WEDDING BECAME NIGHTMARE: I WAS DUMPED AT THE ALTAR FOR MY WEIGHT AND LOST MY BABY, ONLY TO RETURN AS THE BILLIONAIRE HEIRESS WHO OWNS THEIR LIVES.
Six months later…
“There she is,” Victor smiled as I walked into his study.
“That’s my little girl.”
“Mars,” Victor turned to his assistant.
“Send out the invitations today. Everyone will know my daughter has returned.”
“Yes, sir,” Mars nodded.
“Mars,” I interrupted, my voice perfectly steady.
“Add two more names to the list. Lucas and Stella.”
Victor grinned proudly.
“So, are you ready?”
“More than I’ve ever been.”
The ballroom of the Wilson Estate was blindingly lavish. Crystal chandeliers, champagne fountains, and the absolute elite of the city.
“Oh my god, so this is how the top class lives,” Stella gushed, clinging to Lucas’s arm as they walked through the grand doors.
“Lucas, you’re amazing. How do you know Victor Wilson?”
“Uh, yeah, we, you know, we met at a charity thing,” Lucas lied smoothly, adjusting his tie.
“I think he remembers my philanthropy.”
“Oh! Oh, I heard this event is for Wilson’s daughter,” Stella whispered eagerly.
“Daughter? Mmhmm, since when? I’ve never heard of the Wilson daughter. Who is she?”
“Wilson’s heir? If she’s single, time to trade up,” a wealthy heir nearby laughed.
At that exact moment, the grand staircase illuminated. I stepped out, wearing a custom, glowing Valentino gown that hugged every newly carved curve of my body, a diamond crown resting perfectly on my head.
“Who is that?” a woman gasped.
“Oh man, she must be the muse,” a man whispered reverently.
“That gown. Custom Valentino. Half a million. One in existence,” a socialite analyzed loudly.
“Damn, she’s hot. And at this party? She’s gotta be loaded,” Lucas muttered, his eyes glued to me.
“Dance time, sweetheart.”
Lucas abruptly detached himself from Stella and marched directly toward the staircase.
“Yeah, may I have the dance?”
“Hey, back off, bitch, he’s with me,” Stella hissed, running up behind him.
“Where’s your lady?” a wealthy man asked Lucas, trying to block him.
“Try not to stand on my feet.”
“Holy shit, in this? You son of a bitch, how dare you!” Lucas shoved the man aside.
“You’re in our way.”
I watched them bicker like rats from the bottom step.
“Your plus one seems upset,” I said smoothly, looking directly into Lucas’s eyes.
“Oh no, forget about her, doll,” Lucas smiled his sleaziest, most charming smile.
“She’s nobody.”
“She chose me,” Stella muttered to herself, watching me.
“Skipped every guy here just to ask me. Screw this, she’s totally into me.”
He doesn’t recognize me, I thought, a sharp thrill of victory running through my veins.
Perfect.
“You are blinding me, darling,” Lucas purred, taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor.
“Every other woman here just vanished.”
“How many times have you used that line?” I asked, keeping my tone amused.
“Only for you. Only ever you,” Lucas lied effortlessly.
“How about you come with me after this party? My penthouse has amazing views.”
“But darling, what about your wife?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Why dwell on the past when I’m dancing with the most captivating woman in here?” Lucas smirked.
“Hmm. Some pasts have a way of catching up.”
“Hmm, mysterious. I like it,” Lucas chuckled.
“Let’s find some privacy and I’ll, from this cell, listen to all your stories.”
“Ah! No, darling, did you trip?”
Stella’s shrill voice cut through the music. She purposely bumped into a waitress, sending a tray of drinks crashing to the floor near a heavy-set woman who had just entered the room.
“What the hell kind of skeleton is she hiding in that dress?” Stella sneered loudly, pointing at the woman.
“Scotch, now. Haha. Jesus Christ, who let this land whale in here? Smells like rotten bacon.”
“Look at you, pig, wallowing in its own filth,” Stella continued, laughing as the woman tried to clean herself up.
“You know, fat bitches like you should never—”
“Enough!” I snapped, my voice cutting through the ballroom like a whip. I dropped Lucas’s hand and marched over to Stella.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Hey, don’t waste your kindness with the trash like her,” Lucas said, following me over.
“Come on, look at her. She’s disgusting. But you… you’re perfection.”
“She is spectacular,” Stella agreed, trying to suck up to me.
“Noise. What’s going on? Trouble in paradise with your new muse?”
“Asshole,” a man nearby muttered.
“Another fat cow,” Stella sneered at the crying woman.
“Shouldn’t you be in the slaughterhouse?”
I stepped directly into Stella’s personal space.
“Up close… that face,” Stella murmured, her eyes narrowing as she looked at me. “It seems a bit familiar.”
“And you, skinny bitch,” I said coldly. “No titties. No ass. But fat? Jesus Christ.”
“Taylor, stop yapping like a rabid Chihuahua,” a man yelled from the crowd.
“Oh, defending her now?” Stella shrieked, pointing at me.
“She’s a walking skeleton and makes me want to puke!”
“Fat or thin, haters gonna hate,” I said, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across my face.
“But I’m bulletproof now. Body shaming is so basic.”
