Introduction

I was just Emily Miller, stuck in a Rust Belt town, working at Burger Barn, with only my Ivy League dreams and a worn-out textbook to escape my indifferent foster parents. My entire future depended on a scholarship.

Then, the unthinkable happened. The Waltons-the billionaire supermarket magnates-appeared. They claimed I was their long-lost daughter, genetic proof in hand, complete with a dazzling lifestyle upgrade and a campus heartthrob fiancé, Blake. It should have been a dream come true.

But as they spun their heartwarming tale, shimmering, intrusive messages popped up, visible only to me: `>> LOL, the crocodile tears are Emmy-worthy, Marian. #FakeFamily`. These chilling "reality comment subtitles" revealed a sinister truth: the Waltons, including my "fiancé" Blake, were orchestrating an elaborate psychological "kill with kindness" plot. Their real daughter, Jessica, my academic rival, was threatened by my success, and they'd paid off my foster parents to neutralize me.

What they offered wasn't a second chance; it was a gilded cage designed to crush my ambition and ensure Jessica's ascent. Every "generous" offer, every "loving" gesture, was a meticulously placed trap, aiming to turn me into a mindless socialite. The comments were my brutal, cynical guide, exposing the true intentions behind their saccharine smiles.

Naive? Not anymore. I took a deep breath. If they wanted to play a game, I'd play along – right up to the moment I turned their own resources against them. I'd use their money for the most expensive SAT prep, feign airheadedness, and transform Blake into my unwitting assistant, all while planning my ultimate, public triumph that would expose their vile scheme to the world.