The Undeniable Protagonist

The night before my engagement to the ascetic heir of the city's elite, I dreamed of a talking weasel.
It claimed to be the Shen family's guardian spirit, worshiped for a century. In honor of my impending marriage, it had come to grant me three wishes.
My heart pounded. I was about to speak when several lines of text materialized before my eyes.
High-energy moment ahead! The imposter is about to make her wishes!
LOL, she has no idea she's the fake heiress who was switched at birth. The guardian spirit only protects the true Shen bloodline!
Whatever she wishes for, the blessings will ultimately be transferred to the real heiress, Lily Shen.
Grabbing my popcorn. The female lead's journey to a life of effortless victory is about to begin!
I masked the ice in my eyes and offered a faint smile as I made my wishes.
"I wish for the ascetic heir to cancel his engagement to the Shen family."
"I wish to be cast out of the Shen family with nothing to my name."
After hearing my words, the weasel stared at me intently.
"Little one, why would you be so cruel to yourself?"
I simply smiled.
Cruel? Oh, this is just the beginning.

1
The night before my engagement to Julian Pei, a weasel materialized in my bedroom.
"I am the guardian spirit of the Shen family, worshiped for generations. In honor of your impending marriage, I am here to grant you three wishes."
I shot upright, digging my nails into my palm. The sharp sting confirmed this was no dream. My voice trembled. "Is this real? Can you grant any wish?"
"You need only speak it."
A wish for "a happy marriage with Julian" was on the tip of my tongue when the text appeared again.
Here we go! The imposter is about to foolishly wish away her blessings.
She thinks she's the chosen one, but she has no idea this is all part of the real female lead Lily Shen's master plan.
The spirit protects the true Shen bloodline. This one is just some stray switched at birth.
The better her wishes, the more our girl Lily will gain when the truth comes out.
The words were like a bucket of ice water, shocking me into clarity.
Lily? I thought she was the daughter of our deceased nanny.
Through these pop-up comments, I learned that the main character of this world was the true heiress, Lily Shen. I was merely a side character, cannon fodder meant to pave her way. She had known her true identity for ten years but had kept it hidden, waiting for this exact moment. As soon as I made my three wishes, all the honor, the education, and the marriage I had fought so desperately for would be transferred to her.
My hands clenched into fists.
No wonder my adoptive parents had only ever shown me endless severity, never an ounce of warmth. They said a Shen daughter must be elegant and accomplished, so they forced me through daily ballet practice. One wrong step, and the switch would fall without mercy. They said a Shen daughter must have an outstanding education, so I slept only four hours a night. One point less on an exam meant being locked in the basement for three days without food.
Worse, they sent me to a special institution to be taught how to please a man.
I gritted my teeth, swallowing every tear and humiliation, until I finally became the person they wanted me to be. Yet, they never offered a single word of praise. All their tenderness and indulgence were reserved for Lily.
More than once, I had confronted them, my eyes red with unshed tears. They would always sigh, "This is for your own good. You are a Shen. You must be the best. Only by becoming strong enough can you have everything you want. As for Lily... she doesn't need all this."
Only now did I understand. It wasn't that she didn't need it.
It was that they had planned all along for me to be her stepping stone.