“Oh, truth hurts,” Lucas laughed, pointing at the heavy-set woman.
“This one’s a walking heart attack. Did you see her jiggle? Reminds me of your ex.”
“What’s her name?” I asked, looking dead at Lucas.
“Um, alright. Claire,” Lucas chuckled.
“Uh, don’t… don’t ruin the mood, OK? By the way, what’s your name, gorgeous?”
“Claire,” I said simply.
“What? What? What are the odds? The same name as my ex-girlfriend,” Lucas laughed oblivious.
“What was she like? A walking tub of lard. Disgusting. Ah, just thinking about all that flab makes me sick. But you… you make the name beautiful. One’s a whale, the other’s a skeleton. Same trash.”
“Shut your damn mouth, Stella,” Lucas barked, eager to impress me.
“You’re choosing her after everything? Look at your prize, Stella. Worthless.”
Lucas turned back to me. “You know, from now on, when I hear Claire, I won’t think about that unfortunate woman. I will only think of you.”
“But I am that unfortunate woman,” I said, my voice completely flat.
“What?” Lucas blinked. “Just imagine if that were true. What would you do?”
“That… that’s not funny at all, darling,” Stella laughed nervously. “You bitch, playing fucking mind games.”
“No? Why so defensive?” I challenged, stepping closer to them both. “Unless you have something to hide about the other Claire?”
“Shut up, bitch,” Stella snapped.
Suddenly, Stella’s eyes locked onto my collarbone.
“That scar,” she whispered, her face draining of all color. “It’s identical.”
“No fucking way,” Lucas breathed, stumbling backward.
“Oh yes,” I smiled, stepping fully into the light. “Your ex-wife. It’s me. And I remember everything.”
“No way!” Stella shrieked. “What?! That’s Lucas’s ex? The land whale who burst out of her wedding dress? She went from XXL to XS? Unbelievable!”
“You’re joking,” Lucas gasped, his eyes bugging out of his head. “That woman was over two hundred and fifty pounds. How the hell did she get so skinny?”
“You two killed my baby,” I said, my voice dropping to a terrifying whisper meant only for them. “I will never forgive that.”
“Only the real Claire would know about the baby,” Lucas stammered, shaking. “You… you really are Claire. How is that even possible? This is insane! She was supposed to stay a fat cow forever. How dare she get skinny, prettier than me? Damn it!”
“Uh… is Lucas gonna get back with her?” someone in the crowd whispered loudly.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, looking at their horrified faces. “Cat got your tongues? Or is my new look that captivating?”
Stella aggressively stepped forward, trying to regain control. “So what if you’re Claire? Lucas dumped your ass. He’s mine. If you like recycling trash, be my guest. Keep him.”
“Oh, ha ha, I get it,” Lucas sneered, recovering his bravado. “You lost the baby weight to heartbreak, huh? Heartbreak diet. Oh, you know, you should be thanking us. If we hadn’t dumped your dead gut, you’d still be you.”
“I just tasted the first drop of blood,” I said, my eyes blazing. “When I carve out what you owe for my baby’s life, you will beg to die.”
Stella flinched. “She’s so different. Damn it, I can’t let her win.”
“Hmm, bluffing,” Lucas scoffed, crossing his arms.
“So you lost weight, big deal. You gave me your entire fortune, so you’re just a nobody. What, desperate enough to crawl back?”
“My entire fortune, please,” I laughed darkly.
“He couldn’t handle it.”
“That’s it, you’re broke, and you’re crawling back to me,” Lucas announced loudly, trying to humiliate me.
“You starved yourself into this, and then you came to this party, all just to win me back! And admit it, Claire, even after I dumped you, you’re still hung up on me. Fuck, was I unclear? You’re a piece of shit.”
“My bad, that wasn’t precise,” I smiled.
“Two pieces of shit.”
“Damn it, you bitch!” Stella screamed, lunging at me.
“Thank you, Ivy,” I said to a security guard who smoothly intercepted Stella, pushing her back.
Stella turned her rage onto the heavy-set woman she had insulted earlier.
“Porker, why are you rolling your fat ass back to the slaughterhouse? Yeah, you just want to be her loyal maid because she pretended to care. Oh, shut your filthy trap, skank. We’re closed.”
“Come with me,” I said, ignoring Stella and offering my arm to the crying woman.
“The party has just started.”
“Why help me?” the woman sniffled as I led her to a private dressing room.
“You’re the only one who didn’t laugh at me. Who stood up for me. You’re kind. Your clothes are ruined because of me. Let me get you new ones.”
“It’s fine,” she said shyly.
“I mean, clothes my size, they’re hard to find off the rack.”
“Don’t worry about that,” I smiled, opening a massive wardrobe.
“That dress… my bestie showed me a picture of it. Custom made for the billionaire Wilson’s daughter. She is the real princess.”
“Who knew Wilson’s daughter could be so nice?” the woman beamed.
Back in the ballroom, Lucas and Stella were rapidly spiraling.
“Uh, uh, your ex is a whole different beast,” Stella hissed to Lucas.
“She is not the pushover that she once was. And… and her dress looks expensive.”
“Oh, that dress? That dress is rented, obviously,” Lucas declared loudly, trying to save face.
