After my family went bankrupt, I was sent back to my birth parents. When my new CEO brother saw my bright pink hair, the prayer beads he was holding scattered across the floor. “Are you here to collect protection money?” I blew a loud whistle, rolled up my sleeves, and revealed a temporary tattoo of a snarling wolf on one arm and a coiled serpent on the other. “Hey, man! My family’s broke. Spot me some cash, will ya?” My parents, who had cut their vacation short to race back, saw my nose ring and their faces went slack with horror. “Dear God! How did our daughter become a delinquent?” 1 My family went bankrupt because a rival sabotaged one of our contracts. The day the court seized our assets, my parents sat me down and told me, with grim faces, that I had been found in a dumpster and that my real parents had finally been located. They’d told me this a thousand times before, but I always thought it was a joke. After all, they also claimed my brother was a prize from a claw machine and my sister came free with a bulk purchase of scrap metal. It wasn't until they dropped me off at my birth parents’ front door that I realized they were serious. My brother, Cole, clung to my hand, unwilling to let go. “It all makes sense now. My last name is Fisher, and our little sister’s is Finn, but yours is Crane. We’re not even the same species.” My younger sister, Coralie, looked at me with grave solemnity. “Don’t forget us when you’re rich.” Without a second’s hesitation, they abandoned me and sped off. I stood before a mansion at least ten times larger than our old apartment, completely bewildered. If I wasn't mistaken, this was the Sterling estate. The Sterlings owned a multinational corporation worth billions. I never thought a family this wealthy would be so old-fashioned as to dump a baby girl in the trash just because of her gender. Tsk. I popped a piece of bubblegum into my mouth and glanced down at my outfit: ripped jeans, a skull-print t-shirt, hair bleached and dyed a shocking shade of neon pink, and a nose ring that glinted in the sunlight. I rang the doorbell. No answer. I tried again. Still nothing. I squatted down, ready to wait it out, and pulled out my phone to call my adoptive mom, hoping she might take me back for a little while. Just then, the door swung open. A ridiculously tall man in a bespoke black suit appeared before me. He was fiddling with a string of expensive-looking prayer beads, his features so sharp and defined they could have been carved from marble. The moment he saw me, the prayer beads clattered to the floor. Well, hello there. Wasn't this the classic brooding, spiritual CEO from a romance novel? I was seeing one in the flesh! I'd heard these types were obsessed with their beads—fiddling with them while eating, sleeping, even on the toilet. They never stopped. And they were supposedly more cunning than a fox in a hen house. “Are you… here to collect protection money?” Asher Sterling’s voice was deep, laced with a mixture of confusion and shock. I blew a loud whistle, inflated a bubble with my gum, and let it pop with a satisfying snap. Then I rolled up my sleeves to show off the temporary tattoos I’d applied yesterday: a snarling wolf on my left arm, a coiled serpent on my right. “Hey, man! My family’s broke. Spot me some cash, will ya?” I said, affecting the most thuggish tone I could manage, and gave him a wink. His expression was thunderstruck, his lips moving silently as if reciting a prayer. “Ash, who is it?” A small, childish voice called from inside, breaking our staring contest. Ash? My eyes lit up again. Another classic trope. If there’s a long-lost daughter, there must be a replacement daughter. The replacement is always showered with love, while the real one is portrayed as vicious and stupid, destined for a tragic end. I narrowed my eyes, ready for a fight. But when the owner of the voice bounced into view, my jaw nearly hit the floor. This was the replacement daughter? I stared at the little girl in a pink tutu, her hair in two tiny pigtails. My brain short-circuited. She couldn’t be more than five. Lily Sterling was studying me with wide, curious eyes. She was way too young to be the evil replacement. Did that mean there was another one hidden inside? “Big sister? Ash, is this our big sister?” she asked, her eyes wide with astonishment. The atmosphere turned decidedly strange. 