Chapter 1

When Cassidy Lorne told me what she wanted, I was stunned. I could never have imagined something this outrageous.

Beneath her flawless makeup, her expression remained calm as she slowly said, "He cheated on me."

I felt sorry for her, but I didn't want to get involved in someone else's marriage.

I was just about to refuse when Cassidy interrupted, "Samantha, your ex-husband abandoned you and your daughter. Do you hate him?"

"You ran a background check on me?"

Cassidy smiled. "Isn't that normal? I'll pay you 100 thousand dollars a month and 500 thousand more after the job's done. You and your daughter could finally have a stable life. What do you say?

"Don't worry. He's perfectly healthy, and you won't actually have to sleep with him."

I clenched my teeth but couldn't bring myself to say no. The money she offered was simply too much.

Cassidy went on to explain. Jeremy Wyatt, her husband, was an ungrateful man who had built his fortune off her family's support.

Now that he was rich, he'd changed and found someone else.

"And you still want me to seduce him?" I was confused.

"Greed knows no bounds. From now on, you're Aria Shepherd, the daughter of a returning billionaire. That's your new identity."

"So, what do I do?"

I was nervous. I didn't know anything about the world of the wealthy, and now she wanted me to pretend to be some heiress and lure her husband? Was she out of her mind?

Cassidy tossed me a thick stack of documents. "You have three days to memorize this. Also, clean yourself up. Take a bath."

"I'm clean enough already!"

Ignoring me, she dragged me to a high-end spa, where I finally understood what she meant by "clean up".

It was my first time experiencing a beauty treatment, and I couldn't help feeling anxious. All the contents in those fancy jars and bottles left my face glowing in a way I'd never seen before.

Lying beside me, Cassidy said, "This is your first lesson. Stop being so curious. Just lie down."

I watched her carefully, taking mental notes, even of her subtle gestures.

The private spa's service was meticulous. For the first time, I realized just how wonderful money could be.

My daughter, Kayla Bowman, and I lived on less than two thousand dollars a year, but Cassidy spent 7,800 dollars here in two hours. And that was the basic package.

She said my skin had become rough from all the hard work and suggested I take proper care of myself. She gave me an apartment for Kayla and me to live in and promised to hire a housekeeper, so I wouldn't have to lift a finger.

Motivated by her support, I started looking forward to the day I'd meet Jeremy.

Three months later, I barely recognized my reflection in the mirror. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Was this really me?

Cassidy stood behind me and handed me an invitation. "There's a party tonight. I've arranged everything."

I knew my moment had come.

She gave me a Porsche Panamera and a personal driver.

That evening, I wore a light purple strapless mermaid dress. Sitting alone in a corner, I quickly caught a few interested glances but acted as if I hadn't noticed.

Then, he appeared.

Cassidy, arm in arm with Jeremy, looked genuinely thrilled. "Aria! You're back!"

"Cass!" I stood and greeted her warmly, pretending we were old friends. The Hermès bag on my arm completed the illusion.

Jeremy watched as we hugged before asking politely, "Honey, who's this?"

"Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is Aria Shepherd, my high school classmate. She went abroad after graduation. Her family runs a multinational company.

"Aria, this is my husband, Jeremy Wyatt."

I extended my hand for a shake and greeted him with a reserved smile. The understated elegance of the luxury watch on my wrist didn't go unnoticed.

Cassidy subtly hinted at my family's wealth and assets. Just then, I caught the flicker of greed and suspicion in Jeremy's eyes.

But soon, people gathered around to greet us, one after another, offering flattery and small talk. This made his gaze toward me more intriguing.

I left before the party ended. I could sense a pair of eyes following my every move.

As I looked at the business card in my hand, I smiled before tossing it aside.

After all, heiresses were supposed to have a bit of an edge.