Reborn as the Substitute Bride

Reborn on the day of my engagement to the prestigious Wilson family.

In my past life, I was brought home as an illegitimate daughter to become my sister Chloe's substitute.

I replaced her at every event she didn't want to attend, including spending time with that Los Angeles rich heir, Robinson Wilson.

In the end, to ensure Chloe could smoothly marry into the Wilson family, they didn't hesitate to kill me in a plane crash.

This time, when my parents handed me that white dress again, I refused.

"This is Chloe's engagement. I can't be her substitute anymore."

But my parents locked the door, smiling as they said this would be the last time.

I was forcibly dressed in the gown and made to wear a mask, becoming the substitute.

Until Robinson walked through the crowd, and when everyone expected him to put the engagement ring on his fiance's finger, the mask on my face was torn off instead.

He grabbed my chin, mockery in his eyes.

"So that's where you've been hiding. Playing Chloe's substitute? Jennifer, you really know how to degrade yourself."

I instinctively looked up.

He was wrong. In this life, the one who would be degraded wasn't me.

The moment the mask was torn off, the entire ballroom fell silent.

Camera flashes went off continuously, capturing my panicked expression with perfect clarity.

I instinctively tried to cover my face, but Robinson gripped my wrist tightly.

His strength was terrifying, as if he wanted to crush my bones.

"What's wrong? Can do it but can't own up to it?"

His low voice carried mockery, echoing through the quiet hall.

I looked at his face so close to mine, those eyes churning with anger and disappointment I couldn't understand.

The entire venue erupted in discussion.

The guests' whispers pierced my ears like needles.

"Oh my God, that's not Chloe Franklin, the eldest daughter!"

"Who is this? Why does she look exactly like Chloe?"

"Twins? No, I remember hearing at the hospital back then that they had one daughter."

"A substitute? Using a substitute at an engagement party? Has the Franklin family lost their minds?"

My father Johnson's face turned iron-blue.

He rushed over first, raising his hand to slap me.

But his hand stopped mid-swing, halted by Robinson's sharp gaze.

Johnson could only resort to cursing instead. "You wretched girl! Who told you to come out here and embarrass us!"

"Apologize to Mr. Wilson right now!"

Johnson's wife Bella rushed over next, squeezing out a few tears as she complained to Robinson.

"Mr. Wilson, please don't misunderstand. It's all because of Jennifer! She's jealous of Chloe!"

"She's been twisted since childhood. She must have deliberately come to ruin Chloe's engagement party!"

"We'll take her away immediately. We won't let her offend your eyes any longer!"

I watched them frantically trying to distance themselves, my heart growing colder bit by bit.

Of course it was like this again.

Chloe arrived late, her face covered in tears as she looked at me.

"Jennifer, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital?"

In my past life, it was the same.

Whenever I finished cleaning up Chloe's messes, they would immediately hide me away.

As if I were a rat in the gutter, something that couldn't see the light of day.

This time, I didn't want to endure it anymore.

Just as I was about to speak, Robinson beat me to it.

He grabbed my chin, forcing me to lift my head.

His thumb rubbed against my cheek, the motion hardly gentle, even carrying a hint of punishment.

"Your face is much easier on the eyes than Chloe's plastic surgery face."

His words made all three members of the Franklin family turn deathly pale.

Chloe bit her lip hard, the jealousy in her eyes practically overflowing.

Robinson completely ignored them, releasing my chin and pulling me into his arms instead.

His warm chest collided with me, leaving me somewhat dazed.

The man's crisp woody scent enveloped me.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and announced to the entire venue.

"The engagement is canceled."

Everyone gasped.

Johnson's legs went weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Robinson paused, then dropped an even bigger bombshell.

"From today on, sheJenniferis mine."

With that, under the shocked gazes of my parents, Chloe, and all the guests.

Robinson tightened his arm and lifted me up horizontally.

Not a princess carryhe hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

My head hung down, my stomach pressed painfully against his shoulder.

All I could see were swaying figures and crystal chandeliers.

"Robinson! Put me down!"

He completely ignored me, striding with long steps through the crowd toward the ballroom exit.

Behind us came my parents' frantic shouting.

"Mr. Wilson! Mr. Wilson, please let us explain!"

"The marriage alliance was supposed to be with Chloe! You must have made a mistake!"

Robinson's footsteps didn't pause for even a moment.

I was thrown into the back seat of his sports car, the soft leather seat unable to cushion my impact.

