The Villains' Fake Daughter

Nine failed attempts to fix the toxic villainess and the unhinged antagonist left me with zero options. For round ten, I pivoted.

I faked being their timetraveling daughter, shadowed them 24/7, and relentlessly yelled "Mom" and "Dad".

Cordelia pinned Natalie to the floor, a twisted sneer on her face, ready to ruin the girl's face. I whimpered. "Mom, please! You'll give me nightmares for weeks!" Cordelia froze.

The cruel sneer melted away, and she released her death grip on the terrified Natalie. Zane held his combat knife inches from Preston's chest. I screamed. "Dad, don't!

A murder charge ruins my federal background check!" Zane flinched. The blade halted a millimeter from bare skin. Preston survived another day. Later.

Cordelia and Zane boxed me in, deadserious glares locking onto me. They exchanged a long, hard look.

A synchronized, heavy sigh escaped their lips. "Karma," they muttered. "Our kid acts like an absolute innocent sweetheart." Chapter 1 I fell into a book.

And to make matters worse, I got chained to a system named Phoenix. The novel itself was a dumpster fire of toxic tropes and zero logic.

It centered on an obsessed billionaire CEO, Preston, and a naive sweetheart, Natalie, locked in the classic "she runs, he stalks, she has nowhere to hide" trope.

According to the original plot, everything was supposed to resolve at their grand wedding.

The psychotic villains—Cordelia and Zane—would magically drop their obsessions, smile gracefully, and wish the happy couple well. Reality check: the wedding never happened.

Cordelia hired a hit on Natalie. On the exact same day, Zane gutted Preston. The leads died. The narrative world collapsed in on itself. Phoenix laid down the rules. My mission?

Defuse the villains' red flags. Keep them from going scorchedearth, and make sure that damn wedding happened. My reward? I'd get my real life back.

I had been binging transmigration novels since the third grade. I had the theoretical knowledge locked down. But theory doesn't survive contact with reality.

After nine catastrophic failures trying to fix Cordelia and Zane, I hit a brick wall. Defusing them? A joke. I couldn't even get within ten feet of either of them.

Cordelia was mob royalty. She didn't cross the street without a dozen Hendersons flanking her. Zane was a ghost. A lethal, untraceable fixer. And Phoenix?

His respawn logic was randomized every single time. My best shot at Cordelia was spawning as her maid.

I got fired on day six for slacking off, before I even learned her coffee order. With Zane, I spawned as the neighbor's kid. A high schooler prepping for the SATs.

I survived on three hours of sleep, buried under a mountain of AP Calculus practice tests. Stalking a hitman wasn't exactly on my syllabus. Attempt number ten.

Phoenix didn't even bother finding me a host. He just dropped my original body straight into this world.

The thought of facing permanent death if this mission failed made me break down. I buried my face in my hands and started bawling my eyes out. "Two obsessive psychopaths.

If they can't have them, they destroy them. Why don't you two just ship yourselves together?!" The words hung in the air. The sobbing choked to a halt. Wait. Why the hell not?

They were both walking red flags with severe attachment issues. They'd have so much in common. I needed a massive gamble. I was going to be their kid.

I camped outside a dive bar on the edge of town, shivering in the damp night air. "Target acquired," Phoenix chimed in my head. I grabbed a chunk of my own thigh and twisted hard.

Tears immediately flooded my vision. I launched myself forward, crashing right into a solid chest. "Dad!" I wailed, digging my fingers into his jacket. Silence.

Zane turned to stone. His hands remained casually shoved in his pockets, completely unprepared for the collision. He tipped his head down slowly.

His sharp, cold features twisted into utter confusion. "…Look, kid, you must have the wrong guy.

I'm twentyfour." I cranked up the waterworks, sobbing uncontrollably while looking him dead in the eye with pure fiction. "Dad, it's me! Tessa! Your daughter from the future!

Can't you see the resemblance? We have the exact same eyes!" I didn't give him a second to breathe. Tapping into Phoenix's intel, I started firing off details.

I rattled off three of his most humiliating childhood secrets in rapid succession. Zane stared at me, his expression initially flat and entirely unimpressed.

Then I mentioned the compound fracture he got at age ten from falling out of a peach tree. He looked completely shocked.

He had never told a single soul about that. "If you're my daughter…" Zane's dark eyes locked onto mine.

The icy hostility melted, leaving something dangerously soft in his voice. "…who is your mother?" Chapter 2 Hilarious. Did he actually think I was his love child with Natalie?

Zane stared at me, a desperate, undeniable spark of hope in his dark eyes. I curled my lips into the most innocent, angelic smile I could muster. "My mom is Cordelia, obviously.

