The day I found out I wasn’t the biological daughter of the family, I was ecstatic. I righteously told my adoptive father that I felt terrible occupying his real daughter’s place and offered to pack my bags and move out immediately. My adoptive father remained noncommittal and called me into his study. He pulled out a legal document. "Mia, the Harrison family has decided to officially adopt you. Your biological parents have already signed the papers." My biological parents, without even seeing me once, had sold me. I fell silent, resisting. "I’m an adult. I don’t need to be adopted." My adoptive father gave a cold smile. "That’s not up to you." 1 Because my negotiations had failed a few days prior, I wasn't in a good mood the day the real heiress returned. My adoptive father named her Chloe Harrison. Chloe was dark-skinned, painfully thin, and her eyes darted around nervously. When the butler introduced her to the family, she burst into tears. "Mom, Dad, I'm home." My adoptive father smiled through his tears. "It’s good to have you back." My aunt fussed over her, saying she had suffered for over twenty years. Chloe looked at my adoptive mother, whose reaction was noticeably cold. My adoptive mother and I were probably the only two people in the house who didn't welcome her. Yet, her malice was directed solely at me. She praised my looks, my clothes, how well-fed and well-rested I looked—unlike her. I leaned against my adoptive mother, watching her perform. She wanted everyone's sympathy, but unfortunately for her, she didn't see the expressions on my father and aunt's faces souring. Her tactics were too clumsy. Taking a cue from my father, the butler interrupted her, offering to show her to her prepared room. Chloe refused to go, rambling on before finally revealing her true objective. She wanted the largest bedroom in the house, aside from the master suite. She asked me pitifully, "Sister, is that okay? I've never had my own room growing up..." She assumed I was the pampered princess who definitely had the biggest and best room. I almost laughed out loud. She was asking the wrong person. Because the best room in the house belonged to my aunt. 2 Seeing that I ignored her, Chloe tried to press the issue, but my aunt had heard enough. She grabbed Chloe firmly. "Chloe, Mia's room isn't that big. The room Auntie prepared for you is definitely bigger than hers." Chloe was too easy to read. My aunt's words immediately placated her, and she obediently followed my aunt upstairs. After she left, my adoptive mother glared at my father. "Why did you bring her back? You should have just paid her off." My father smiled reassuringly. "She's your daughter. I believe she won't be any less capable than Mia. She just needs some grooming." My adoptive mother's expression darkened. "I only have one daughter. If you want Chloe, then let Mia go." My father naturally refused, and they parted on bad terms. Chloe grew up in a poor rural village; her worldview, education, and posture were all lacking. To bridge the gap, my father hired private tutors for her. They taught her humanities, etiquette, and beauty. After six months of polishing, the Harrison family finally accepted her. My father threw a welcome banquet for her, publicly announcing her as the long-lost second daughter of the Harrison family. He made no mention of me. Chloe was resentful. In her newly acquired social circles, she spread the rumor that I wasn't a biological Harrison. I didn't care. Honestly, the social circles above us didn't care, and the circles below us wouldn't dare mess with me even if they knew. If they knew, they knew. What I didn't expect was that my fiancé cared very much. 3 After the welcome banquet, my aunt began taking Chloe to various exclusive gatherings she couldn't access on her own. Because it involved mingling with different men, I called it matchmaking. Initially, my aunt was dissatisfied with Chloe's performance, calling her dull and stupid, unable to even hold a man's attention. Chloe felt wronged for a while but eventually pulled herself together and continued to navigate the social scene. Eventually, she managed to hook a decent rich kid. She proudly brought him home to show off to me. He was 6'2", handsome, wealthy—definitely easy on the eyes. My father hosted him for a casual dinner and then politely saw him out. As soon as he left, my aunt dragged Chloe into the study and scolded her: "Idiot! He's only good enough for practice! And you actually offered yourself to him?!" Chloe broke down. Why was everything she did wrong? She yelled at my aunt, "Why do I have to do these things?! Why doesn't Mia?!" Look at her. Even now, she couldn't see the big picture; she only cared about competing with me. My aunt told her, "Mia already has a fiancé. She doesn't need to go." Yes, the "matchmaking events" Chloe attended? I had been to them too. But Chloe clearly only understood the first half of the sentence. It was probably from that moment on that Chloe set her sights on Julian Vance. 4 The Harrison family and the Vance family belonged to the same social circle, sharing half the corporate influence in Chengdu. The other half belonged to the Sterling family. The Sterling family's main operations were in Beijing; the Chengdu branch was just a subsidiary. The drive from Chengdu to Beijing was only two hours, but the difference in status was astronomical. The Harrison family wanted to break into high society; the Vance family wanted to push the Sterling subsidiary out of Chengdu. Though their goals differed, they naturally decided to collaborate. After years of negotiations, they finally reached an agreement a year ago. My engagement to Julian Vance was the bridge. When Chloe had her welcome banquet, Julian was still abroad. Their first meeting was at my birthday party. He had been stationed overseas for a year and returned exactly on my birthday. He made a grand entrance, bringing a multi-million dollar piece of jewelry he'd won at an overseas auction to celebrate my birthday. A display of how much he valued me. I feigned delight, accepting the gift and letting him put it on me. As the beautiful jewelry sparkled on my neck, I turned and saw the gleam in Chloe's eyes. She coyly approached to greet him, calling him "Brother-in-law." Julian barely glanced at her, exchanging a few polite but distant pleasantries. At that time, Julian probably didn't think much of her. My birthday banquet was supposed to end perfectly amidst praises of us being the golden couple. But halfway through, Arthur Sterling, the future heir of the Sterling family, sent a gift. It pushed the banquet to a whole new climax. 