Chapter 1 · The Fake Heiress And Me

Simone Sterling was the so-called fake heiress, but she struggled with depression.

My parents doted on her, always tiptoeing around her feelings.

After finally being reunited, they worried Simone might break down, so to outsiders, they only admitted I was their adopted daughter.

I wasn't allowed to raise my voice, couldn't show a big smile, and had to keep any trace of dissatisfaction hidden whenever Simone was around.

My parents always told me, "Simone is sick. You need to be understanding."

But I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

I was struggling too, wasn't I?

Two months after returning to the Sterling family, I asked my birth parents for 250 thousand dollars.

For a wealthy family like the Sterlings, that wasn't even a drop in the bucket.

But Simone was standing at the top of the stairs, her voice shrill and piercing as she screamed.

She shouted, "No way! I'm the real daughter of the Sterling family, I'm your only daughter. Everything here is mine, and I won't let Octavia Sterling have a single thing. No! Never!"

As she spoke, she started pounding her head. "If you give her the money, I'll kill myself right in front of you."

She lost her footing and fell down the stairs.

My parents freaked out.

"Simone, honey, we'll do whatever you say. We won't give her a dime," they stammered.

I gripped my shirt tightly, watching Simone settle down after my parents' promise. But as soon as I got close, her gaze instantly hardened.

"Get away from me! Leave my house! I don't want to see you!" she screamed.

My parents glanced at me, then quickly turned their eyes away.

They wanted me out of sight, tucked away in my room, so I wouldn't set Simone off again.

But I stayed right where I was.

I bit down on my lower lip, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Dad, Mom, I really need 250 thousand dollars."

I wished they'd keep their word, just like that moment when we first reunited.

They said, "Octavia, we're sorry we came so late."

They promised they'd give me anything I wanted, that they'd do everything they could to make up for all the years they owed me.

Back then, Dad was wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, but he couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face.

Mom pulled me into her arms, holding me with a warmth I'd never known before. "Sweetheart, you've been through so much," she whispered.

I thought getting 250 thousand dollars would be easy.

So when Dr. Allyson Wilde asked, I told her with confidence that I'd have the money for surgery soon.

But reality slapped me hard.

My parents' faces darkened. "What could you possibly need 250 thousand dollars for?

"You used to get by on less than a thousand dollars a month, and you were fine, weren't you?"

I froze, staring straight ahead, my heart feeling like it had just been hit with a sledgehammer.

My face turned pale as a sheet.

Was I really doing okay?

Honestly, not at all.

The family that adopted me barely had two pennies to rub together.

For as long as I could remember, all I ever got from them was coldness and disdain.

They always griped that I ate too slow, ate too much, and was just a girl, useless for passing on the family line.

The only thing they valued about me was my looks, hoping my face would bring in a fat bride price one day.

So when they beat me, they never touched my face.

My adoptive mother said I was born low, had the airs of a rich girl but none of the luck, and deserved to be stuck in the mud with her for life.

My body was marked with bruises from her pinching, and scars from his hangers, belts, even steel pipes.

I always had to wear long sleeves and pants to hide it all.

But my parents never asked about any of it, and I never brought it up either.

Apparently, my fair skin was enough to convince them I'd had it easy.

My heart twisted with a bitter, sour ache.

I lifted my chin and looked straight at my parents. "But a thousand dollars can't buy a life."

My parents froze, stopping their fussing over Simone.

I told them I was ill and needed 250 thousand dollars to get surgery.

The house went dead silent.

Dad took off his glasses and just stared at me, trying to see if I was making it up.

Mom released Simone, her hand flying to her mouth as she stared at me in shock.

"Octavia, is that true?" Mom asked, her voice trembling.

I nodded, about to say that if I could get the surgery in time, maybe I'd actually survive.

But Simone's sudden scream shattered my train of thought.

She was sitting on the floor, pounding her fists and wailing, the dull thuds and her cries instantly pulling my parents' attention back to her.

All the concern that had been on me just a moment ago was now focused entirely on Simone.

"She's a fraud! Mom, Dad, can you just kick her out? I don't want her anywhere near me!" Simone shrieked.

My parents had always spoiled her. Her skin was flawless, her looks dazzling, like she'd stepped right out of a storybook princess scene. Whenever she cried, everyone around just melted.

