Chapter 4

In the blink of an eye, the day of Evelyn's eighteenth birthday arrived.

In my previous life, it was on this exact day that I 'coincidentally' bumped into Chloe, who happened to be holding her birthday party at the very same luxury hotel.

Seeing Chloe's face, which bore a ninety percent resemblance to mine, combined with the fact that they shared the exact same birthdate, I had grown suspicious and launched a private investigation.

The results proved that Chloe was indeed my biological daughter.

Naturally, that entire encounter had been meticulously staged. They were just waiting for me to acknowledge her and fall headfirst into their trap.

Watching the scene unfold exactly like my previous life, Chloe deliberately rushed forward and grabbed my arm, putting on an affectionate front.

"Ma'am, we look so much alike! Is today your daughter's eighteenth birthday too?"

Beside her, Evelyn put on a terribly clumsy performance.

"Oh my goodness! Mom, why does she look so much like you? Could she be your long-lost daughter?"

Instead of playing along like I did in my past life, I coldly pulled my arm back and turned to leave.

The next second, Chloe grabbed my wrist tightly, raising her voice so everyone in the banquet hall could hear.

"Ma'am! You can't just leave! If I really am your daughter, you have a legal and moral responsibility to take care of me!"

Evelyn immediately chimed in to back her up.

"Mom, why are you in such a hurry to run away? You aren't trying to abandon your own flesh and blood, are you?"

Watching them coordinate their little drama was utterly laughable.

The last time they had stood side-by-side like this before my eyes was when they smothered the life out of me in that hospital bed.

If I let things play out normally, I would only end up meeting the exact same gruesome fate.

I let out a chilling chuckle, looking down at Chloe with an unreadable expression.

"You say you're my daughter, so that makes it true? Where is your proof?"

Without missing a beat, Chloe whipped out a pristine DNA report. "Here is your proof!"

Staring at the paper, I felt neither surprise nor panic. Instead, an odd sense of calm settled over me.

Sure enough, they had mapped out every single step.

They had even prepared for the scenario where I refused to acknowledge her, ready to corner me publicly with a DNA test.

Seeing the crowd murmuring, Evelyn immediately went into victim mode.

"Mom! Even if she is your real daughter, I've been by your side for eighteen whole years!"

"You wouldn't just throw me out on the street the moment you get your biological daughter back, would you?!"

Gasps rippled through the gathering of elite guests.

They had positioned me at the pinnacle of moral condemnation, calculating that I would have no choice but to take in both of them.

Yet, despite all their meticulous scheming, they had overlooked one single variable.

And that oversight would prove fatal.

A subtle smirk played on my lips as I looked up and said calmly,

"Why would I throw anyone out? Neither of you can be missing. Both of you must stay right by my side."