The car door slammed shut with a bang, cutting off the chaos outside.

The next second, the man leaned over me, pinning me beneath him.

In the cramped space, all I could smell was his scent.

His scorching breath hit my ear, his voice low and hoarse.

"Jennifer, did you think you could escape?"

"You should have been mine three years ago."

He pressed me firmly against the seat, his hands pinning my wrists.

"The person who saved me three years ago was clearly you. Why did you let Chloe take your place!"

My whole body trembled. How did he know about three years ago?

That winter, he was being chased and escaped into a back alley.

I used money I'd saved from part-time work to buy him medicine and watched over him all night.

Later, the Franklin family discovered what happened.

They stole the token Robinson left behind and gave it to Chloe, forcing me to swear I would never reveal the truth.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I turned my face away, not daring to meet his eyes.

Robinson grabbed my chin and forced me to turn back. His eyes were terrifyingly red.

"In the past life, when they put you on that plane, were you still celebrating that you were finally free?"

My heartbeat skipped a beat. He was reborn too.

"You're so stupid."

"Did you think they'd let you go after you died?"

"They didn't even bother collecting your body!"

Tears fell from my eyes without warning.

The despair from before the crash in my past life surged through me again.

Robinson released my wrists and sat up straight.

"Be my woman. I'll help you destroy them."

I wiped my tears roughly. "I don't need anyone's help."

"Mr. Wilson should mind his own business."

I pushed open the car door and stumbled into the night.

I didn't want to get involved in any wealthy family disputes anymore. I just wanted to escape far away.

When I got back to that damp, cramped rental apartment and took out my key, the door was pulled open from inside.

Johnson kicked me in the stomach.

I flew backward and slammed into the opposite wall, excruciating pain hitting me as if all my internal organs had shifted.

Bella walked over in her high heels. She grabbed my hair and dragged me into the room.

"Getting bold, aren't you? Actually daring to seduce Mr. Wilson!"

"Do you know how long Chloe has been preparing for this marriage alliance!"

Chloe sat on the sofa, leisurely drinking tea.

"Mom, don't hit her face."

"I still need to take her to the gallery tomorrow to meet clients."

"If her face gets messed up, who's going to drink for me?"

I spat out a mouthful of blood. "I won't be your substitute anymore."

Johnson grabbed the ashtray from the table and smashed it against my forehead. Blood instantly blurred my vision.

"You don't get a choice!"

"We still have your mother's ashes!"

"If you dare disobey, I'll scatter them right now!"

I bit my lip hard, tasting blood.

This was my family. They not only wanted to suck my blood dry, they wouldn't even let my biological mother go.

The next morning.

I was woken by urgent phone ringing. The wound on my forehead still throbbed with pain.

It was a colleague from the company calling.

"Jennifer, check Twitter now!"

"Chloe posted about you and started a cyber-mob!"

I opened Twitter.

The number one trending topic prominently displayed Chloe's name.

#Genius Painter Chloe Betrayed by Illegitimate Sister#

Clicking in revealed an essay over a thousand words long.

She portrayed herself as a kind sister who tolerated everything.

While I was a vicious illegitimate daughter who had stolen from her since childhood, stolen her boyfriend, and even drugged people at the engagement party trying to climb the social ladder.

The accompanying images were surveillance screenshots taken out of context.

Plus embarrassing photos of me when Robinson tore off my mask at the party.

The comments section had completely fallen.

"Illegitimate daughters deserve to die!"

"Feel so bad for Chloe. Jennifer's mother wasn't any good either! All trash!"

"Jennifer get out of Los Angeles!"

I stared coldly at the manipulated narrative on the screen.

Chloe was as impatient as ever.

I put on a hat and mask to go to the pharmacy to buy gauze.

The moment I walked out of the apartment complex gate, an egg smashed into my forehead.

Egg liquid mixed with blood flowed into my eyes, stinging sharply.

"That's her! That shameless homewrecker!"

Several young girls rushed up.

They held rotten vegetable leaves and garbage they'd just pulled from trash cans, frantically throwing them at me.

"Die, you bitch!"

"How dare you steal Chloe's fianc!"

I was pushed to the ground, my knees scraping against the pavement and losing a large patch of skin. I was utterly disheveled.

More and more onlookers gathered around. No one came forward to help. They all held up their phones, taking photos and videos.

I struggled to my feet and pushed through the crowd to move forward.

With every step, garbage pelted my back.

When I got back to the rental, my whole body reeked.

