Chapter 2

I took a deep breath and forced down the storm inside me.

"You should all go home first. I still have a client here. And don't let her come to the company again. We can talk about everything else later."

Mom quickly agreed. "Okay, okay. I'll talk things through with Penny. I won't hold you up. For the things I need to buy lately, should I just send the list to Alex?"

I nodded tiredly and waved them out.

Penny pouted, but with my parents there, she didn't dare keep causing a scene and followed them out.

After Penny's stunt, the whole company had to work for days before we managed to get the deal back on track.

My taut nerves finally loosened a little. I had just closed my eyes to rest when I got a call from home.

"Monica, why haven't you come home in days? Are you still mad at Mom?"

I wanted to hold back my frustration, but what came out still sounded a little pouty. "You have no idea how much extra work that mess caused me last time."

Mom soothed me softly over the phone. "My poor baby, you've worked so hard. It's a shame I can't help. But I made your favorite soup today on purpose. Come home and have some."

Hearing that calmed the last of my resentment. I already wanted to ask about the switched-at-birth thing anyway, so I agreed.

When I drove up to the house, I found the villa brightly lit, with a lot more cars parked outside than usual.

Puzzled, I stepped into the hall and found it packed with socialites from our circle. The moment I walked in, they all looked over with that gleeful, waiting-for-drama expression.

I was pushed onto the stage by the crowd. I was still wearing a wrinkled suit, and my hair was greasy from several all-nighters in a row.

The next second, the lights dimmed and a spotlight fell on the staircase.

Penny appeared slowly before the crowd in an elegant mermaid gown, her arm linked with my fiancé Benjamin Grant.

Dad excitedly announced to everyone, "This is the Sterling family's daughter too!"

But instead of looking where Dad and Penny wanted, everyone immediately turned to watch my reaction. The mocking looks on their faces weren't even hidden.

I had barely clawed my way into high society through sheer ability, but everyone in this circle knew my family had only become newly rich because of me.

And now my father was making a huge production out of welcoming back his biological daughter. Wasn't this basically a public slap in the face to me, the fake one?

"So that's the man you refused to marry for?" someone beside me snorted.

My vision darkened with anger. So the soup had all been a lie. They'd tricked me into coming just so they could spring this on me.

Maybe Penny didn't like that everyone's attention was still on me, because she lifted her chin high and deliberately walked over.

Only then did I see it clearly. Every accessory she had on came from my room. Even that dress was one I'd custom ordered for the annual gala.

"Monica, Dad threw this welcome party just for me. Why are you dressed like that? Are you unhappy that Dad found me? Oh..."

Penny covered her mouth in fake surprise. "Then again, you're a fake. Are you scared you'll be returned like damaged goods?"

The second she finished, laughter rippled through the room. Penny looked even more pleased with herself, swaying with smug delight.

She couldn't seriously think they were laughing at me, could she?