My Best Friend Married into a Wealthy Family for Me

On the eve of my best friend and childhood sweetheart’s wedding, I stumbled upon chat records between her and my mother, Hannah, which shattered my world.

“Harriet, I deliberately took the wrong child back then just for today. Seeing that you are about to marry into a wealthy family, I am very relieved.”

“Mom, I will be filial to you in the future. All these years, I can live such a rich life, all thanks to you.”

“If you hadn’t ruined Kelly, I wouldn’t have been able to marry into a wealthy family.”

Only then did I realize the truth behind the years of suffering I had endured—why domestic violence was a regular occurrence in my life.

Harriet had been living the life meant for me, enjoying the privileges of being a rich girl, while I faced the harsh realities of her place. My own mother had orchestrated this switch, ensuring Harriet would live a life of luxury while I struggled in silence.

My mother didn’t stop there. She relentlessly pressured me to break up with Franklin, my childhood sweetheart, giving Harriet the perfect opportunity to step in and get pregnant with his child.

I smiled bitterly at the irony. On the night of Harriet’s wedding, I decided to give everyone a gift they’d never forget.

——

“Harriet, do you like it? Godmother will put it on for you—it must look beautiful!”

Every year, on Harriet’s birthday, Hannah would carefully prepare extravagant gifts for her. Today was no different. She draped a necklace that looked exceptionally valuable around Harriet's slender neck, beaming with pride.

“Godmother, it’s so beautiful! I love it,” Harriet replied with a radiant smile, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction.

Her gaze, as always, held that unmistakable pride—like she had already won the lottery of life.

“Godmother, isn’t this necklace too expensive? You shouldn’t have!” Harriet feigned modesty.

Hannah brushed it off with a laugh. “It’s not expensive, as long as you like it.”

The necklace, costing 37,000 dollars, wasn’t extravagant by Harriet’s standards, but for Hannah, it meant a year of scrimping and saving on her meager salary. She saved a year without eating or drinking with a monthly salary of more than 3,000 dollars.

This moment dragged me back to my high school graduation. I had been accepted to both Edinburgh and Manchester universities, but when my acceptance letters arrived, Hannah’s reaction stunned me.

She flew into a rage, tearing my letters to shreds and hitting me viciously. “What’s the point of studying so hard? Do you think we can afford college? You’ll go to the factory tomorrow to support the family!”

At the time, Harriet had only managed to get into an ordinary secondtier university. But at her graduation banquet, Hannah handed me a red envelope containing 50,000 dollars—an amount more than enough to cover four years of college expenses.

She praised Harriet lavishly in front of everyone.

“Harriet is so remarkable, getting into such a good university. Not like this useless girl in my family, who couldn’t even get into a thirdrate school! even a rubbish university is unwilling to accept her!"

By then, my heart had grown numb to Hannah’s blatant favoritism. But I still didn’t understand the reason behind her cruelty why she treated me like this when I was her daughter! —not until last night, when I read those chat records. I finally understood what I had been through all these years!

Hannah clasped Harriet’s hand affectionately, her expression filled with relief and pride. “You’re getting married soon and I couldn’t be happier for you.”

Then her tone shifted, dripping with disdain as she glanced in my direction. “Unlike that useless girl in my house, always dreaming above her station. Even when she was in school, she tried to steal Franklin from you. Can you imagine? She should have looked in the mirror to see if she was worthy!”

The memory of our shared childhood flashed before me. Harriet, Franklin and I had grown up together. Back then, our classmates teased us, calling us “the love triangle” of childhood sweethearts. Saying that we two childhood sweethearts were fighting for a childhood sweetheart. We all wanted to see who would marry Franklin in the future.

In those days, things were simpler. None of us cared about wealth or social status. Franklin and I had been close, spending most of our time together. In our second year of high school, he even confessed his feelings for me in front of Harriet which made Harriet very angry.

But a few days after Franklin’s confession, our relationship became known to the class teacher.

In order to preserve the Morris Family’s reputation, the school humiliated me, accusing me of having poor character in front of all the teachers and students. They then forced me to transfer from the city's prestigious high school to the worst one in the area.

On the day of my transfer, Franklin swore he’d wait for me, promising we’d be together after graduation.

Determined to make myself worthy of him, I worked even harder at the new school, aiming to get into the best university. I hoped to prove that my worth wasn’t tied to circumstances beyond my control.

But after graduation, he shattered my dreams. He appeared before me, holding Harriet’s hand, his face radiant with happiness.