“She’s a broke orphan. Probably crashed this party too.”
“You’re right, she shouldn’t be here,” Stella nodded eagerly.
I stepped back out of the dressing room, ensuring the woman was comfortable.
“Thank you so much,” she had told me. “This is from my new fashion line. It’s made specifically for plus-size Queens. You’re my first client.”
“Thank you, Miss Claire,” she had cried.
“I should head back,” I told my security guard. “The main event is starting.”
As I walked back toward the ballroom, a handsome man in a sharp tuxedo bumped into me. Several photos spilled from his jacket.
“Wait, is that me?” I asked, looking down at a picture on the floor.
“My apologies, man, need a hand?” a waiter asked him.
“Who is he? Why does he have my old picture?” I thought.
“Can I have that back?”
“Oh, haha, who’s the girl in the photo?” the waiter asked.
“Her name is Claire,” the handsome man said, his voice deep and smooth.
“I’ve been looking for her.”
He’s looking for me? But I’ve never seen him before. I am Claire, but not… you. I mean, you’re… you’re beautiful, but my Claire is more energetic. Your Claire?
My phone buzzed. It was a text from my dad.
Sweetheart, there is something I meant to tell you. Your fiancé will be at the banquet today.
What? My fiancé?! I texted back.
Also, I’ve commissioned a crown for you. I expect to see my daughter wearing it when I arrive. You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you? Huh. Give ’em hell, kiddo. Showtime.
I walked back into the main ballroom. Lucas spotted me immediately.
“Security, throw this party crasher out of here!” Lucas yelled, pointing at me. “This is Victor Wilson’s ball. Top tier only. A broke orphan like you has zero right to be here.”
“He’s right,” Stella chimed in, projecting her voice. “You’re just the trash Lucas threw out. And nobody felt like you showing up here. Pathetic. You can change your looks, but not your class. Born trash, forever trash.”
“So you think you’re top tier?” I asked, walking slowly toward them. “Come on. I am Victor Wilson’s guest.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Lucas laughed. “Victor Wilson didn’t invite you. I did.”
“Cut the act,” I said. “You didn’t even know who Victor Wilson was.”
“How dare you speak for him!” Stella shrieked. “Don’t waste time, Lucas, just throw her out!”
“Accusing me of party crashing?” I challenged. “Prove it.”
“Well, well, well,” Lucas reached into his jacket. “We all received this, didn’t we? Exclusive invitations. The only way in. So if you didn’t sneak in, why don’t you show us yours?”
“He’s right, we all have invites,” a guest murmured.
“Everyone here is somebody, but I’ve never seen her. So she did sneak in. Unacceptable.”
“Oh, cat’s got your tongue?” Lucas sneered. “We all know you snuck in. Now, you see this? This is an exclusive invitation, handwritten by Victor Wilson, addressed to me. Lucas Stone.”
“That’s not Victor’s handwriting,” I stated flatly.
“Mars, actually. Like you’d know. Drop the act. Well, since Victor Wilson does value me…” Lucas stepped closer, his eyes dropping to my chest. “If you spread your legs and beg, I might forgive that little stunt. Cause you know, I gotta admit, you look way, way hotter now. I bet you’ll be a hell of a ride.”
“Lucas, you make me sick,” I spat.
“Bitch, I offered you charity!” Lucas roared. “Security! Come on, take this trash out of here!”
“Nobody is throwing me out,” I said calmly.
“You delusional little tramp, who the hell do you think you are?” Stella yelled. “You can’t even produce an invite!”
“You’re right, I don’t have an invitation,” I said, raising my chin. “Actually, I don’t need one. Because I am…”
“Because she’s my plus one,” a voice interrupted.
It was the handsome man who had dropped the photos.
“Claire is with me.”
“That’s Oliver King,” the crowd whispered loudly.
“CEO of the Keystone Group. Supposedly very close to the Wilson family.”
“If she’s Oliver King’s guest, she doesn’t need a personal invite.”
“Mr… Mr. King,” Lucas stammered, suddenly sweating.
“Are you… you sure you’re with this b— um, this woman? She’s with you?”
“Any problem?” Oliver asked coldly, stepping beside me.
“I appreciate the kindness, but I can handle it,” I whispered to Oliver.
“I just don’t like bullies,” Oliver whispered back with a wink.
“Mr. King, she might spread her legs to get in this banquet with you, but don’t be fooled. She’s poison. Just a gold digger,” Stella urged desperately.
“Shut your mouth,” Oliver warned.
“Don’t bother,” I told Oliver. “Trash isn’t worth your breath.”
“You fucking mattress-surfing leech!” Lucas exploded. “Who sucked you in here, huh? The janitor? You’re just a gold digger clinging to Mr. King. What kind of big shot could you possibly be?”
“What is she doing?” Stella muttered as I walked toward the main stage at the front of the ballroom.
“Soon, you will all know exactly who I am,” I announced.
“We know exactly who you are,” Stella yelled.
“You’re Mr. King’s plus one!”
“I don’t need Oliver to crash this party,” I said clearly.
“I can leave whenever I want. My presence requires nobody’s permission.”
“Wow, someone’s delusional,” Lucas laughed nervously.
“You really think you can trash talk the heiress in her own house? Just wait till she gets here. Then we’ll see that pretty little mouth shut real quick.”
