Swapped at the Altar

My half-sister and I were both married on the same day.

She was supposed to be sent away to a distant kingdom as a peace offering, branded with an ill-fated destiny. I was supposed to marry the Crown Prince and become the future queen.

Yet the night before our weddings, my stepmother orchestrated a switch.

In my previous life, I stormed into the wedding ceremony desperate to expose the truth. My sister immediately threatened to kill herself to prove her innocence.

The Crown Prince caught her just in time, but the shock caused her to lose the baby she claimed to be carrying.

The Crown Prince was furious. He accused me of fraud and attempted murder of the royal heir. He ordered my head shaved and my face mutilated before having me thrown into the peace bride's carriage. I became the laughingstock of the entire capital.

My half-sister took my place as Crown Princess, gave birth to twins, and eventually became the beloved empress. Meanwhile, I died on the road to that foreign land.

When I opened my eyes again, drums and music thundered outside. The wedding procession was already waiting.

A voice rang out, "By royal decree, we have come for the bride!"

Chapter 1

The matchmaker pushed open the door and her smile froze instantly. "Ms. Genevieve? What are you doing here?"

The guests outside erupted into chaos. Several women rushed into the courtyard, staring at me in disbelief.

"Good God! Then the one who just got into the bridal carriage for the Crown Prince was Cordelia?"

"Why is Genevieve still here? If this is a mistake, it's treason!"

My stepmother burst in, wailing loudly. "Genevieve, have you lost your mind? How dare you give up the position of Crown Princess? Even if you didn't want to marry the Crown Prince, you can't force your sister to take your place. Defying a royal decree is punishable by death!"

After my stepmother finished speaking, everyone's expressions changed. It seemed like I was seen as a cruel older sister who selfishly made her younger sister marry instead.

I watched her feign panic while barely concealing her triumph. It suddenly reminded me that in my previous life, she had twisted the truth in exactly the same way in front of everyone, pinning the crime of defying the decree on me.

In the embellished letters she and Father exchanged, she wrote that I was willful and fled the marriage, forcing my half-sister to take my place. She painted me as spoiled and reckless, someone who disregarded the family's reputation.

Father was serving as governor in the southern provinces. His duties kept him busy and he rarely came home. He knew about the destinies foretold for my half-sister and me, so for a time he actually believed her words.

Now she was using the same trick again. How could I let her get away with it?

I staggered backward, tears blurring my vision. "Mother, what are you saying? Last night you told me and Cordelia to share a farewell toast. After I drank it, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, Cordelia was gone and so was my wedding dress..."

The crowd's expressions shifted as they exchanged glances. Every woman there had been a daughter once. They immediately understood what I was implying.

"Genevieve!"

A sharp shout suddenly rang out. My aunt pushed through the crowd and steadied me.

She pointed at my stepmother and cursed. "You murderous witch! You must have drugged Genevieve to knock her out, then stole her destiny so your own daughter could marry the Crown Prince and live in luxury!"

My stepmother's face turned deathly pale. She said through gritted teeth, "I arranged this wedding out of goodwill and now I'm the criminal? I've treated you like my own daughter. How could I harm you?"

I shrank back. My sleeve accidentally slipped down, revealing a strip of dark red fabric.

Aunt Marguerite's sharp eyes caught it. She grabbed my wrist. "Why has this fabric changed color?"

Someone pointed at my sleeve and shouted. "His Majesty once gifted special fabric that changes color when exposed to sleeping drugs."

I had soaked that sleeve in the drug solution. Anyone with medical knowledge could tell with a single sniff.

After hearing this, Aunt Marguerite fixed her piercing gaze on my stepmother. "Someone go fetch Physician Hartwell from the Royal Medical College to examine it."

Physician Hartwell was Aunt Marguerite's husband. When he heard something had happened to me, he rushed over.

Sure enough, he only needed one glance at the color of my sleeve before frowning. After taking a sniff, he confirmed it.

"This is a potent sleeping draught from the western kingdoms. It damages the heart and would have killed her in her sleep. It's fortunate that Ms. Genevieve woke when she did. I'll write a prescription. After a few days, she'll recover fully."