Dad, didn't you say you spent four whole years pining after her in college? That you fought tooth and nail just to win her over?" Zane shortcircuited.

Cordelia, who just so happened to be strolling past, halted in her tracks. Total disbelief washed over Zane's face. He parted his lips, a denial right on the tip of his tongue.

Cordelia didn't give him the chance. She strode over, cupped my face, her voice dripping with sheer disbelief. "Little girl.

Did you just say you're the daughter of me and that broke guy?" She snapped her head up, raking a disgustingly critical gaze up and down Zane.

Whipping out a compact mirror, she inspected her flawless reflection and muttered under her breath. "My God. Am I going to be blind in the future?

How could I possibly fall for another guy who obsessed over Natalie?" Natalie, of course, being the ultimate innocent sweetheart of this world. Zane let out a dark, mocking scoff.

He fired right back. "Seems my future eyesight is equally shot. Falling for a woman who spent half her life chasing Preston?

Tragic." Preston, naturally, the untouchable billionaire CEO. They locked eyes, practically shooting lasers at each other.

The sheer hostility in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Right. I almost forgot. At this point in the timeline, the villain and villainess were bitter enemies.

They wouldn't team up to ruin the main couple until much later. Which just made the dynamic ten times better. Enemies to lovers is the ultimate trope.

I hooked my arms through theirs, pitching my voice to a sickeningly sweet frequency. "Mommy, Daddy, please stop fighting!

We're supposed to be a big, happy family!" Both of their faces turned a phenomenal shade of green. Cordelia and Zane stared blankly at the expedited DNA test results.

A bizarre, suffocating silence dropped over the room. It was terrifyingly quiet. The paper in their hands offered absolute, undeniable proof. A 99.9% genetic match.

I was their flesh and blood. Meanwhile, I marveled at Phoenix's insane hacking skills. "You're a genius, Phoenix. You actually manipulated the lab results! Keep it up, Tessa!

You have to nail this! Remember the stakes—succeed or become a literal ghost. No effort, no pulse!" Finally, Cordelia snapped out of it.

Her stunning, razorsharp features still registered pure disbelief. "Cutie… let me get this straight. Your name is Tessa. You're fourteen.

And you are my timetraveling daughter with Zane?" I nodded, offering my most obedient, innocent look. Funny enough, my real name shared Cordelia's original surname.

We were practically destined for this fake motherdaughter gig.

Riding that wave of confidence, I launched myself into Cordelia's arms, tiptoeing to plant a kiss right on her jawline.

I angled my face to catch the best light, weaponizing my cuteness. "Mommy! I love you the most!" The resistance on Cordelia's face evaporated instantly.

She always had a massive soft spot for kids. She had spent years fantasizing about a perfect little family with Preston.

It took her exactly three seconds to fully embrace the Mom title. She squished my cheeks, her eyes literally sparkling. "You are just too adorable, cutie.

Mommy loves you too." I peeked over her shoulder at the villain. He stood there projecting an aura of dark brooding, but his eyes betrayed him.

He was burning with jealousy watching us bond. After all, in the original plot, Zane's ultimate fantasy was settling down with Natalie and having a sweet, clingy daughter.

Chapter 3 I blinked my wide, watery eyes, dialing the manipulation up to an eleven. I flashed my deepest, sweetest dimples. "Daddy!

I love you so much!" Zane sucked in a sharp breath. The indifference in his eyes instantly softened into fatherly warmth.

It took him exactly three seconds to fully embrace his new identity. His rough voice actually pitched up. "Okay, okay. Tessa is the cutest.

Daddy loves you too." Cordelia's mood violently shifted. She might have accepted me, but she sure as hell wasn't accepting the hitman.

She rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Where did this bargainbin dad come from? Tessa, honey, you must be confused.

This is your real daddy." She shoved her phone in my face, displaying a photo of Preston.

A sickeningly sweet smile stretched across her lips. "Baby, this is the new daddy Mommy found for you!" "…Cordelia, what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zane's face darkened like a thundercloud, furious at having his freshlyminted dad status revoked.

Refusing to be outdone, he whipped out his own phone, pulling up a picture of Natalie. "Here, Tessa. Meet the new mommy Daddy found for you." Old grudges and new hatred combined.

The two of them were already arguing so hard they forgot where they were. My skull throbbed. I let out an earpiercing shriek, initiating full soapopera mode. "No! That's wrong!

My parents are deeply in love! Stop it! Stop fighting, the princess is getting a migraine!" I let my eyes roll back and dropped to the floor with a crisp little thud.

The arguing stopped instantly. They practically carried me to the ER, perfectly synced in their panic. Dr. Callahan ran a full workup. "Take a breath. Her labs came back clean.