“Mr. King, your little project clearly doesn’t respect you,” Stella sneered.
“Careful, stray dogs bite the hand that feeds.”
“She can do whatever she wants,” Oliver replied smoothly.
“Being my guest is nothing to scoff at. I can protect you,” he added to me, “but you need to step aside.”
“Ten minutes,” I said loudly.
“That’s all it’ll take for you to see how stupid you are.”
“Who the hell would believe your bullshit?” Lucas scoffed. “Jesus, is this a soap opera? Quit stalling! Playtime is over in ten minutes, bitch. And when nothing happens, you are fucking dead. Dead! Time’s up.”
“My lady,” Mars, my father’s assistant, suddenly appeared at the front of the stage holding a velvet box. “Your father, Victor Wilson, sends his regards.”
“What? The Wilson heiress is here already?” the crowd murmured in shock.
Mars opened the box, revealing a massive, glowing diamond crown.
“That’s the King’s Ransom diamond,” a billionaire gasped.
“It sold for five hundred million at the Sudbury’s last month! Mr. Wilson acquired it specifically to craft this unique crown for his daughter. Now that’s some fuck-you money.”
“Mmmhmm, I’d kill to wear that,” a socialite whispered.
I stepped onto the stage and reached for the crown.
“Get your filthy hands off that, you thief!” Lucas screamed, running toward the stage.
“Madam, you can’t… Jesus Christ, Claire, stealing from the Wilsons now?! Get your peasant ass off that stage!”
“Sir, why should I?” I asked, looking down at him.
“Because you’re a thieving nobody touching a Wilson heiress’s property!” Lucas roared.
“Hope you like prison food! The heiress will have you thrown out on your ass!”
“Claire, please don’t touch that,” Stella fake-pleaded for the crowd.
“You… you are…”
“I am Claire Wilson,” I announced, placing the five-hundred-million-dollar crown perfectly on my head. “Daughter of Victor Wilson.”
The ballroom went dead silent.
“Welcome back, Miss Wilson,” Mars bowed deeply.
“She is Claire Wilson? Daughter of billionaire Wilson?”
“I knew it. With a figure and grace like that, Miss Claire has to be old money. She’s got that rare pedigree, you know.”
“No… no way. Her? The billionaire heiress?” Lucas stumbled backward, hyperventilating.
“You are the Wilson’s heiress?”
“No, no, no, this… this isn’t happening,” Stella muttered, clutching her hair.
“Oh god, what have I done? I… I dumped the Wilson’s heiress and threw away my shot at marrying into that fortune. I could have been set for life!”
“Hmm, you’re lying!” Stella suddenly shrieked.
“I know exactly who you are! You’re just an orphan with no parents! Hah, right! She’s an orphan! No way she’s a Wilson!”
“Hahaha, I made the right choice!” Lucas suddenly barked, a manic look in his eyes.
“Oh, ha, I get it. To fake being an heiress, she hired actors! That crown is a prop, and this whole thing is a sham! This is just some poor nobody’s delusion. Just playing dress-up. How pathetic. Come on, if you’re the Wilson heir, then I’m Bill Gates’ long-lost son!”
“Bitch, what are you still doing up there?” Stella yelled.
“Take off that fake crown! Everything here has always been mine! You’re a liar. They belong to the real heiress, not some gold-digging cockroaches like you!”
“She is the heiress,” a renowned fashion designer stepped out from the crowd. “She’s wearing the custom Wilson gown. Oh my god, look at the stitching. The sheen. That’s the custom gown I saw in Vogue. The one commissioned for the Wilson heiress. Identical. A half-a-million-dollar dress bought by the Wilsons.”
“Tsk, thought she’d just snagged some sugar daddy,” a woman muttered.
“The layers on the skirt… you can taste the craftsmanship. If the Wilson family’s one-of-a-kind gown is on her body, then she is the real Wilson princess. If she’s a Wilson, that crown must be real too. Millions walking around on one woman. Now that’s old money perfection.”
“Wait,” Lucas held up his hands frantically.
“She played all of you. Who knows how she pulled it off? We all know the truth. She’s an orphan. No way she’s a Wilson. The losers are big mad now. Keep laughing, fraud. I’ll expose you in three seconds flat.”
“Oh, don’t get cocky,” I said calmly.
“I’ll rip off that fake mask and destroy every lie you’ve built. Your reckoning is coming.”
“The only liar here is you,” Lucas pointed at me.
“And you’re gonna pay for that. Gotcha! Huh. You’re no heiress. That gown is fake! You’re no heiress. That dress is fake! See, the gown is one of a kind. But search Amazon… dozens of fakes. So hers has to be a knockoff too. Claire, you’re pathetic.”
“Hired actors, a fake crown, and a knockoff dress. All this to trick us? Damn, I almost fell for it,” Stella laughed hysterically.
“Do you think dressing like an heiress makes you one? Ha ha ha. Oh, honey, dream on. And these gifts… they’re fake too. Everything about you is fake! You… why… uh uh uh, you idiot, do you have any idea how much you’ll owe for destroying those things? Enough to bankrupt you. Every last penny.”