“You liar!” he sneered. “How dare you say you got into Edinburgh or Manchester University? You can’t even get into an ordinary school and you still want to be with me? Shameless!”

His voice grew colder, cutting deeper with every word.

“Besides, with your family, how could you be worthy of me? If I marry you, where will the Morris Family’s face be?”

I cried, trying to explain. I told him the truth—that I had indeed been admitted but my admission letters were destroyed. But Franklin didn’t believe me. His eyes were filled with nothing but disgust.

That day, he walked away with Harriet, leaving me broken.

For four years, I didn’t see either of them.

I left for England under the guise of finding work. Secretly, I enrolled in university, financing my education through parttime jobs. I didn’t tell Hannah, knowing she’d never approve. By the time I graduated, I had built a new life for myself, landing a good job in finance.

One evening, I returned home to visit my biological parents. Harriet’s parents—my real parents—were surprised to see me.

“Kelly is back. We haven’t seen you for years,” they said, warmth in their voices.

Looking at them, I felt a rush of conflicting emotions. These were my real parents, yet they had been kept in the dark for so long, never knowing the truth about their daughters. I managed a bitter smile, unsure how to reconcile my feelings.

But Harriet, as usual, came over, wearing her smug expression.

“Kelly,” she said sweetly, though her tone dripped with condescension. “You must’ve worked so hard these past years.”

Then, with an almost gleeful air, she added, “To be honest, when I marry Franklin, the thing I want most is your blessing. How about you be my bridesmaid this time?”

Harriet knew better than anyone how deeply I had loved Franklin. Her request was a deliberate attempt to reopen old wounds—wounds that time had only just begun to heal.

“Oh, Harriet, don’t joke about such things!” Hannah interrupted sharply. “This damn girl isn’t worthy of being your bridesmaid. It’d be an embarrassment to you! On your wedding day, she can do the dirty work—that’s all she’s good for!”

Hannah’s words cut through the air like knives.

Harriet, however, only smiled and shook her head.

“Godmother, you don’t understand. Kelly and I were Franklin’s childhood sweethearts. We always said that whoever married him, the other would be her bridesmaid. Isn’t that right, Kelly?”

She turned to me, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed malice. It was clear what she wanted—to remind everyone, especially our high school classmates, that she had won the race to marry into wealth.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Franklin entered, holding an elaborate cake.

His cheerful expression darkened the moment he saw me.

He immediately walked over to Harriet, wrapping an arm around her protectively. “Harriet, she didn’t bully you, did she?” he asked, his voice dripping with concern.

Then, he turned to me, his gaze icy. His tone was sharp, laced with warning.

“Why did you come back at this time? Don’t tell me you still can’t let me go.”

He didn’t stop there.

“Next week is my wedding with Harriet. If you dare to cause trouble, I won’t forgive you!”

His words echoed, the final blow to a wound that would never truly heal.

I haven't seen him for four years and he scolded me as soon as we met.

I smiled coldly and replied calmly, “I let go of our affairs a long time ago.”

Franklin sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Tsk, do you think I believe that? Who doesn’t want to marry into a wealthy family like you? But don’t dream—it’s impossible. You’re not even worthy of carrying my shoes!”

Harriet pretended to smooth things over, stepping between us.

“Franklin, I asked her to be my bridesmaid. After all, that was our agreement back then.” She took my hand, her tone syrupy sweet. “Kelly, don’t take it personally. I still miss the old times. Even though you haven’t contacted me these past few years, I’ve always regarded you as my best friend.”

Hearing that it was Harriet’s idea for me to be a bridesmaid, Franklin’s frown softened slightly.

“Only Harriet would treat you so well!” he scoffed. "Anyway, I will warn you one last time, don't make trouble for me when the time comes!"

After saying that, Franklin opened the cake box and everyone celebrated an unforgettable birthday for Harriet again. It seemed no one remembered—today was also my birthday.

Years ago, Harriet and I had been born on the same day. Because of this coincidence, we were swapped at the hospital by Hannah, setting us on drastically different paths.

One life was heaven, surrounded by wealth and love since childhood. The other was hell, marked by abuse and neglect since childhood.

As Harriet was halfway through cutting her cake, she suddenly gasped dramatically and turned to me.

“Oh! Godmother, how could you be so forgetful? Today is also Kelly’s birthday!” she exclaimed with exaggerated concern.

“I’ll order another cake right away so we can celebrate Kelly properly and welcome her back.”

