Chapter 1

I was the adopted heiress of a billionaire family, constantly at each other's throats with the real heiress.

Until Mom passed away, and Dad brought home an illegitimate daughter, intending to put her in the company and hand over our shares.

The real heiress and I instantly buried the hatchet to present a united front against the outsider.

Just a little green tea bitch, wasn't she?

When the two of us were tearing each other apart, she was still playing in the dirt.

Years ago, the Sue family brought me home by mistake as a substitute daughter. The moment Chloe, the biological heiress, returned, a deep sense of insecurity consumed me.

Even though Mom always claimed both of us were her most precious treasures.

Deep down, I knew blood ran thicker than water. Besides, Chloe never accepted the idea of co-managing the empire with me.

So, our vicious rivalry spanned six whole years, starting from the time we were twelve.

We both knew this was a war to the bitter end.

Neither of us ever imagined a day would come where we'd stand on the exact same battle line, watching each other's backs.

It all started with our pathetic deadbeat dad, Richard. He married into Mom's wealthy family and spent years playing the role of the humble, unpretentious house husband—steady, honest, and utterly devoted to Mom.

Yet this supposedly faithful saint brought an illegitimate daughter home on the very evening Mom's funeral ended.

"Chloe, Harper, come here. This is Lingling. From now on, she's your little sister. Take good care of her and don't pick on her, understood?" Richard introduced a girl in an innocent, pure white dress.

Chloe and I locked eyes, absolute bewilderment written across our faces.

Mom died just three days ago. The funeral wrapped up less than three hours ago. What the hell was Richard trying to pull?

"Dad, who is this?" Chloe asked, narrowing her eyes.

Richard glared at her, an awkward flush creeping onto his face. "I just told you, Lingling is your sister now. Your flesh-and-blood sister."

"So," I crossed my arms, sizing Lingling up and down, "she's your bastard daughter from an affair?"

Sensing my hostile gaze, Lingling immediately shrank behind Richard, trembling like a bruised flower.

"Harper! Don't intimidate your sister!"

A sneer twitched on my lips. Playing the protective father already?

Chloe moved slowly to my side. Intense fury and disgust burned in her eyes, but she held back her outburst.

Richard arranged Lingling's bedroom right next to Chloe's. As she brushed past us, Lingling suddenly dropped her voice and whispered, "My name is Lingling Sue."

My fists clenched instantly. The audacity!

A bastard dragged into our house, daring to take my mother's family name?

Chloe stared at their departing backs and spoke in a bone-chilling tone, "You see it now? Not only did he cheat, he's planning to have his bastard daughter take a bite of the company's shares. He even changed her last name. Pure shameless trash."

I nodded. Our quiet, obedient dad didn't even bother keeping up the facade anymore.

Mom was dead, and Chloe and I were still young. He must have thought no one had the power to control him now.

"So?" I turned my head toward her. "Time for a united front?"

"Obviously."

Late that night, just as I turned off the lights for bed, a girl's piercing scream shattered the silence. It sounded like Lingling.