“These cheap knockoffs? How much could this trash even cost?” Lucas sneered. “Give it up, imposter, and get the hell out of here. I’m gonna smash that fake crown ax and rip that cheap gown right off you.”
“Touch her and you’re done,” Oliver King stepped in front of the stage, blocking Lucas. “She’s only wearing this mask because of them. Because they broke her first. Tell them I gave you the crown and the throne. They’ll back off.”
“I know Miss Claire is lying,” Stella yelled. “Shut up, Porker! We know you’re her loyal maid. Spill it. How much did she pay you to lie? Because I can double it. Enough for a life lease.”
“Shut up,” I commanded, glaring down at Stella. “You want me to snap your fingers again? Are you threatening me, you bitch?”
“Protecting your maid? Guess you found a loyal mutt,” Lucas laughed. “Fake heiress.”
“Enough,” I said, stepping to the edge of the stage. “I know how to prove that the gown is real. I know how to prove if the gown is real. How? That designer uses a custom fabric. Looks normal, but it actually glows in the dark. Safe for the diamonds. Shine a light. Check the sparkle. That’ll prove if the crown is real.”
“Perfect,” Lucas grinned wickedly. “Kill the lights! Spotlight the bitch’s dress and crown, and let’s see the truth. If nothing glows, that crown is fake. That gown is fake. And you… you’re a fine fraud. Cat got your tongue? But you can’t do it because you’re fake. A pathetic imposter. Confess, or this ends badly.”
“Don’t do it, they’ll expose you,” Oliver whispered to me.
“I’m not scared,” I smiled.
“I’m not bluffing. Because I am telling the truth. Lights out!”
The ballroom plunged into pitch blackness.
A collective gasp echoed through the massive room.
My gown illuminated the darkness, glowing with an ethereal, starlight luminescence. The King’s Ransom diamond in my crown caught the ambient moonlight from the windows, refracting beams of pure, blinding spectral light across the walls.
“Holy hell,” Lucas breathed, his voice cracking.
“She’s glowing like actual royalty.”
“I’ll admit it, seeing her all dolled up in that insane gown and crown, she almost passes for old money,” Stella whimpered.
“That crown and dress… I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re literally glowing. That’s the real deal. She is the heiress. Stunning.”
“Where did she get these? No… no way the dress and crown are real. She’s actually the heiress? Impossible. Impossible! How is this happening?” Lucas fell to his knees in the dark.
“There you have it,” I announced as the lights snapped back on.
“I have proved everything. Now it’s time for you two to pay your dues.”
“Wait!” Stella shrieked, desperate.
“There is still something off about that crown and gown! What stunt are you pulling now? OK fine, the stuff’s real. But it belongs to the real heiress! Prove that you’re her! For all we know, you stole it! Did you steal the empress’s things? Look, give them back. I know her, she’s kind and gentle. I can smooth things over. She might forgive you.”
“What? Come on,” I laughed, shaking my head. “I am the empress.”
“Ha ha! Street trash like you wouldn’t know decency even if it bit you,” Lucas spat.
“And that gal… that gal doesn’t make your loyalty.”
“Unlike you two, I actually have morals,” I replied.
“Stealing is beneath me.”
“Oh yeah? So prove it then!” Lucas demanded.
“Prove you’re the real deal. Cause otherwise, you’re just a cheap thief. Prove myself to you? What gives you the right?”
“Though, I did prepare a special gift just for you,” I smiled coldly, pulling out my phone.
“Hmm. Mars, the things I told you to do? You can start now. Bankrupt Lucas Stone’s company. Effective immediately.”
“God, she’s so committed to this whole illusion,” Lucas laughed, standing up and dusting off his knees.
“Get me? You think you can bankrupt an entire company with one phone call? God, playing heiress has really gone to your head. Ha, whatever. Peasant like you understand how the real world works? You mark my words, even when you’re rotting in the ground, my empire will never, ever fall.”
Lucas’s phone began to ring aggressively in his pocket. He pulled it out, answering it with a smug smile.
“Welcome to hell, boss.”
“It’s a disaster! The capital chain just snapped!” a panicked voice screamed through the speaker, loud enough for those nearby to hear.
“Wait, say that again?” Lucas’s smile vanished.
“Our biggest investors just pulled out! All of them! If we don’t get cash now, we’re bankrupt, boss! Do something! Look at it! Boss, do something! What’s happening?!”
“She… she really is… is… what?” Lucas dropped his phone, his hands shaking violently.
“She’s the heiress. She destroyed my company with one phone call! Ow! Ow! My… my company. All my life’s work. Everything is gone. All of it. Wiping out a whole company like that… only the heiress has that kind of pull.”
Suddenly, Lucas shook his head rapidly.
“Hold on. Hold on. This is a fake call! This is a scam number! Ha ha ha! You’re right, this is not my employee’s number. So that guy is not from my company. I am not bankrupt! Ha ha ha! I am not bankrupt! Ha ha! You set this up. You faked that call to prop up your own pathetic lie! God, how low you think your imagination is? Truly Olympic level. You conniving bitch, you bled me! All this effort to pretend that you’re somebody? Newsflash, you’ll always be trash! Hopeless! You have no idea what’s coming for you!”
“Shut your damn mouth!” I commanded.
“I am not falling.”
