The Conspiracy of the Aristocratic
Family
Chapter 1
In my past life, my cousin and I were both set
to marry into the freakin‘ wealthy Riches
family. I was supposed to marry Rich “Golden
Boy” Richie, the golden child of the bunch,
while she was stuck with his crippled uncle,
Rich Jr.
My cousin tried to get me to switch places,
but I wasn’t having it. She ended up ditching
the wedding on the big day.
Then, when I was seven months pregnant, she
Г
teamed up with my jerk of a brother to cut
my baby outta me, leaving me to die a slow,
agonizing death.
She then went full–on psycho and used every
trick in the book to hook up with Richie,
replacing me as the new Mrs. Rich.
My dad knew everything but he helped them
cover it all up.
When my mom found out the truth and tried
to get justice for me, they locked her on the
patio, and she ended up jumping to her death.
I opened my eyes again, and I was back. Back to the day I was supposed to fulfill that damn
Join the bookshelf
marriage contract.
I glanced around the living room at the
mountain of gold bars and jewelry. My dad
was practically drooling, his double chin doing
the cha–cha.
Marrying into the Riches family was gonna
make him untouchable in this town.
My usually cold–as–ice dad actually gave me a look of approval. “Rainy, you’re finally good
for something.”
His words sent a chill down my spine. I
Join the bookshelf
WASN’T I supposed to be dead? Cut open?
Rotting in some basement?
Before I could even process what was going on, I heard a whiny sob behind me.
“I’m so jealous of you, Rainy. You’ve always been so lucky. You’ve got a mom, and you get to marry someone like Richie Rich.”
“I’m just the unwanted cousin, stuck marrying
a cripple who can’t even walk.”
Summer, she clutched her chest and wailed. Almost passing out.
Dad and my brother were all over her, babying
Join the bookst
<
her. “Summer, calm down! You know you
have a heart condition! The doctor said no
big emotions!”
My brother, River, shot me a nasty look while
trying to soothe her.
My mom, bless her heart, she was always too soft. She just wrung her hands, unsure what
to do.
River and I were her twins, the apple of her
eye. She couldn’t bear to see either of us
hurt.
Summer was practically hyperventilating when she finally got out what she wanted.
Join the bookshelf
<
“Rainy, could you…could you switch places
with me?”
The same damn request from before. It hit me
like a ton of bricks.
I was back. I was reborn.
Last time, I shut her down the second she asked.
We both married into the Riches family but I got “knocked up” with Richie Richie’s baby.
Then Summer pulled a runaway bride stunt on her wedding day, and left Rich Jr. the Cripple as the laughing stock of the city.
Join the bookshelf
She hid out for months, simmering with
jealousy, before kidnapping me at seven
months pregnant and slicing me open in some
dungeon. Killing me and my baby.
Then she had the nerve to seduce Richie and
become the next trophy wife.
They thought a double homicide was bad
luck, so they skipped the funeral and flushed
my ashes down the drain.
My mom tried to stop them, but those two locked her on the patio and she ended up jumping, joining her dead daughter.
While I hesitated, Dad and River started
<
getting impatient.
“Hey! Did you hear what Summer just asked
you?”
He raised his hand, ready to yank my ear.
Mom jumped in front of me. “Don’t you touch
my daughter.”
His meaty hand landed on Mom’s face
instead, his sharp nails carving a long, bloody
gash into her cheek.
“Mom-!” I cradled her face, fury bubbling
inside, but I bit back the words.
く
I forced a smile and made a choice that was
the opposite of what I had done before.
“Sure, I’ll switch.”
My dad finally pulled his hand back, and
Summer and River exchanged excited glances.
Only Mom looked worried. “Rainy, don’t be rash. This is your life! Think it over!”
Hearing that, Summer clutched at her heart
again. “Auntie, how can you be so unfair?
Rainy has everything! Can’t she give me just one thing?”
River, always the white knight, jumped in front
of her, glaring at Mom. “Mom, seriously?
Rainy has it all. Why can’t you let Summer
have this?”
Mom, hurt that her precious boy was siding with an outsider, stopped talking and wiped
away a tear.
Silently, I pulled Mom behind me, and coldly sneered at River. “I already agreed to switch. Why are you still yelling?”
River was about to argue, but Summer
grabbed his arm.
“River, help me count the gifts first.”
<
Her eyes were glued to the gold and jewelry,
and she couldn’t care less about Mom and
- me.