I had to say that Harriet has mastered the art of rubbing salt into the wound. Her words painted her as a saint while subtly twisting the knife. Sure enough her suggestion was met with praise from everyone in the room. Especially Hannah, who looked at her dotingly and praised her endlessly.

"Harriet is so beautiful and kindhearted! Even now, she’s thinking about this useless girl of mine. Kelly doesn’t deserve such a good friend!”

Then, as if to balance her praise, Hannah shot me a look of disgust.

“But she doesn’t deserve a birthday. I don’t even want to admit that this bitch is my daughter!”

Franklin joined in, his eyes full of disdain. “Kelly, celebrating your birthday? You’re not worthy of sharing a birthday with Harriet. What a joke!”

I didn't say anything and they scolded me again. I remained silent, but their words kept coming like sharp blows.

But Harriet, ever the actress, placed the remaining candles on what was left of her cake.

“How could this happen? Kelly hasn’t celebrated her birthday properly in years,” she said with mock concern. “Kelly, how about using the rest of this cake?”

When I still didn’t respond, she grabbed her bag dramatically. “No, no, this is too shabby. I’ll go downstairs and buy another one. Wait for me!”

But she kept glancing over her shoulder, clearly waiting for Franklin to stop her.

As expected, Franklin quickly grabbed her arm. “Harriet, why are you so nice to her? This leftover cake is already a gift for her!”

Then he turned to me, his expression twisted with malice.

“Kelly, are you disgusted? Don’t worry, I’ll give you a proper birthday!”

Before I could react, Franklin grabbed a piece of cake and smashed it into my face. The impact was harsh and the sharp tip of the fork stabbed near my eye, sending a jolt of pain through me.

“Haha! Smashing birthday cake is so much fun!” Franklin laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

Seeing this, Harriet let out a delighted laugh and followed suit, grabbing another piece of cake and flinging it at me.

Hannah was even more relieved to see Harriet so happy.

"Then smash the cake for fun, as long as you are happy, Harriet."

Soon, piece after piece of cake. It blew on my face again and again. My ears were filled with their unbridled laughter.

I clenched my fists tightly, trying to restrain myself from exploding. Tell myself again and again.

It was not time yet!

Soon, it was the day of Harriet and Franklin's wedding.

It was indeed a wealthy family's wedding. Amid the sound of salutes, I watched Harriet get into the wedding car in the envious eyes of countless people. The luxurious motorcade drove around the entire downtown area and announced their wedding to millions of people in the city.

The most luxurious hotel in Hilton City was also decorated with lanterns and flowers. There were hundreds of tables of guests at the wedding banquet, which was enough to reflect the status of the Morris Family in Hilton City.

All my high school classmates and teachers were invited. When they saw me wearing a bridesmaid dress, they all showed surprise.

"Oh my god! Isn't this Kelly? She actually has the nerve to be Harriet's bridesmaid!"

"This woman is really desperate. Mr. Morris has married Harriet. Does she still think she can please them by being a bridesmaid?"

"Hahaha, she's got no selfrespect at all!"

Harriet’s goal of having me as a bridesmaid was clearly achieved.

Our old classmates stared, pointing fingers and casting contemptuous looks my way. Harriet’s smug smile nearly reached her ears.

Faced with their sarcasm and ridicule, I stayed silent, my expression calm.

Standing in the audience, I watched indifferently as Harriet and Franklin stood on stage.

Under the MC's enthusiastic guidance, they exchanged rings. Amid applause and cheers, they kissed each other.

When it was time to toss the bouquet, Harriet didn’t throw it randomly. Instead, she handed it directly to me with a beaming smile.

Taking the microphone, she looked at me warmly and said, “Kelly, we grew up together and I’ve always considered you my best friend. So, I also hope you can be happy.”

“I hope that through this bouquet, we can grow closer. Franklin has a younger brother who’s always liked you. I sincerely wish for you two to be together.”

The moment she finished speaking, Harriet glanced at the audience and all eyes landed on Franklin’s younger brother.

He smiled at me with a silly grin, drool glistening at the corners of his mouth.

I had thought Harriet invited me to be a bridesmaid to flaunt her life in front of our old classmates. But this? I hadn’t seen this coming.

Hannah jumped up excitedly, her voice brimming with joy.

“Great, great! It’s such a blessing for my little girl to marry Franklin’s brother!”

“Kelly, Harriet truly thinks of you. Why don’t you thank her?”

Hannah’s excitement only fueled the crowd’s laughter.

“Hahaha, she tried so hard to suck up and ended up with the landlord’s foolish son!”

