Chapter 1

On the second day after I was born, I was swapped out. Overnight, I went from being a rich heiress to a "bastard" in a poor village.

When I turned eighteen, my adoptive mother sold me off to an old widower in the village. He abused me to death.

Three days after I died, my real parents showed up.

My adoptive mother put on a whole act, milked them for a fortune, and only then let them take my body away.

I was reborn, already cradled in my adoptive mother's arms.

Just as we were about to step out of Aethelgard Private Hospital, I suddenly pushed myself up, grabbed the collar of the old man next to me, and screamed at the top of my lungs.

*****

Maybe it was that blood connection, but the old man jumped in surprise, his eyes locking onto my face.

My adoptive mother rushed to apologize. "Sorry, sorry, she's just not feeling well."

"If she's not well, why are you leaving the hospital? Let a doctor take a look," the old man said.

"No need! We don't have the money. Kids from the countryside are sturdy," my adoptive mother replied.

I started to panic, squirming in her arms until I managed to wriggle free, both hands out, showing off the rosebud birthmark on my wrist.

The old man's gaze turned razor-sharp. He said, "This is Aethelgard Private Hospital. How does a country woman even afford to have her baby here?"

My adoptive mother, Myrtle Cobb, instantly freaked out and burst into tears. "Just because I'm from the countryside, I don't get to have a baby?

"City folks like you think you're better than us, so people like me should just die, is that it?"

She kept crying, shooting pitiful looks at everyone around, hoping to win some sympathy.

But she was wrong. The wealthy crowd at Aethelgard Private Hospital wasn't about to take her side.

Everyone in the lobby shot her dirty looks, and Myrtle was dumbfounded.

The next second, the old man barked, "Grab her! Call the cops!"

"What right do you have to grab me? She's my daughter!" Myrtle shouted.

"Because you stole my granddaughter!" the old man shot back.

He grabbed my wrist, shouting, "This is the rosebud birthmark, only Hawthorne children have it!"

The bodyguards came over, gently took me from Myrtle's arms, and kept her arm twisted behind her back, not letting go.

The old man held me close, and I curved my lips into a small smile at him. His eyes instantly softened.

"Take her to the police station," he ordered.

With that, he strode upstairs, carrying me in his arms.

Now, I lay in my paternal grandfather's arms and let out a sigh of relief.

In my previous life, I barely crossed paths with my paternal grandfather, Alistair Hawthorne, and missed out on him for my entire life.

This time, I was going to do everything I could to please my biggest supporter.

Right now, in the VIP suite, my mom, Rosalind Hawthorne, was all alone. My dad, Caspian Hawthorne, was nowhere to be found.

Seeing this, Grandpa Alistair flew into a rage.

"Where the hell did that bastard go?" he roared.

"Leaving the child's mother all alone? And where's the confinement nanny?" he fumed.

Just then, a woman hurried out of the room next door, looking nervous and respectful.

"Mr. Alistair, it was Mr. Caspian who told me to go next door. He said single moms have it rough," the woman explained.

Right after, Dad showed up. When he saw Grandpa Alistair, he looked kind of guilty.

Grandpa Alistair was furious, pointing at the baby in the crib. "Is this how you act as a father? Your own daughter got swapped out, and you didn't even notice!"

My dad shook his head. "Dad, you're worrying too much. We're in the VIP suite. Regular folks can't just walk in!"

Grandpa Alistair brought me right up to his face. "Take a look!"

Just then, Mom woke up. When she saw the baby by the bed, she cried out, "That's not my child!"

Ignoring her weakness, she rushed over to me, her eyes locking onto the rosebud birthmark on my wrist. She finally breathed a sigh of relief.

My dad walked over to the crib, lifted the baby's wrist, and said, "She has a birthmark too. Maybe you're mistaken?"

My mom spun around and shot him a sharp glare. "This is my daughter. Her rosebud birthmark is shaped like a flower. The one you're holding isn't!"

Back in Mom's arms, I finally felt relieved, but Dad looked anything but happy.

"That's crazy! Talk about destiny, maybe we should just adopt her," Dad suggested.

Mom didn't even blink. She smacked Dad right across the face.

"Why should I raise the daughter of a kidnapper? Caspian, don't even think about it, or I'll never let you off!" she snapped.

Dad tried to say something else, but Grandpa Alistair cut him off.

"Enough! The one who stole the child has already been sent to the police. And as for you," Grandpa Alistair said, turning to the confinement nanny, "you're fired!"

Then he glared at my dad. "If you can't stop being so soft-hearted, then get the hell out!"

Dad immediately shut up, but he shot me a gloomy look. I instinctively burrowed deeper into Mom's arms.

Even though I'd escaped being switched out for now, Dad wasn't happy at all.

Snuggled tightly in Mom's arms, my big eyes blinked innocently.

When Grandpa Alistair came over to check on me, I reached out with my tiny hands and grabbed his finger. His heart instantly melted.

"Our baby's been clever since she was born. If she hadn't held onto me, she really might've been switched out," Grandpa Alistair said.

Mom felt totally let down by the way Dad acted.

"The baby could be found this time, it's all thanks to God's mercy. If it happens again..." Mom fumed.