I was kidnapped as a child. To fill the void, my parents adopted a girl from an orphanage. Years later, when I finally reunited with them, the adopted daughter committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. She left behind a thick photo album—a meticulous record of her life as the family’s "perfect princess." Seeing those photos, my parents were utterly devastated. At her funeral, they wept until they choked, screaming curses at me: "If you hadn't come back, Mia would never have done this!" They said I was the one who deserved to die. And their wish came true—my biological brother ran me down with his car. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the reunion ceremony. 1 I woke up on the bus. My adoptive mother, Martha Miller, gently shook my arm. "Chloe, sweetie, we’re here. Wake up." I opened my eyes, staring at the familiar scenery with a momentary blankness in my mind. I had just had a dream. In that dream, I was killed. My biological brother, Maverick Sterling, hit me with his car, sending me flying thirty feet. My arm snapped like a dry twig. Maverick had stepped out of the car, looking down at me in a pool of blood with nothing but ice in his eyes. "Chloe Sterling, you’re the one who should be dead," he’d hissed. "Why did you have to come back? Give Mia back to me!" The curses of my biological parents still rang in my ears: "If you hadn't come back, Mia would never have sought death." They hated me to my core, yet they were the ones who had searched for me. Mia was their adopted daughter. After I was snatched by traffickers as a toddler, my parents were paralyzed by grief. It was Maverick, my older brother, who suggested: "Mom, Dad, we’re never going to find her. Let's just adopt someone from the orphanage." They took his advice and adopted a girl around my age. They named her Mia—a name meant to signify that she was "theirs" forever, a vessel for the love they could no longer give to me. Mia was raised like a princess. Meanwhile, I was sold from one trafficker to another, forced to beg on street corners. Eventually, I ended up in a dusty Midwestern town, nearly starving to death under a bridge. Martha Miller found me. Her husband had died in a construction accident years prior, and she was raising a son three years younger than me. After taking me in, she worked three jobs—cleaning houses, waitressing, and sewing—to raise us both. We were poor, but I felt a warmth and love I never knew existed. Then, Arthur and Catherine Sterling found me. They arranged a grand "reunion ceremony." In my past life, I had died on the way back from that very life. Looking at the Sterling Building now—the massive headquarters where the ceremony was being held—I felt a cold shiver down my spine. Arthur had invited the media to build hype, using my "tragic return" to boost the company’s stock. "Chloe, is that the building? It’s so grand," Martha said, her eyes turning red. "You’ve suffered enough, baby. Once you go back, you won't have to live this hard life anymore..." She choked back her tears, forcing a bitter yet relieved smile. I knew she didn't want to let me go. In my last life, she had spent the entire bus ride home crying after I left with the Sterlings. 2 I looked at her. "Mom, did you bring my photo album? Give it to me." "I did." Martha pulled a tattered, worn-out album from her bag and handed it to me. I flipped through it. It was a record of my survival. Every page was a testament to the life I actually lived. Mia had an album too. Hers was a fairytale—the story of a little girl becoming a high-society heiress. In my previous life, on the day of the reunion, we all cried together. Mia had slipped away early, locked herself in her room, and swallowed a whole bottle of pills. By the time my parents brought me home, cheering and celebrating, the housekeeper found her. The joy vanished instantly. Arthur carried Mia’s limp body to the car, screaming for the driver. The doctors shook their heads. "We did everything we could. Prepare for the funeral." Catherine had fainted. Mia had tucked a suicide note into her "princess" album. [Mom, Dad, Maverick—thank you for the endless love you gave me.] [Now, I’m giving everything back to Chloe.] [Goodbye. If there’s a next life, I want to be your real daughter.] My parents wept over her childhood photos. She was their "Crown Jewel." They thought: How much pain was she in to do this without a word? Maverick