2 I decided to strike first. I pulled a crumpled piece of paper from my pocket and slapped it against Asher’s chest. “I’m not a fraud, you know!” Asher had completely forgotten about his fallen prayer beads. His face changed the instant he saw the paternity test. It clearly stated a 99.9% probability of a father-daughter relationship between me and Mr. Sterling. I had no idea my adoptive mom had done this behind my back, only stuffing it into my hand as she sent me on my way. I crossed my arms. “How about you just give me a lump sum? A severance package. I promise I’ll never show my face to you people again. My lips will be sealed.” Asher’s expression looked like he’d been punched. He slowly folded the report, his voice low. “No.” I blinked. What did he mean, no? No money? Was he that cheap? The Sterlings were supposed to be loaded. A little bit scraped from under their fingernails would be enough for me to pay off my adoptive parents’ debts. “A Sterling daughter cannot be left to fend for herself,” he said, his eyes turning a little red. “You were taken and abandoned by a nanny. A nanny who was hired by our rivals.” “Dad got into a car accident looking for you and was laid up for half a year. Mom almost… she almost didn't make it. The company was on the verge of collapse.” He wasn't the one who abandoned me? And their rivals were so vicious they’d resort to kidnapping a child? Not only did Asher refuse to let me leave, he immediately called his parents, who were on vacation abroad. He had the butler take me to my room to drop off my luggage. I wanted to refuse, but I couldn't think of a reason. The second-floor hallway was long, lined with doors. The butler stopped at the very last one. “This is your room, Miss Nora.” I pushed the door open and my eyes went wide. This wasn't a room; it was a princess’s chamber. The entire space was lavishly and exquisitely decorated. In the corner, a mountain of gift-wrapped boxes was piled from floor to ceiling. My worn-out backpack looked completely out of place. “Is… is this a mistake?” My throat felt tight. “The madam decorated this for you herself. It’s redecorated every year according to your age.” Every year? A jolt went through me. So, even though I was gone, they remembered me? Lily had appeared behind me at some point, clutching a stuffed bunny. She pointed to the mountain of gifts. “Mommy buys lots and lots of presents for you on your birthday every year. Even though you’re not here, I help you blow out the candles!” “You’re… you’re saying all of this is for me?” “Yep!” she nodded enthusiastically. “Mommy says you’ll come home one day, so we have to make up for all the missed birthdays!” A sudden tightness seized my chest, as if I’d been sucker-punched. They had really been looking for me all these years? “Lily. Tell me the truth. Is there… is there an adopted older sister in this house?” Lily blinked her big eyes. “An adopted sister?” “I mean…” I chose my words carefully. “While I was gone, did Mom and Dad adopt another girl to take my place?” Lily’s expression turned to one of pure confusion. “Mommy and Daddy do a lot of charity work, but why would they adopt another daughter?” I was stunned. No replacement? How could there be no replacement daughter? Then who was my enemy? Isn't that how all the stories go? The real daughter returns, and the fake one starts causing trouble. 3 My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a dozen new messages in our family group chat. I opened it. The latest message was from Coralie: [@Nora Have you met the fake daughter yet? Remember, don’t be like those evil characters in novels. We’re modern, independent women!] I couldn't help but laugh. That girl watched way too much TV. Cole followed up with a rolling-eyes emoji: [@Nora If you can’t make it there, just come back. We’re having pickles for dinner tonight. You won’t starve.] Then he tagged our adoptive parents: [@Dad @Mom When are you going to take me and Coralie for a paternity test? We want to experience the rich life too.] I was about to reply when my mom sent a voice message. I tapped it, and her booming voice filled the hallway. “You little brat, what paternity test? You’ve got my eyes, my cheeks, you look just like me! You’re obviously mine! What’s there to test?” Lily tilted her head curiously. “Is that your family, big sister?” I nodded, a little proud. My adoptive parents had always been good to me. There were even things Cole didn't have that Coralie and I were sure to get. Cole sent a disappointed emoji. Coralie immediately followed up. “What about me? I’m so pretty. How could I have gotten Dad’s genes?” My mom sent another voice note. I could practically see her rolling her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourselves. Take a look in the mirror. One of you looks like me, the other like your dumb dad. Only Nora is tall and slender, with fair skin. She was the face of our family. Now all we have left are the crooked ones.” I snorted with laughter, then felt my eyes sting. This was the family dynamic I knew. Constant teasing, but with an undercurrent of affection. I typed a reply: [Mom, you’ll hurt their feelings.] Cole: [My path to riches is blocked! @Nora, set me up with a rich older woman. I’ll make my own way as a kept man!] Mom: [You ungrateful son! I’ll disown you!] Coralie: [Bro, if you’re gonna be a kept man, take me with you. My teeth aren't so good either, can’t handle hard work. By the way! How are you doing over there, sis? Is there really no fake daughter?] I hesitated. [No, really. Just a five-year-old little sister.] Cole: [Oh no, does that mean you have to inherit the family