Chapter 1 The year I applied to the Fortune 500 company my father ran, a new hiring policy was suddenly implemented: all applicants needed a score of 700 on the Corporate Aptitude Test. I scored a 699. I was rejected. A year later, my adopted sister, Bella, made the cut. At her celebration party, Uncle Jerry, a little tipsy, slapped my father on the shoulder. "You really spoil your girl, Robert. You knew Bella didn't hit the 700 mark, so you just scrapped that requirement entirely." I froze, then forced a smile. "That can't be true, Uncle Jerry. When I took the test last year, I got a 699, and Dad didn't pull any strings for me. Bella must have gotten in on her own merit." "Impossible," Uncle Jerry slurred, his face flushed with bourbon. "That 700-point rule? Your dad specifically asked for it to be added last year." I turned to look at my father, shock written all over my face. Dad coughed awkwardly, adjusting his tie. "Harper, we're father and daughter. I have to avoid the appearance of nepotism. Bella is adopted; if she didn't get in, people would say we treat her like an outsider. Besides, Bella worked hard for months. She deserves a good result." My smile turned bitter. Right. Since you care so much about optics and rules. Then when I run the tax audit at the end of the year... I won’t leave any room for mercy. ... The dinner table fell into a dead silence. Uncle Jerry seemed to realize he’d spilled a family secret. He laughed nervously. "I'm just talking nonsense, too much wine. Harper, don't take it to heart." I pushed his hand away and stared dead at my father at the head of the table. "So, the rule added last year... you really put that there just for me?" Dad didn't speak. Mom tugged at my sleeve. "Harper, don't fight with your father." I shook her off. "Why? I scored 699, and you set the bar at 700. Did you want to keep me out that badly?" "I told you, I had to avoid conflicts of interest! You are my biological daughter! If I hired you, what would the board think?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Dad, 'avoiding conflicts of interest' means not using your power to give family an unfair advantage. I would have accepted it if I simply wasn't good enough. "But I was first in the written exam and the interview. What conflict is there? "Meanwhile, Bella didn't even crack 600, and you just deleted the rule for her. Who exactly are you showing favoritism to?" Smash! A glass shattered against my forehead. Dad stood up, furious. "You're getting bold, aren't you?" Guests rushed to hold us back. Bella stood there, eyes red and teary. "Harper, don't upset Dad! Apologize to him, please!" "Look at Bella, then look at yourself!" Dad frowned, pointing a shaking finger at me. "Bella worked hard for three whole months. Why doesn't she deserve a win? Everyone knows she's the daughter of my late partner. If I don't help her, people will say the Sterling family is heartless! Why can't you think about the family for once instead of your own selfish interests?" "Selfish interests?" I laughed, wiping a trickle of blood from my brow. "Dad, I prepared for a whole year. Who gave me a win?" Dad paused. I let out a hollow laugh. "Dad, do you know that because you blocked me, Liam and I broke up?" Dad's brow furrowed. "We dated for three years. We planned to introduce our families the day I got the offer. But he got in, and I didn't. He moved to headquarters, I stayed behind. The long distance killed us. Are you happy now?" I threw my own glass to the floor. It shattered, shards flying everywhere. Bella rushed to shield Dad. "Harper, what are you doing?!" Mom tried to pull me back. I just stared at him with red-rimmed eyes. Bella suddenly threw herself at me. "Harper, I won't join Dad's company! I'll give it up! Please don't blame Dad for this. It's my fault! I'll beg you!" She actually dropped to her knees, looking ready to prostrate herself. Dad grabbed her arm, pulling her up. "Why should you give it up? You're taking the job! You worked for it! Why should her tantrum ruin your future?" "No, Dad, I can't let this family fall apart because of me!" Mom and Dad looked at her with heartbreak in their eyes. Then Dad looked at me with disgust. "Look how sensible Bella is. Then look at you. You don't understand the simplest things. How can your mother and I rely on you in the future?" "Rely on me?" I laughed. "Since you all think Bella is the sensible one, why do you need me? From now on, let her be your daughter." I slammed the door and walked out. Chapter 2 Behind me, I heard Mom and the