Chapter 1 · My Wealthy Birth Family Lied About Being Bankrupt

To pay for my adoptive grandma's medical treatment, I took a DNA test and went to my wealthy birth parents.

After I explained why I came, I asked them to lend me 150 thousand dollars.

I even wrote an IOU and promised to pay it back within two years.

My father, wearing a gold Rolex, looked troubled. "It would've been nothing," he said, "but the company ran into serious trouble lately. We're about to go bankrupt."

My mother, dressed head to toe in luxury brands, sighed. "We owed the bank a fortune. We might end up homeless any day now."

My brother sneered from the side. "You just returned and you already are asking for money. Is that all you care about?"

I didn't say a word, tearing up the IOU and walking away.

Later, by pure chance, I overheard the fake heiress talking to her friend.

"I just told my parents to pretend they were poor to test her sincerity," she said. "I didn't expect them to be that ruthless. They really didn't give her a single cent.

"Honestly, the real heiress means less to them than my dog. I spend 150 thousand dollars a year just taking care of my dog," Erin Fleming said.

A few years later, they really went bankrupt.

With nothing left, they begged me to save them.

*****

Grandma was sick for ages. Without money for treatment, the doctor could only send her home and hope for the best.

They were basically saying she'd be sent home to die.

Desperate, I had no choice but showed up at the Fleming family's place with a paternity test in hand, looking for my biological parents who had ditched me years ago.

Standing in front of the mansion, I nervously fiddled with the hem of my shirt, feeling totally out of place.

The butler who opened the door looked me up and down and said, "We've had plenty of phonies show up pretending to be their daughter. Hope you're not just another one."

His voice dripped with contempt.

I kept my head down and didn't say a word.

Once inside the mansion, I finally came face to face with my birth parents, people I hadn't seen in twenty years.

It was like they'd been waiting for me all along. Before I could show them the paternity test from twenty years ago, Fiona Fleming, the elegant middle-aged woman, pulled me to sit beside her. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked me up and down.

"It's all my fault I didn't find you sooner," she said, her voice full of regret. "Look at you, so thin. You must've had it rough."

They'd known about me all along but they didn't come to find me.

I insisted they take a look at the paternity test.

It was the only thing my adoptive mom, Bertha Fuller, had ever left me.

She once told me, "Back when I found you, all you had was this paternity test. This is your only clue to finding your birth parents."

So, I used all the money I made from two summers of part-time jobs just to buy this paternity test.

Now, it was the only hope I had left to save Grandma.

A thought came to me and I added, "If you don't believe me, I'm willing to take another test."

My birth father, George and Fiona exchanged glances, and then Fiona handed me a fresh paternity test. "No need. The new results are already in."

I glanced at the date. It was from a month ago.

Back then, I was running myself ragged. I spent my days at the hospital with Grandma, worked nights unloading trucks at a logistics company, and delivered milk in the mornings. Getting four hours of sleep a day was a luxury.

They'd already been investigating me, knew I was struggling, but didn't lift a finger to help.

I had a bad feeling that my plan would fail today.

But I still wanted to roll the dice.

I forced a smile, pulled out a signed IOU, and begged, "Can you lend me 150 thousand dollars? This is the IOU. I swear I'll pay it all back in two years."

Fiona's whole vibe changed in an instant. She'd been holding my hand all sweet and friendly, but the second I asked for money, she pulled her hand away like I was some annoying fly.

George spoke up first, looking all troubled. "Honestly, 150 thousand dollars is pocket change for us, but my company's in serious trouble. We're about to go bankrupt."

Fiona, decked out in designer brands, started sighing dramatically. "Business has been rough these past couple of years. Don't be fooled by how glamorous we look. It's really not all that. Who knows, we might end up on the streets any day now."

I could tell what they were really saying. They weren't going to give me any money.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

But it was not like they owed me anything, so I kept quiet.

I stood up and said quietly, "It's fine. I'll figure it out myself."

Just then, my brother, Darren spoke, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You only came back, and all you want is money? Is that all you ever think about?"

I looked up at him.

He'd been there the whole time, just hanging back in the corner, never saying a word, just quietly watching everything I did.

