Chapter 1

The first thing my biological parents did after finding me was force me to sign a lifetime NDA. My mother pinched her nose in disgust, like I was carrying some kind of virus.

"To outsiders, you're just the maid. Emmy is our daughter. Don't get any stupid ideas about stealing her spotlight."

My father tossed a stack of perfume formulas at me. "Emmy's competing in the World Perfume Championship next week. You'll make the perfume behind the scenes, and she gets the credit."

The fake heiress wore my custom gown, hooked her arm through my fiance's, and smiled sweetly at me. "Thanks for the hard work, sis."

Looking at that family of three and their condescending attitude, I folded up the agreement and nodded obediently. They thought I was still some clueless country girl who could be bought off with a little cash.

What they didn't know was that the seat in the very center of the championship's main judging panel had been reserved for me. And there was one very special ingredient in that formula.

For most people, it was harmless. But Emmy had been taking antidepressants for years, and when the two mixed, they'd trigger hallucinations.

On competition day, the whole thing would be broadcast live worldwide.

After I signed, they arranged for me to live in the basement. They called it "peaceful," saying it was good for creative work.

Really, they just didn't want guests seeing my so-called poor-girl vibe.

Emily "Emmy" Lane, the fake heiress, was sitting on the leather couch in the living room, enjoying fruit my mother was feeding her by hand.

"Emmy, you have to win first place this time and make the Lane family proud."

My mother's voice was dripping with tenderness. But the second she turned to me, her face iced over.

"Sophia Lane, did you hear me? If Emmy doesn't take home the gold, you can haul your ass back to the countryside."

I lowered my head and looked at the crumpled formula sheet in my hand. It was packed with requests for all kinds of expensive raw ingredients.

Emily couldn't even recognize half their names.

"Got it, Mrs. Lane."

I switched the way I addressed her fast. If we were putting on a show, I might as well go all in.

My father, Richard Lane, sat in the seat of honor.

"And one more thing, if you see Mr. Grant Jr. around the house, stay the hell away from him."

"Mr. Grant Jr. is Emmy's fiance. Someone like you shouldn't be trying to marry up."

Mr. Grant Jr. Andrew Grant. The man who had originally been promised to me before I was even born.

I heard that when news got out that I'd been brought back, he rushed to the Lane house overnight to break off the engagement and specifically said he only wanted Emily.

His reason was simple: a country girl would only embarrass him in public.

I hugged the formula sheet to my chest and turned toward the basement.

At the turn in the staircase, Emily caught up with me. She was wearing Chanel's latest dress, the one that should've been mine, and looked down at me like I was dirt.

"You're not mad at me, are you, sis?"

"Mom and Dad are just thinking about the big picture. I had an elite upbringing, after all. I'm the one who can represent the Lane family properly."

She reached out like she was going to pat my shoulder, then drew her hand back like she'd almost touched something filthy.

"As long as you behave, once I win, I'll reward you with a few of my old clothes."

I looked at the fake smile hiding under that flawless makeup and laughed.

"Don't worry, sis."

"I'll definitely make you a perfume that's tailored just for you. One you'll never forget for the rest of your life."