relatives chasing after me. I walked fast, slipping into the elevator and hitting the button before they could reach me. From the private room down the hall, I heard the sound of Dad smashing more plates. "Let her go! Let's see how long she can keep up this act!" The elevator descended. My eyes burned with unshed tears. Walking out of the hotel, the digital billboard at the entrance was plastered with a massive congratulatory message: [Congratulations to the Sterling Family Heiress for Top Interview Scores!] The Sterling Heiress... I zoned out for a moment. A waiter accidentally bumped into me, snapping me back to reality. "I'm so sorry, Miss! The guests in Room 606 just ordered another massive cake for their daughter. They requested the head pastry chef for the decorations." Room 606. That was Bella's party. "Why did they order another one?" "Heard some crazy person ruined the first one. The father is furious and wants to throw an even bigger celebration to make up for it. Apparently, his daughter just got into a massive conglomerate. Very impressive stuff." I smiled bitterly. I actually had taken the civil service exam. I got into the IRS. The Internal Revenue Service. But from start to finish, my family only cared about Bella's results. Not a single person asked if I passed, or where I was working. I went back to my apartment. I spent the next day in a daze. That night, Bella updated her social media. It was a video. Dad, Mom, and Bella, surrounded by relatives, posing in front of a giant cake. She made a peace sign, looking like the happiest girl in the world. Caption: [Thank you Mom and Dad for always standing behind me when I need you.] I turned off my phone. I didn't go home that weekend. Usually, I went back every Sunday for dinner. This time, I drove to the University district. This was where I met Liam. Three years of college. We had planned our entire future. Where to buy a house, when to have kids, where to retire. I calculated everything, except that I would be rejected from the company while he got in. A month later, he asked to break up. Reason: He couldn't handle a long-distance relationship. I was heartbroken, but I accepted it. Retracing my steps, I walked into the bistro Liam and I used to love. As soon as I sat down, a couple across the room caught my eye. The man's voice was painfully familiar. "I used to eat here all the time in college. The fish is amazing. Try it." "All the time? With who?" The girl's voice was playful, slightly jealous. The man laughed. I froze, disbelief coloring my voice. "Liam?" The man stiffened. He slowly turned around and locked eyes with me. Sitting opposite him, Bella looked at me in shock. "Harper?" Chapter 3 "Babe, give me a second." Liam gave Bella a gentle smile. He turned, grabbed my arm, and dragged me outside the restaurant. "Don't get the wrong idea. I met her after we broke up." "Bullshit!" My eyes stung. "I know she started seeing someone this time last year. We hadn't broken up yet! You were together then, weren't you?" His face went pale. I stepped closer, pressing him. "Liam, did we really break up because of the distance?" "I..." "You know you can't lie to me." He grit his teeth. Then nodded. "Yes. I cheated. So what?" I didn't expect him to admit it so bluntly. "Harper, my parents are blue-collar workers. Getting me through college wasn't easy. I fought tooth and nail to get to New York." "Any opportunity I see, I have to grab it with both hands." I frowned. "What are you talking about?" He sighed. "Actually, I missed the cutoff score for the interview. Bella talked to her father—the Division CEO—and got me in." I thought I misheard. "Her father? Are you sure it was her father, Robert Sterling?" "Yeah." I nearly lost my balance. My own biological father added a clause to kick me out. But with one word from Bella, an outsider my father had never even met could be hired as an exception. Me, the real daughter, was the actual outsider. First step to success: cut off the girlfriend. I bit my lip, holding back tears. "Liam, I never thought you were this kind of person." "Don't stand there and judge me." He frowned, defensive. "You have no idea how much bitterness I swallowed to get to this position! Sure, I could have stayed with you. But if another woman can help me jump social classes and secure my future, why shouldn't I choose her?" "If you really loved me, why would you stop me from choosing a better life?" "Besides, Harper, if the same opportunity was in front of you, you would have dumped me even faster. Don't deny it." I looked at him, stunned. He sighed. "So, don't blame me for letting you down. