Reclaiming My Stolen Billionaire Life

Start Reading

On my wedding night with Craig Matthews, just as he was reaching to peel off my quilted jacket, rows and rows of text flashed before my eyes.

Poor Celeste Mason. Tomorrow her husband is going to fake his death and run off with his lover. Not long after, she finds out she's pregnant, and because she's carrying twins her belly grows bigger than a normal pregnant woman's, so her in-laws accuse her of sleeping around.

"She raises both sons alone under a cloud of gossip, working herself sick. In the end neither son cares for her, and she dies alone on the earthen bed at home. No one finds her until the body has already begun to rot."

"She never even knows she's actually the true heiress of a wealthy family. Craig's lover, Susan Finch, steals her permit to return to the city, takes over her identity, and goes off to be recognized by that wealthy family as their daughter!"

"Poor Celeste. In the end she can't even hold on to her own name. The wooden marker on her lonely grave is carved with Susan Finch."

Craig's mouth came closer, and the breath against my skin jolted me awake.

I slapped him straight across the face.

Craig was instantly furious. "Are you sick? What did you hit me for!"

"Craig, my period just started. Let's just go to sleep early."

Craig got even angrier. "You couldn't come early, couldn't come late, but you had to come now. Just my rotten luck!"

He flopped over onto the bed and slept with his back to me.

I lay flat on my back, unable to sleep.

I didn't understand what those words that had appeared out of nowhere were, but if they weren't a hallucination, then maybe they were a warning from heaven.

Early the next morning, Craig, who'd been at my side, was gone.

My mother-in-law barged in, shouting. "Look what time it is, and you're still not up! Your husband already went out fishing, and you've got the nerve to sleep in. Get up and make breakfast!"

I'd barely finished getting dressed when I heard someone shouting outside.

"It's bad! Your Craig fell in the water!"

I startled, and the text before my eyes began drifting again.

"Here it comes. Craig pretends to fall into the lake while fishing, and not a trace of his body is ever found. In reality he's already at Susan Finch's place, ready to head into the city with her!"

"The whole reason he married Celeste was to use his status as her husband to tie her down. By the time Celeste finishes dealing with Craig's affairs, she's caught up with her mother-in-law and has no chance to see to going back to the city, which is exactly the opening Susan Finch slips through!"

"Celeste was willing to stay in the countryside for Craig, but all along he was scheming for her permit to return to the city. Even the marriage certificate was forged by him! A woman really can't lose her head over love, and above all she can't marry beneath her!"

I broke into a cold sweat. So everything I'd seen was true!

Once I came back to myself, I quickly pulled out the marriage certificate and looked it over carefully. It really was fake!

The red stamp of the production brigade sat crooked on it, the characters were all wrong. It couldn't have been more of a forgery!

When I'd gotten the certificate, I'd been too caught up in my excitement to notice a thing.

Before I could pull myself out of the shock, a slap suddenly landed on my face.

"You husband-killing jinx, my son just married you and you've already jinxed him to death!"

I clutched my burning cheek, my fury and grievance surging to a peak!

The text was still drifting before my eyes.

"The old crone knows perfectly well her son faked his death, and she still wants to smear Celeste as a jinx!"

"She just wants Celeste weighed down with guilt so she'll stay in this village and wait on her obediently. Who'd have thought Celeste would get pregnant, her belly swelling bigger by the day, and the old crone would turn around and say she was loose, cheating on her son behind his back!"

"Poor Celeste. The crescent jade pendant, the token for reuniting with her family, is stolen by Craig too. That's the very pendant Susan Finch uses to be recognized by her wealthy parents."

I quickly felt at my neck. The jade pendant really was gone!

Lottie Lambert was still jabbing her finger at me, cursing.

"My son marrying you was the worst luck of eight lifetimes, you husband-killing woman! Why wasn't it you who died!"

I shoved the marriage certificate right up in front of her face. "This certificate is fake. Your son tricked me. We were never actually married, so how could I have jinxed him to death?"

Lottie stared at the certificate, thrown for a second. "What do you mean, fake? Red paper, red stamp, how could that be fake! You just think you can push around an old woman who can't read!"

I grabbed hold of her. "Then let's take it to the production brigade and settle this! Your son used a fake marriage certificate to trick me. That's against the law!"

Lottie was strong. One yank and she flung me off.

"Quit wasting my time with that nonsense. You jinxed my son to death, so your life belongs to me now!"

"Elijah Gray from the Gray place next door has taken a shine to you. His fate runs hard, so you'll go be his wife! He's coming by soon with the bride-price. You'll leave with him."