Physically, she's perfectly fine." Cordelia paced the linoleum floor like a caged tiger. "Are you sure, doctor? My Tessa was perfectly fine!

She just collapsed when her father and I raised our voices. My poor baby! Who is trying to sabotage my daughter?!" Zane nodded grimly, his jaw clenched tight. "Exactly.

I suspect someone is targeting her." Dr. Callahan stared at them, clearing his throat. "Look, this isn't exactly a small issue, but it's not a massive crisis either.

Teenagers are highly sensitive. Tessa is in a crucial developmental stage. Her mental state is fragile. Your screaming match likely triggered a stressinduced syncope.

Keep the fighting away from her, or you'll put her right back in this bed." In the original novel, Cordelia and Zane both came from wildly broken homes.

It bred a sick, desperate hunger for family in both of them—which was exactly why they went nuclear when the leads rejected them later on.

Hearing the doctor's blunt warning, Cordelia and Zane struck an immediate, silent truce. They would play the perfect, loving parents in front of me.

They would give me the childhood they never had. "Ding. Cordelia's corruption level dropped by 10!" "Ding.

Zane's corruption level dropped by 10!" "Who knew the fakeparenting trope would actually work? You're a pioneer, Tessa," Phoenix chirped. I couldn't hold it in.

A low, villainous chuckle slipped out of my mouth. Instantly, two pairs of sharp eyes snapped toward the bed.

I snapped my eyes open, instantly pasting on a weak, fragile expression. "Mom? Dad? What happened?

Why did I pass out…" Chapter 4 Cordelia offered a tight, forced smile. "You're probably just jetlagged and overwhelmed by the new environment. It's okay, Tessa.

Mommy's taking you home." I nodded, dropping a heavy, pointed hint. "What about Daddy? Isn't Daddy coming home with us?" "Hahaha, of course Daddy is coming home with us.

How could Tessa live without her Daddy?" Cordelia's smile stretched into something completely unhinged. Out of my line of sight, her stiletto dug ruthlessly into Zane's foot.

Zane swallowed a flinch. His expression remained totally deadpan. To spite her, his arm shot out, hooking tightly around Cordelia's waist in a nauseatingly intimate grip.

Cordelia glared daggers at him, looking like she'd just stepped in something vile. I watched from the sidelines, absolutely eating it up. Honestly, grab me some popcorn.

This toxic rival couple energy is peak cinema. For the next few days, I shadowed the two walking red flags 24/7, aggressively enforcing our new family dynamic.

Their corruption levels dropped a fraction, but the numbers remained dangerously high. They were still deeply obsessed with the main couple.

Zane left for a weeklong blackops job, leaving just me and Cordelia in the mansion. I was midnap when Phoenix's alarm shrieked in my head. "Code red, Tessa!

Preston just called to break off the engagement. Cordelia's corruption level just maxed out! She had the Hendersons drag Natalie down to the basement.

She's going to kill her!" My blood ran cold. I vaulted out of bed and sprinted for the basement stairs. "Mom, chill!

You stab her, you end the whole damn world!" When I pushed the door open, Cordelia had Natalie pinned against the floor, her expression terrifying. "You scheming little homewrecker.

Gaslighting Preston into canceling the wedding? I severely underestimated you." Natalie choked on her own sobs, gasping for air. "Miss Cordelia, please! You've got it all wrong!

Preston is just my boss!" "What kind of boss books a hotel suite with you three times a week?

You really go above and beyond for the job, don't you?" Cordelia let out a razorsharp sneer. She released her death grip on Natalie's neck.

Snatching a gleaming switchblade off the metal table, she traced the tip along Natalie's jawline. Her voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "Tell me.

If I carve up this pretty little face, do you think Preston will still want you?" Natalie's eyes blew wide with pure terror. The blade hovered.

The unhinged smirk returned to Cordelia's lips. I let out a pathetic, highpitched whimper. "Mom, please!

I'll have nightmares for weeks!" "…Tessa?" Cordelia snapped her head around.

She stared blankly at me standing in the doorway, clutching a stuffed bear and wearing an oversized nightgown. I stared back, radiating absolute, helpless innocence.

Then, I completely threw myself on the floor like a drama queen with a loud thud. "Ouch! Mommy, you scared me so bad I fell!" Cordelia froze. The switchblade dropped with a clatter.

She completely abandoned the sobbing, terrified Natalie and rushed over. Dropping to her knees, she frantically checked me over. "Tessa, baby, why are you so clumsy?

Are you hurt?" I shook my head, moving in agonizing slow motion to cover my knee. "I'm fine, Mom! Ignore me! Keep doing whatever you were doing! I totally didn't see anything!