2
Seeing me remain silent, the weasel grew impatient. "Dilly-dallying... I've never seen one like you. Still haven't decided on your first wish?"
The floating text scrolled again.
This is hilarious. She's actually thinking about it, like a prize is just going to fall from the sky. Wishes beyond your station will backfire, you know.
Greedy people don't live long. This villainess is destined for an early grave!
A fire ignited within me. According to the spoilers, Lily would eventually take everything from me and live happily ever after with Julian. I, on the other hand, would suffer a karmic backlash for my "greedy" wishes and end up dead in a ditch.
I took a deep breath and smiled. "For my first wish... I wish for the city's ascetic heir, Julian Pei, to cancel his engagement to the Shen family."
The moment the words left my mouth, the comments exploded.
Is she insane? Didn't she scheme for years to get this engagement? Why cancel it?
How is our girl Lily supposed to get together with her dream guy now?!
The guardian spirit won't grant a wish that harms the female lead's interests, right?
But the rules say it can't interfere with mortal affairs. Whatever Seraphina wishes for, it has to grant!
Seeing that, a satisfied smile touched my lips. As long as it could be done.
This engagement was, indeed, something I had fought for. But it was never something I truly wanted. The Pei family was the wealthiest in the city; every elite family was desperate to marry into it, and the Shens were no exception. But Julian's mother, Eleanor Pei, was notoriously difficult, her standards for a daughter-in-law impossibly high. For years, no one had met her approval.
To win her over, I researched her every preference. I learned she loved desserts, so I studied under a master pastry chef and delivered fresh cakes to the Pei estate every morning. I heard she had a standing appointment at a beauty salon, so I would always arrive before her to ensure everything was perfect. After three months of these "coincidental" meetings, her gaze finally softened, and she invited me to a family dinner.
Even seated at that coveted table, I didn't dare drink a sip of water. I watched her every expression, placing the dishes she desired onto her plate. My devotion paid off. The engagement was mine.
But no one knew that I had zero interest in my fianc, Julian. I had thought that if marriage was my inescapable fate, I might as well wish for a peaceful one. But now that I had a chance to change it, I had no intention of sinking into that mire.
The weasel froze for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "Are you sure? Once you make this wish, your enviable engagement will truly be gone."
I met its gaze and nodded firmly.
"And the other two?" it asked.
I thought for a moment, then shook my head. "I haven't thought of them yet. I'll find you when I do."
It said no more, its form flickering before vanishing into thin air.

3
I slept soundly.
At dawn, my adoptive parents woke me. "Seraphina, there will be over a hundred media outlets live-streaming the engagement party today. You cannot make a single mistake." My mother's voice was grave as she fastened a jade necklace around my neck. The cool stone against my skin made me wonder if last night had been a figment of my imagination.
Just then, a beautifully dressed Lily walked in. Seeing her, my mother immediately rose to embrace her. "Oh, my Lily, you look so beautiful today..."
Lily gently tugged on her sleeve. "Auntie Shen, don't say that. Today is my sister's engagement. I just don't want to embarrass the family."
Watching their natural, affectionate display, a chill passed through my eyes. My heart remained suspended until the ceremony began. Was it really just a dream?
In the next second, Julian took the microphone and announced to the entire hall, "I am canceling my engagement to Seraphina Shen! She is not the real daughter of the Shen family. Her mother was nothing more than a former nanny."
He then turned to Lily, his gaze softening. "The true heiress of the Shen family is Lily, and she is the one who should be engaged to me."
The venue erupted in an uproar.
A small smile played on my lips. It wasn't a dream. My wish had come true.
It's over! Lily's plan is ruined. Even though Julian likes her, he's a total mama's boy. If Eleanor Pei says no, he'll definitely back out.
Eleanor is so picky. There's no way she'll accept Lily now, with her being a total nobody.
It's all Seraphina's fault for not playing by the rules! Who wishes to cancel an engagement like that?
Poor Lily! Julian meant well, but he messed everything up. Our girl must be heartbroken!
You wanted to use me as a stepping stone? Then let me take a piece of you first.
The Shen family's faces turned ashen. Lily, as if startled from a trance, quickly grabbed my arm. "Sister, don't listen to him! I have nothing to do with him, I'll go talk to Julian right now."
I wiped away a tear that had escaped from holding back my laughter, my voice choked with emotion. "It's alright, Lily. You are the true heiress. You are the one who deserves to be with Julian. He likes you, too. You have my blessing."
Hearing this, Julian looked at me with a flicker of appreciation for the first time. He took Lily's hand. "That's right, Lily. We couldn't be together before because of your status, but now that you're the true Shen heiress, my mother will definitely approve!"
I almost laughed out loud. The heiress title was merely an entry ticket. In Eleanor Pei's eyes, his "perfect" Lily was likely far from qualified.
As expected, Eleanor's face was a mask of ice as she turned and left without a word. Lily was left speechless, her hand clutching Julian's woodenly.
Back at the Shen villa, my adoptive mother offered hollow comfort. "Seraphina, we never imagined you weren't our daughter. But don't worry. You've called us Mom and Dad for so many years. Nothing will change. You can continue to live here."
My father chimed in, "That's right. Your biological parents died saving us. It's our duty to raise you. From now on, you and Lily will be treated the same. You are both our daughters."
Even my brother, Leo, looked pleased. "From now on, I'll have two sisters to dote on me!"
I should have known. They would never let me go so easily.
Fine. The show, after all, was just beginning.

