When my brothers allowed their foster sister to impersonate me, they thought I’d accept it. Given another chance, I’ll ensure she faces the consequences.

When my brothers allowed their foster sister to impersonate me, they thought I’d accept it. Given another chance, I’ll ensure she faces the consequences. ### When I was eight, the family’s spiritual advisor declared that my destiny was “too fragile.” So, they sent me away to live in seclusion at Serenity Ridge, a place overflowing with spiritual energy. I was supposed to stay there until I turned eighteen. But when I finally returned to the family estate, I discovered the truth: For ten years, my so-called loving brothers had let their adopted foster sister, Jessica, take my place, pretending to be me. At the birthday banquet of my fiancé, she had the audacity to take things even further. Jessica snatched the token of our engagement—a gift from my uncle, the Emperor himself—and held it up for everyone to see. Pointing at me, she spoke loudly, her voice full of mockery: “Lord Wyatt, I’m so sorry for the embarrassment. Our foster sister here doesn’t know her place and dared to steal the engagement token the Emperor gifted to the two of us. She even tried to use it to impersonate me and deceive you. Don’t worry, when we return home, I’ll make sure my brothers teach her how to behave properly.” If this had been my previous life, I would’ve swallowed my pride and let her humiliate me, desperate to please my brothers and their favorite little “sister.” But not this time. Because this time… I had been reborn. I stepped forward, grabbed the engagement token from her hand, and threw it to the ground with all my strength. Then, I slapped her across the face so hard the room fell silent. “Jessica,” I said coldly, my voice cutting through the stunned silence, “you dare steal from me? You must think your life has been too easy for too long.”

Everyone froze, stunned by my actions. For a moment, the room was filled with silence as people exchanged uneasy glances. Jessica, however, was completely thrown off. She stumbled backward, falling to the ground in shock. For a brief moment, anger flickered in her eyes, sharp and venomous, but it quickly disappeared. She replaced it with her usual pitiful act, clutching her cheek as tears welled up in her eyes. “Savannah,” she whimpered, her voice trembling, “I know you’ve admired Lord Wyatt for a long time, but you and he… you’re worlds apart. Please, don’t lower yourself like this.” “Worlds apart?” I echoed, stepping forward. My gaze bore into her as I looked down at her pitiful figure on the floor. A cold smirk tugged at my lips. “My mother was a princess of the royal bloodline. My father is the Duke of Harrington, a man whose victories on the battlefield are the stuff of legend. My uncle is the King of this realm. I am the true heiress of the Harrington family, noble-born and of the purest lineage. And Wyatt?” I scoffed. “He’s the son of a mere baron. You’re right, Jessica—we are worlds apart.” “Savannah! How dare you twist the truth!” The voice belonged to my fourth brother, Logan, who rushed toward us, his expression filled with panic. Following close behind was my third brother, Michael, who bent down to help Jessica off the ground. “Jessica, are you all right?” Logan asked, his voice dripping with concern as he gently cupped her face. His brows furrowed in worry, his tone soft as if she were a fragile flower. Jessica shook her head weakly, tears brimming in her eyes. She looked up at him with such a pitiful expression that anyone watching would have felt sorry for her. Michael, meanwhile, turned to Lord Wyatt with a composed but sharp expression. “Lord Wyatt,” he said, his voice steady and full of authority, “Savannah was nothing but a lowly servant in the Harrington household. My father, out of mercy, adopted her as a foster daughter. But clearly, she’s forgotten her place. She’s delusional enough to think she could pass herself off as a noblewoman—worse yet, your future wife. Allow me to summon my elder brothers. We’ll deal with this matter through the family’s laws.” At his command, an attendant hurried off to fetch our eldest brother, Edward. The crowd, already murmuring before, erupted into louder whispers, their words sharp and biting. “She’s a fraud! Pretending to be the Duke’s daughter? How shameless!” “I heard the late Duchess adored her real daughter so much that she gave up her comfortable life in the palace to travel the kingdom, helping the poor and praying for her child’s future. Can you imagine how furious she’d be if she knew about this imposter?” “And the Duke himself—he’ll be furious when he hears his precious daughter was mistreated. He’ll