I was the real heiress who had just been found and brought home. After I returned to my family, my parents did not favor the fake heiress like the rumors claimed. Instead, they put me first in everything.

I quickly integrated into this social circle, and even the fake heiress' childhood friend, Drake Weston, showed interest in me.

On the day my father asked me to choose a marriage partner, I was walking toward Drake when pop-up messages suddenly appeared before my eyes.

[Don't choose him. He's always loved the fake heiress. He's only getting close to you to seize the family assets in your hands. If you choose him, you're as good as dead. He'd risk his life for the fake heiress, and she's been trying to kill you all along.]

I stopped and turned toward the Lockwood family's illegitimate son, Callum Lockwood. Another pop-up message appeared before my eyes.

[Choose him. He's kind-hearted and family-oriented, and he's secretly in love with you. You won't go wrong choosing him.]

In my previous life, I was misled by the pop-up messages and chose Callum, who seemed harmless. It turned out he was the one who loved the fake heiress. Less than a year after our marriage, they plotted together and killed me.

Only after I died did I learn the fake heiress had manipulated all those pop-up messages. She even killed my parents and inherited all my family's assets.

This time, I chose Drake without hesitation.

The fake heiress and Callum completely lost their composure.

"Vy, who do you want to choose?" Mom asked me gently. "You don't need to worry about anything. No matter who it is, as long as you like him, your father and I will support you."

I nodded. I had just taken a step toward Drake Weston when lines of pop-up messages began scrolling before my eyes.

[Don't choose Drake Weston under any circumstances! He's obsessed with Sienna!]

[Drake is only getting close to you to steal your shares. He's already slept with Sienna!]

In my previous life, I was frightened by these messages that seemed to come from an omniscient perspective. I thought they were warnings from fate itself. Hence, I publicly humiliated Drake and chose Callum Lockwood, who stood in the corner.

Less than a year after the wedding, Callum started slipping slow-acting poison into my food and drinks, leaving me paralyzed and bedridden.

Meanwhile, the fake heiress, Sienna Harlow, took all the family's assets with a forged will. She even slept with Callum right in front of me.

At the present moment, I took a deep breath and suppressed the rage surging in my chest. I walked straight toward Drake and extended my hand gracefully. "Mr. Weston, would you be willing to become my fiancé?"

The room instantly went silent. The pop-up messages that were scrolling frantically a moment ago suddenly lagged. The sound of shattering glass came from behind me. I did not need to turn around to know Sienna had lost her composure.

Drake looked slightly stunned. Those naturally carefree eyes of his brightened instantly. He looked me up and down, as if trying to confirm whether I had lost my mind.

"Violet, are you sure?" His lips parted slightly, his voice carrying a lazy, magnetic quality.

I gave a small smile and said with a firm voice, "My instinct tells me you're the one."

In the corner, Callum's face turned deathly pale. He looked like he might collapse at any moment.

Drake smiled with brilliant arrogance and placed his hand in my palm.

Sienna forgot all about maintaining her composure and rushed forward to stop me. "Violet! Have you lost your mind? You just came back. You don't understand the situation in our circle at all. Drake has a terrible temper and a bad reputation. Most importantly..."

She bit her lip, glanced at Drake, and then looked back at me. "He already has someone in his heart. If you force him like this, you won't be happy!"

Callum seemed to have received a signal and stumbled forward. "That's right, Ms. Violet..." His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice slightly choked.

"A relationship that's forced never works out. Actually, instead of choosing someone who doesn't love you, why not look at the people around you who truly understand and cherish you?"

The pop-up messages before my eyes started spinning their narrative again.

[Listen! What a kind boy!]

[Are you really going to be a heartbreaker? Callum is being so humble!]

[Drake is damaged goods. Even Sienna doesn't want him, but you're treating him like treasure!]

I looked coldly at these two putting on their coordinated performance.

"Oh? Someone in his heart?" I ignored Sienna and turned to look at Drake instead, my gaze playful as I deliberately raised my voice. "Mr. Weston, Sienna says you have someone in your heart and that you look down on me. Is that true?"

In my previous life, Sienna used this exact method to drive a wedge between us, turning Drake and me into enemies before our relationship even began. She spread rumors everywhere, claiming Drake was madly in love with her and that I had stolen him away.

Drake had too much pride to bother explaining, and eventually, we grew further and further apart.

This life, I would make him speak for himself.

Drake raised an eyebrow. "Sienna, are you delusional? When have I ever said that I liked you? Was it that time you got drunk and threw up all over me, or that time you stood me up for Callum? The only reason I haven't beaten you senseless is out of respect for Mr. Harlow."

The entire venue erupted in gasps and murmurs. Guests began whispering among themselves.

"I knew it. How could the eldest son of the Weston family possibly be interested in an adopted daughter?"

"So, Sienna was just fooling herself this whole time..."

Sienna's face turned scarlet. She never expected Drake to humiliate her so publicly.

"Drake, you... Don't use Violet just to spite me!" Sienna tried desperately to recover.

Drake let out a cold laugh, turned around, and took my arm again with natural intimacy. "Violet, I've liked you for a long time."

