1 At the gala celebrating her return, I was publicly exposed as the fake heiress. The real one, Clarissa, glanced at the limited-edition bracelet on my wrist—a gift from my brother—and sneered. "Oh, so this is the little playmate Mom and Dad found for my brother? What, is she warming his bed now too?" The blood drained from my face. It was true. I was the one switched at birth. But at twelve, I had awakened a power. The power of Utterance. I said Mom and Dad’s company would go public, and the Sterling family became the wealthiest in the city. I said my brother, Julian, would become an A-list star, and now he was a household name. So how is it that the moment their long-lost daughter returns, I’m reduced to some shameless creature warming her brother's bed?! So I spoke, my voice soft but clear. "From this day forward, the Sterling family's fortune will plummet. Misfortune will cling to them like a shadow, and nothing they do will ever succeed." ... Every eye in the room was fixed on me. "She's been playing the heiress for so long she actually believes it. Pathetic." "No wonder she's sleeping her way up. She's terrified of getting kicked out." I remembered the promise I’d made to my parents—to get along with Clarissa, to help her integrate into high society. I forced a smile. "We both share the Sterling name. From now on, we're family." Clarissa burst out laughing as if I’d told the funniest joke in the world, her body shaking with mirth. Then, just as quickly, her smile vanished, replaced by pure contempt. "Family? Who the hell do you think you are to call me family?" "Let me tell you something. If it weren't for Mom and Dad's pity, gutter trash like you would never have stepped foot in this house. Did you really think the Sterling mansion was some kind of charity shelter?" "All these years, you've been eating our food, spending our money. You're going to pay back every single penny. Don't even think about shorting me!" A cold laugh escaped my lips, my gaze imperious. "I cost the Sterlings? Ask Mom and Dad if they dare to say that to my face." The Sterling family owed their entire status to me—to my power of Utterance. I said that plot of land downtown would skyrocket in value, and Grandpa invested his entire fortune, turning it into billions overnight. I said that overseas partnership had potential, and Dad decisively signed the deal, becoming the richest man in the city. I said Mom had a tumor growing inside her. A check-up confirmed it, and they caught it early, snatching her back from the jaws of death. I said the new script offered to Julian would be a blockbuster. He took the role against his fans' wishes, and the film earned him the Best Actor award, launching him into superstardom. Grandpa cherished me, calling me the true jewel of the Sterling family. The last servant who whispered about my identity was fed to the sharks in international waters. Mom and Dad paraded me at every banquet; Julian walked me down every red carpet. Everyone knew I was the Sterling heiress. Clarissa stared at me as if I were insane. "Who do you think you are, spouting such nonsense!" A sharp crack echoed as her hand connected with my cheek. A searing pain shot through me. "Looks like you've gotten so used to being the master, you've forgotten how to be the dog!" she hissed. "Don't worry. I'll teach you today." "As it happens, my shoes are dirty. Lick them clean, and I'll pretend I didn't hear a word you just said." All eyes were on me, hungry for my humiliation. I slapped her right back. The crisp sound reverberated through the vast hall. A collective gasp went through the crowd. Clarissa clutched her face, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Seraphina, you psycho! How dare you hit me!" I looked at her, my voice cold as ice. "If your mouth is filthy, you should wash it." "Consider that slap a welcome gift." Her face flushed a deep red, the imprint of my hand stark against her skin. "Today, I'll show you who the real Sterling heiress is!" she shrieked. "A parasite who does nothing but suck our family dry dares to be so arrogant in front of her master!" With a flick of her eyes, several burly bodyguards grabbed me, pinning my arms. Clarissa snatched a steak knife from a nearby table and waved it menacingly in front of my face. "Let's see how you're going to climb into my brother's bed without this pretty face!" The moment the cold steel touched my skin, the ballroom doors were kicked open. A commanding voice cut through the tension. "Stop this right now!" My brother, Julian, strode into the room. Clarissa immediately dropped the act and threw herself into his arms. "Julian, you're finally here," she sobbed. "Sera hit me in front of everyone and said she's the real Sterling heiress." Julian's gaze swept over the scene, and the bodyguards holding me instantly let go. "Sera, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Seeing that Julian wasn't scolding me but was worried instead, Clarissa’s face twisted with anger. "Brother, your taste is really something else. A girl like this is fine to play with for a while, but are you seriously planning to keep her in the family?" "Or do you also think she's the real heiress?" Julian frowned, looking uncomfortable. "Clarissa, this is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let's not ruin it." But she wasn’t having it. Her voice grew louder, more aggressive. "Am I wrong? She's a parasite who only survives because of our family's charity!" "I heard she only got into her university because of the Sterling family's connections. What is she if not a gold digger?" The guests started murmuring. "So she's not just an adopted daughter, but a leech too. How shameless!" "She uses the Sterling name to build herself up and then claims the family owes everything to her." "Now that the real heiress is back, she's nothing more than a bed warmer." I clenched my fists, my eyes locked on Julian. But he just kept frowning, his voice low. "That's enough. Stop making a scene." Clarissa, however, was relentless. She grabbed my wrist and held it high for everyone to see. "This bracelet is the new limited edition, isn't it? What right does a bed warmer have to wear something like this?" She turned to Julian. "Brother, a five-million-dollar bracelet… you really are generous. But now that I'm back, she's not taking a single thing from this family with her!" With that, she tried to rip the bracelet off my wrist. It was a perfect fit and wouldn't budge. The metal dug painfully into my skin, but she refused to let go. Julian finally