make that girl wish she’d never been born.” “Not to mention the four Harrington brothers. They dote on their sister like she’s made of gold. There’s no way they’ll take this lying down.” “If I were her, I’d be on my knees right now, begging Jessica for forgiveness.” “She’s just some peasant girl from the countryside, trying to act like a noble. A crow pretending to be a swan. Disgusting.” I let out a soft laugh, amused by the ridiculous chatter. They weren’t wrong, though. When my parents returned and learned the truth, neither Jessica nor my so-called brothers would escape punishment. Wyatt stepped forward then, standing beside Jessica and my brothers, his expression one of smug self-righteousness. “Of course, I trust your word, Third Young Master,” he said to Michael, his tone eager to please. “Jessica is the picture of grace and kindness. There’s no way someone like her could be an imposter.” He turned to Jessica, his gaze softening as he looked her over. Once satisfied that she wasn’t seriously hurt, he turned to me, his face twisting into a sneer. “And you,” Wyatt said, his voice dripping with contempt, “just two nights ago, you came to me with the engagement token, claiming to be the real Lady Harrington. Did you truly think I’d believe you? I’ve known Jessica for years—her kindness, her nobility. And you?” He scoffed, his lip curling in disdain. “You’ve been allowed to play the role of a noble for so long that you’ve forgotten your true place. You’re nothing but a dog pretending to be human.” Perfect. Everything was going just as I had planned. Wyatt, oh Wyatt, if you didn’t insult me like this, how else would I break this ridiculous engagement?

When the old Marquis passed away, and Wyatt’s family fell into decline under his lackluster leadership, the once-proud house of the Stuarts grew desperate. That’s when they clung to the mighty Duke of Harrington, hoping to salvage their crumbling status through an alliance. In my previous life, Wyatt went to great lengths to secure a royal decree for our engagement. Day after day, he petitioned my uncle, the King. His persistence fooled my uncle into thinking he would treat me with the utmost devotion, and thus, my uncle granted his consent and gifted us a pair of matching jade pendants as a symbol of our union. At the time, I was far away, training in isolation at Serenity Ridge. When the pendants arrived, I was stunned. But my uncle had always been a good judge of character, and I’d heard whispers that Wyatt’s reputation as a handsome and capable young lord was well-earned. Imagine my shock when I returned home to find Wyatt wrapped around Jessica, my so-called foster sister, showering her with affection. For the first time in my life, I ignored my brothers’ warnings and secretly revealed my true identity to Wyatt, hoping he would set things right. But instead, he flew into a rage. Without hesitation, he ran straight to my brothers, who, terrified that Jessica’s true origins would be exposed, decided to silence me before my parents could return. They beat me to death with clubs, my cries silenced by the wilderness. My body was left unburied, torn apart by the wild dogs that came in the night. After my death, my uncle the King was furious. Wyatt, ever the actor, knelt before the throne with tears streaming down his face, swearing that he had always loved me, that he’d been tricked by villains. Such a man… a liar and a coward. Hardly the loving husband my uncle had envisioned. Jessica, foolish as ever, thought that marrying into the Marquisate would bring her endless wealth and status, blind to the fact that Wyatt’s house was already on the verge of collapse. What a joke. Now, in this life, the crowd stood firmly on Jessica’s side. She cast me a quick, triumphant glance before lowering her gaze demurely. Her voice, soft and sweet, carried just the right hint of grievance as she spoke: “Savannah, I’ve always treated you like my own sister. How could you stab me in the back like this, pretending to be me just to marry Wyatt? Don’t you care how much it hurts me?” She pressed a trembling hand to her chest, her expression full of betrayal and heartbreak. Her act was so convincing that the onlookers immediately began murmuring in sympathy. “Sister?” I sneered, my voice icy. “You think you deserve to call yourself my sister?” I stepped forward, my gaze sharp as a blade. “Since the day you were taken in as a foster daughter of the Duke’s family, you’ve coveted everything that belongs to me. And every time, I let you have it. My dresses, my jewelry, my books—whatever you wanted, I gave it to you. Even when you mistreated the servants, I covered for you, afraid my brothers would throw you out if