The Fortune Thief

In my past life, my sister married the son of our countys old money dynasty and became a pampered socialite.

But the fairy tale quickly turned into a nightmare of backstabbing and betrayal. She was poisoned and crippled by her husbands mistress, dying a slow, agonizing death.

Meanwhile, the poor farm boy I married was revealed to be the long-lost heir to a powerful family from the capital.

Consumed by jealousy, my sister lured me to a secluded park and stabbed me with a butcher knife until I was a human sieve.

Now, reborn, I watch as my sister shoves the wealthy heir aside and grabs the farm boys hand with unwavering determination.

Sister, Im stealing your destiny this time. Its your turn to be poisoned to death by a mistress!

But my dear sister, theres something you dont know. Im bound to a Husband-Boosting System.

Its not that I have a golden destiny. Its that whoever I marry is destined to become a tycoon.

Dad! Mom! Im marrying Shane Roberts!

Seeing my sister, Laura, push Griffin Blackwood away and cling to Shanes arm, my mother froze mid-sentence.

It hit me then. I had been reborn. This was the day my sister and I were supposed to choose our husbands.

A second later, my mother smacked Lauras hand away, stomping her foot in frustration.

Laura, are you insane? Shane is a dirt-poor nobody from the next village over! His family cant even afford a brick house! Are you going to marry him and starve?

Realizing her slip, my mother turned to me with an awkward smile.

Uh, Hannah, I mean, marrying Shane isnt so bad! His little mud-brick cottage is probably very cozy, cool in the summer, warm in the winter practically as good as Griffins villa!

My father slammed his pipe on the table.

Stop this foolishness! We are your parents, and this is our decision, not yours.

Laura, youve always been delicate. I paid the matchmaker a fortune to find you a good match. Youre going to throw away a life of luxury to marry a farmer? I wont let you suffer your whole life!

My mom chimed in, forcing a laugh.

Exactly! Your sister has always loved farm work. Shes strong and sturdy. Marrying that country boy is perfect for her. You stay out of it. Would your parents ever do you wrong?

But Laura just pouted, snatched a kitchen cleaver, and held it to her own throat.

I dont care! Im marrying Shane, and if you dont let me, Ill die right here!

My parents leaped from their chairs and scrambled to grab her.

Their favoritism wasnt entirely without reason. Laura was only a year older than me. When she was born, our family was so poor we couldnt afford formula. Since my mother couldnt produce milk, our aunt in the city took Laura in and raised her.

Laura went to a vocational school in the city, but after three years of unemployment, she moved back to our village. She was twenty-one, and I was twenty.

I thought my parents would be distant with the daughter they never raised, but I was wrong.

They saw Laura, raised in the city, pale and beautiful like a swan, and then they looked at me, tanned and calloused from twenty years of farm work, and they were instantly ashamed of their coarse country daughter.

From the day she returned, they treated her like a princess, vowing to marry her off to a wealthy family.

The matchmaker brought two men: Griffin Blackwood, the heir to the countys wealthiest family, and Shane Roberts, a young farmer from the neighboring village.

Griffin was immediately taken with the beautiful Laura, and she was ecstatic at the thought of marrying into wealth. That left me with Shane.

On the verge of becoming a socialite, Laura couldnt resist taunting me.

Well, you know what they say, every pot has its lid. I was born for a life of luxury, Hannah. Dont be jealous. You were just born to be a farmers wife, hahaha!

But less than a year after her wedding, Lauras life was a constant war against Griffins endless parade of mistresses.

One day, while Griffin was out of town, one of the women snuck into their villa and poisoned her water.

Laura collapsed, vomiting blood. They saved her life in the ICU, but the poison left her mute, blind in one eye, and plagued by violent seizures. She wasnt expected to live long.

Meanwhile, the poor farmer I married, the one who lived in a dilapidated mud-brick house, had his life turned upside down.

One day, a convoy of black cars rolled into our village. A powerful man from the capital had come to take Shane home.

It turned out Shane was his only son, lost in a tragic accident years ago.

Shane took me with him back to the capital. We moved into a sprawling mansion, with luxury cars and a staff of servants. We were living a life our village neighbors couldnt even dream of.

When my sister found out, she was consumed by rage. She took a train to the capital and tricked me into meeting her.

The moment I arrived at the park, she pulled out a butcher knife and began stabbing me, again and again, in a frenzy.

Why?! I married the rich one and Im dying, while a country hick like you gets everything?! Its not fair! Ill kill you! Ill kill you!

Within minutes, she had turned me into a bloody sieve. I died on the cold ground.

My thoughts snapped back to the present. I wasnt the only one who had been reborn. So had Laura.

Why else would she be so desperate to choose Shane?

But dear sister, youve made a fatal mistake. It wasnt my destiny to be rich.

Its that I have a Husband-Boosting System. Whoever I marry becomes destined for greatness.

This time, you want the farm boy? Fine. I wont fight you.

Lets see how you change his fate without my system.

My parents, terrified of Lauras threats, reluctantly agreed to let her marry Shane.

And so, once again, I was treated like a spare part, handed off to Griffin Blackwood, the man she had rejected.

As the decision was finalized, Laura leaned in and whispered in my ear.

Surprise, little sister. Im back. Ive stolen your golden ticket, and Im off to become the darling of the capitals elite. You can have my old life. Have fun being poisoned and disfigured by Griffins mistresses before you die a miserable death!

I remained calm, offering a faint smile.

Oh, really? Well, congratulations, then.

Soon after, Laura eagerly married Shane, settling in to wait for her fabulous destiny to unfold.

And I married Griffin Blackwood, the heir to the countys old money.

