Chapter 1

My name was Emily Warren. Ordinary as I seemed, I carried luck like a second skin—specifically, the kind that filled bank accounts.

From the moment my adoptive parents took me in, their business bloomed into a thriving enterprise. Even my biological family, while searching for me, stumbled into one windfall after another, their wealth multiplying beyond measure.

The day I was finally reunited with my birth family, however, was far from warm. Their mansion buzzed with a reality TV crew, filming my so-called "sister"—the fake heiress, Sophia Warren.

When a camera panned in my direction, Sophia cut in first. "Don't get it twisted, everyone! She's just our maid Miranda's daughter."

My biological parents stood by, watching silently as Sophia ordered me around like a maid. Not a single word of protest left their lips.

Later that night, my father slipped me a credit card. "Emily, Sophia's a star. If word gets out she's not our real daughter, her career's over. Just suck it up for a while—stay on as Miranda's daughter."

My mother rushed to echo him. "You're not like Sophia. Identity doesn't matter to someone like you. Let it go, okay?"

I nodded, no emotion in my eyes.

From my bag, I pulled out a stack of papers. "Sign these. Termination of parental rights. From now on, she's your only daughter."

I walked out the door, and chaos followed. My birth family's business collapsed in a spectacular scandal, their assets frozen overnight. Sophia, exposed as a fraud, became a laughingstock online.

Later, they tracked me down, haggard and desperate, tears streaming down their faces. "Emily, please come back! We're sorry—we were wrong!"

I let out a dry, cold laugh. "You want me to give up my billion-dollar assets... to live in poverty with you? Nice try."

*****

I was at my family's stables, giving my horse a bath, when my biological parents suddenly showed up.

They saw me wearing gloves and an oversized waterproof suit, water splashed all over me—even my shoes were soaked.

They frowned. "Emily, you've had it so tough. Why aren't you in school, enjoying your youth? Why are you working at the stables?"

I was honestly confused. School was out for the summer, and I was just taking care of my own horse.

It was our family's ranch, after all.

Since when did I become someone else's employee?

I looked at them, confused. "And you are..."

My biological parents' eyes instantly filled with tears. "Emily, we're your real parents. We've come to bring you home."

With a loud splash, I tossed the brush in the bucket without a second thought.

Then I bolted off to find my adoptive mom, Violeta Miles. Not a chance I was getting snatched again.

My biological parents chased after me and found Violeta in the stables' break room, cooking for me.

They immediately started laying into her. "You must be Emily's adoptive mom. She's only eighteen, and you're keeping her from school and making her work here at the ranch. We have to take Emily home so she can finally enjoy the life she deserves."

I was just about to clap back.

But Violeta, eyes rimmed with tears, grabbed my hand tight. "Emily, it's been so many years. Go with your real parents, just for a visit. Your dad and I will be here waiting for you."

And just like that, I ended up back at the Warren family's mansion.

On the way, my biological parents kept going on about Sophia Warren, their adopted daughter.

It turned out that they ran into her by chance while searching for me. She was an orphan, and since she looked a lot like me, they decided to take her in.

My real mom, Lena Warren, whose eyes lit up with excitement as she said, "Emily, you have no idea. Sophia is basically our family's good luck charm. Ever since we adopted her, everything's been going our way.

"If it weren't for the fortune Sophia brought us, your dad and I wouldn't have had the means to keep searching for you all these years. You owe her a big thank you."

Me? Thank Sophia? Why the hell should I?

Lena continued, trying to be considerate, "Oh, and the villa's pretty big, so you might get lost. Don't worry, though."

I just gave an awkward little smile.