The fake heiress’s rise
Chapter 1
Never in a million years did I think I’d be
caught up in a baby–switch situation.
My biological parents found me, along with
the girl who was raised as their own, when I
was leaning against a wall in an alley, sharing
a smoke with some of the crew.
They froze, and everyone instinctively moved
to protect the girl who looked so delicate and
sweet.
- 1.
Who would have guessed that a girl like me,
practically a hoodlum, was actually the real
heiress of the “Shining Star” Conglomerate?
In that dingy alley, seeing me in my school
uniform, but puffing on a cigarette and
<
holding a tire iron, the Johnsons just
instinctively shielded the girl behind them.
The woman and man in the front, dressed like
they stepped out of a magazine, looked at me
in disbelief, their voices trembling.
“Are you… are you Heather Smith?”
I was still holding my cigarette, but I snuffed it
out and nodded, confused.
My boys exchanged confused looks,
wondering what was going on.
“Hey, Heather, who are these folks?”
Before I could answer, the fancy woman
rushed over and wrapped me in a hug,
bursting into tears.
“My baby, my baby! I’m your real mother…
We’ve finally found you!”
I didn’t know what her problem was, and even
the man looked like he was about to cry.
I went to push her away, but a younger guy pursed his lips and gave me a complicated
く
“Heather, hi. I’m your older brother, Josh.
“Seventeen years ago, your… your current
mom was our nanny. She and Mom were
pregnant at the same time.
“Turns out, she had this twisted plan to
switch you two, because she wanted a better
life for her kid.”
I hadn’t even processed the whole family
secret thing, but I did notice that when this
Josh guy talked about my “mom” being so
awful and greedy, the girl behind them paled,
biting her lip and looking like she was about
to cry.
Josh seemed to realize he’d messed up, and
he turned around to comfort her in a soft
voice.
Even the people who were just hugging me a
second ago let go and started babying her.
“Ashley, honey, don’t worry, it’s not your fault.
You and Heather are both our precious
く
daughters. We’re not going anywhere.”
Ugh, “precious?”
Right in front of me, their actual daughter?
They had some nerve.