fortune? Don't forget us!] My dad suddenly chimed in: [@Nora How are they treating you?] How were they treating me? I had no idea. The Sterlings were still on a plane. So far, so good, I guess. I just replied, “Fine.” Cole was relentless: [What does ‘fine’ mean? Did they give you money? How much?] I rolled my eyes. [Can you have some dignity, bro?] Coralie jumped in: [Sis, if they bully you, just come back!] Just as I was about to reply, there was a soft knock on my door. Asher stood there, holding out a phone. “Nora, put your number in.” I raised an eyebrow and took the phone. It was already unlocked to the new contact screen. I deliberately typed my number slowly, and in the name field, I entered “Bro Crane.” Asher took the phone back. When he saw the name, his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. He calmly deleted it, re-entered “Nora,” and saved it. Then, he pulled a card from his suit pocket. It was black, with a matte finish, the gold lettering shimmering under the light. My eyes widened instantly. 4 Could this be the legendary black card? “Take it,” Asher said, holding it out. “A welcome gift from me.” I took the card, my fingers trembling slightly. Back home, my monthly allowance was three hundred bucks, max, and I had to beg for it. This card could supposedly buy a private jet, and he was just handing it to me? “How much is on this?” I asked, feeling a bit pathetic. “Enough to buy the entire downtown luxury villa district.” I immediately stuffed the card into my pocket, afraid he’d change his mind. Fireworks were going off in my head. This wasn't just finding my birth family; this was winning the lottery. “Thanks, bro!” The words slipped out before I could stop them. I was stunned. Did I just call him bro? Asher obviously caught it too. His expression shifted subtly, but he quickly regained his composure. “Mom and Dad will be home at seven. Do you want to change your clothes first?” He left, leaving me standing at the door, clutching the black card in my pocket, my heart racing like I’d just run a marathon. Clothes? What was wrong with ripped jeans, a cropped black t-shirt, wolf and serpent tattoos, a shiny nose ring, and bright pink hair? It was cool! But, for the sake of the black card, I decided to make an effort. I took out one pair of my earrings and changed into a slightly more normal t-shirt. At least this one didn’t have a skull on it. The hair would have to stay; that wasn't a quick fix. At 6:50 PM, I was bouncing my leg nervously on the living room sofa. Lily sat next to me, her short legs mimicking my movement. “Are you nervous, big sister?” she asked innocently. “Who’s—who’s nervous? I’m just… hungry!” Lily nodded and pulled a piece of candy from her pocket. “Here, for you!” I took the candy, my heart softening. How could this little thing be so adorable? The sound of a car and footsteps came from outside. She immediately jumped up. “Mommy and Daddy are home!” My leg started shaking even more violently. Mr. Sterling walked in first, in a crisp suit, his presence so commanding it made you afraid to breathe too loudly. Mrs. Sterling followed, elegant in a long dress, a designer bag in her hand. The moment they saw me, they both froze in the doorway. Mr. Sterling stumbled, nearly face-planting. Mrs. Sterling gasped and grabbed the doorframe for support. “This… this is…” Mr. Sterling’s voice trembled. Asher nodded. “Dad, Mom, this is Nora.” “Oh my god! My Nora… how did she become a delinquent?” Mrs. Sterling clutched her chest. I looked down at myself. Hadn’t I already cleaned up? Compared to my initial look, this was practically conservative! Lily ran over and hugged her mother’s leg. “Mommy! Big sister is super cool!” Mr. Sterling composed himself and gave me a thumbs-up. “She’s got my youthful spirit!” Excuse me? Mrs. Sterling and Asher both turned to him with identical expressions of shock. “Robert Sterling, you dyed your hair and got a nose ring when you were young? How come I never knew?” Mrs. Sterling’s voice went up an octave. Mr. Sterling coughed, looking slightly embarrassed. “Well, no, but I had long hair! And I was in a band!” I stared at the impeccably dressed man. It was hard to imagine my own father was a rock-and-roller in his youth. Mrs. Sterling took a deep breath, turning her attention back to me. “Nora,” she asked hesitantly, “how many… how many people have you killed?” I blinked, a mischievous idea popping into my head. 5 “One.” Mrs. Sterling’s eyes rolled back, and she started to faint. Asher, quick on his feet, caught her, shooting me a helpless look. “Just me,” I added slowly. Mrs. Sterling immediately revived, patting her chest to calm herself down. “You child! You scared me to death!” Mr. Sterling wiped the sweat from his brow. “Nora, the Sterling family is a prominent one. We’ve been law-abiding citizens for eighteen generations. We avoid any association with illegal activities.” “Alright, alright,” I waved my hand. “I just like this look. I haven’t killed anyone, or set any fires. I