I lifted my head, tears streaming down my face. "Mother, why did you want to harm me? Why didn't you discuss this directly with Father?

"Even though he's serving as governor in another province, he still holds considerable influence at court. It would only take one word from him before His Majesty to request a favor for my sister."

Chapter 2

"Now Cordelia has stolen my destiny and taken my place in the carriage. If the Crown Prince discovers this, it's treason.

"At best, Cordelia will lose her head. At worst, Father will be impeached for failing to manage his household properly. Even if you don't care about me, Mother, don't you care about Father's career and the lives of our entire family?"

My stepmother suddenly dropped to her knees, tears filling her eyes. "Genevieve, it was a moment of confusion on my part. Cordelia was so terrified of the peace marriage that she did this foolish thing. But the carriage has already left. If this becomes known, Cordelia will surely die.

"Genevieve, you were raised personally by the Dowager Countess, and you've always been so understanding. Your maternal family is of noble lineage. Even if this reaches His Majesty, there's room to negotiate.

"But if Cordelia is sent back, she'll face certain death. You've always been so generous. Why not say you had willingly given up your place to save your sister's life?"

Aunt Marguerite slapped her across the face. "A daughter of the Thorne family trampled by some concubine who used to wash feet. What do you mean willingly giving up her place?

"You and your daughter drugged her and stole her place! Now you want Genevieve to take the blame for treason? You disgust me! That lowborn wretch Cordelia thinks she can steal Genevieve's blessed destiny? The prophecy scroll belongs to Genevieve alone.

"Years ago you schemed your way into my brother's bed and killed Genevieve's mother. Now you're having your daughter steal her marriage too. Treason will cost you your heads. Do you think the Thorne family will stand for this?"

My stepmother covered her face and laughed coldly. "How impressive you are, Marguerite! Before Edmund left for the south, he entrusted all household affairs to me. The marriages of both girls are naturally mine to arrange.

"No matter how prestigious the Thorne family is, a married daughter is like an outsider. You're a Hartwell now. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at for meddling in Thorne family affairs?"

I gazed into my stepmother's eyes and asked, "Where is my prophecy scroll? The Royal Observatory made it for me using my birth date and time."

Her eyes flickered. "What's yours and mine? You're both Thorne daughters in the end. Your sister has a gentle nature. What's wrong with you as the elder sister letting her have this?"

In my previous life, it was the same. Cordelia took my prophecy scroll and replaced me, then seized all the dowry my mother left behind.

My stepmother calculated correctly that I would not dare make a scene and demand it back in public.

What belonged to me, I would take back this time. And I would make them pay a hundredfold.

Aunt Marguerite trembled with rage. "Outrageous! The prophecy scroll was issued by the Royal Observatory based on Genevieve's birth date. It foretold her blessed fate. Stealing and switching it will bring divine retribution!

"If you and your daughter had a death wish, you shouldn't have dragged the entire Thorne family down with you! Did you embezzle my sister-in-law's dowry as well? Whether you believe me or not, I was about to summon the family council and invoke our laws against you, you black-hearted wretch!"

I pressed down on Aunt Marguerite's hand and turned to ask the matchmaker. "Is the wedding envoy still outside the manor?"

The matchmaker had been hiding behind the door gossiping with the maids. When I asked, she quickly nodded. "Yes, they're still there."

I straightened my clothes. "Go invite the envoy inside. Tell him I have an urgent matter to discuss."

The envoy entered through the curtain. He was strikingly handsome with a scar slashing across his brow into his temple. His amber eyes were like those of a wolf on the plains.

I met him from behind the screen and told him everything directly, then asked, "My half-sister has already taken my place and married the Crown Prince. I'm willing to fulfill the peace alliance. Does the King's promise still stand?"

A trace of surprise flickered in his eyes. He said, "The sons of the northern plains never care about such things. It's only unfortunate for you, Miss. If you're willing to board the carriage, my father the King will treat you like a proper consort."

"That's good then."

I removed the pendant from my waist and handed it to him. "However, before we depart, I need Your Highness to help me with something."

In the palace's great hall, the Crown Prince and Cordelia had just exchanged their vows. The Master of Ceremonies was about to announce the completion of the rites.