flew back from his study abroad program that night. He sat in Mia’s room until dawn, whispering her name, consumed by guilt. "Mia, I was too late. I didn't protect you." "Why were you so stupid? Why didn't you talk to me?" "You want to die? I’ll go with you. But first, the person who caused this will pay." They blamed Mia’s death on me. They regretted finding me. At the funeral, they told me to get out and never show my face again. As I walked aimlessly down the street after the service, Maverick’s sports car came screaming toward me... 3 I snapped back to the present. I took Martha’s hand and walked toward the Sterling Building. The lobby was packed with reporters. My biological parents were waiting at the front, their necks craned, searching for my arrival. Maverick wasn't back from London yet. When we appeared, the Sterling employees parted to let us through. Cameras flashed. Reporters swarmed. Arthur and Catherine walked toward me, their eyes welling up. Catherine opened her arms. "Chloe, we finally found you! Our baby girl!" I didn't run into her arms. I didn't cry. I stepped back, avoiding her embrace. They froze. Arthur tried to smooth things over. "Chloe, you've suffered so much. Come home with us. We’ll make it up to you a thousand times over." I looked past them. In the back of the crowd, Mia was standing there in a custom Chanel suit. Her eyes were filled with nothing but disdain. I cleared my throat and looked at the couple in front of me. "I came today because I wanted to tell you one thing: I am not going back to the Sterling house." I looped my arm through Martha’s. "My mother raised me through blood and sweat. I have to repay her. I’m staying with the woman who actually took care of me." Arthur and Catherine’s faces paled. They never expected this script. "Chloe, don't be difficult," Arthur said. "We appreciate what your adoptive mother did. We’ll compensate her. We'll give her a million dollars." The employees began whispering. "Does she even know what Sterling Industries is worth?" "If she goes home with the Chairman, she’ll have more money than she can spend in a lifetime. Is she an idiot?" "Her adoptive mom looks like a total peasant. A million dollars is more than she'd make in ten lifetimes." A reporter piped up. "Chloe Sterling, your parents are among the top three wealthiest people in this city. They’ve prepared luxury cars and estates for you. Don't make a mistake." I looked at him calmly. "I am an adult. I have the right to choose my own life. I choose my mother." I thrust the tattered album into Catherine’s hands. "You missed my childhood. This album will show you exactly how I grew up. Consider it my gift to you. Goodbye." I took Martha’s hand and pushed through the crowd, walking out of the building. Behind me, I heard Mia’s mocking voice: "What an actress. She’s probably just playing hard to get to ask for more money. Absolutely disgusting." 4 Catherine frowned. "Mia, don't talk about Chloe like that. This family owes her." Arthur dismissed the media and the staff. He walked over to Mia, his tone sharp. "Mia, watch your mouth. What kind of heiress speaks like that?" Mia pouted. "I’m sorry, Dad." Then she shifted gears. "Since she doesn't want to come back, maybe we should just let it go? Blood isn't thicker than water. To her, that woman is her mother. Just like me—even if my biological parents showed up, I’d only ever recognize you two." Catherine felt a pang of guilt. Her voice was strained. "It’s not the same. We pampered you from birth. Chloe’s mother is poor. Chloe must have suffered terribly." She flipped open the album. The first photo was of me at five years old, wearing rags, helping Martha shuck corn in a dusty field. Arthur looked at the photo, and both of them felt a sharp sting in their chests. It triggered a memory. When I was born, the Sterlings were just starting their business. They weren't wealthy yet. When I was three, they took Maverick and me to a theme park. Maverick wanted to ride the Ferris wheel. I was too small. Catherine wanted to stay behind with me, but Maverick threw a tantrum. "I want Mom and Dad to sit with me! Dad on the left, Mom on the right!" They relented. They always spoiled him. They left me at a snack stand, telling me not to move. The park was packed. The vendor was overwhelmed. No one was watching. Maverick laughed with delight as the Ferris wheel rose. The three of them watched from