haven’t even jaywalked.” My new parents exchanged a look of palpable relief. “Good, that’s good,” Mrs. Sterling murmured. She took a few steps closer and tentatively touched my pink hair. “Actually, this color really suits your complexion.” “Right? I did it myself!” I said, tossing my hair proudly. Ever since I dyed it this color, no one at the fish market dared to ask for credit. Mr. Sterling came closer, an appreciative look on his face. “It’s got personality! Isn’t this what all the young people are into these days? What’s it called again?” “It’s a punk rock aesthetic,” Asher supplied from the side, his face impassive. I was surprised. A spiritual CEO knew about this stuff? “Right! Punk rock! Trendy!” Mr. Sterling slapped his thigh. I was completely baffled by this sudden change in attitude. One minute I was a delinquent, the next I was a trendsetter? “That hairstyle actually suits your face shape. Where did you get it done? Maybe you can take me to get the same cut tomorrow!” Mrs. Sterling said, enthusiastically fluffing my pink hair, her eyes sparkling. Lily bounced up and down. “Me too, me too!” A vein throbbed on Asher’s forehead. “Mom! How old are you? Stop being ridiculous! Lily! You’re not even an adult yet!” Mrs. Sterling pouted and winked at me. “Nora, will you go shopping with Mom tomorrow? What’s wrong with being fifty? Who says a fifty-year-old can’t be fashionable?” My mouth hung open. This was a whiplash-inducing turnaround. “Uh, okay,” I nodded mechanically, completely thrown by her antics. Asher rubbed his forehead and walked away, the prayer beads in his hand a blur of motion. The next morning, I was still dreaming when a frantic knocking woke me up. “Nora! Open up!” Mrs. Sterling’s voice was filled with barely contained excitement. I rubbed my eyes and opened the door, and was instantly wide awake. Standing in the doorway was a middle-aged version of me. My mother had not only dyed her hair the exact same shade of pink but was also wearing ripped jeans and a studded leather jacket. She looked like a rebellious middle-aged punk rocker. “M-mom?” My voice cracked. “Well? I had Tony the stylist copy your hairstyle exactly!” she said, twirling around. I then noticed the embarrassed butler and the utterly defeated-looking Asher standing behind her. “You… you actually did it?” I stammered. “Of course! Let’s go shopping! I’ve already had the driver bring the car around!” she said, grabbing my hand. Asher took a deep breath. “Mom, the board meeting is at ten…” “My dear son, what are you and your father for? Stop acting like those characters in TV dramas, always fiddling with those prayer beads. They’re getting grimy. Aren’t you worried about tendonitis?” she said, pulling me downstairs without a backward glance. “I’m spending the day with my daughter! Don’t forget to pick up Lily from school this afternoon!” And just like that, I was dragged into the car. In the rearview mirror, Asher stood at the door, unsure whether to fiddle with his beads or not, his brow so furrowed you could trap a fly in it. 6 He looked like a stuffy, old-fashioned father worried his daughter was going to turn out bad. At the mall, my mother turned heads everywhere we went. After all, who would have thought the wife of the Sterling Group’s CEO, usually seen in business magazines, would show up looking like a middle-aged rock star? “Nora, what about this one?” She held up a skull-print t-shirt against herself. “Does it look like yours?” My mouth twitched. “Mom, are you sure you want to wear that?” “Of course! It’s a mother-daughter thing!” she said matter-of-factly. Three hours later, we were back in the car, loaded with shopping bags. She had not only bought herself a whole new wardrobe of rebellious middle-aged fashion but had also gotten me several new outfits. They were still in my favorite street style, but the quality and price were on a whole different level. “Nora, this is for you.” On the way home, my mother suddenly pulled another black card from her designer bag. Another one? Asher had just given me one yesterday. “This is my supplementary card. Use it to pay off your adoptive parents’ debt,” she said gently. My hand trembled, and I almost dropped the card. “What… what did you say?” Before I came here, I had indeed planned to get some money to pay off their debt. “Your adoptive parents have had it rough,” she said. “Running a fish stall to raise three kids. Now that they’re in trouble, it’s only right that we help.” I was touched. It was true; my family owned a fish stall and a small fish pond. My dad raised the fish, my mom sold them at the stall, and I helped out after school. Cole handled deliveries, and Coralie was still in middle school. The stall was tiny, but they had officially registered it as a company called “The Silver Fin.” A rival fishmonger, who had been competing with my dad for ten years, resorted to a dirty trick. He snuck over and poisoned our pond, killing all the fish. This happened right after my dad had signed a big contract