The text in front of my eyes drifted by faster.

"That Elijah Gray isn't just lame, he's got a mouth full of yellow teeth, and the second he opens it the stench could knock a person dead!"

"After Elijah Gray defiles Celeste, she finds out she's pregnant. But Elijah can't father children, so he wants to get rid of the baby in Celeste's belly."

"Celeste runs back to the Matthews house for her life. The old witch takes her in for the time being, but later, because she's carrying twins and her belly is bigger than other women's, she suspects Celeste has been sleeping around."

"The old witch makes such a scene that the whole village knows, and every last one of them points fingers at her, calls her a jinx, a slut, and even spreads rumors that she has a filthy disease."

"Poor Celeste can only hide out in another village, living like a rat."

A wave of cold horror ran through my whole body.

The moment it registered, I snatched up the marriage certificate and bolted out the door, only to run smack into Elijah Gray, who was coming to deliver the bride-price.

"Where do you think you're off to, little missy?"

The instant he opened his mouth, the reek nearly made me vomit.

I shoved him aside and took off running.

Elijah was lame and couldn't catch me at all. He could only shout after me.

"Old lady Matthews, get her back here now! If she gets away, you owe me back every bit of what I gave you!"

I ran for my life, and Lottie chased right behind me.

Chasing and screaming at the same time.

"Somebody stop her! This is my daughter-in-law, she jinxed my son to death, don't you dare let her get away!"

The villagers heard it and joined the chase, and I was caught by a few of the faster young men.

They pinned me down hard, and I fought with everything I had, but I couldn't break free.

By then Elijah had hobbled up on his bad leg too.

"What are you running for, little missy? Come with me and I'll treat you good, I swear!"

Lottie cursed at me, foul and vicious.

"Celeste, you still dare to run? I'll break your legs and see if you ever dare run again!"

With that she raised the stick and brought it down hard on my knee. I screamed and dropped to the ground.

Then the stick in Lottie's hand went up again.

Just as despair swallowed me, I saw the text in front of my eyes.

"Conrad Finch, the production brigade leader, is inspecting work nearby. Celeste, scream louder. Maybe Conrad will hear you and save your life!"

I instantly mustered every ounce of strength and screamed, "Conrad, help me!"

But the next second, Lottie clamped her hand over my mouth.

Lottie pinched my waist viciously, so hard the tears spilled from my eyes.

"You still dare to scream? Today not even the good Lord himself could save you!"

"Drag her back for me!"

Just as I was being hauled forward like a dead dog, Conrad rushed up.

"What are you doing? Let go of her, now!"

The villagers were all terrified of Conrad, and they let go of me at once.

Lottie put on a fawning face. "Oh my, Conrad, what wind blew you our way?"

With everything I had, I pried Lottie's hand off my mouth.

Mr. Finch, help me! This woman is a human trafficker. She's trying to sell me to Elijah Gray!

Mr. Finch, don't listen to her nonsense. She's my daughter-in-law, and the day after she married my son, she jinxed him to death! I only felt sorry for her, all alone with no one to lean on, so I found her another man to depend on.

I dug the marriage certificate out of my padded coat.: This certificate is a fake! Craig tricked me!

Conrad took the certificate from my hand and studied it carefully. Then his face darkened with fury.

Forging a marriage certificate is a crime. Does your son want to end up in front of a firing squad?

Lottie flinched.: Oh, Mr. Finch, my son's already dead. And whether this certificate is fake has nothing to do with us. We were cheated too.

I'm just an old woman, I don't understand any of that. All I know is that Celeste Mason took her vows with my son, so living or dead she belongs to the Matthews family. Either way, she does what I say!

We never had a wedding, and we never took any vows! Mr. Finch, if I go back with them, I won't survive!

Conrad's expression turned stern.: Let her go, now! If you don't, I'll dock your work points!

At the mention of losing work points, they finally got scared.

They let go of me, grudgingly, and I quickly grabbed onto Conrad.

Mr. Finch, I'm Celeste Mason, one of the workers relocated here. I heard my name was on the list to return to the city this time. Does that mean I can go back?

I can't say for sure whether your name was on it, but the truck for the city already left with the workers this morning.

The words hit me like a thunderclap. My voice was shaking when I spoke.

Gone? Then how am I supposed to get back!

Mr. Finch, I'm certain my name was on that list. Susan Finch stole my spot!

My introduction letter and my crescent pendant were both taken from me!

Conrad's face went grave.: I'll need to verify this. Come back to the team headquarters with me first.

I followed Conrad back to the production team, and after a round of investigation, it was confirmed that the return permit really was mine.