4
Without my help, if Lily wanted to marry into the Pei family, she'd have to do it herself. But the Pei family's gates were not so easily opened. She tried to see Eleanor Pei several times, only to be unceremoniously thrown out by security each time.
Desperate, she began to imitate me. She forced herself to learn ballet to improve her posture, but her body was as stiff as a board. After a few days, she gave up. My mother then hired tutors for her, hoping to cram knowledge into her head. But the dense pages of English text were like hieroglyphics to her. Catching the tutor's disdainful glance, she tore all the books to shreds.
Etiquette lessons were even worse. She had to bite down on a chopstick constantly to maintain a perfect smile, and even eating required tiny, delicate bites. Finally, after another dizzy spell from hunger, she exploded.
"Why are you only teaching me this now? It's all your fault!" she shrieked, shoving my mother.
Caught off guard, my mother fell to the floor, her own anger flaring. "Lily, you're the one who refused to learn! You said you had a way to make everything Seraphina had yours! Who knew things would turn out like this?"
Leo couldn't help but point a finger at her. "You have the nerve to blame Mom? You're useless! The same teachers taught you both. Why could that bitch learn it and you can't?"
Lily hated being compared to me. She trembled with rage. "You're one to talk, you idiot who only got into school because Dad donated a building! Without me, you'd all be nothing!"
Before she could finish, Leo lunged at her, and they began to fight. My mother pretended to break them up, but she shielded her son the entire time.
I stood outside the door, quietly enjoying the drama.
The next second, the door was yanked open. Lily caught the smile I hadn't yet managed to hide, and her eyes turned vicious.
"Seraphina, you knew all along, didn't you? You deliberately made that wish to the spirit so Julian would cancel the engagement!"
I looked up, feigning the perfect amount of confusion. "Sister, are you exhausted? Perhaps you're hallucinating. There are no such things as spirits in this world."
I even tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "There, there. If you're tired, you should rest."
Failing to get a rise out of me, Lily's lips trembled with fury. "Fine, don't admit it! I'll have Dad cancel your credit cards right now. Let's see how tough you are with no money!"
She immediately called our father, her voice thick with tears. "Dad, Seraphina said that even though I'm your real daughter, you only love her. She said all the family money is hers..."
My father's roar came through the phone. "That ungrateful wretch! We are merciful enough to let her stay, and she dares to bully my daughter! Don't cry, Lily. I'll cancel her cards right now and teach her a lesson!"
After hanging up, Lily tilted her chin smugly. "Seraphina, you better learn your place. I am the rightful heiress of this family now. If you cross me again, I'll have you thrown out."
The comments appeared again.
Our girl is a genius! Cut off Seraphina's money, and she'll have to wish for more from the spirit. Then Lily will have endless cash!
The Shens are so cheap. They wouldn't even buy Lily a luxury car, talking about 'maintaining a frugal image.' But then they bought their son a multi-million dollar yacht. Such hypocrites!
Don't worry, Lily already swapped out the real Leo ages ago~ The entire Shen fortune will be hers soon enough!
So that was it. Lily's primary goal was Julian. But her parents, while appearing to support her, were actually paving the way for their son, Leo. And they had no idea their precious son had been replaced.
A genuine smile bloomed on my face. "Well then, dear sister," I said gratefully, "I'll have to count on you for that."
Lily stared, confused. "What?"
I didn't answer, simply turning and walking away.
Now, it was time for my counterattack.

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