Stepmom Framed Me, but Her Daughter Was Caught Instead

The day news of my engagement swept through the city, Marina shut herself in her room for hours.

Then, at dusk, she came to my room.

Her eyes red, Marina sat on the edge of my bed and waved the staff away.

"Angela, honey, there's something I've been thinking about all day. I only just worked up the nerve to tell you."

I closed the business magazine I was reading and put on a confused look. "Go ahead, Mom."

"Your mother died so young. The Winslow family is at the very top of society, and that world is complicated. Arthur's a cripple on top of that. You'd be married in name only for the rest of your life. It breaks my heart for you."

I lowered my eyes and said nothing. Marina thought she'd gotten through to me and laid it on even thicker.

"I've come up with a foolproof plan. You and this male model pretend to check into a hotel room together.

"Take a few photos. The Winslow family cares about appearances more than anything. They'll call off the engagement themselves.

"Don't worry, I've arranged everything. The model is smart and knows what he's being paid to do. Afterward, we'll give him some money and send him abroad.

"Once the Winslow family calls it off, I'll find you a healthy young man from a good family, someone who's worthy of you!"

When she finished, she watched my face nervously.

In my previous life, all I could think about was how frightened I was of the future and how badly I wanted to be free. The words "cripple" and "married in name only" had gotten to me.

I was naive enough to believe my stepmother cared about me, so I agreed to her plan without hesitation.

But when the scandal broke, the model didn't take the money and leave. He contacted every media outlet in the city and turned on me in front of the cameras, claiming I'd seduced him to satisfy my twisted desires.

My father flew into a rage and publicly disowned me.

Daisy and Arthur stood in the crowd, leaning into each other.

Even now, I remembered the icy water closing over my head and the agony of being betrayed by everyone.

This time, watching the few tears Marina squeezed out, I said slowly, "Mom, you're so good to me."

She let out a long breath and squeezed my hand. "Silly girl, who else would I spoil if not you?"

I thought back to how attentive Marina had been in my previous life, right up until I was thrown out.

She had been so good to me that no one could find fault with her.

My mother died young. As my father's second wife, Marina never mistreated me or let me go without.

Everyone in high society praised her as the perfect wife and mother.

Looking back, I could see her kindness had always been an act. What she really wanted was the huge stake my mother had left me, along with the fortune that came from marrying into the Winslow family.

I lowered my head and pretended to hesitate. "But that model..."

Marina answered at once. "I've handled everything with him. You don't have to worry about a thing.

"Two nights from now, I'll give you the key card. All you have to do is show up at the hotel room on time."