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not being good enough to get into Vance Global. Blame yourself for not having Bella's background or a father like Robert Sterling." I paused. "You don't know who my father is?" "Does it matter?" "What if... my father is Robert Sterling too?" He froze. Then he laughed. "If you were Robert Sterling's daughter, why couldn't you get into the company?" I was speechless. "Liam." Bella's voice rang out. She walked up, looking concerned, and looped her arm through Liam's. "Is there a misunderstanding?" "It's nothing. Just a junior from college who used to be obsessed with me." Liam glanced at me one last time. He pulled Bella close and walked away without looking back. As they turned, Bella glanced over her shoulder. The corner of her mouth curled into a smirk. My phone rang. I answered it numbly. It was Mom. "Harper, it's Sunday. Are you still throwing a tantrum? Dad is angry. Be a good girl and come home." "I'm not throwing a tantrum." I hung up. I dialed another number. "Agent Zhao. The tax audit on Vance Global's subsidiary... that's assigned to us, right?" "Yes, Chief Vance." "Robert Sterling just hired a new protégé. Focus on him. And check the subsidiary's accounts." "Understood." For the next few days, I buried myself in work. I ignored every call from home. Until one evening after work, I was blocked near my office. Mom got out of the car. "Harper, finally. Your dad is waiting at home. Stop this. You haven't been back in a month. We're a family, there's nothing we can't talk out." I wanted to refuse. But I saw my supervisor's car in the parking lot. I didn't want to make a scene. I gritted my teeth and got in. The door opened. Bella was pouring tea for Dad. Dad looked up from the head of the table, frowning deeply. "You finally decided to show up." Chapter 4 "If you don't want me here, I'll go back to work." I turned to leave. Mom blocked my path. Dad was furious. "What work could you possibly have?" "My job." "Job?" He sneered. "A job you found yourself, making three grand a month? Is that worth killing yourself over? Without my support, what kind of 'good job' could you possibly get?" "Support?" I scoffed. "Mr. Sterling, growing up, what exactly did you support me with?" He froze. "Other fathers, even if they have nothing, wouldn't dream of stealing opportunities from their own daughters. But you, Mr. Sterling? You're different." "Even when your daughter earns it herself, you have to strike her down. Support? Your support all went to an outsider. When did I ever see a dime of it?" "Since you're holding things over my head that you never gave me, what right do you have to threaten me?" "You!" Dad stood up abruptly. Bella rushed over and grabbed my hand. "Harper! How can you talk to Dad like that! Apologize! No matter what, he's our father!" Dad clutched his chest, pointing a trembling finger at me. "See? This is exactly why I help Bella and not you!" Mom rubbed his back, looking at me with disappointment. "Harper, we brought you home to talk, not to fight. Look at Bella. Can't you be a little more sensible? Apologize!" I shook off Bella's hand. "I'm not sensible. Bella is sensible enough for both of us. You never treated me like a daughter anyway." "How can you say that?" "Am I wrong?" I stared directly at my father. He smashed a teacup at my feet. "Fine! Get out! Let's see how you survive in this city without my help! Get out!!" Bella reached out as if to stop me, but her hand barely grazed my sleeve—a calculated miss. "Sister, don't leave angry! Just say sorry!" "Bella, let her go! Ungrateful brat! When she hits a wall, she'll realize how wrong she was!" Even though I had steeled myself, hearing my own parents blatantly favor her made my eyes sting. I wiped them quickly, hailed a cab, and left. On my desk lay the intelligence Agent Zhao had gathered. I flipped through it. I placed it back on the desk coldly. "I knew it. Bella isn't clean." At the end of the year, the IRS audit vehicles pulled up to the Vance Global subsidiary. We walked straight into Bella's office. "Auditing me?" Hearing our purpose, she sneered. "Do you know who I am? Who gave you the order?" "I did." Bella's face went pale. The agents stepped aside. I walked through the gap. I held up my badge. "IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Harper Vance. We found evidence of tax evasion. Please cooperate with the investigation."
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