Suddenly someone interrupted. "Wait!"

Aunt Marguerite and I appeared at the hall entrance. The joyful music throughout the hall came to an abrupt halt.

The Crown Prince's hand froze mid-air as he was lifting the bride's veil. The assembled court officials gasped when they saw me.

Chapter 3

"Why is Ms. Genevieve Thorne over there?"

"Then who is the bride?"

The Emperor's face darkened like storm clouds. "Genevieve Thorne, why are you here? What is the meaning of this?"

Cordelia cowered behind the Crown Prince. Her veil slipped off, revealing a tear-streaked face. "Your Highness..."

The Crown Prince instinctively shielded her behind him, his brow furrowed deeply.

I knelt on the ground, my voice choked with emotion. "Your Majesty, I came to complete my wedding. Last night I drank the farewell toast my stepmother specially prepared. Somehow, I fell into a deep sleep.

"When I woke this morning, my wedding dress, jewelry, and even the bridal carriage were all gone. I was afraid of missing the wedding, so I hastily changed into my spare wedding dress and rushed here."

The Emperor's gaze was sharp as a blade as he turned to the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, when you received the bride, did you notice anything unusual?"

The Crown Prince's body stiffened. He forced himself to appear calm. "Father, when I saw the woman in the carriage holding the prophecy scroll, everything seemed in order. I received her according to proper ceremony and did not lift the veil to look closely."

I raised my head with a look of alarm. "The prophecy scroll? When I woke up, the box my stepmother gave me with the scroll was also missing."

The Emperor's gaze lingered for a moment on the Crown Prince's hand protecting my half-sister. His expression turned suddenly cold.

Cordelia dropped to her knees with a thud, tears brimming in her eyes. "Last night Genevieve kept saying she didn't want to marry into the palace. She drank herself into a stupor and this morning I couldn't wake her no matter what I tried.

"The Crown Prince's carriage had already arrived at our gate. I had no choice but to board it myself."

She looked innocent and naive. I appeared even more confused. "Cordelia, don't you have it backwards? Last night it was you clinging to Mother and crying that you refused the peace marriage. You insisted on staying in my room to sleep.

"Now that I think about it, was it so you could conveniently steal my wedding dress and prophecy scroll?"

Cordelia's face turned deathly pale. "How can you wrongly accuse me like this, Genevieve! I only wanted to wait until later to switch our identities back so I could protect your reputation.

"It's all my fault. You can beat me or punish me however you like, but please don't say I stole anything."

The Crown Prince immediately pulled her into his embrace and looked at me coldly. "Ms. Genevieve, since you were unwilling to marry me, why come here now to make a scene? Cordelia rescued you from an awkward situation. Instead of being grateful, you slander her?

"I only recognize Cordelia as my wife today. Since we have exchanged vows, this is heaven's will."

I watched them quietly.

In my previous life, they did the same thing. One played the victim while the other played the protector. They pinned the crime of defying the decree on me as if it were nothing, making themselves look devoted and righteous.

In my last life, they made me the villain while they played the heroes. They built their happiness on my grave.

I sighed softly, my voice soaked with helplessness. "Genevieve, are you truly thinking only of me?"

Cordelia lifted her tear-filled eyes, looking pitiful and wronged. "What are you saying, Genevieve? We share the same blood. How could I possibly stand by and watch you marry someone you don't love and suffer for the rest of your life?

"The Crown Prince is magnificent and noble, the man every woman in the realm dreams of. I simply didn't want to disappoint His Highness or bring shame to the royal family. Can't you understand my intentions?"

The Crown Prince's heart softened as she gazed at him. His arm around her tightened and his eyes grew colder and more disgusted as he looked at me.

People in the hall whispered among themselves. The looks they cast my way were full of scrutiny and contempt, as if confirming my crimes of being "ungrateful" and "having another lover."

I slowly withdrew a palm-sized rosewood box from my sleeve. "Perhaps I did misunderstand you, Cordelia. But..."

The box opened with a click. I plucked out a letter from inside.

When I read aloud its contents, everyone in the great hall was shocked.