“Boss! Boss! Boss! Boss!” A man in a disheveled suit burst through the ballroom doors, sprinting toward Lucas.
“Hey, girl! The company is finished! Capital’s gone. We just filed for bankruptcy!”
“What kind of bullshit is that?” Lucas screamed at him.
“I’m calling you, boss, three times!”
“No, that was a scam call! I’ve been through the place and ran. I had to borrow the security guard’s phone!” his employee cried.
“Oh… OK… this… this can’t be happening,” Lucas swayed on his feet, his face ashen.
“Oh… so… so it’s true? Am I bankrupt?”
“Dead true,” the employee nodded frantically.
“What the hell did you piss off, boss? Nobody pulls funding from everyone like that!”
“I told you,” I smiled down at him from the stage. “Welcome to hell. Enjoying the view?”
“You vicious bitch! You ruined me! I’ll kill you! You’ll pay for this!” Lucas lunged forward, but Oliver’s security detail slammed him to the floor instantly.
“Bottoms up. Look, the human champagne fountain party. Never keep it coming,” a guest laughed as a waiter accidentally spilled drinks near the commotion.
“We need to talk now,” Oliver whispered, pulling me gently aside.
“This chaos is your chance. Get out before the real heiress shows. Your cover is blown if she sees you in her things.”
“Why would I leave?” I asked, looking up at him.
“I am the heiress.”
“Drop the act with me,” Oliver sighed.
“I get it, you did this to survive those two, but it’s over. How are you so sure I’m not her? What is your connection to the heiress?”
“I’m her fiancé,” Oliver said quietly.
“I’m her fiancé,” I repeated, stunned.
“Your fiancé? He’ll be at the banquet today. My fiancé… it’s him.”
“Remember this,” Oliver pulled a small, worn photograph from his pocket.
“She is the real heiress. My fiancé. When we were kids, she saved me from some thug who threatened me with a knife. Please. She got slashed in the neck.”
“Oliver,” I whispered, touching the scar on my collarbone.
“Claire, are you OK? Hey, what happened? Uncle Wilson, Claire’s hurt,” Oliver recounted the memory.
“After that, our families arranged it. We were promised to each other, but then she vanished. Mr. Wilson searched for years. Only recently found her. Sent me here to meet her.”
It was him. I remember now, I thought, staring at Oliver’s handsome face.
“I wonder what she looks like now,” Oliver mused softly.
“Oliver, I am—”
“Excuse me, Miss,” Mars interrupted us. “Mr. Wilson is aware of the disruption. He requested that all the guests relocate to his private residence to continue the evening. The cars are ready. This way, please.”
“Looks like the party’s relocating,” Oliver said, glancing at the doors. “Now’s your chance. Get out.”
“I’m not leaving,” I smiled. “What’s the point of the main event leaving before the grand finale?”
The drive to the private Wilson Estate was a parade of luxury vehicles. When we arrived at the massive, palatial mansion, the guests murmured in awe.
“Why does she seem so familiar?” a woman whispered, watching me. “Tears? She actually followed us here. How is she not shaking in her stolen heels? What if she is the real deal? Then she’s just coming home. I mean, why be nervous in your own house?”
Lucas and Stella had managed to sneak into the transport, desperate to prove me wrong.
“God damn Claire made me look like a fucking clown in front of everyone,” Lucas hissed to Stella by the rose bushes. “Get your pathetic ass together now. That bitch destroyed my company.”
“I’m not buying it,” Stella argued. “Some nobody pulling that off? It’s impossible.”
“Then how she did it? Damn it. Should have never messed with her. I’m going for a walk. You can wallow in your misery alone, Livia.”
“Oh Stella, the real heiress is on her way. Tone it down, or security will drag you out,” a guest warned her.
“I appreciate the concern, but it’s unnecessary,” Stella snapped. She turned to me. “Hey, since you’re the real heiress, care to give us a tour? Yeah, show us the famous Wilson mansion. Or maybe you don’t know this place at all.”
“Funny, I know every inch,” I replied.
“You’re all being played,” a new voice called out. A woman in a garish, overly sparkly dress walked out of the shadows of the garden. “The real heiress is right here. I am Vivian Wilson. The real heiress.”
“Vivian? Really?” Stella gasped. “I thought she was a college friend.”
“I’m telling the truth,” Vivian smirked. “I found Vivian in the garden and she told me she’s the real Wilson heiress. Only recently found. I believe someone wanted a tour? I’d be delighted. Follow me. Let’s see what game you’re playing in my house. Ooh, what a gorgeous garden. Of course, Daddy knows I love roses. Had these rare varieties flown in special. Juliet roses from England, blue and V hybrids from Kyoto, and these rare equatorial black diamonds. All for me.”
“Damn, only someone who owns this place would know it this well,” a guest muttered.
“Mmhmm, she’s gotta be the real heiress. Vivian darling, you have to take me with you to all the good parties now. College buddies, right?”
“Hmm, I’ll consider it,” Vivian smiled arrogantly.
“Well, well, now it’s clear. Little lie,” Stella laughed at me.
“Exactly, this fraud’s been playing you all well.”
“But my company? How’d she bankrupt me if she’s the fake?” Lucas asked, confused.
“Your rivals were already gunning for you,” Vivian lied smoothly.
