Chapter 2

When the Harris family and the Lynch family settled on the marriage alliance, my dad brought it up to me. But I was busy digging up a new site with my grandfather, so I just turned him down.

He said that since I didn't care, I might as well let Sophia take it instead.

That was when my dad suggested giving Sophia our family name and adopting her. He said her family was struggling, and we should do what we could to help.

But Vincent actually thought he was protecting the real heiress, playing knight in shining armor.

I shot him a look like he was an idiot. I shot back, "Are you blind? Don't you think I look a bit like Robert?"

Vincent let out a cold laugh. He sneered, "I'm not blind. Yara looks way more like him than you do. Maybe you even tried to copy Yara's face with surgery."

Yara sighed dramatically. She said, "Sylvia, you've always said you envied how pretty I am and wanted to share my face. Don't tell me you spent all the money we gave you on plastic surgery just to replace me?"

I figured Yara's skin was thick enough that another slap wouldn't even make her flinch. I was about to swing at her again when the crowd exploded around us.

Someone shouted, "Robert is here!"

I thought the truth was finally about to come out. But as I turned to see the person who had arrived, I was slapped across the face without warning.

The person snapped, "You're the one bullying my daughter, Yara? You've got some nerve!"

I frowned, giving the man in front of me a hard look.

It was indeed my dad, Robert Lynch. But he was staring at me like I was a total stranger.

He moved to shield Yara, giving me a look like I was a nuisance. He demanded, "Why are you back? Did you already blow through the money I sent you?"

Just like that, he made me look like some greedy, broke kid.

Robert said, "I was late because of work today, and I never expected my daughter to be treated like this. Sorry for the drama, folks!"

Just then, someone stepped forward.

He said, "Mr. Lynch, I spoke with William just a few days ago. He said his granddaughter, the Lynch heiress, was out in the desert with him, digging up ruins."

He must be the antique dealer my grandpa mentioned recently, John Davis, always keeping tabs on discoveries.

John said, "Looks like Sylvia just came back from one of those digs herself. So, what's the story here?"

Robert married into the Lynch family and took their name. After my mom died, he managed things for my grandpa, who still called all the shots.

Then, at the urging of his fellow scholars, my grandpa left to take charge of the archaeological team himself, leaving Robert to run things back home.

Robert was sweating bullets, but he still tried to play it cool. He said, "William has a soft spot for children. If a girl wants to tag along on his archaeological digs, of course, he'd call her his granddaughter.

"Maybe she was just putting on a show to make William feel sorry for her. Who knew she'd turn out to be so ungrateful? And now, the moment I turn my back, she's picking on the real Lynch heiress."

I glanced between Robert and Yara, and suddenly understood why he was so intent on defending her.

In my previous life, before Robert even arrived, Yara took the lead in humiliating and bullying me, and everyone else joined in. In the end, I couldn't take it anymore and threw myself into the lake.

This time, I was ready and waiting for him, but I never expected he'd actually be scheming like this.

I should've seen it coming from the start.

Robert made Yara his adopted daughter and set her up with the Harris family.

Once my grandpa was gone, even if the will said I was in charge, Robert could just team up with the Harris family and erase me from the picture.

That was some next-level scheming.

No wonder I always thought Robert's smile looked fake when I was a kid. He must've been planning to get rid of me from the start.

Robert's words put me on blast in front of everyone.

Some guests even started pointing at me, shouting, "How can someone be so shameless? They helped her out, and now she's turned on her benefactors and is trying to steal Ms. Lynch's place.

"Ms. Lynch is just too soft-hearted. If it were me, I wouldn't waste a cent on someone so low."

Triumph flashed in Yara's eyes, but she spoke in fake sympathy, "Back then, I only helped her because she showed up at our gate in rags, begging for coins. I never thought she'd dare try to steal my place."

With a wave of his hand, Robert had his men restrain me, ready to drag me out.

But I didn't even flinch. I just gave a cold, mocking smile to Robert, so eager to toss me out.

I sneered, "Feeling guilty already? You really think kicking me out will make Sophia Taylor the heiress of the Lynch family?"