they found out the truth. “And how do you repay me, Jessica? By stealing my fiancé?” I laughed coldly, the sound cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. “How greedy can you be?” Tears began to pool in Jessica’s eyes, and she bit her lip, trembling like a fragile bird. The sight of her pitiful act made the spectators’ hearts soften even more. “Jessica, you’re too kind,” Logan said soothingly, patting her shoulder. “That’s why people like her take advantage of you.” Three pairs of angry eyes turned toward me, their combined fury almost tangible. Wyatt, emboldened by their support, stepped forward and declared, his voice loud and clear: “I, Wyatt Stuart, would never lower myself to marry someone like her! I swear, my heart belongs only to Jessica, and I will never take another woman as my wife—not even a concubine!” His words rang out, bold and resolute, drawing gasps of admiration from the crowd. “What devotion!” “Lord Wyatt is truly a man of principle. Such a beautiful love story!” “And that shameless girl dared to try and interfere? Ridiculous!” I let out a soft, mocking laugh, my gaze locked onto Wyatt’s face. “Are you certain?” I asked, my tone light and teasing. “You’re choosing her over me?” Wyatt shot me a look of utter disgust, as if my very presence offended him. “You? A lowly wretch like you dares to ask that question? Even the stable hands at the Marquisate are too good for you. How dare you dream of marrying me?” Laughter erupted around us, the crowd pointing and jeering at me. “Good,” I said quietly, my smile widening. “You’ve made your choice. No regrets, then?” “None,” Wyatt spat, his voice firm. “Perfect.” At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed in the hall. My eldest two brothers had arrived, completing the scene. The sight of them brought back memories of my previous life, of the day they stood over me, their faces cold and unfeeling as they condemned me to death. “You dare defy us and reveal Jessica’s secret? You thought you could steal her fiancé? You’ve gone too far this time!” “She’s been nothing but trouble since the day we took her in. Let’s cut out her tongue so she can’t speak anymore!” “Cutting out her tongue isn’t enough. She can still write. Better to kill her and be done with it. Feed her to the dogs and tell Father and Mother she ran away.” “Yes, once she’s gone, Jessica will truly be the only daughter of the Harrington family.” The memory sent a chill down my spine, but I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. Now, everyone was finally here. And it was time to end this charade once and for all.

“Edward! Victor!” The moment Jessica saw the two of them enter, her eyes turned red, and tears pooled as if on command. She looked utterly pitiful, the picture of injustice. Victor, my Second Brother shot me a venomous glare before gently patting Jessica on the shoulder. His voice was soft and soothing, dripping with indulgence. “Jessica, don’t be afraid. Tell Victor everything. No matter what, I’ll make sure justice is served for you.” “It’s nothing,” Jessica replied with a weak smile, her voice trembling slightly. “Savannah’s just a little jealous of me. She wanted to pretend to be the Duke’s daughter, but I understand. She’s never seen the world and let her ambitions get the better of her.” “She dares to impersonate you?” Victor’s voice turned sharp as he spat on the ground in my direction, his contempt clear. Edward, his brow furrowed and his tone as cold as ice, added, “We only have one sister, and that’s Jessica. Savannah? She’s nothing more than a lowly servant in the Duke’s household.” The moment those words left his mouth, I could see the same murderous intent in his eyes that I remembered from my previous life. Just like that day, when he and the others had beaten me to death in the wilderness. With Edward’s declaration, the crowd immediately sided with Jessica, their murmurs of disdain for me growing louder. At that moment, a girl stepped out from the crowd. I recognized her immediately—Charlotte, the daughter of a minor noble and one of Jessica’s most loyal lapdogs. She crossed her arms and glared at me with righteous indignation. “This wretch even dared to lay a hand on Jessica!