Chapter 3
The welcome-home party couldn't go on any longer.
Dad barely held back his anger and told the staff to escort the guests out.
But the reporters refused to leave.
Like that, the party meant to cover up lies was torn apart by my hands.
Twenty minutes later, I was "invited" to the Riverses' top-floor study.
The moment the door closed, Mom raised her hand to slap me.
But before her hand could land on my face, I caught it mid-air.
I looked at her, tightening my grip bit by bit.
She gasped in pain, staring at me like she'd never seen me before.
"Want to hit me? On what grounds?" I sneered. "You gave birth to me, yet after I went missing, you raised another daughter without a single qualm. Even now that I'm back, you only fear she'll be wronged."
"Enough!" Dad slammed his hand on the table. "Are you happy now that you've ruined everything tonight?"
"Not at all." I let go of Mom's hand and looked at him calmly. "This is just the start."
Yolanda sat on the sofa crying. William stood by her side, his hand gently resting on her shoulder.
He was so protective of her.
How had I been blind to that look in my previous life?
Mom rubbed her wrist, hatred in her eyes. "Lily, don't push your luck.
"We took you back in, put a roof over your head, fed and clothed you. That's already more than enough.
"Yolanda has been with us for eighteen years. She's our daughter. If you insist on fighting, you'll break her."
"What about me?" I shot back. "You brought me back to be her shield, didn't you?"
Everyone went quiet.
I smiled faintly, "Scared to answer me?
"You kept my identity a secret at the welcome-home party, so no one would know you raised the wrong daughter.
"You put me in the farthest guest room so I wouldn't steal Yolanda's spotlight.
"You made me sign a confidentiality agreement so Grandma's shares wouldn't go to me.
"You weren't worried about her getting hurt.
"You were protecting what she never deserved."
William frowned, "Lily, mind your words."
I stared at him, my voice cold. "You're my fiancé, knowing full well I'm the Rivers family's real daughter. Still, you helped them cover it up. How dare you lecture me now?"
My parents' faces changed instantly.
They'd been terrified I'd expose the engagement.
Before Grandpa died, he and William's grandpa had made a verbal promise: when the Rivers granddaughter came of age, the families would marry if both sides agreed.
Since I couldn't be found, everyone took it for granted that Yolanda would marry William.
But on her deathbed, Grandma gave me the White family's token.
In my previous life, Mom and the others had begged me to stay quiet until the time was right.
But when the time came, the woman next to William was Yolanda.
Mom took a deep breath, switching back to soft tactics.
"Lily, I know you're hurt. But Yolanda has a weak heart; she can't handle stress.
"Calm down. We'll make it up to you later," she said.
Same old lines.
In my previous life, I'd teared up the first time she said that.
Now, it only made me sick.
"Make it up to me?" I leaned against the desk and said flatly. "Give back what Grandma left me first."
Dad frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb," I scoffed. "Before Grandma passed away, she had signed a notarized inheritance with her lawyer.
"Thirty percent of Silverloom's shares in her name, along with the handmade workshop behind Rivers Manor, are all mine."
The room went pin-drop quiet.
I still remembered the night before the fire. I'd overheard Dad talking to William. "Once Lily's dead, Maria's notarization is worthless."
Only then did I realize Grandma had left me a way out.
But they'd blocked it before I could find it.
Dad stared at me, trying to tell how much I knew.
After a long moment, he said coldly, "Where did you hear that?"
My smile widened. "So it's true. Then it's simple.
"By ten tomorrow morning, I want the share transfer confirmation and the workshop key.
"Otherwise, the mess of tonight's welcome-home party will only be the beginning."
"Who are you threatening?" Mom shrieked.
"Otherwise, the mess of tonight's party will only be the beginning."
Yolanda suddenly stood up, crying. "Lily, why are you pushing Mom and Dad so hard? They'd looked for you for years. Now you come back and cause all this drama. What will people think of our family?"
I turned to look at her.
Her eyes and nose were red. She looked like a fragile flower about to break in the wind.
In my previous life, I'd always wondered how she acted so well.
Later, I understood.
Villains weren't afraid when they were sure someone would clean up their mess.