Chapter 2

Seeing Jenna get shut down, I couldn't help feeling joyed.

But when I went out to hurry to the kitchen and came back, I couldn't believe my eyes.

The birthday hats and candles were tossed all over the floor, and someone had already cut into the cake. Everyone was chowing down, without a care in the world.

I walked over and confronted them, "I wasn't even back yet. Why did you start without me?"

Helen was enjoying her cake with her eyes half-closed, but when she heard me, she just smirked. "Serena was hungry, and I figured the food wasn't coming anytime soon, so I cut the cake.

"Sophie, we're both moms here, so let me give you some advice. You can't just focus on making everything perfect and let your kid go hungry."

Not only did she have no manners, but she was also trying to drive a wedge between my daughter and me.

If this had happened before, I would've just bit my tongue and let it go, all for the sake of keeping up appearances.

But today, I didn't hold back. I swung my hand and slapped Helen right across the face.

"You just can't keep your hands off things, can you? I was only gone for a minute. Who do you think you are, making decisions at my party?" I snapped.

Helen screamed, covering her face, totally stunned. For a couple of seconds, she just stared at me in disbelief, and then tears sprang to her eyes.

Henry immediately pulled Helen into his arms, holding her protectively. "Sophie, Helen was just looking out for Serena. How could you hit her?"

Then Jenna chimed in, scolding me, "It's just a cake. Early or late, it's all the same. Why did you have to slap her over something so small?"

Even Serena, worried, reached out to comfort Helen and yelled at me, "Mom, you went too far. We ate the cake, but it's not like we didn't save you any."

I looked over at the cake they'd left behind. It was a total wreck, barely even looking like a cake anymore.

"Me, too much? She's just an ex, but she acted like she ran the show. Shouldn't I be mad at her and give a lesson?" I snapped.

Serena opened her mouth, about to say something, when suddenly the news about the Rivers family's missing daughter started playing on TV.

Helen got all hyped up, didn't even care about her sore cheek anymore, and pointed excitedly at the screen. "Hey, look, the Rivers family is my boss, and their heiress has been found."

I was confused. "Your boss?"

From what I remembered, Helen worked at some small-time company, and on the side, she moonlighted as an insurance agent and a matchmaker.

Sure, she had got her fingers in a lot of pies, but there was no way she'd got any ties to the Rivers family.

Serena chimed right away. "Helen just got hired by the Rivers Group today. Her salary doubled compared to her old job."

Serena was beaming with pride.

I couldn't help but scoff.

With Helen's resume, the Rivers Group wouldn't have hired her in a million years.

If the Rivers family wasn't trying to rack up good karma for me by taking on everyone who interviewed today, Helen never would've landed the job.

Right now, Helen was standing there, shooting me a smug look. "With my skills, I'll be a department manager in no time. Once I've got my footing at the Rivers Group, I can even bring Henry on board."

The Rivers Group paid twice the industry standard, so Jenna was all smiles. "Honestly, Helen, you look like you're born under a lucky star."

Helen let out a sigh. "But if we're talking about real luck, it's gotta be that girl the Rivers family just found. I heard she had been missing for over thirty years. Now she's finally set for life."

Watching Helen get all starry-eyed and envious, I couldn't help but let out a mocking laugh.

Just imagine her face if she found out I was the real Rivers heiress, made me a bit smug.

Jenna gave me a once-over when she heard me laughing, her eyes full of judgment. "You and that girl both grew up in the orphanage, but she got picked up by a rich family, and now her whole crew's living large thanks to her.

"Look at you, still nobody. And now you're out here slapping people."

I finally figured it out.

Everyone had been in my case today, just because Helen scored a job at the Rivers Group.

Seriously, this whole family was so petty and shallow.

Just then, Serena cried out in surprise. "Hey, look. The Rivers family's heiress is wearing the same dress as my mom."