I am the sole heir to the Sterling family empire, groomed from birth to inherit the throne. Until one day, a beautiful woman showed up with twins in tow, marching right up to my mother and demanding she return everything that belonged to her. She claimed that ten years ago, she had a one-night stand with my father, and that I was nothing but a bargaining chip my mother used to marry Arthur Sterling. Hearing this, my mother didn’t even flinch. She just dialed my father's number and gestured for me to speak. My voice was bratty, laced with annoyance. "Dad, there’s some crazy lady here blocking our way, saying she’s the only one who deserves you and that her two kids are yours." "Do you think she’s got some loose screws in her head?" 1 My parents' marriage was a strategic business alliance. From the day I was born, they raised me as the undisputed heir. For my first birthday, my father transferred 3% of the corporation's shares into my name as a present. My mother gifted me an actual, literal castle. They never bothered faking a loving marriage in front of me. They each had their own affairs. As a result, every year for my birthday, I would receive over a dozen presents from various "aunts" and "uncles." The doll from Uncle Hayes? Didn't like it. Threw it away. The diamond necklace from that movie star, "Aunt" Valerie? Liked it. My mom told me to keep it. And then there were all the gifts from other random adults in their circles. At my seventh birthday party, one of my father’s business partners presented me with a custom, high-end jewelry set. I hesitated, looking up at my father, unsure if I should accept it. He rubbed my head, crouched down, and looked me dead in the eye. "Chloe, if you like it, take it. You are the heir to the Sterling family. Anything you want in this world can be yours." What did I want? I wanted sparkling jewels and gorgeous dresses. And I wanted money. Lots and lots of money. I was young, but I was already the little princess of the Sterling family, known by everyone in high society. My grandmother once urged my father to have a son to carry on the family name, but he shut it down immediately. He told her he wouldn't let anyone or anything threaten my position as his heir. 2 So, when one of his mistresses showed up at our door with a secret son, I wasn't even surprised. I just stood behind the half-open door, watching them, feeling mildly annoyed. My father tossed a credit card onto the floor without a single flicker of emotion. His voice was ice. "Take your kid and get the hell out of here. If I ever see your face again..." "You know what will happen." The DNA test results fluttered to the floor like snow. The woman collapsed, sobbing hysterically. "Arthur, how could you do this to me..." The bodyguards moved in to drag them out, but the little boy suddenly broke free and charged straight at me. He cursed at me furiously, "It's all your fault! It's all your fault! Why do you get to live with Mommy and Daddy?!" I could have easily dodged him, but for some inexplicable reason, I just stood there, frozen. Ugh, what a death wish. He shoved me hard onto the floor and reached out to strangle me. I looked up in shock, feeling the sting of my scraped palms. "Ow..." The next second, he was kicked viciously to the floor. My mother, hearing the commotion, rushed down the stairs to help me up. She didn't forget to spin around and deliver a brutal slap across the boy's face. "What kind of filthy trash thinks they can touch my daughter?!" My mother glared at my father, her voice raising. "Arthur, I don't care about your private life. But now your mistresses and bastards are showing up at my door, putting their hands on my daughter." "Don't you think you owe me an explanation?" Arthur's face darkened. He rubbed his temples in frustration and shot a look at the two bodyguards. "Send her abroad. Make sure she never comes back." Ignoring the woman’s desperate pleas, he looked coldly at the boy on the floor. "And find a way to dump this little brat in an orphanage." My mother let out a cold scoff, then finally turned her attention back to me. She carried me to the sofa and grabbed the first-aid kit to clean my scraped hands. No one ever explained anything to me. The incident was swept under the rug as if it never happened. My father bought a mountain of gifts to coax a smile out of me and personally took me to a high-profile auction to publicly reaffirm my status. But that day, I saw the ugly, rotten underbelly of this family clearly. Did it matter, though? I was a perfectly qualified heir, after all. 3 After three years at my elite prep school, a pair of fraternal twins suddenly transferred into my class. The sister stood meekly behind her brother, her voice squeaky. "Hi everyone, I'm Mia Vance. It's nice to meet you!" The little boy was clutching a sleek, high-end mini laptop. He kept a straight face, his features bearing a striking resemblance to my father's. He spoke coldly: "Leo Vance." "Let's give a warm welcome to our new classmates!" The teacher tried to hype them up, but the class only offered a scattering of unenthusiastic claps. Several appraising looks landed on them. I rested my chin in my hand, watching them with mild amusement. When they looked my way, I gave a lazy, slow clap. Are these my dad's secret kids? They look pretty annoying. After class, the resident rich-kid bully and his two cronies cornered Leo. "Hey! I haven't seen you around before. Who are your parents?" He shoved Leo aggressively. Leo shot him a cold glare, stepping in front of Mia to protect her. "Move." "Don't look down on me!" Mia grabbed Leo's hand, puffing her cheeks indignantly. "It's none of your business! My mom is super important..." "Mia, let's go." Leo gave her a gentle look and pulled her away. Once they were gone, I waved my hand dismissively, my eyes drifting to the laptop sitting in Leo's desk. Interesting. 4 After school, I ordered my butler to look into the twins' background. Their mother’s name was Sarah Vance. Ten years ago, she went abroad for unknown reasons, and returned with two kids. Interestingly enough, she was my mother's half-sister. My aunt. This didn't seem like a coincidence. I narrowed my eyes, a theory already forming in my head. "Miss Chloe, should I dig deeper?" The butler stood respectfully by my side. I took a huge gulp of milk, hopped off the sofa, and padded barefoot toward the door. Halfway there, I stopped, turning back thoughtfully. "No need... Oh, actually, what has Sarah been doing since she got back? How did she even get those kids enrolled in my school?" "It’s connected to the Harrington family. The second young master, Sebastian Harrington, pulled some strings to get them admitted." "Also, records show Sarah Vance just submitted a resume to Sterling Enterprises. She has an in-person interview scheduled for tomorrow." I had heard my dad mention Sebastian Harrington. He stayed out of his family's corporate drama and became a doctor instead. He had also been abroad for the past few years. But doing the math, Mia and Leo couldn't possibly be his kids. And the fact that Sarah applied to Sterling Enterprises the second she returned? That was completely intentional. Having confirmed my suspicions, I sighed, grabbed my phone, and texted my parents to ask when they'd be home. After a moment of thought, a bright, innocent smile spread across my face. "Since she's interviewing at my future company, I don't think it's out of line if I drop by tomorrow to take a look, right?" The butler bowed his head. "Whatever you wish, Miss Chloe." 5 It was very late by the time my mother got home. My father claimed he had an important meeting and wouldn't be back that night. Wearing cute cat pajamas, I clung to my mom's arm and whined. "Please let me go to the office tomorrow! I miss Dad..." "Well... maybe I don't miss him that much, but I just really want to see the office!" "You little rascal," my mom chuckled, affectionately tapping my forehead. She agreed immediately. "Fine, you can go in the morning. I'll have the driver take you." "Thanks, Mommy!" I kissed her cheek, my voice sweet as sugar. "But don't run around causing trouble for everyone, okay? I'll pick you up around noon." "Go back to sleep." She tucked me in and stood up to leave. I buried my face in the soft duvet, closing my eyes in satisfaction. I couldn't wait for the show tomorrow.
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