And my knee definitely isn't black and blue at all!" Cordelia's eyes immediately locked onto the fake, theatrical red mark on my kneecap. She inhaled sharply.

Natalie completely vanished from her radar. She scooped me up, practically sprinting to get me to a hospital.

Chapter 5 Cordelia took three backtoback corporate calls in the backseat. She ended the last one, digging her manicured fingers into her temples with a heavy sigh.

Her icy expression tied my stomach into knots. My little stunt in the basement felt glaringly obvious in retrospect. Would she start hating me? Write me off as a massive red flag?

She bought the timetraveling daughter routine, sure. But we barely survived a month together. How much real maternal instinct could a mob boss actually possess?

Soft, cool fingers brushed against my scalp, instantly shattering my downward spiral. Cordelia leaned over, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

Her sharp eyes scanned my face. She caught the panic in my eyes and pulled me against her side. "Tessa, are you crashing? You keep zoning out.

Does your knee still throb?" Her cashmere coat smelled like expensive perfume and clean laundry. My throat tightened. A sudden, sharp stinging hit the back of my eyes.

Ever since Phoenix had hijacked my life, pure survival instinct had kept me running. One wrong move meant absolute, permanent death. But I barely turned fourteen.

The constant adrenaline crash was finally breaking me down. I buried my face in Cordelia's shoulder. I swallowed hard against the heavy lump in my throat. "Mom," I whispered.

She tightened her grip, resting her chin firmly on top of my head. "I'm right here." Omg, she felt dangerously safe. I wished she actually gave birth to me.

If I ever get to reincarnate, I'm absolutely calling dibs on being her kid! Tires screeched violently against the asphalt.

The SUV jerked to a brutal halt, slamming us against our seatbelts. "Miss Cordelia," Henderson shouted from the driver's seat. "The estate is compromised.

Dozens of heavily armed men just swarmed the perimeter." Preston lounged on our custom velvet sofa, one ankle resting casually over his knee. I peered at him from the hallway.

His razorsharp jawline absolutely screamed untouchable billionaire. Cordelia rubbed my spine to soothe my nerves.

She marched straight into the living room and crossed her arms, glaring daggers at him. "Preston. What is the meaning of this?

Is this a threat?" Preston uncrossed his legs and stood. He towered over her, his expression completely frozen. "Cordelia, my patience with you has a limit.

Did you already forget what you did to Natalie this afternoon?" The color drained from Cordelia's face.

She locked her jaw, refusing to back down. "Preston, whatever happened with Natalie is none of your damn business. And I officially reject your little breakup call.

The Wallaces and Desmonds share way too many corporate assets. You can't just—" Preston cut her off with a harsh, impatient wave of his hand. "Wallace is my problem to handle.

Cordelia, I am letting you walk away purely out of respect for our history. But you owe Natalie an apology. Now." He snapped his fingers.

Natalie crept out from the shadows of the staircase, hugging her elbows tightly. Cordelia stared at the two of them standing shouldertoshoulder.

A bitter, jagged laugh ripped from her throat. "Fifteen years, Preston. We wore rings for four of them.

And you drag an army to my house to demand an apology for your little side piece?

Absolutely psychotic." "Miss Cordelia…" Natalie ducked behind Preston's broad shoulder, her chin tipped up in defiance. "I am not his side piece!

Stop gaslighting everyone and apologize for what you did to me!" Cordelia shot a quick, nervous glance my way. She clearly didn't want a bloodbath in front of her kid.

She raised her hand, signaling Henderson to escort the trespassers out. Chapter 6 Preston's fingers dug viciously into her wrist. "You are apologizing to Natalie today.

That is not a request." Cordelia flinched, a sharp hiss escaping her teeth. That was it.

I bolted from the shadows like a bullet, slamming my entire body weight into Preston's side. "Let her go, you arrogant jerk!

Can't you see you're hurting my mom?!" I forced myself between them, throwing my arms out to shield Cordelia.

I shoved my finger right in Preston's face and let him have it. "How do you, an arrogant old man, have the audacity to demand an apology from her?" I spat.. "You're the one cheating!

That girl is a literal homewrecker! You wasted four years of my mom's life, strung her along until the wedding, and then pulled this gaslighting garbage?

Your ego is absolutely astronomical!" Preston's jaw locked. The truth hit him hard, draining the color from his face.

I let out a harsh scoff and mocked him. "Cat got your tongue, old man? Typical. You always just shut down whenever you're asked a hard question." Pure fury radiated off Preston.

He glared down at short little me, his brows pulling into a deep, menacing scowl. "What did you just call Cordelia? Mom?" He let out a cold, venomous laugh. "Pathetic.

Where did you even pick up this little stray?" Women are inherently strong, but mothers are even stronger