stepped in. "That's enough, Clarissa! If you want one, I'll buy you another." She jutted out her chin, her eyes challenging me. "I want the one on her wrist!" "It won't come off? Someone, get me a cleaver! If the bracelet won't come off, then neither will her hand!" My voice, when I finally spoke, was like ice. "Clarissa." She gave me a playful, mocking look. "What is it, Seraphina? What are you going to do? What can you do?" Before the words were even out of her mouth, I kicked her squarely in the knee. With a thud, she collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain. Julian rushed to her side, his face etched with concern. "Are you hurt anywhere?" Then, he turned to me, his expression furious. "Sera, you've gone too far today. Apologize to Clarissa. Now!" I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. "Apologize? She publicly called me a whore, your plaything, and threatened to chop off my hand, and you want me to apologize?" Julian's face was grim. "Clarissa's young, she's just running her mouth. Do you really have to stoop to her level?" "If you don't apologize today, don't blame me for turning my back on you!" He glared at me, seething. Clarissa hid behind him, wearing the smug, triumphant look of the true heiress. "How can a fake compare to the real thing? She should learn her place." "Exactly. Julian tried to be nice, but she resorted to violence. They've clearly spoiled her rotten." "Someone needs to teach her a lesson before she gets completely out of control!" The guests' whispers reached my ears, but Julian acted as if he heard nothing. "I'll say it one more time. Apologize!" I looked at the man before me, a complete stranger. Meeting his furious gaze, I asked, "And if I don't?" Clarissa jumped in before he could answer. "If you don't apologize, we're kicking you out of this house today! Let's see where a stray dog like you will go!" Julian nodded in silent agreement. "The Sterling family has protected you for years. Instead of being grateful, you attack Clarissa! Your arrogance is unbelievable!" he spat. "And don't give me that nonsense about how you're the reason for our family's success. We let it slide because you were a kid, but did you really start believing your own ridiculous fantasy about having some magic power? What a joke." The coldness that washed over me was absolute. All those years, everything I had done for them, they had simply taken for granted. Clarissa howled with laughter. "What 'power of Utterance'? Have you been watching too much TV? You've got to be delusional! The Sterling family is a massive enterprise. You really think we'd go bankrupt without you?!" Just then, the ballroom doors opened again. Mom and Dad, Jasmine and Richard, had returned from their meeting. Dad spoke first, his voice low and displeased. "What is the three of you doing? Making a spectacle of yourselves in front of our guests?" Clarissa latched onto his arm, whining like a child. "Dad, don't be mad. It was all Seraphina. She was saying the family can't survive without her, and it just made me so angry. Besides, she's an outsider. I'm your real daughter." Mom, Jasmine, pulled Clarissa into her arms, her eyes scanning her from head to toe, frantic with worry, as if terrified she’d suffered the slightest harm. Though her words were meant for the crowd, her eyes shot a look at me, a flicker of blame she couldn't quite hide. "Sera, how could you say such things in front of everyone?" Clarissa pouted. "I just wanted my sister's bracelet, and she started yelling at me." Her voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. "Mom, she's just the adopted daughter. Why does she get to wear such an expensive bracelet?" Mom hugged her tighter, cooing softly. "And your brother... giving something so valuable to an outsider. He has no sense." I stared at my mother, stunned. The word "outsider," coming from her lips, was a final, brutal shredding of the last piece of dignity I had left in front of all these people. I felt the blood rush to my head, then recede just as quickly, leaving only a bone-deep chill. Clarissa shot me a triumphant, gloating look. I looked back at Mom, all hope extinguished. "When you were sick, I saved your life. You told me then that I was your real daughter. What about now?" Every time I used my power, it left me physically drained. The time I saved Mom was the worst; I was bedridden for three whole months. Her hand swung through the air, and my cheek stung with a fresh wave of pain. "Clarissa is the rightful heiress of this family, my only daughter! You were nothing but her substitute," she hissed. "And you saved me? The only people I have to thank are my doctors! Stop trying to take credit for everything!" Dad’s brow furrowed. "Give the bracelet to Clarissa. It's what you owe her." The words caught in my throat. "Dad, what about the contract I told you to sign, the one that made the family fortune? Have you forgotten that?" Richard's face darkened. "That was my foresight and strategic planning. What does it have to do with you? You think you can make this family the richest in the city with just a few words? You're dreaming!" Julian scoffed, looking down his nose at me. "I won the Best Actor award because I have a good eye for scripts. It had nothing to do with you." I was a plague. The entire Sterling family was recoiling from me. But without my power, how could they have ever reached these heights? The gossiping guests grew bolder. "To say the Sterling family relies on her is absurd. She really thinks she's someone special!" "She's probably got a few screws loose. They should kick her out before she causes more trouble!" Clarissa's voice dripped with victory. "The 'power of Utterance'? Someone's been watching too many cartoons! Anyway, I'm back now. Let's just kick her out today and be done with it!" Julian nodded. "I only have one sister, and I won't have just any stray claiming to be family." Mom ordered me to kneel and apologize to my "sister." Dad's voice boomed. "Butler, throw Seraphina out immediately. Strip her of everything that belongs to the Sterling family. She leaves with nothing. I want to see what becomes of an ungrateful wretch like her without our protection." I laughed, a laugh born of pure rage. As the Sterlings stared in shock, I uttered the words for the very first time as a curse. "From this day forward, the Sterling family's fortune will plummet. Misfortune will cling to them like a shadow, and nothing they do will ever succeed."
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