Chapter 1

On the eve of the big holiday, right after I got bound to the TruthSpeak System, my wealthy parents came and took me, their real daughter, back home.

Vanessa King, their fake daughter, started sniffling. "Now that Anna's back, does that mean I have to leave?"

My mouth shot off before I could stop it. "Don't just walk out. Run."

My parents snapped, "You want us to kick you out again?"

I blurted out, "Sounds good to me. Bye, I'm leaving."

I decided to hand myself over to the government.

An officer eyed me with obvious distrust, pointing at three photos.

He said, "There has been a serial murder case in the city lately. Which one of these three is the killer?"

I named the one nobody saw coming.

The cops were floored, but I just grinned.

*****

Ever since I got bound to the TruthSpeak System, I'd been keeping my mouth shut whenever I could.

It was just that my mouth had a mind of its own.

But Vanessa just had to sniffle and ask, "Now that Anna's back, does that mean I have to leave?"

My mouth blurted out, "Don't just walk out. Run."

Vanessa froze for a second, then started bawling even louder.

My father, Samuel King, barked, "Get upstairs now."

I hustled up the stairs, mentally consoling myself that at least honesty was supposed to be a traditional virtue.

Once I was back in my room, which was basically a presidential suite, I locked the door and let out a long sigh.

This damn system always caught me off guard.

Dinner time rolled around.

Under the crystal chandelier, the long dining table was set with fancy silverware and elegant tableware.

Vanessa sat next to Rachel, my mother. Vanessa's eyes were a little red, looking all fragile and pitiful.

I quietly pulled out the chair farthest from them and sat down, doing my best to blend into the background.

"Anna, help yourself. You're way too slim," Rachel said, signaling the servant to serve me some food.

I nodded and replied, "OK."

Vanessa picked up a piece of fish, her voice all sweet and gentle. "Anna, this is Allen's specialty. Try it? See if you like it?"

I stared at the fish, my inner alarm bells going off like crazy.

She could've just made a statement, an exclamation, or even rattled off a bunch of things, but she just had to ask a question.

I wanted to say "thanks", but my mouth blurted out, "Oh, this fish was thawed yesterday at three in the afternoon, then left out at room temperature in the kitchen for over four hours before it was cooked. It's not really fresh anymore. Go ahead and try it yourself."

The whole room went dead silent.

Vanessa's hand froze in mid-air, her face flushing red, then turning pale.

Rachel slammed her fork down, her perfectly maintained face turning icy. "Anna King! Are you trying to stir up trouble for the whole family?"

I tried to cover my mouth, but the words just slipped out. "She's a fake heiress. She's always making things awkward for me. Can't you see that?"

After blurting it out, I knew I was totally screwed.

I mentally prayed for myself.

Ever since I came back, the whole family hadn't said a word about Vanessa leaving, and she still got all the same perks. It was obvious they wanted her to stick around.

Samuel shot me a fierce glare. "Just eat!"

I finished my meal surrounded by Vanessa's faint sniffles and my parents' frosty stares.

I ate as fast as I could. I jumped up the second I was done and said, "I'm done. Take your time." Then, I slipped out of there before anyone could stop me.

Behind me, I heard Rachel comforting Vanessa. "Honey, just ignore her. She was not taught well during her growth."