Chapter 2

During the first week, Olivia took me shopping at every mall in town.

She swiped her card effortlessly, and the sales associate beamed at her.

She pointed at items with her finger. "This one, this one, and this one. Wrap them all up."

The sales associate said with a flattering smile, "Mrs. Jennings, you're so good to your daughter."

Olivia smiled and linked her arm through mine. "I owe this girl everything."

She bought me dresses, handbags, and jewelry.

The price tags showed amounts equal to what I'd earned working for an entire year back in the fishing village.

When we got home that evening, Grace was sitting on the living room sofa with a magazine spread out in front of her.

She looked up when she saw us walk in with all our shopping bags and smiled.

"Wow, Emily, you got so much," she said softly.

Olivia let go of my hand and walked over to sit beside Grace. She smiled at her warmly. "Grace, do you want some new clothes too? I can take you shopping tomorrow."

Grace shook her head, and her fingertips traced the magazine pages in her lap. "I'm good. I have enough clothes already."

She paused and glanced at the luxury brand shopping bag in my hand. Her expression shifted slightly. "That brand. I remember you're from the fishing village, Emily. You probably haven't seen these before, right?"

The air went still for a moment.

Olivia's smile froze on her face.

My grip tightened on the bag handle.

"No, I haven't," I said quietly.

Grace's smile widened, and her eyes curved into crescents. "Well, you'll have to learn slowly. These brands require special care, so don't ruin them after wearing them a few times."

She dropped her gaze back to her magazine, as if it were just a casual comment.

Olivia glanced at me, and something complicated flickered in her eyes.

That night, I shoved all the shopping bags into the bottom of my closet and left the tags on every single piece.

The following week, Felix announced he wanted to show me more of the world.

He invited me to a charity gala where the city's elite would gather.

Olivia spent the entire afternoon getting me ready.

She dressed me in a white evening gown and draped a pearl necklace around my neck, then pinned my hair into an elegant updo.

The girl staring back at me in the mirror looked like a stranger, and the sight made my heart race.

Olivia stood behind me and rested her hand on my shoulder. "You look beautiful."

Her smile held pride, but something else lingered beneath it. Something wistful I couldn't quite understand.

At the dinner party, Felix led me around and introduced me to his circle.

Felix gestured to a silver-haired man. "This is Daniel Wills. He owns half the commercial real estate downtown."

He moved us along to an elegant woman in a black gown. "This is Meryl Ponds. She runs the Ponds Gallery on Fifth."

Then he stopped in front of an older gentleman. "And this is Joseph Jones. He's Grace's godfather."

I followed along like a puppet on strings, nodding at each person, smiling, and saying hello. The routine felt mechanical and exhausting.

A man in a burgundy suit approached us, and his eyes swept over me with obvious interest.

He looked at Felix. "Felix, who's this?"

Felix patted my shoulder. "This is my eldest daughter, Emily. I just brought her home."

The man drew out his response. "Oh. So this is the long-lost heiress everyone's been talking about?"

Several pairs of eyes turned toward us, and I could feel the weight of their stares. Some looked curious, others looked judgmental, and a few didn't bother hiding their contempt.

Felix's expression hardened. "Ryan, watch your tone."

Ryan Jones smiled and raised his glass. "Just kidding around. Don't take it personally, Ms. Jennings."

He took a sip of wine and then leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "But seriously, you and your sister don't look anything alike."

I met his gaze but didn't respond.

Ryan continued, clearly enjoying himself. "Grace is famous in our circles, you know. She's a concert-level pianist, won awards for her paintings, and speaks three languages fluently."

He paused and raised an eyebrow. "What about you? You were living in some fishing village, right? Catching fish?"

Quiet laughter rippled through the nearby guests.

Felix's voice cut through the air. "Ryan. That's enough."

Ryan held up his hands in mock surrender, but his eyes stayed locked on my face. "Alright, alright, my bad. Ms. Jennings, I look forward to getting to know you better."

As he turned to walk away, I heard him mutter to his companion, "White trash trying to play Cinderella. Girl's gotta learn to walk in heels first."

My nails dug into my palms, and the sting felt sharp and real.