My heart stirred slightly. He was not opposed to this marriage?

Seeing that, my parents laughed heartily. "Wonderful! Wonderful! Mutual affection is the best outcome! This marriage is approved!"

Mom took out an exquisite pendant she had prepared in advance and placed it around Drake's neck. "Welcome to the family. I'm entrusting my Vy to you!"

That settled it. I looked at Sienna's eyes, which were filled with venom, and leaned slightly toward her ear.

In a voice only the two of us could hear, I said softly, "Why are your hands shaking, Sienna? Are you afraid that once Drake becomes your brother-in-law, you won't have the chance to use him to swallow up the Harlow family's assets?"

Sienna's pupils contracted sharply as she jerked her head up to look at me.

In that instant, the pop-up messages that had been scrolling frantically before my eyes suddenly got cut off. They dissolved into a complete mess of meaningless garbled characters.

[@￥%...&]

It seemed the person operating behind the scenes had lost control.

The scheme she had carefully designed was intended to have me marry an illegitimate son with no background, making it easier to sideline me later. If I married Drake and gained the Weston family as backing, how could she possibly compete with me?

The banquet did not end because of this episode. Instead, it became even livelier. However, I knew Sienna would never let this go.

Soon enough, new pop-up messages appeared.

[The Harlow parents are actually giving the family heirloom to the fake heiress!]

[My God, they're not even pretending anymore. They favor the real heiress openly but secretly prioritize the fake heiress in everything?]

[I feel so bad for her! She should just destroy the heirloom. After all, it'll become the key weapon the fake heiress uses to bring her down later.]

Looking at the messages, I sneered inwardly. It was the same trick yet again. This time, however, the script needed rewriting.

I turned and walked straight into the room where the family heirloom was kept. Ten minutes later, the family's old butler, Caleb Hughes, ran into the hall with a panicked expression, heading straight for Dad.

"Sir! Something terrible has happened! The emerald ring your father left behind is missing from the study!"

Dad's expression changed. "What? That's a family heirloom! Who went to the study just now?"

Caleb's gaze shifted nervously. He glanced at me reflexively and stammered, not daring to speak.

Sienna immediately jumped in, her face full of shock and pain. "Caleb, why are you looking at Violet? Could it be... Could it be her?"

She walked quickly to stand in front of me, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Violet, I know you spent years on your own and probably had it rough. Some habits might be hard to break right away. But that's Grandpa's relic! If you need money, you can tell me. I'll give you all my allowance. Just take out the ring!"

Callum added helpfully from the side, "Sienna, don't say that. How could Ms. Violet steal anything... Maybe she just thought it looked nice and took it to admire, then accidentally forgot to put it back."

The guests' gazes focused on me again, this time filled with disdain.

"As expected of someone who grew up in the countryside. No class at all."

"So what if she's the real heiress? Deep down, she's just a thief."

Mom looked at me anxiously. "Vy, did you... Did you really take it? If you did, just take it out. I won't blame you."

I looked at all these faces and calmly set down my champagne glass. "Sienna, you keep insisting I took it. Where's your proof?" I asked lightly.

A flash of triumph crossed Sienna's eyes. "You were the only one who went to the study when you went to change your clothes! And just now, I think I saw your pocket bulging..."

She pointed at my dress pocket, completely certain.

"Since you're so certain, then search me."

I spread my arms wide in the center of the hall. "To prove my innocence, I'm willing to accept being searched."

Sienna looked thrilled. She had not expected me to cooperate so easily and was about to call someone over.

I changed tack abruptly, my gaze cutting to Callum. "But it's not fair if I'm the only one who gets searched. Quite a few people were present just now. Mr. Lockwood, who bumped into me earlier, was standing very close too. For the sake of fairness, everyone who came near me should be searched."

Sienna froze for a moment, then sneered, "Fine, search away! There's no way Callum would take something like that!"

Dad nodded to calm the situation. "Alright, then we'll search everyone. Martha, you search Vy. Caleb, you search Mr. Lockwood."

The housekeeper, Martha Harper, reached into my pocket. Sienna stared at Martha's hand, a smile already creeping onto her face.

The pop-up messages scrolled: [Just admit it quickly, or you'll lose your parents' trust forever.]

However, when Martha's hand came out, it was completely empty.

"There's... nothing here." Martha looked stunned.

Sienna's smile froze. "Impossible! Search the inner pocket! The hidden pocket in the skirt of her dress!"

Martha searched again. There was still nothing.

"How is this possible?!" Sienna shrieked and rushed forward to search me herself. "She must have hidden it somewhere!"

Just then, Caleb let out a cry of surprise. "Good heavens! Here it is!"

Everyone's gaze instantly shifted over. Caleb pulled an emerald ring from Callum's suit pocket. It was exactly the one Dad had lost.

The entire hall fell silent. Callum stared at the ring, utterly bewildered. "No... It wasn't me... I clearly..." He could barely get the words out.

I smoothed out my skirt unhurriedly and looked at the stunned Sienna with a light laugh. "Sienna, why do you look so surprised?"