“But hey, she’s still marrying into the Morris Family. Isn’t that her dream come true?”

“This is a win for her—mission accomplished!”

I stayed quiet, my icy gaze fixed on them.

Franklin’s face darkened as he sneered.

“What? Marrying my brother—does that feel beneath you?”

"Haven't you always dreamed of marrying into our Morris Family?"

"Are you so excited that you can't speak now?"

Seeing that I still didn't speak, Hannah rushed towards me, held my head and forced me to bow to Harriet to express my gratitude.

"What are you doing, you little girl! Hurry up and thank Franklin and Harriet! Look at how dead you are! It's good enough that you can get married in this life! Besides, you're marrying into a wealthy family, so you should be happy!"

Finally, amid the contempt and ridicule of thousands of people at the scene. I smiled faintly and reached out to take the bouquet from Harriet's hand.

However, before everyone was prepared, it hit her face hard again. "I think you and this idiot are a better match!"

Seeing me throw the bouquet on Harriet's face in front of thousands of people, Franklin flew into a rage and rushed over to hold Harriet in his arms, cursing.

"Kelly, are you fucking crazy!" Franklin shouted.

Hannah was so anxious that she stamped her feet and slapped me in the face. But this time, I dodged it.

"You bitch! How could I give birth to a bastard like you! Harriet has been so good to you over the years and this is how you repay her! You are such a heartless person, why don't you just die!"

The guests at the scene were stunned by my outrageous behavior.

"Is this woman crazy? Slapping the bride at the wedding, how can the Morris Family put their face?"

"I heard that this woman also liked the groom before and today she must be deliberately taking revenge!"

"The bride still regards her as her best friend. This kind of best friend is really scary. She deliberately ran to the wedding to make trouble. How shameless!"

Anger, disgust, contempt, ridicule. All kinds of eyes, undisguised like a flood, rushed towards me. Even my biological parents, who had always been gentle and elegant, were livid at this time and they were rarely angry.

"Kelly, you really disappoint me!"

"Over the years, our family has never done something wrong to you, forcing you to make such a scene at the wedding! I am now I really regret accepting someone like you as my goddaughter!"

At the scene, everyone scolded me, slandered me and insulted me. I didn't care.

But at this time, facing the rebuke of my biological parents, I couldn't help but redden my eyes. I looked at them with tears in my eyes.

I just felt that they were as pitiful as me. Raised a daughter for Hannah for more than 20 years. Being fooled by Hannah for more than 20 years!

Harriet covered her face and cried, "Kelly, how did I let you down! Why did you treat me like this! In order for you to marry into a wealthy family, I said countless good things for you in front of my parentsinlaw and they agreed to let Franklin's brother marry you! And you, are you repaying me in this way!"

Seeing Harriet crying, Hannah held her hand distressedly.

"Harriet, don't cry, don't cry, you won't be beautiful if you put on makeup."

"Kelly, kneel down and apologize to Harriet now!”

“Are you a piece of trash and are you worthy of competing with Harriet for favor!”

“You were expelled from school for your bad morals in high school!”

“Even a decent university refused to admit you and you shamelessly claimed that you were admitted to Edinburgh University or Manchester University!”

“I won’t shed a tear if you die outside! You deserve it!”

Hannah comforted Harriet while slandering me to everyone.

She, of all people, knew the truth better than anyone! Yet, how could the guests at the scene possibly know the truth about what happened back then?

At that moment, they believed every word she said. Some younger guests eagerly whipped out their phones, started livestreaming and aimed their cameras directly at me.

"Let everyone see this disgusting woman! She caused a scene at her best friend’s wedding and had the audacity to hit the bride with the bouquet!"

"She’s obviously nothing but trash, yet she has zero shame!"

"Remember her face, everyone. Call her out whenever you see her and let her live the rest of her life in disgrace!"

As expected, the online frenzy ignited quickly. Insults flooded the comment sections almost instantly.

"This is the most vile bridesmaid I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen shameless people, but this is a new low!"

"The bride’s family treated her as their own and this is how she repays them!"

"How are people at the wedding standing by so calmly? If it were me, I’d have beaten her to death already!"

Soon, my photos were screenshotted by countless netizens. Words like "bitch" were crudely plastered across them and they quickly became viral memes. The crowd's hatred swirled around me like a storm. Yet, I smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Without hesitation, I slapped Hannah hard across the face.

"Indeed, a woman like you would only raise a daughter who is a trash," I said coldly.

"For example—her." I pointed directly at Harriet.