5 My history with Arthur wasn't a secret; anyone who mattered in Chengdu knew about it. I used to be a famous socialite. My aunt started bringing me to various events when I was just a teenager. At first, she was quite protective, shielding me from things inappropriate for my age. But when the stakes were high enough, the bottom line could always be lowered. She made me attend Arthur's coming-of-age ceremony. I wasn't supposed to qualify for the guest list, but my aunt used all her connections to force me in. Young Arthur, like an emperor selecting a concubine among many girls, chose me. Before entering the banquet hall, I thought it was just a formality. My aunt told me a crucial family project had run into issues, threatening the company's entire cash flow. One wrong move, and our family would face bankruptcy. Getting into Arthur's ceremony and letting the social circle see me at a high-society event would naturally bring people begging to help us. I believed her. I went in carrying the mission of saving my family. When Arthur chose me for private company, I was surprised, but mostly excited. What a great opportunity. I introduced myself and my family's company to him. I talked endlessly, extremely excited, until he pushed me down. He possessed me with a cold face. It hurt so much. But he was the young master of a top-tier wealthy family; I didn't dare resist. I only dared to cry out in pain to hide my tears. That was the moment I realized. Coming-of-age ceremony, coming-of-age ceremony... I was the gift. After that night, my adoptive father acquired a piece of land from the Sterling family. Later, Chengdu's most luxurious residential complex was built on that land. As compensation, my adoptive father let me pick an apartment in that complex. So, when Chloe cried to us that her adoptive parents were going to marry her off to a forty-something middle-aged man just to get a dowry for her brother... I didn't care. It wasn't just poor people; rich people sold their daughters too. The only difference was the price tag. Sadly, some daughters labor until death for the families that sold them, just like my aunt. The fact that she still commanded the best room in her maiden home even after marrying was something she earned herself. 6 It was very late that night when the Sterling family driver finally took me home. When my adoptive mother saw my disheveled state, she realized what had happened. She had a massive fight with my adoptive father. It was during their argument that I learned there was no failing project. There was no impending bankruptcy. There was only their greedy ambition to climb the social ladder. I was devastated, but my adoptive mother was even more so. She had lived in this house for nearly twenty years, and only today did she truly see the Harrison family's true colors. She felt too ashamed to face me and used her company shares to force my adoptive father to send me abroad. She wanted to protect me. Eventually, my adoptive father compromised, and I was sent away a month later. But what he didn't tell my adoptive mother was that he sent me straight to Arthur. Arthur was too valuable an asset; he couldn't bear to let go. Fortunately, Arthur's reach wasn't that long. Coupled with the fact that Arthur hadn't shown much interest in me since that night. Abroad, although I attended the same university as Arthur, I rarely ran into him unless I actively sought him out. My aunt constantly called to ask about my progress with Arthur. At first, I humored her. Eventually, I stopped answering her calls. I was no longer the little girl who obeyed her every command. I lived peacefully abroad for four years, studying fashion design, which I loved. That period was one of the few relaxed times in my life. After graduation, I originally planned to find a job as a tailor locally. But after learning my adoptive mother had attempted suicide due to severe depression, I dropped everything and returned home. 7 As long as I returned to the country, I was meat on the chopping block. My adoptive father and aunt always found ways to make me live according to their plans. After my adoptive mother's condition stabilized, my aunt started taking me to those "matchmaking events." The insults she hurled at Chloe, she had also hurled at me. But my skin was thicker than Chloe's; she could curse all she wanted, I just coasted along. For a time, the wealthy circles in Chengdu whispered that I was nothing but a beautiful, empty shell. The "matchmaking events" were endless. I realized my aunt wouldn't stop until she managed to sell me off. If I chose an ordinary rich kid, I might still be manipulated by my aunt and adoptive father. During a gathering at a bar, I saw Arthur, who had just returned to the country. I decided to go all in and approached him directly. That was the only time I took the initiative since the night of his coming-of-age ceremony. We slept together that very night. From that day on, I became Arthur's official girlfriend. Seeing me hook up with Arthur, my adoptive father and aunt were overjoyed. They reaped numerous benefits and treated me with extreme caution, never daring to order me around again. My adoptive mother also received better care. Unfortunately, I only held that title for three years. Three years later, Arthur was set to get engaged to Elara Qiao, the daughter of another wealthy family in Beijing. The Harrison family couldn't compare to the Sterling family, and certainly couldn't afford to offend the Qiao family. I initiated the breakup with Arthur. He didn't say much; he just gave me a few buildings as compensation. Then, he picked an auspicious day and got engaged to Elara.
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