“She caught wind of it and set it up to make it look like she did it. She played you like a fiddle.”
“You… you lying bitch!” Lucas screamed at me.
“Damn you! The real heiress is here. How can this fraud even show her lying face? You dare steal my name. You’ll pay for this!”
“Will I?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“Before you play judge, how come we’re all stuck in the garden? Afraid someone will recognize your home, Vivian?”
“She’s right,” Oliver said.
“The estate was in front of the villa, but you took us to the garden instead. Kind of weird.”
“Mmhmm, it’s private,” Vivian stuttered.
“I don’t just let strangers trample through my personal space.”
“So you’re saying your father, Victor, invited us all here, but you won’t let us in?” I challenged.
“I… I said I don’t want to!” Vivian yelled.
“You don’t want to, or you can’t?” I asked. “I don’t know who you are, but you’d better come clean before this gets worse.”
“Clean? I am the heiress!” Vivian insisted. “Hmm, fine. Want the grand tour? Right this way.”
We all followed Vivian to the massive front doors of the mansion.
“So, what are you waiting for?” Stella mocked me. “Please, you think Vivian can’t handle a door? Pathetic princess, prove her wrong.”
Vivian tugged at the handle. It didn’t budge. “I forgot my key. Let me call the maid to send it. Come on, mom, pick up the phone.”
“What’s the hold up?” Lucas asked. “Call someone else.”
“Just give me a second. Second please,” Vivian panicked.
“You couldn’t open this door if I gave you a year,” I said, stepping forward. “Who the hell are you to act so high and mighty? I just forgot my key. Like you can open it.”
I stepped in front of the digital biometric scanner next to the door.
Facial recognition confirmed. Welcome home, Miss Wilson, the automated voice rang out clearly, and the heavy doors clicked open.
“Welcome,” I smiled at the dumbfounded crowd.
“Never seen anything like it. Mind blown. And Jesus, oh god, you’re so unfair, I want this life.”
“You… you claim to be the real heiress, but why couldn’t you open the door?” Lucas demanded of Vivian. “The real heiress wouldn’t call a maid for a biometric lock that she owns. But she opened it like it was nothing. Looks like she’s the one who lives here.”
“How could Claire open this door?” Stella gaped.
“I told you, I am Claire Wilson,” I said.
“She’s the heiress? How could she be so skinny within a few months?” Lucas muttered.
“Now the question is, who are you?” I asked Vivian.
“Who are you? I am Vivian Wilson. The daughter of Victor Wilson! And the only reason you opened that door is because… because the scanner’s broken! Anyone’s face would work! Yes, she just got lucky!”
“You are so desperate to buy that because you can’t handle that I, the girl you tormented, am the Wilson heiress,” I told Lucas and Stella. “You are terrified of what I’ll do to you.”
“Oh shit, we’re not scared of you. You’re nothing! Nothing! Not even worth our time!” Lucas yelled.
“Good. Hold on to that arrogance when everything burns,” I replied.
“Enough, fraud! Show some respect to my guests!” Vivian shouted at me.
“Vivian, you called… everything OK, Vivian?” An older woman in a maid’s uniform rushed out from the open door.
“Aren’t you gonna introduce this lady to us? She looks like a gardener. Why is she calling the heiress by her name? Unless she’s actually…”
“She’s my foster mother from before the Wilsons found me,” Vivian lied quickly.
“Foster mother?” the maid gasped.
“Vivian, how could you?”
“Shut up! I told you, even though you’re my foster mother, you need to call me Miss Wilson now!” Vivian hissed.
“This Vivian doesn’t carry herself like an heiress to me. At least he didn’t mistake her for me. What a wonderful show. Give it a rest. Picking fights won’t make you the heiress, baby. Mmhmm, you’re just jealous, trying to sabotage the real thing.”
“Vivian, how can you stand her offending you like that? Kick her out right now!” Stella egged her on. “Phony piece of shit, get the hell out of my house!”
Vivian lunged forward and slapped the maid hard across the face. “Bitch, you hit me?!” the maid cried.
“Wait, what’s happening? Mister Wilson! Mister Wilson!”
Victor Wilson strode out from the grand foyer, flanked by a dozen security guards. The sheer presence of the billionaire silenced the entire estate.
“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Victor’s voice thundered.
“My eyes and ears are everywhere. I knew everything before I even walked in here. Every lie. Every insult. Every pathetic attempt at fraud.”
“Mr. Wilson, it’s her!” Vivian cried, pointing at me.
“She ruined everything! She crashed your party, and we… we couldn’t let this… this bitch wreck your event! It’s true, Mr. Wilson! Please let me explain. She was impersonating your daughter. I just pretended to be here to protect the Wilson name.”
“Protect the Wilson name?” Victor asked dangerously softly.
“Since when does the gardener’s daughter need to protect my family’s name?”
Vivian froze. The color drained completely from her face.
“You lying bitch!” Stella screamed at Vivian.
“You played us because you’re a social climbing backstabber! I knew it! Looked down at me all through college because my folks were nobody. If I hadn’t played the heiress, you’d still be sneering at me. I am done being your punching bag forever!”
“No way. Watching you grovel at my feet? Priceless,” Vivian spat back, dropping the act.