I couldn't help but remember what Bertha had told me so many times before.

She said, "You were abandoned. I saw it myself. After your birth parents got the paternity test, they ditched you.

"They grabbed their son, hopped in the car, and promised they'd come back for you once they made it big. But when they left, they didn't even glance back. You were unwanted."

Chapter 1

To pay for my adoptive grandma's medical treatment, I took a DNA test and went to my wealthy birth parents.

After I explained why I came, I asked them to lend me 150 thousand dollars.

I even wrote an IOU and promised to pay it back within two years.

My father, wearing a gold Rolex, looked troubled. "It would've been nothing," he said, "but the company ran into serious trouble lately. We're about to go bankrupt."

My mother, dressed head to toe in luxury brands, sighed. "We owed the bank a fortune. We might end up homeless any day now."

My brother sneered from the side. "You just returned and you already are asking for money. Is that all you care about?"

I didn't say a word, tearing up the IOU and walking away.

Later, by pure chance, I overheard the fake heiress talking to her friend.

"I just told my parents to pretend they were poor to test her sincerity," she said. "I didn't expect them to be that ruthless. They really didn't give her a single cent.

"Honestly, the real heiress means less to them than my dog. I spend 150 thousand dollars a year just taking care of my dog," Erin Fleming said.

A few years later, they really went bankrupt.

With nothing left, they begged me to save them.

*****

Grandma was sick for ages. Without money for treatment, the doctor could only send her home and hope for the best.

They were basically saying she'd be sent home to die.

Desperate, I had no choice but showed up at the Fleming family's place with a paternity test in hand, looking for my biological parents who had ditched me years ago.

Standing in front of the mansion, I nervously fiddled with the hem of my shirt, feeling totally out of place.

The butler who opened the door looked me up and down and said, "We've had plenty of phonies show up pretending to be their daughter. Hope you're not just another one."

His voice dripped with contempt.

I kept my head down and didn't say a word.

Once inside the mansion, I finally came face to face with my birth parents, people I hadn't seen in twenty years.

"It's all my fault I didn't find you sooner," she said, her voice full of regret. "Look at you, so thin. You must've had it rough."

They'd known about me all along but they didn't come to find me.

I insisted they take a look at the paternity test.

It was the only thing my adoptive mom, Bertha Fuller, had ever left me.

She once told me, "Back when I found you, all you had was this paternity test. This is your only clue to finding your birth parents."

So, I used all the money I made from two summers of part-time jobs just to buy this paternity test.

Now, it was the only hope I had left to save Grandma.

A thought came to me and I added, "If you don't believe me, I'm willing to take another test."

My birth father, George and Fiona exchanged glances, and then Fiona handed me a fresh paternity test. "No need. The new results are already in."

I glanced at the date. It was from a month ago.

They'd already been investigating me, knew I was struggling, but didn't lift a finger to help.

I had a bad feeling that my plan would fail today.

But I still wanted to roll the dice.

I forced a smile, pulled out a signed IOU, and begged, "Can you lend me 150 thousand dollars? This is the IOU. I swear I'll pay it all back in two years."

Fiona's whole vibe changed in an instant. She'd been holding my hand all sweet and friendly, but the second I asked for money, she pulled her hand away like I was some annoying fly.

George spoke up first, looking all troubled. "Honestly, 150 thousand dollars is pocket change for us, but my company's in serious trouble. We're about to go bankrupt."

I could tell what they were really saying. They weren't going to give me any money.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

But it was not like they owed me anything, so I kept quiet.

I stood up and said quietly, "It's fine. I'll figure it out myself."

Just then, my brother, Darren spoke, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You only came back, and all you want is money? Is that all you ever think about?"

I looked up at him.

He'd been there the whole time, just hanging back in the corner, never saying a word, just quietly watching everything I did.

I couldn't help but remember what Bertha had told me so many times before.

She said, "You were abandoned. I saw it myself. After your birth parents got the paternity test, they ditched you.

"They grabbed their son, hopped in the car, and promised they'd come back for you once they made it big. But when they left, they didn't even glance back. You were unwanted."