get in trouble later, I’ll put in a good word for you with Tristan." My mother was so furious she tried to lunge forward to slap her, but Harper actually raised her foot and kicked my mother in the shin. "Back off, you old hag! I'm sick of looking at your miserable face!" I immediately stepped in front, shielding my parents with my body. But Tristan shot his hand out, gripping my jaw painfully and forcing my face up to look at him. "Chloe, it's not too late to regret it. For the sake of our past, I can let you stay here tonight." "As for these two old fossils, since they disrespected me, they can drop to their knees, kowtow to apologize, and I'll let them leave." He gestured. Two of his thugs grabbed my parents by the arms, twisting them painfully, while two massive bodyguards stepped toward me, preparing to drag me upstairs by force. My father’s military aides were hopelessly outnumbered and blocked by Tristan's mob of men. They couldn't break through. Just as the situation was about to turn violently ugly, a booming, authoritative voice echoed from the grand entrance: "NYPD! Nobody move!"
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