Celeste Mason, a model worker, is indeed on the list to return to the city this time.

But proving it will be very difficult. My advice, young comrade, is to work hard and try for the next return permit.

I swayed on my feet.: Next time. And when will next time be?

Was I really going to be trapped in this village forever?

Then, all at once, I saw the words again in front of me.

Doesn't a delivery truck from the city come to this village every month? One's due in a few days. Celeste can sneak onto the delivery truck back to the city. Even if the production team finds out, the one who gets written up will be Susan.

Everything cleared in an instant. That was exactly what I'd do!

A few days later, sure enough, the delivery truck from the city arrived.

While the driver wasn't paying attention, I slipped quietly into the cargo bed.

The truck jolted along the whole way, and after I don't know how long, it finally came to a stop.

Wonderful, Celeste is back in the city! Hurry and find your birth parents. You're the real heiress of that wealthy family!

Your birth parents are throwing a big banquet at the Peace Hotel right now, celebrating the return of their real daughter. Celeste, get over there fast!

I took out what little money I had and found a man nearby with an old road bike to give me a ride there.

When we arrived, I didn't even have time to thank him. I ran straight inside.

Only to be stopped cold by the doorman.

Mr. Mason is holding a family-reunion banquet here. The hotel's been booked out. No unauthorized people allowed inside!

I'm their real daughter, Celeste Mason. Let me in!

A country bumpkin like you, daring to pass yourself off as Miss Mason? You don't know your place! Get out of here, now!

Unable to get inside, I stretched my neck and screamed.

I'm the real Celeste Mason! The one in there is a fake! I'm the true Celeste Mason!

Hearing the commotion, the Masons came to the doorway.

My birth mother, Rose Henson, looked me up and down. : You're saying you're Celeste?

My birth father, Dylan Mason, wore a look of pure contempt. : This girl must have heard we were holding a family-reunion banquet today and wants to steal our daughter's identity. Good thing we already verified everything beforehand and brought our girl home.

The one you brought home is a fake! Her real name is Susan Finch. She stole my introduction letter and my tokens. I'm the true Celeste Mason!

Susan heard the noise and came over too, Craig trailing behind her.

I jabbed a furious finger at Craig. : So you didn't die after all, you lying cheat!

Craig clearly hadn't expected me to track him down. He rushed to speak. : Mom, Dad, she's just someone from my hometown. Ignore her. She's a lunatic!

It's all lies out of your mouth. I'm the real Celeste Mason. I grew up in Wellspring Lane, raised on handouts from every household there! Susan, you can steal my tokens, but you can't steal my life!

Rose gave me a helpless look. : Child, everything you're saying, I've already confirmed with my Celeste. Her whole life story, her tokens, the documents proving who she is, there's nothing wrong with any of it.

Today is our reunion day, a happy occasion. I don't want to invite bad luck by arguing with you. Go now.

Only then did it hit me. I'd told Craig everything about my childhood. He must have passed it all to Susan!

Susan suddenly burst into tears.

Back in the countryside you were always ganging up to bully me. You forced me to do your work, and you took my food rations too. I was hungry all the time, so worn out I couldn't even lift my arms. The moment I showed the slightest complaint, you and your little pack beat me black and blue.

Now I've finally won a permit to return to the city, and found my real parents. I never dreamed you'd chase me all the way here to steal even my identity!

Susan, will you only be happy once you've driven me to my death?

Dylan flew into a rage. : You wild little wretch, how dare you bully my precious daughter like this! If I don't teach you a lesson today, you won't know how the Mason name is spelled!

Beat her! Beat her within an inch of her life!

Several strapping young brutes charged out from behind him, their heavy fists coming down on me blow after blow.

I crashed to the floor, blood pouring from my nose and mouth.

Mom, Dad, I really am your own daughter, Celeste Mason!

The text before my eyes began to drift again.

What do we do? The Masons are convinced Celeste is a swindler. They won't believe a word she says!

If this keeps up, Celeste is going to be beaten to death!

I seem to remember that when Celeste was little, Rose was tending a fire and accidentally scalded her chest. That scar should work as proof for the reunion.

It struck me all at once. I did have a burn scar on my chest.

Then I heard Susan sob, : Daddy, she even had people strip my clothes off me. I nearly threw myself into the river over it. It was Craig who saved me.

Dylan, livid, gave the order at once. : Strip this little wretch's clothes off her!

Those men hauled me up and clawed at my clothes with a dozen hands.

I didn't fight them. The burn scar on my chest came bare into view.

The instant Rose saw the scar, her eyes went wide.

Everyone, stop this right now!