Chapter 1

Simone Sterling was the so-called fake heiress, but she struggled with depression.

My parents doted on her, always tiptoeing around her feelings.

After finally being reunited, they worried Simone might break down, so to outsiders, they only admitted I was their adopted daughter.

I wasn't allowed to raise my voice, couldn't show a big smile, and had to keep any trace of dissatisfaction hidden whenever Simone was around.

My parents always told me, "Simone is sick. You need to be understanding."

But I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

I was struggling too, wasn't I?

Two months after returning to the Sterling family, I asked my birth parents for 250 thousand dollars.

For a wealthy family like the Sterlings, that wasn't even a drop in the bucket.

But Simone was standing at the top of the stairs, her voice shrill and piercing as she screamed.

She shouted, "No way! I'm the real daughter of the Sterling family, I'm your only daughter. Everything here is mine, and I won't let Octavia Sterling have a single thing. No! Never!"

As she spoke, she started pounding her head. "If you give her the money, I'll kill myself right in front of you."

She lost her footing and fell down the stairs.

My parents freaked out.

"Simone, honey, we'll do whatever you say. We won't give her a dime," they stammered.

I gripped my shirt tightly, watching Simone settle down after my parents' promise. But as soon as I got close, her gaze instantly hardened.

"Get away from me! Leave my house! I don't want to see you!" she screamed.

My parents glanced at me, then quickly turned their eyes away.

They wanted me out of sight, tucked away in my room, so I wouldn't set Simone off again.

But I stayed right where I was.

I bit down on my lower lip, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Dad, Mom, I really need 250 thousand dollars."

I wished they'd keep their word, just like that moment when we first reunited.

They said, "Octavia, we're sorry we came so late."

They promised they'd give me anything I wanted, that they'd do everything they could to make up for all the years they owed me.

Back then, Dad was wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, but he couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face.

Mom pulled me into her arms, holding me with a warmth I'd never known before. "Sweetheart, you've been through so much," she whispered.

I thought getting 250 thousand dollars would be easy.

So when Dr. Allyson Wilde asked, I told her with confidence that I'd have the money for surgery soon.

But reality slapped me hard.

My parents' faces darkened. "What could you possibly need 250 thousand dollars for?

"You used to get by on less than a thousand dollars a month, and you were fine, weren't you?"

I froze, staring straight ahead, my heart feeling like it had just been hit with a sledgehammer.

My face turned pale as a sheet.

Was I really doing okay?

Honestly, not at all.

The family that adopted me barely had two pennies to rub together.

For as long as I could remember, all I ever got from them was coldness and disdain.

They always griped that I ate too slow, ate too much, and was just a girl, useless for passing on the family line.

The only thing they valued about me was my looks, hoping my face would bring in a fat bride price one day.

So when they beat me, they never touched my face.

My adoptive mother said I was born low, had the airs of a rich girl but none of the luck, and deserved to be stuck in the mud with her for life.

My body was marked with bruises from her pinching, and scars from his hangers, belts, even steel pipes.

I always had to wear long sleeves and pants to hide it all.

But my parents never asked about any of it, and I never brought it up either.

Apparently, my fair skin was enough to convince them I'd had it easy.

My heart twisted with a bitter, sour ache.

I lifted my chin and looked straight at my parents. "But a thousand dollars can't buy a life."

My parents froze, stopping their fussing over Simone.

I told them I was ill and needed 250 thousand dollars to get surgery.

The house went dead silent.

Dad took off his glasses and just stared at me, trying to see if I was making it up.

Mom released Simone, her hand flying to her mouth as she stared at me in shock.

"Octavia, is that true?" Mom asked, her voice trembling.

I nodded, about to say that if I could get the surgery in time, maybe I'd actually survive.

But Simone's sudden scream shattered my train of thought.

She was sitting on the floor, pounding her fists and wailing, the dull thuds and her cries instantly pulling my parents' attention back to her.

All the concern that had been on me just a moment ago was now focused entirely on Simone.

"She's a fraud! Mom, Dad, can you just kick her out? I don't want her anywhere near me!" Simone shrieked.

My parents had always spoiled her. Her skin was flawless, her looks dazzling, like she'd stepped right out of a storybook princess scene. Whenever she cried, everyone around just melted.