Chapter 1

Ever since I was little, I’d been a born performer. I loved being the center of attention.

When Mom refused to let me eat meat, I screamed loud enough for the whole village to hear that she was abusing me.

When Dad cheated with a widow from the next village,

I secretly photographed them naked in bed that very night, printed the pictures on flyers, and handed them out to everyone in town.

When my brother pushed me into a pond and stood on the bank laughing with his buddies,

I turned around and set the neighbor’s pigpen on fire, then shouted over the village loudspeaker:

“Mrs. Parker, I’d like to apologize on my brother’s behalf!”

My parents lost half a lifetime’s savings paying for the damage.

Eventually, nobody dared mess with me. They were terrified of what outrageous thing I might do next.

Until my biological parents arrived in a Rolls-Royce and asked me to come home as the heiress to their fortune.

The girl who’d taken my place put on an aristocratic air and said,

“You’re a Bennett now. Lose those crude country manners. Don’t embarrass this family.”

She thought I’d pretend to be a proper lady to save face.

Instead, my inner drama queen took over. I dropped to the ground, kicking and wailing.

“Mom! Dad! You finally found me! You have no idea how much I’ve suffered!”

My parents stared in shock, then hurried to help me into the car.

I sobbed while secretly studying their expressions.

Mom’s eyes were red. Dad’s brow was furrowed. Good. They were buying it.

Across from me sat the fake heiress, Chloe Bennett. Her pretty face was practically twisted with rage.

I sneered inwardly. We were only getting started.

Chloe sat as far away from me as possible, holding her nose in disgust.

“Have you ever taken a bath? You stink. And those rags you’re wearing had better not get the car dirty. These seats are worth more than your life.”

What a classic line.

I glanced at her, then let out a wounded sob.

“I’m sorry. I’ve never been in a car this nice. I used to walk miles through the hills to get to school. There wasn’t a car for me to ride in.”

Chloe clearly hadn’t expected me to turn on the tears so fast. Her mouth twitched.

“And why are you hunched over like that? You have absolutely no poise. You’re an embarrassment to the Bennetts!”

I only cried harder.

“I… I’ve worked on the farm since I was little. I had to carry over a hundred pounds of animal feed on my back. It damaged my spine.”

Mom’s eyes filled with tears.

“Oh, Evelyn, you’ve suffered so much. Those mountain roads must have been dangerous! Don’t worry. Once you’re home, you’ll have a driver wherever you go. You’ll never have to do farmwork again. I won’t let you live like that anymore.”

Even Dad’s expression hardened.

“That’s enough. Your sister has suffered for seventeen years. Do you really need to insult her to her face?”

Her attack had backfired. Chloe’s eyes burned with resentment, and her jaw clenched.

I turned away to wipe my tears, smiling coldly to myself.

You’ll need a lot more practice before you can take me on.

The Bennetts had arranged a family dinner at the ancestral estate to welcome me home.

The moment we stepped inside, Chloe threw herself into our grandmother’s arms.

“Grandma! I missed you so much!”

Grandma hugged her with a beaming smile, then gave me a passing glance.

“Sit wherever you like.”

That was when my biological brother, Ethan Bennett, looked me up and down in disgust.

“So you’re Evelyn Bennett, the long-lost daughter? You look like a complete hick. You don’t have half of Chloe’s class. Let me make one thing clear: I only have one sister, and that’s Chloe. You’re nothing to me.”

I said nothing. I lowered my head and nervously twisted the hem of my shirt.

Wonderful. Another one Chloe had brainwashed. No rush. I had plenty of time to play with them.

Quietly, I took a seat farther away.

Grandma frowned.

“That’s where the staff sits. What are you doing over there?”

I cautiously looked up.

“My old family didn’t let me eat at the table. I’m used to sitting by the door. I’m already grateful to have a seat.”

Everyone fell silent. Ethan went rigid.

They’d known my old life probably hadn’t been easy. They hadn’t imagined it had been that bad. For a moment, none of them knew how to react.

Grandma sighed, sympathy softening her eyes.

“Come sit over here.”

She kept serving me food throughout dinner until my plate was piled high.

Seeing me steal everyone’s attention, Chloe’s eyes flashed with jealousy. She tried to reclaim the spotlight.

“I’ve been practicing a new piece. Let me play it for everyone. Evelyn, you’ve probably never had a chance to learn an instrument, right? I can teach you sometime.”

I kept eating without much interest. Just as Chloe really got into her performance, I suddenly started coughing, my face turning bright red.

“There’s a fish bone stuck in my throat…”

Everyone flew into a panic. No one was watching Chloe anymore.

Her face turned thunderous.