In the wedding car, Griffin leaned back, a toothpick dangling from his lips.

Lets get one thing straight, Hannah. Im rich, Im handsome, and youre not going to be the only woman in my life. The only reason Im marrying you is because youre a simple country girl with no connections. Youll be easy to manage. Once youre in my house, youll live a comfortable life, but you will stay out of my business with other women. Got it?

I nodded obediently.

Dont worry. I know Im not good enough for you. You wanted my sister. Ill be quiet. Just please dont divorce me.

I already knew that Griffin, despite his wealth and good looks, was a notorious playboy. Most of his affairs werent even his doing; women threw themselves at him. He was a rich, handsome manwho was he to say no?

Thats why, even when he married my sister in our past life, the women never disappeared.

But honestly, besides his cheating, Griffin wasnt a bad person. He didnt gamble or do drugs, and he spent most of his time helping his father run their family business.

In my past life, after my sister was poisoned and left a disabled wreck, Griffin had a complete wake-up call. He hired the best lawyers to ensure the mistress received a life sentence, and he nearly bankrupted his family paying for my sisters medical care. Though she eventually died from complications, Griffin never remarried and never touched another woman again. He dedicated himself to the business, expanding their fortune tenfold and becoming a nationally recognized entrepreneur.

So no, Griffin wasnt just a spoiled brat. He was just young and reckless when he got married. No one is perfect. He wasnt a lost cause.

That night, after the wedding guests had left, Griffin stumbled into our room, reeking of alcohol. He shot me a cold look.

Dont even think about a wedding night. Youre just a tool to get my parents off my back. Im going to see my girlfriend. You can go to sleep.

I wasnt flustered. I just spoke softly.

Its cold out. You should wear a jacket. And try to be back before dawn, so Mom and Dad dont see you.

Griffin froze, staring at me in disbelief.

Wow. Youre taking this surprisingly well.

He turned and left.

Less than twenty minutes later, someone burst through the front door in a panic.

Help! Mr. Blackwood crashed his car on the county line! He was drunk they think he has internal bleeding! He needs to get to a hospital now!

Everyone in the house was asleep. I threw on a coat and ran outside.

I didnt have a license, and on a snowy night like this, there were no taxis. Without a second thought, I hoisted all six-foot-two of Griffin onto my back and ran through the snow to the nearest emergency room.

The hospital had a blood shortage. Without blinking, I donated half of my own blood to save him, passing out from the strain.

The next morning, Griffin woke up and saw me, pale and so weak I couldnt even stand. His eyes turned red.

I was such a bastard to you, and you still saved my life. Youre a fool.

I managed a weak smile.

You can be a bastard, but youre still my husband.

With that, Griffin pulled me into a tight embrace and cried like a child.

Just then, the door to the hospital room slammed open, and my in-laws rushed in.

The moment my mother-in-law saw me, she started screaming.

You jinx! The first day youre in our family, you put our son in the hospital! What kind of wife are you? You cant even keep an eye on your own husband on a snowy night?!

My father-in-law, his face livid, pointed a finger at me.

He is our only heir! If anything happens to him, I will hold you responsible!

They lunged toward me, ready to strike, but Griffin scrambled to hold them back.

Dad! Mom! Calm down! Its not Hannahs fault! It was my fault! I left her on our wedding night to go see another woman and I crashed the car! If she hadnt given me half her bloodso much that she almost didnt wake upI would have bled to death last night!

My in-laws stared, first at Griffin, then at me, their faces a mask of disbelief.

Is is that true?

This country girl loves you that much?

A passing nurse couldnt help but chime in.

Of course its true! Cant you see how pale and weak your daughter-in-law is? She gave your son over four pints of blood last night! She almost died herself!

My mother-in-law stammered, But but how is that possible? I heard she was forced to marry into our family for the dowry

Thats enough, dear! my father-in-law interrupted, his tone changing completely. If Hannah saved our sons life, even after he abandoned her on their wedding night, then she is the best daughter-in-law we could ever ask for. Theres no room for doubt!

He paused, then slapped his thigh.

Since she saved Griffins life, it proves her love is genuine. Daughter-in-law, as soon as youre recovered, Ill add your name to the deed of the villa I bought for Griffin. And do you prefer a BMW or a Mercedes? Dad will get you one, so you have something to drive around in!

The sudden reversal in their attitude left me speechless. I knew they looked down on me and had been planning how to win them over, but I never expected it to happen this quickly.

I gave them an awkward smile.

Griffin is my husband. I had to save him, no matter the risk. But I dont have a drivers license

Not a problem! my mother-in-law beamed. Once youre feeling better, Ill enroll you in the best driving school, and well order the car. By the time you get your license, the car should be delivered!

A week later, Griffins father personally drove us home in his Mercedes. Because I was still recovering, they hired an extra maid just to take care of me. A month later, I had my license, my brand-new BMW arrived, and my name was on the deed to the villa.

At the party celebrating our recovery, all of Griffins relatives toasted me respectfully, calling me a selfless hero who had saved her husband. I had officially been accepted by the family.

I remembered my wedding day vividly. These same relatives had drunkenly mocked me, calling me a peasant who had married a prince. Even my in-laws had sneered that I was a coarse, ugly girl, and that Griffin marrying me was like planting a rare orchid in a pile of manure. Griffin had heard it all and just laughed along with them.

Now, just over a month later, everything had changed.

Most importantly, during our recovery, Griffins phone rang constantly with calls from his other women. And right in front of me, he answered every single call and broke up with them, one by one.

The night of our recovery party, Griffin deliberately stayed sober. As soon as it got dark, he eagerly pulled me into our bedroom.

Wife, tonight were going to make this marriage real.