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I saw it with my own eyes last night. Poor Jessica’s back is covered in bruises—purple and swollen!” “Charlotte, please…” Jessica bit her lip, her teary eyes glistening as she looked up at the crowd. Her voice was soft and full of sorrow. “Jessica, did she really hurt you?” Victor’s face darkened as he stepped closer to her, his voice trembling with anger. “I’m sure Savannah didn’t mean to hurt me,” Jessica murmured, her voice delicate and full of forgiveness. “Please don’t blame her because of me.” Her words sounded like mercy, but they confirmed her story in the eyes of the crowd. To them, she was the poor, innocent victim, and I was the vile aggressor. Jessica’s frail figure, trembling ever so slightly, combined with her pitiful expression, only deepened the crowd’s sympathy for her. My brothers stared at me like wolves ready to tear me apart. “Savannah!” they barked in unison, their eyes blazing with fury. I arched an eyebrow and turned to Charlotte first. “You’re the daughter of a minor court official, a mere fourth rank at best. What gives you the right to speak to me like this? Why don’t you fetch your father instead?” Her face turned red, but before she could retort, I turned to Jessica with a cold smile. “You claim I hit you? That you’re covered in bruises? Fine—let’s have your injuries examined.” The moment the words left my mouth, Jessica and Charlotte’s expressions changed. Charlotte’s face flushed with anger. “You filthy wretch! How dare you speak to me like that? You’re not even worthy to lick my boots. And Jessica’s injuries don’t need to be examined! If she says you hit her, who else could have done it?” “Who knows?” I shrugged. “Maybe you did it yourselves.” Charlotte’s face contorted with rage, and Jessica’s lips quivered as tears fell from her eyes like pearls on a broken string. She threw herself into Victor’s arms, sobbing pitifully. “To examine my bruises, I’d have to undress. Savannah wants to humiliate me and ruin my reputation! How could I possibly live with such shame?” Jessica’s words were like oil on fire. Wyatt, who had been sitting quietly, jumped to his feet and pointed a trembling finger at me. “Savannah, how dare you?” he roared. “Jessica is my future wife, the future lady of the Marquisate, and I will not allow anyone to humiliate her!” “Try to touch her, and you’ll answer to us!” Logansnarled, his anger boiling over. “You’re so malicious, Savannah,” Michael spat. “We should’ve sold you off ages ago!” I didn’t bother listening to their empty threats. Instead, I waved to the servants. “Bring a screen. Let’s settle this properly.” “Slap!” The sound of a sharp slap echoed through the room. A stinging sensation bloomed across my cheek, and Jessica’s lips twitched with satisfaction as she tried to hide the smug smile on her face. But her eyes couldn’t conceal her triumph. “Well done, Edward!” Logan cheered, clapping his hands with glee while the others smirked. Edward glared at me, his eyes cold with anger. “You dared to hurt Jessica? That slap was mercy. Kneel before her, apologize, and perhaps we’ll spare you.” “Slap!” Before he could finish, I struck him across the face. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at me, stunned into silence. “Savannah, you—” “Slap!” I struck him again. “You—” “Slap!” Three slaps in total. Edward’s face turned crimson, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He looked like an enraged bull, ready to charge. “Feel better now?” I asked calmly, my voice devoid of emotion. The room fell silent. The crowd was stunned. Edward, the future Duke of Harrington, had been slapped—three times—in front of everyone. “Savannah, how dare you!” Logan bellowed. “Kneel down and apologize to him immediately!” I let out a cold laugh. “Him? A Duke? That’s a joke. The lot of you have forgotten where you came from. Shall I remind you?” My voice dripped with contempt as I continued, “Father and Mother have only one child—me. The four of you? You’re nothing but orphans, adopted out of pity after your father died in a brothel, leaving you to fend for yourselves. You’re lucky to even bear the Harrington name.” Their faces turned pale, their hands trembling. “Enough talk!” Victor growled. He handed Jessica to Wyatt, then drew a dagger from his belt. “If you won’t apologize, I’ll cut off your hands. We’ll see how stubborn you are after that!” “No need for that,” Edward said coldly. He grabbed the dagger and plunged it into my chest. The crowd gasped in horror. “Die!” he hissed, his eyes red with rage. Wyatt shielded Jessica’s eyes. “Don’t look, my love—it’s too gruesome.” But instead of blood, there was only silence. Edward’s expression shifted to terror as he realized the blade hadn’t pierced my skin. “W-what…?” “Such a shame,” I said with a smirk, pulling open my cloak to reveal the golden scales beneath. “The King’s gift—an enchanted breastplate. Completely impenetrable.” The dagger clattered to the floor as Edward stumbled back in shock. At that moment, a deep, booming voice cut through the tension: “You wretched fools! How dare you lay a hand on my daughter!”

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