Chapter 5
Lucy had been just twenty–four when she had Owen, her firstborn. As her career soared, she always dreamed of having a daughter, and at thirty- five. Eliana was born.
Now, standing before her grown son and long–lost daughter, Lucy’s heart felt full.
Owen, eleven years older than Eliana and already well into his successful career, gently ruffled her hair as he hugged her
“Eliana,” he said, his tone filled with affection. “I’ve been waiting for you for so many years. Finally, our family’s whole again”
Eliana looked up at him, her smile lighting up her face. For the first time, she felt the warmth of a big brother’s love, a connection she had longed for but never thought she’d have.
And just like that. Eliana was home. The Davis family, after years of searching and heartache, was finally complete.
Half a month later, whispers spread like wildfire through Dratora City’s high society. Everyone was talking about the Davis family’s long–lost daughter, missing for eighteen years and now, out of nowhere, back in the fold.
But despite the chatter, the Davises were keeping things maddeningly low–kry. No one–not even the nosiest socialites–had managed to catch a glimpse of her.
Speculation ran wild. Some said she probably didn’t measure up to the Davis family’s high standards, while others whispered that maybe she wasn’t much to look at–why else would they delay a formal introduction! The gossip spread like wildfire, with everyone adding their own twist to the
story.
As promised, Sebastian handed the lucrative Avragow project to the Garcia Group and sent over an extravagant gift package.
The Garcias eagerly accepted, taking it as a sign that the Davis family might be interested in building a powerful alliance. They had no clue it had anything to do with Eliana.
Willow, meanwhile, was thriving as the “Carcia family’s one and only daughter. She’d completely claimed Eliana’s old room as her own, going so far as to toss out all the little trinkets and keepsakes that once belonged to Fliana.
After a series of carefully worded, manipulative conversations, she’d managed to erase Eliana from Andy and Victoria’s minds entirely–or so it seemed.
y hasn’t Eliana shown up by now? Could she really be gone for good?‘ she wondered. It didn’t sit right with
Still, something gnawed at Willow. Why ha ber
She was certain Eliana had nowhere else to go, and if Eliana wasn’t going to come crawling back on her own, fine. Willow would make the first move. No way was she letting Eliana get off so easily.
With some sweet–talking. Willow persuaded her parents to pull every string possible and buy her way into bonstead University. To her, this wasnt just about getting into a top–tier school–it was her next big play.
H
Lucy had wanted to throw a big, splashay party to officially introduce Eliana to society, but Eliana wasn’t interested.
This time around, she couldn’t care less about the glitz, attention, or showy displays. All she wanted was to enjoy the quiet, genuine happiness of being with her family.
Understanding Eliana’s need for rest after the accident, Lacy didn’t pushs. Instead, she let her recover peacefully at home.
One sunny afternoon, as they lounged in the garden, Lucy sat peeling a lychee and asked casually, “Eliana, which college did you get into?”
“honstead University, majoring in theater arts,” Eliana replied with a smile.
ife, that d
Eliana had always dreamed of becoming an actress. In her past life, that dream had been a constant uphill battle. Willow had overshadowed her in every possible way, and Eliana had been left struggling just to make ends meet. No matter how hard she hustled, she was only ever cast as an extra, barely scraping by.
Unlike Willow, who’d breezed into Isostead University thanks to her p
parents money and connections. Eliana had worked tirelessly to earn her
spor
Once they were both at school, Willow didn’t waste a second making Eliana’s life miserable–isolating her socially, spreading rumors,
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Chapter 5
smearing her reputation on online forms. Those years had been brutal, but Eliana had held onto her dream with everything she had.
Despite the constant sabotage, Eliana kept her head down and pushed forward, earning top grades. Just before graduation, she’d finally caught her big break–a lead role in a production that could’ve launched her acting career.
But Willow, always one step ahead, had stolen that opportunity right out from under her. She used her parents clout to snatch the part for herself, leaving Eliana mrushed and back at square one,
Eliana had her moments–times when a real opportunity seemed just within reach. But every single time, Willow swooped in and snatched it away like it was her personal mission.
Those years were pure hell. Once Eliana stepped into the entertainment industry, Willow wasted no time playing dirty. She spilled the tea to press, exposing Eliana as the “Take” Garcia daughter and claiming the title of the “real” one for herself.
the
The media ate it up, running headline after headline comparing the two. Eliana? She was dragged as a fraud and a wannabe who didn’t deserve her place
But it didn’t stop there. The tabloids doubled down, spinning stories about how Eliana had “stolen” Willow’s life and gone out of her way to target her. They painted Eliana as the cruel, jealous sister while making Willow out to be some innocent little angel–a helpless victim who’d been wronged by the big bad imposter.
Eliana had no way to fight back. No one cared about her truth, not when the internet trolls had already decided she was the villain. They tore her apart online, leaving her feeling helpless and alone.
It was like being stuck in a bad dream she couldn’t wake up from, no matter how hard she tried.
Willow hadn’t just taken Eliana’s opportunities–she’d taken everything her family, her career, her dreams.
But this time? Eliana wasn’t playing nice. The Garcias love might be gone for good, but the rest? She was taking it all back. One way or another.
“Isonstead! That’s a fantastic school, Lucy said, her face lighting up as she handed Eliana the peeled lychee. “I graduated from there too, you know. My major was opera performance.”
“Seriously, Mom! We’re both alums!” Eliana grinned, popping the juicy lychee into her mouth “Thanks, Mom”
Lucy laughed warmly. “So, my girl’s aiming to be an actress, huh?”
Eliana nodded enthusiastically. “Yep, that’s the plan. I’ve always dreamed of it”
Lucy, who had spent her life immersed in the world of theater, felt a swell of pride. Knowing Eliana shared her passion was a gift. “Well, sweetheart. I’ve got your back all the way! Clearly, you inherited my artistic flair. My daughter’s going to be the best actress in the game–I can feel it!”
Thanks, Mom. I promise 11 make you proud.
On the first day of school registration, Lucy and Sebastian were drowning in work and couldn’t spare a minute. So, they hit up ElExmi’s cousin, Thomas, to give her a ride.
Thomas, a junior studying computer science over at bonstead, didn’t even blink before saying yes.
Eliana waited at their planned meeting spot, leaning casually against a tree.
She was dressed in a white ruilled sundress that swayed gently in the breeze, her fair skin glowing under the warm sunlight. She glanced at her phone, editing something while the minutes ticked by
A sterk black Bentley pulled up silently in front of her, the engine barely making a sound. At first, she didn’t notice, too focused on her screen until it suddenly glitched.
The display tuned black, Bashing a series of red error codes. She frowned and tried to reset it
“Eliana?” a low, magnetic voice called out, snapping her out of her thoughts,
Startled, she looked up, her eyes meeting a pair of piersing brown ones framed by a strikingly handsome face,
She quickly clicked her phone ull, avsuming this was Thomas. A bright sunile lit up her face. “Cousin?”
Cameron Wright raised a row, his gaze lingering on her delicate features and that sweet, disarming smile.
Technically, it was supposed to be Thomas picking her up. But Thomas, ever the smooth–talking ladies‘ man, had gotten tied up with a girl and
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Chapter 3
begged Cameron to step in at the last minute.
Cameron wasn’t exactly thrilled, but after some relentless teasing and a promise to owe him one, he had given in.
What a hassle, he’d thought–until now.
As his eyes traced Eliana’s features, he felt a flicker of surprise. Her face checked every single one of his aesthetic preferences, down to the smallest detail. For the first time in a long while, Cameron found himself intrigued.
