Chapter 1 Reborn as the Fake Heiress
+8 Pearls
The deafening roar of an explosion filled her ears. When Isabelle came to, she was lying on a stark white hospital bed.
She was still trying to figure out who had betrayed her when the door suddenly burst open with a bang.
“Isabelle Powell, you’re still not awake?”
“How long are you planning to keep pretending?”
“You think crying and playing the victim will change the fact that you’re a fraud?”
A man’s irritable voice stabbed at her temples.
Seeing Isabelle Powell still lying down, the man’s anger flared. He reached over to yank her blanket off.
“I said get up. Are you deaf or-”
Isabelle opened her eyes with clear impatience and grabbed his wrist in a sharp, punishing twist.
A scream echoed through the entire hospital floor.
“Ah–Isabelle, are you out of your mind?!”
Medical staff rushed in at the sound.
“What’s going on?!”
“Doctor, hurry! This crazy girl is gonna break my hand!”
The man’s voice was nearly a sob.
“Ms. Isabelle, what are you doing? Let go of him!” a nurse shouted.
The staff tried to separate them, but Isabelle didn’t budge. “I didn’t break it. I knew exactly how much force to use.”
The attending physician gave a helpless chuckle. “That may be, but it’s still not okay.”
“I was defending myself. He tried to pull off my blanket. I have every reason to suspect he was up to no good while I was unconscious.”
What?
Everyone froze.
“Ms. Isabelle, this might be a misunderstanding. This is your agent, Lennon Scott.”
Agent?
Isabelle’s expression shifted. “Impossible. I don’t even have an agent.”
Lennon was fuming. “Isabelle, we haven’t even terminated your contract. Now you’re pretending you don’t know your own agent?”
“Did the water scramble your brains too?”
“Let me remind you: you signed on for this show, which means you’re filming it to the end. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay a penalty and the agency won’t cover it.”
“The whole point of this show is the drama between you and Tiana Powell—the real and fake heiresses. You two are the biggest hook. You’re not going anywhere.”
Real and fake heiresses? She was an orphan!
Something was off. Isabelle finally realized-
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Chapter 1 Reborn as the Fake Heiress
Did I die and wake up in the body of another girl with the same name?
“My head hurts. Get out, all of you.”
She needed a minute to sort through the explosion of memories in her head. She waved everyone away.
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“Ms. Isabelle, you just regained consciousness. Try not to get too worked up. We’ll run a full exam later,” the doctor said gently, adjusting his glasses.
Lennon was reluctant to leave. Isabelle glanced at him. “I’m hungry. Go get me something to eat.”
“I’m your agent, not your babysitter!”
“You think you’re still the Powell family’s little princess? That people exist to serve you?”
“Even the assistant the Powell family hired for you has already gone to take care of the real heiress, Tiana. You’re about to lose everything, you know that?”
Isabelle rubbed her temples. “Can you lower your voice? It’s grating.”
“If I starve to death, none of you make a dime. Want a juicier headline? Try that.”
Lennon couldn’t argue with that. “Fine! I’ll get you food!”
He really couldn’t afford to let her die.
Once the room was quiet again, Isabelle finally pieced things together.
She was now an actress–in–training at a film academy with a few minor credits to her name. The real heiress, on the other hand, was an Ivy League prodigy–a total nobody but brilliant.
The contrast between them couldn’t be starker. Isabelle had always leaned on her privileged upbringing.
But after Isabelle’s “parents” watched the show, they noticed how much Tiana resembled Isabelle’s “mother“, Nova Jones.
Nova had shown up at the studio, taken a strand of Tiana’s hair, and secretly ordered a DNA test.
That’s how they discovered that Tiana was the real Powell heiress–and Isabelle had been living someone else’s life all along.
Nova had gone to tell Tiana, but Isabelle spotted the results and caused a huge scene on set.
She’d tried to shove Tiana into the lake out of rage. Instead, she slipped and fell in herself.
And now here she was, in a hospital bed.
“Is this the room?”
She’d barely had time to catch her breath before a new voice echoed from the doorway.
“Isabelle?” Nova stepped in, with Tiana right behind her.
“Mom?” Isabelle blurted, the original owner’s memory surfacing without warning.
“Lennon said you were awake. Are you feeling alright?” Nova asked, giving her foster daughter a once–over.
She’d raised this girl for eighteen years. Even if it had been a dog or cat, there would’ve been some attachment.
She hadn’t planned on kicking Isabelle out immediately.
But instead of trying to get along with Tiana after learning the truth, Isabelle had tried to kill her.
That lake wasn’t just cold–it was freezing in winter. Tiana couldn’t even swim. If she’d fallen in…
“I’m not fine. My head hurts…” And she still had a high fever.
Before Isabelle could finish, Nova cut her off. “Please. You look strong as a bull. You’re clearly fine.”
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Chapter 1 Reborn as the Fake Heiress
“Get up. We’re taking you home.”
“When you’ve had time to think-”
“Okay!” Isabelle cut in.
“What did you say?” Nova blinked. She thought she’d misheard.
Isabelle had been spoiled and willful her entire life. She never obeyed anyone.
Nova eyed her warily. “What are you scheming now?”
“I’m warning you. Don’t even think about bullying Tiana.”
“If we find out you’ve done anything to her, we won’t let you off as easily next time.”
Tiana tugged at Nova’s sleeve. “Mom, Isabelle and I just had a misunderstanding. She didn’t mean to push me.”
“It’s understandable she’d have a hard time accepting the truth.”
“Don’t be mad at her. It’s bad for your health.”
“You’re such a sweet girl,” Nova said, patting Tiana’s hand with a warm smile.
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Then she turned to Isabelle with a sneer. “Unlike someone I know, who’s been nothing but a headache since the day she could talk.”
Tiana had the look of an innocent, delicate flower–and she really did resemble Nova a bit.
She was much more suited for the spotlight than Isabelle. Her fake sweetness was top–tier.
She clearly disliked Isabelle, yet still acted like a gracious sister, playing the emotional reconciliation card.
“I didn’t push her in the first place,” Isabelle said, eyes locked on Tiana.
Then she turned to Nova with a smile. “Anyway, no matter what, you only believe your wicked daughter. I understand, even a skunk thinks its baby smells like a rose.”
Nova’s chest heaved. “Isabelle! How could you say something so vulgar?!”
She looked utterly heartbroken. “Enough! Stop talking and get up now!”
She just wanted Isabelle gone–any longer and she might keel over from anger.
The doctor didn’t approve of discharging her just yet.
“She’s still feverish after falling in. She should stay one more night for observation.”
Nova frowned, about to agree, when Tiana chimed in,
“But Roy and Libby are waiting for her to come home. They might’ve already made dinner and everything.”
Tiana looked up at Nova with wide, expectant eyes.