As soon as I took off my filthy clothes, my phone rang.

It was Johnson calling.

"Enjoying getting beaten?"

"This is what happens when you offend Chloe."

His voice dripped with smug superiority.

"Record an apology video right now and post it online."

"Admit that you were just jealous of Chloe and that you seduced Robinson."

"Otherwise, I'll flush your mother's ashes down the toilet right now!"

The hand holding my phone trembled uncontrollably.

"Johnson, you wouldn't dare!"

He laughed coldly.

"Listen to this."

The sound of a toilet flushing came through the phone.

My rationality completely collapsed in that moment.

"Don't touch her!"

"I agree! I'll agree to anything!"

I collapsed to my knees on the floor, shouting into the phone.

Johnson hung up with satisfaction.

I looked at myself in the mirror, covered in filth. The wound on my forehead still seeped blood, my eyes full of bloodshot veins.

I picked up my phone and dialed another number.

The phone only rang once before it was answered. Robinson's voice was low and calm.

"Made up your mind?"

My voice was hoarse beyond recognition.

"Help me get my mother's ashes back."

"Okay."

Half an hour later, Robinson brought over a dozen people and kicked down the door of the Franklin family villa.

Johnson and Bella were in the living room drinking champagne in celebration.

Seeing Robinson storm in with people, they were so scared their glasses fell to the floor.

"Mr. Wilson, what are you doing?"

Robinson kicked over the coffee table in front of him. Glass shattered everywhere.

"Looking for something."

The people he brought immediately spread out and began ransacking the villa.

Chloe ran downstairs screaming to stop them.

"What are you doing! This is trespassing!"

Robinson walked over and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her entire body up.

"Where are the ashes?"

Chloe's face turned red, her hands frantically beating against Robinson's arm.

Johnson was so frightened his legs went weak. He fell to his knees with a thud.

"In the basement! In the storage room in the basement!"

A few minutes later, a bodyguard came out carrying a dusty urn.

Robinson released his grip. Chloe fell to the ground, coughing violently.

He took the urn and turned to stride away.

When Robinson placed the urn in my hands.

My whole body shook as I clutched that cold box tightly, tears falling heavily onto it.

Robinson stood beside me, handing me a tissue.

"Now, can we talk about cooperation?"

I looked up and met his eyes.

"Okay."

"I want them completely ruined and left with nothing."

I was settled by Robinson in a penthouse apartment in the city center.

The security here was tight. The Franklin family couldn't get in at all.

I had just showered and changed into clean clothes.

The doorbell rang.

Robinson was in the study having a video conference. I walked over to answer the door.

Outside stood an impeccably maintained middle-aged woman.

It was Robinson's mother, Mrs. Wilson.

She looked me up and down, her eyes full of disgust.

"You're that illegitimate daughter from the Franklin family?"

She walked into the living room in her high heels.

She pulled out a checkbook from her bag, scribbled down a string of numbers, and threw it on the coffee table.

"Here's ten million."

"Take the money and leave Robinson immediately."

"Our family can't afford this kind of disgrace."

I walked over and picked up the check.

Right in front of her, I tore it into pieces. The scraps fluttered down onto the carpet.

Mrs. Wilson's face turned livid with rage.

"Don't be ungrateful!"

"You think Robinson will really marry you? He's just interested in something new!"

"Chloe is the daughter-in-law our family has chosen!"

I looked at her coldly.

"Then you should go discipline your son instead of coming here to yell at me."

Mrs. Wilson raised her hand to hit me.

Robinson pushed open the study door and walked out. Seeing this scene, he said coldly,

"Mom, what are you doing."

Mrs. Wilson immediately pulled back her hand. Feeling humiliated, she pointed at me and cursed.

"You're throwing away the family's reputation for her?"

"The Franklin family has already told me everything!"

"She's just a bitch who'll stop at nothing to climb the social ladder!"

Robinson walked over and stood in front of me.

"When did my affairs become yours to interfere with."

"Show her out."

Mrs. Wilson was escorted out by security.

As she left, she looked at me as if she wanted to swallow me alive.

The next day Robinson went to the company for meetings.

I was alone in the apartment researching information about Chloe's art exhibition.

The door lock suddenly turned.

I thought Robinson had returned, but it was Mrs. Wilson and Chloe who walked in.

Chloe wore a smug smile on her face.

In her hand was the apartment's spare key.

"Jennifer, aren't you scared living in such a big place all alone?"