the air as a man picked me up and vanished into the crowd. By the time they got down, I was gone. As they turned the pages of the album, Catherine started to cry. The album showed me growing up in the mud. They looked at Mia—who had been a dirty orphan once—and realized they had given her everything they owed to me. They had pampered her until she was spoiled and arrogant. Every photo reminded them that I and Mia had swapped lives. I was the one who belonged in the palace; she was the one who belonged in the dirt. Mia noticed the sympathy shifting. She grabbed the album and slammed it shut. "Mom, stop looking at this. She doesn't even want you. Why are you staring at her photos? It’s just going to make you miserable. I'll burn it for you." 5 "Stop it!" Catherine snatched the album back. "Mia, give it to me." Mia wouldn't let go. "Mom, why are you doing this to yourself? I'm doing this for your own good. I don't want you and Dad to be sad." Catherine pulled so hard she fell to the floor. Arthur’s temper exploded. He slapped Mia across the face. "Enough!" Mia clutched her cheek, tears welling up. "Dad... you’ve never hit me before." Arthur’s face was grim. "Mia, can you be sensible for once? Your mother and I are stressed enough. Stop causing trouble." "I'm the one causing trouble?" Mia laughed through her tears. "Fine. I’m the problem. I guess there’s no room for me in this house anymore." She wiped her eyes and stormed out. "I'm leaving. I won't bother you again!" Catherine watched her go, filled with regret. "Arthur, was that too much? We've never laid a hand on her. What if she does something desperate?" Arthur looked at his palm and sighed. "I was angry. I hit her too hard." He paused. "Call Maverick. Tell him to go find her and talk some sense into her." 6 A few days after I returned to my real home, Arthur and Catherine showed up with their arms full of designer bags and gifts. I had worked part-time throughout college and saved enough to renovate Martha’s house the year before. It was decent now, but to the Sterlings, it was still a hovel. Martha invited them in. They tried to act friendly, asking about my life. I told them I had a degree in Biotechnology and was working as a junior technician at a local lab. Arthur’s eyes lit up. "Chloe! Sterling Industries specializes in skincare and cosmetics. Your major is exactly what our R&D department needs. Come work for the family company." When I didn't answer, he added, "I’ll triple your current salary." Catherine played the emotional card. "Chloe, competition is fierce right now. Our new product line is hitting a wall. Please, come help your parents." I stood up to show them out. "I'll think about it. If that’s all, you should go." They looked at me pleadingly. "Chloe, just call us when you’ve decided. We just want our family to be whole." I said coldly, "Your adopted daughter doesn't seem to want me there. I’ll consider the job, but moving into your house? No." Arthur promised, "Don't worry about Mia. We'll handle her. She won't give you any trouble." "I'll let you know." I waved them off. 7 Martha told me she’d support whatever I chose. I waited two weeks. During that time, Arthur and Catherine called me daily. I also heard that Maverick was back. After Mia got slapped, she had gone to a club and gotten trashed. Maverick had picked her up and carried her home. She had cried in his arms all night. The next day, to cheer his "princess" up, Maverick took her on a shopping spree, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. She had asked him: "Maverick, if Chloe comes back and bullies me, whose side will you be on?" Maverick ruffled her hair. "Silis, don't be stupid. I grew up with you. She's a stranger. I’ll always protect you." Maverick had a girlfriend, a wealthy socialite currently finishing her degree in Paris. I finally called Arthur and agreed to the job. The refusal at the ceremony was just a move to gain leverage. Of course I was going back. How else would I get my revenge? The memory of Maverick killing me was a nightmare I couldn't shake. My tragedy was tied to him, and I wasn't going to let him off easy. Arthur and Catherine picked me up the next day. Since I refused to move into the mansion, they got me a luxury apartment near the office. I joined the R&D department as a lead technician. That weekend, they invited me to the mansion for dinner. Maverick and Mia were there. It was the first "family" dinner. Maverick was cold. He looked at me with the same hostility as Mia. In their eyes, I was the reason Maverick had been abused by his parents. When I was kidnapped, Arthur and Catherine had blamed him for years, telling him that if he hadn't been so selfish about the Ferris wheel, I wouldn't have been taken. He had grown up under their shadow and their lashes. Mia was his only light. After a beating, she’d bring him candy. "Don't be sad, Maverick. You still have me." She was his savior. I was the demon who had dragged him into hell. At the table, Arthur tried to break the silence. "Chloe, are you seeing anyone? Do you want us to set you up?" Before I could answer, Catherine jumped in. "I think Silas Vance, the second son of the Vance family, would be perfect. We have a merger plan with them..." Mia interrupted. "Mom, didn't you tell me to get to know Silas? Why are you giving him to Chloe now?" Catherine smiled awkwardly. "I had tea with Mrs. Vance yesterday. She mentioned Silas wasn't interested in you. I thought Chloe might have better luck." Mia’s face darkened. "Mrs. Vance is wrong. Silas and I are great. He even invited me to a concert!" Arthur smoothed it over. "Fine, Mia. You keep seeing Silas." Mia’s expression softened. "Don't worry, Mom. I’ll secure the Vance alliance." Maverick dropped his fork, his cold face becoming even colder. He stood up. "I'm full. I’m going to my room." Mia took two bites of food and followed him. "Mom, Maverick looks sick. I’ll check on him." 8 After dinner, Catherine showed me the house, telling me to pick a room for when I felt "ready." The estate was massive. I told her I’d walk around on my own. As I passed a door on the second floor, I heard Mia and Maverick arguing. "Mia, Silas Vance is a playboy. He’s not good enough for you. I won't let you marry him." "Maverick, I have to marry someone eventually, don't I? You have a girlfriend. I don't like her, but you aren't breaking up with her." "She’s pregnant," Maverick’s voice was strained. "I can't just leave her. But Mia, you don't have to marry. I can take care of you for the rest of your life." "She's pregnant?" Mia laughed, her tone bitter. "Wow. I guess I really should focus on Silas. Maybe we'll actually fall in love." "Don't you dare." "Just watch me." Yikes. Over the next few months, I buried myself in work. Mia worked in Quality Control. We had to interact often, and she tried to sabotage me constantly, but I neutralized every move. I learned that the Sterlings and Vances had a messy history. The Vances used to be the main suppliers for Sterling Industries. They had helped Arthur start the company and even bought shares when the Sterlings were struggling. But as the company grew, Arthur kicked the Vances off the board and switched suppliers. He burned the bridge. Now, Sterling Industries was stagnating, while the Vances had patented a new technology that everyone wanted. Arthur’s solution? A marriage alliance. It was a desperate, almost delusional move. One weekend, Mia posted a photo on Instagram: [At a concert with my favorite person.] It showed two hands linked together. She was officially with Silas Vance. The next morning, I ran into her in the elevator. She brushed her hair back, revealing hickeys on her neck. She smirked at me. "Silas is mine. Don't even think about the merger." "Congratulations," I said flatly. "To the future Mrs. Vance." "Stop acting like you're above it," she hissed. "You're dying of jealousy. Don't think for a second that working here makes you a Sterling. You’re just an ugly duckling. You’ll never be a swan." Mia was in a white designer dress and diamonds. I was in a sharp black power suit. Looking at our reflection, I didn't think I was the one losing. The elevator hit the lobby, and Silas Vance was standing there in a tailored suit. Our department had invited him for a technical seminar. Silas stepped in, his eyes immediately locking onto me. Mia grabbed his arm. "Silas, let's have lunch later." "I'm here for work, Mia," Silas said, pulling his arm away coldly. "Maybe later." Mia’s face fell. She saw Silas staring at me in the mirror. "Hi, Mr. Vance," I said politely. He reached out to shake my hand. "Nice to meet you. You must be Chloe." Mia looked like she was going to explode. She thought I was her rival for a man. She was wrong. I was only interested in the supplier.
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