“That’s why I had to be above you, you lying little bitch!”
Vivian turned back to Victor.
“And Mr. Wilson, the other reason is, I… I truly feared for your family’s honor. That imposter. I had to step in no matter what the outcome. You’re asking for Mr. Wilson to thank you, aren’t you? Mr. Wilson, look at her. She’s the real problem.”
“Where are your guards? Grabbing her problem?” Vivian asked wildly.
“Are you referring to my daughter?” Victor asked, his voice shaking the ground.
“Are you referring to my daughter?”
“Did you hear that? Mr. Wilson just said that’s his daughter!”
“I knew it! He’s the heir! So it’s all true. The gown, the tiara, the gifts, the whole celebration. All for her. My baby girl.”
“Is she the… the real heiress?” Lucas choked out, falling to his knees again.
“My ex-wife? You’ve got to be kidding me. How can she have this life? It’s not fair! What? No! I… I’ve made a mistake! I… Mr. Wilson, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault I failed to educate Vivian properly.”
“What your daughter has done is unforgivable,” Victor said to the crying gardener. “She will live in prison for a while for her behavior.”
“What? No! Mr. Wilson! Out! Out! Out!” Vivian screamed as security dragged her away.
“And now, it’s your turn,” Victor turned his furious gaze onto Lucas and Stella.
“No, no, hey, Mr… Mr. Wilson, listen, this… this… this whole thing is a whole misunderstanding here. Yeah, right, right! We never meant to disrespect your daughter. A misunderstanding,” Lucas babbled, crawling forward on the pavement.
“A misunderstanding?” I stepped forward, looking down at the pathetic man who had broken my heart.
“You two stole my money, betrayed me on my wedding day, causing me to lose my baby. That’s all just a misunderstanding?”
“Claire, sweetheart, listen, I… OK, I was so wrong. Please forgive me,” Lucas begged, tears streaming down his face.
“Well, look, hey, you… you crushed my company. So might as well call it even, huh? Even? Yeah.”
“You think your pathetic bankruptcy is equal to my child’s life?” I asked, my voice deadly quiet.
“That rotting company of yours isn’t worth a drop of my baby’s blood.”
“Your baby? Your baby? He was my baby too!” Lucas yelled, desperate.
“I was manipulated! She… this viper! She seduced me! She did it! It’s all her fault!”
“You… you filthy liar!” Stella screamed, hitting Lucas.
“You crawled into my bed begging! Coward! Don’t you dare put your shit on me!”
“And the rats turn on each other,” I smiled coldly.
“Don’t worry, darling, I’ll bury you both.”
“Please! Please! I’ll confess it was all him! What? You stole my money, cheated on our wedding day, and left me to bleed alone! You… you betrayed our friendship, shattered my marriage, and killed my child!”
“No! No, no! Oh, Claire, Claire, Miss Wilson, I… I beg you, please show mercy!” Stella sobbed, grabbing my ankles.
“Mercy? You mean like the mercy you showed me when I begged you not to leave? When I begged you to save our baby?” I kicked her hands away. “It’s over. It’s all over. We messed with the Wilsons. We’re finished. Out. Out. Move, move, move!”
Security hoisted them into the air, dragging them kicking and screaming off the estate grounds.
“Sorry, sweetheart, I should’ve gotten here sooner,” Victor sighed, wrapping a warm arm around my shoulders.
“It’s alright, Dad,” I smiled, leaning into him.
“I’m a Wilson. I can handle myself.”
“Claire… Claire, I’m sorry I didn’t know,” Oliver said, stepping out from the crowd.
“Looks like you two need some time to catch up,” Victor chuckled warmly.
“Mars, would you please escort our guests to the champagne fountain? And you kids take all the time you need.”
“Claire, I… I have some things I want to say,” Oliver started nervously as the crowd dispersed into the mansion.
“I owe you an apology, Claire. When I saw you earlier, I didn’t recognize you. I thought you’d look different.”
“I did, six months ago,” I said softly.
“But I needed the change.”
“How didn’t I see that your eyes still light up the same way when you’re about to call someone out on their nonsense?” Oliver laughed, reaching out to gently touch my hand.
“You remember that?”
“I remember everything about you,” I smiled.
“You’re still the kind guy I remember. You never looked down on me, even when you thought I was not the heir.”
“You’ve had that this whole time, Oliver?” I asked, nodding to the photo in his pocket.
“Why?”
“Maybe I hoped if I carried it around long enough, I’d… I’d run into you again, properly,” Oliver said, stepping closer.
“And now that you have, when we’re at the start, now I’m very motivated to never lose you again.”
An hour later, I stood arm-in-arm with my father at the top of the grand staircase inside the villa.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Victor announced, his voice filled with immense pride.
“It is my honor to finally introduce my daughter. The true star of today’s celebration. Claire Wilson. My girl walks through fire for me, but she never lost her kindness or strength. So Claire, the bravest soul I’ve ever known.”
The crowd raised their glasses, cheering wildly. I looked out over the sea of faces, catching Oliver’s eye. He raised his glass to me, a promise in his smile.
Yeah, it doesn’t matter what the scale says. What the mirror shows. True beauty has nothing to do with size, and everything to do with the strength you carry inside.