with a restaurant. With no fish to supply, we were facing a huge compensation claim that bankrupted us. Their debt was only a hundred thousand dollars, which I had already paid off with the black card yesterday. Still, my mother’s attitude was unexpected. She suddenly pulled me into a hug. “Silly girl, I’m so grateful they raised you so well.” I let her hold me, my body stiff. The scent of her expensive perfume was a world away from the fishy smell that always clung to my adoptive mom, but it was just as warm. When we got home, my father nearly fell down the stairs when he saw my mother’s new look. “Eleanor! Your… your hair!” She twirled proudly. “Well? Isn’t it fashionable?” Asher came out of his study, took one look at her, and immediately turned back around, muttering something about “out of sight, out of mind.” On Sunday, my mother took me for a spa day in her new red convertible. Since dyeing her hair, she had discovered a whole new world. Yesterday, she even asked me where I got my nose ring done. “Nora, I’ve booked us a full-body essential oil massage. I hear the therapists at this place are amazing,” she said excitedly as she drove, her pink hair shimmering in the sun, even more dazzling than mine. I was slouched in my seat, scrolling through my phone. In our family group chat, Cole was whining about not being allowed to come visit. He said our parents were afraid he’d embarrass them. [@Nora Are you too happy in your mansion to remember us? Mom and Dad are visiting in a few days, and they’re not even bringing me!] I was about to reply when I heard the screech of brakes. The car lurched to a stop, and my phone flew onto the floor. “What was that?” I looked up to see a silver sports car skewed across the road in front of us, having missed us by inches. 7 “Hey, who is this guy? Can’t he drive?” my mother muttered, honking the horn twice. The sports car’s door opened upwards like a wing, and a young man stepped out. He had short, spiky hair that looked sharp to the touch, which contrasted with his baby face, making him look rather cute. “Why is it him?” my mother suddenly whispered. “What’s wrong?” I bent down to pick up my phone. The screen wasn’t cracked. Lucky. “That’s the youngest son of the Lin family,” she said in a low voice. “Your former fiancé.” A shiver went down my spine, and I almost dropped my phone again. What? So, I had dodged the fake-daughter and evil-stepsister tropes only to run headfirst into the arranged-marriage plot? The young man had already walked up to my mother’s window and knocked politely. She rolled down the window, a polite social smile plastered on her face. “Liam, what a coincidence.” The man, Liam, bowed slightly. His voice was smooth as silk. “Hello, Mrs. Sterling. I’m so sorry about that. My brakes are acting up.” “It’s fine, it’s fine,” my mother waved it off. “Where are you headed?” Liam’s gaze shifted to me, his expression a mix of politeness and curiosity. “To a party. And this is?” “Oh, this is my daughter, Nora,” my mother introduced. “Nora, this is Liam.” I gave him a nod, deliberately putting on a nonchalant air. “Yo, the fiancé?” Liam was clearly taken aback, his eyes darting around awkwardly. “Uh, the former fiancé.” My mother faked a cough. “Yes, yes. We don’t believe in arranged marriages.” I narrowed my eyes. I had a feeling there was more to this story. After Liam apologized and left, I immediately turned to my mother. “Mom, he’s so handsome. Why didn’t you lock that down?” She raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” A lightbulb went off in my head. “Does he have a secret love, someone he’s madly in love with, but his family disapproves?” My mother looked at me in surprise. “How did you know?” I rolled my eyes. “It’s a classic! That’s how all the dramatic romance novels go! His family must think the girl isn’t good enough for him, right?” “It’s not just that they disapprove; they nearly disowned him.” Her expression grew even stranger. “Whoa, that serious?” I whistled, ready for the gossip. “How common could she be? Did she sell tacos from a food truck?” My mother took a deep breath. “Because his secret love is a man.” Record scratch. My brain blue-screened. What? A man? This plot was taking a weird turn. What happened to the star-crossed lovers and the class divide? “S-so the Lins objected because…?” I stammered. “Because old Mr. Lin was still alive then, and he was quite traditional. It’s better now. Liam’s boyfriend even came to his birthday party last year.” “But,” she added, trying to suppress a smile, “the person he was originally interested in was your brother.” My brother? Asher “the spiritual CEO” Sterling? When we got home, we found a girl standing at the door talking to Asher. She was wearing a simple dress, her long hair loose, looking pure and sweet. When she saw us, she quickly wiped her eyes and forced a smile. “Hello, Mrs. Sterling.” Her gaze lingered on me for a second before quickly darting away.
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