Chapter 3

My real brother, James Warren, had just come home.

Seeing me holding the bank card and the severance papers, he instantly got the picture.

"Emily, seriously? You're that greedy? Dad's money isn't enough for you, so now you're blackmailing us with this?"

Sophia spoke up right away, "James, Dad already gave her 30 grand. That's like ten years' living expenses back in the sticks."

After saying that, Sophia shot me a smug look.

James' face darkened. He snatched the papers from my hand and ripped them to pieces.

I turned to my biological parents, my brows furrowed. "So this is what I get after all these years? This is how the Warren family was waiting for me to come back?"

Lena raised an eyebrow and spoke slowly, "James, don't be impulsive. She's your real sister. It's only right for your dad and me to give her money.

"She just got back—she doesn't realize how much we love her yet. She's just having a hard time accepting it."

James' anger flared up even more. "We spent fifteen years searching for her, and she still doesn't get how much we love her? She's just an ungrateful brat, raised by those poor folks. No manners whatsoever."

As soon as he finished, I slapped him hard across the face.

I glared at him, eyes cold and fierce. "You don't get to judge my parents!"

When I was three years old, my parents took me and James shopping for groceries at the market.

But they got so caught up chasing bargains, they lost track of me and James, who was seven at the time.

The human trafficker was about to snatch James, but I bit him hard enough that he backed off.

He ran away. And that was how I got snatched.

James, face still red from my slap, gritted his teeth. "I, James Warren, will only ever recognize Sophia as my sister. Don't even dream about getting anything from the Warren family.

"Sure, our parents lost you fifteen years ago, but they've already spent tens of thousands looking for you. We don't owe you anything."

I couldn't help but scoff inwardly.

They'd casually drop 300 thousand dollars on Sophia's clothes, but only bothered to spend a few tens of thousands searching for me over fifteen years.

And they really thought they didn't owe me?

With that, James grabbed Sophia and started to leave.

"Wait," I called out, stopping James in his tracks.

He turned around, looking all smug and sure of himself. "What, finally realized you were wrong? Don't think an apology is going to—"

Before he could finish, I slammed the bank card right into his face.

"I don't need your dirty money—take it back!"

With that, I turned and walked away.

The next day, just as the sun was starting to set, I was about to head out to the stables for a ride.

Suddenly, Sophia showed up.

She saw me leading my horse toward the stables and stepped right in front of me, looking all smug and pleased with herself.

She said, "Emily, how could you drop out of school just to wash horses for money? Even if you're poor, you don't have to sink so low.

"Here's 30 grand for you. Don't ever come back to the Warrens. This family only has room for one heiress—and that's me."

With that, she held out her hand, shoving the same bank card from yesterday at me.

I shot her a look, then led my horse around her without a word, taking my horse straight to the racecourse.

Sophia gave me a once-over, finally realizing I wasn't wearing the stable-hand uniform.

It looked like I was about to go riding.

Her face twisted with contempt. "Emily, seriously? You can't just steal a guest's riding outfit. And I actually felt bad for you, thinking you had it tough scrubbing horses.

"People like you sneaking into guest gear? How are they supposed to wear it after you? If anyone found out, they'd be totally grossed out.

"If the boss catches you, you'll be out of a job. What, planning to leech off the Warrens now?"

I couldn't help but snort. "Sophia, don't forget—you're the fake heiress here. You're the one mooching off the Warrens."

Sophia stomped her foot, freaking out behind me—nothing made her lose it faster than being called the fake heiress.

But I was already on my horse and riding away.

When I got back from my ride, I put my horse away and was about to head home.

Sophia dragged James over and blocked my way.

She pointed at me, her face full of smug satisfaction. "James, look at Emily—she's strutting around in a guest's designer riding outfit, and she even thinks she can just hop on someone else's horse like it's hers."

I couldn't be bothered with these two idiots and turned to leave

However, James grabbed my wrist.

He said, "Emily, if you're just here to wash horses, you should know your place and stop coveting things that don't belong to you.

"And don't think we would really abandon you. You don't have to degrade yourself like this."

I raised my hand and slapped him again. "James, watch your mouth. I'm wearing my own clothes and riding my own horse. What's it to you?"

With that, I shot them both a fierce glare.

But James just stood there clueless, not getting it at all.

He clutched his face, scowling. "Emily, I'm just trying to help you out, okay? That designer riding outfit? You couldn't afford it even if you worked in the stables for a whole month."

Sophia chimed in, "Emily, James is just looking out for you. That kind of outfit isn't for a girl like you."

I was so pissed that I slapped Sophia right across the face.

The moment she came to her senses, Sophia threw herself into James' arms, her eyes brimming with tears.

She wailed, "James, Emily is so mean! I tried to give her the bank card, and she totally embarrassed me. Now she's even hit me.

"When you weren't here, she called me the fake heiress and said everything in the Warren family belongs to her."

James narrowed his eyes, a flicker of unease flashing across his face.

Seeing that, I smirked. "As long as Mr. Warren and Mrs. Warren sign the severance papers with me, the Warren family and everything in it has nothing to do with me."

I paused, then looked him straight in the eye. "But if they don't, I'll take back everything that's mine."

James' gaze faltered, and I could tell he was starting to waver.