Chapter 1

I was born to be a real drama queen. I could switch between sixteen different emotions in the blink of an eye.

When my real parents finally took me home, I knew my show was just getting started.

The fake heiress didn't let me down. She barged in, smashed Mom's favorite antique vase, and, with tears brimming in her eyes, pointed right at me.

"Serena, I know you don't like me, but you can't just take it out on Mom's favorite thing," Edith sobbed.

I stared at her and got myself into character. The next second, my tears burst out. My crying was ten times louder and more tragic than hers.

I did a dramatic slide right over to my dad and grabbed onto his leg.

I wailed, "Dad, oh, Dad. It was all my fault. I lost my balance, and Edith just accidentally knocked over the vase when she was trying to help me.

"Mom, if you have to blame someone, blame me. I'm so useless. I don't deserve anything. Please, just don't be mad at Edith. It's all my fault."

Dad looked down at the two muddy handprints smeared across his designer pants, then back at my blotchy, tear-streaked face. He said nothing for a long moment.

*****

My mom, Linda Moore, looked like she was about to explode. Her face was stormy, and she was so shocked that she just froze there, trembling with anger.

"You... Get up right away. Just look at you. What kind of mess is this? You're a noble heiress, not some country bumpkin," she snapped.

Like I was going to get up. Instead, I bawled even louder, clinging to my dad Richard Moore's leg like my life depended on it.

I sobbed, "Dad, does Mom not like me? Should I not have come back?

"Edith, please, tell Mom it's all my fault, not yours."

As I bawled, I shot a quick glance at Edith.

Her face was totally stiff. Clearly, she'd never seen anyone pull a move like this before. She tried to speak, but my high-pitched wailing completely drowned her out.

My dad, Richard, finally stirred, bending down and giving me a look like he was studying some rare creature.

"Did you just say she was trying to help you?" he asked.

I nodded furiously, smearing even more tears and snot all over his pants.

"Yes. Edith's such a good person. She saw me about to fall and just dashed over to help me. The vase doesn't matter at all, as long as Edith's okay," I wailed dramatically.

The room suddenly went dead silent.

Edith's face went ghostly pale in an instant.

Linda's face looked even more sullen.

Richard's lips twitched.

He didn't bother looking at me anymore. First, he glanced at the mess on the floor, and then his eyes slowly landed on Edith's four-inch stilettos.

"So, according to Serena, you tried to help someone in flats while you were wearing those high heels?" Richard asked.

Linda, protective as ever, jumped in right away. "Richard, what are you trying to say? Edith's been a good girl since she was little. Do you really think she'd lie?

"But this country bumpkin? Who knows what kind of people she's been hanging out with all these years? For all we know, she could've picked up some bad habits."

Richard ignored her, just calmly looking at Edith.

Edith's lips trembled, and she was totally at a loss for words.

Seeing this, I scrambled up from the floor and rushed over to Linda, grabbing onto her arm.

I said, "Mom, please don't fight with Dad, and don't blame Edith. She really meant well. If anyone's at fault, it's me. I'm just a walking disaster. Ever since I came back, I've turned the whole house upside down.

"I'll go, I'll leave right now. I'll go back to wherever I came from. I swear, you'll never have to see me or deal with my mess again."

With that, I spun around and dashed for the door, head held high, but my back looked so pitiful and lonely that it could've made anyone's heart ache.

But before I could even make it two steps, I felt someone grab me by the collar from behind.

"That's enough. Stop right there," Richard barked.

Once he saw I wasn't struggling anymore, he let go of my clothes.

I gave myself a mental high-five and then slowly turned around, still wearing that panicked, teary-eyed look on my face.

"Dad, please let me go. It's pointless to force something that's never going to work," I whimpered.

"I'll have the maids fix up your room. Just stay for now. If you need anything, let me know, and we'll get it sorted," Richard said.

He paused and then added, "And toss out any shoes that don't fit. You're an heiress now, so act the part and keep it classy."