Chapter 2

"You really don't know what I mean?" I stepped forward, towering over Linda.

My voice was icy cold. "Eighteen years ago, you didn't lose me by accident. You gave me away, a newborn, to John Thorn, a murderer facing execution, all for half an acre of the Thorn family's estate, didn't you?"

As soon as I said that, the entire crowd fell silent.

The playground, which had been filled with noise moments before, was now so quiet people could hear a pin drop.

Linda's face turned white as a sheet, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

Richard's face darkened, and he barked, "What nonsense are you talking about, Alice? Did someone fill your head with lies? How could we ever do something like that?"

"Nonsense?" I arched an eyebrow, pulling out an old, yellowed contract from my pocket and holding it up for everyone to see. "This is the agreement you signed with Grace Thorn back then. It's all here in black and white.

"You willingly handed over your newborn daughter to John, and the Thorn family gave the Mason family half an acre of land. Both sides swore never to go back on it. Your signatures and fingerprints are right here. Should I read it out for everyone?"

Linda stared at the paper, looking like all the strength had drained from her body. She slumped to the ground, her tears spilling over, leaving only terror in her eyes.

The gossip around us suddenly took a sharp turn.

"Oh my god, it's true? They handed their own daughter over to a murderer for half an acre of land? How could anyone do that?"

"I thought they were decent people before, but now they make me sick."

"Eighteen years. They tossed their daughter to a murderer, built a house and got rich off the land, and now they want to act like loving parents?"

"No wonder Alice grew up with Grace. So that's the real story. These parents are seriously ruthless."

Richard's face flushed bright red as everyone shot him looks of disgust. He yelled, "Shut up. That was a mix-up between the Thorn family and us back then.

"Alice, don't wave that old scrap of paper around and accuse us of things. We're your real parents. Our blood runs in your veins, and nothing can ever change that."

"Real parents?" I sneered, pulling something else from my pocket and holding it up right in his face. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you.

"Ten minutes ago, when you barged into the school, I already called the police. This is the receipt from them. I'm charging you both with child abandonment."

"What?" Richard's and Linda's eyes went wide, staring at me like they'd seen a ghost.

The whole place erupted.

No one saw it coming that not only did I refuse to recognize them as my parents, but I also went as far as calling the police on them.

Linda finally snapped out of it, scrambling to her feet and jabbing a finger at me. She shrieked, "Alice, you heartless traitor. We're your real parents. How could you call the cops on us? Did you even have a conscience?"

"Conscience?" I looked at her, my eyes cold. "Do you have one? You dumped me as a newborn on a murderer, left me to grow up in a village next to a prison, with everyone pointing at me and calling me 'the killer's daughter.'

"I never knew where my next meal would come from. I froze through winters without even a warm coat. Then Grace was sick, and I had to scrape together money from collecting scraps to get her to the hospital.

"Your precious daughter Sophie and her friends cornered me in an alley, called me a nobody, and threw my money in the mud and stomped all over it.

"I made it on my own, never took a single cent from you, won a national gold medal, and got a full ride to the top university in the country. And now you suddenly remember I am your daughter?"