I’m the daughter of a billionaire, back in the States ready to take over the family business. All it took was holding my brother's arm at a fancy charity gala, and his sickly, delicate girlfriend, Brittany, flipped out, thinking I was trying to steal him. Last time around, she had some thugs cut off my hands and left me to rot. “He’s way too good for you, you little tramp!” she'd screamed. "Stay in your lane!" Even when Brittany's own doctor begged my brother, Chad, to avenge me, he just shrugged it off. "So what if she's my sister? If her dying makes Brittany happy, that's good enough for me." He even ran over the doctor outside the police station to cover up Brittany’s crime. But this time, I woke up right when Brittany was about to hack off my hands again. I hung up on Chad’s guilt-tripping phone call and dialed my dad. "Dad, tell every hospital we own – nobody treats Brittany. And cut Chad off. No inheritance. Kick him to the curb." Let’s see who's rotting in a ditch now. "Sleeping with my boyfriend while I’m recovering from chemo? You’ve got some nerve, Tiffany!" Brittany's voice grated on my nerves, followed by a searing pain in my wrist. The pain snapped me awake. I opened my eyes to see Brittany, grinning like a maniac, digging into my wrist with a scalpel. Deja vu hit me hard. It was happening again. Through the tangled mess of hair stuck to my face, I could hear my brother, Chad, droning on through the Bluetooth earpiece. "Knock it off, Tiffany. Brittany wouldn’t kidnap you. And don’t try to guilt-trip her because you’re jealous. She’s going to be my wife. Don’t make her get her hands dirty. Got it?" My right hand was going numb. I closed my eyes, didn't bother begging. Last time, I’d tried to explain, begged Chad to save me, swallowed my pride. He’d brushed me off. Brittany had seen right through it, smashed my phone, my only lifeline. Brittany yanked the scalpel out and slapped me across the face with the bloody thing. "Still playing innocent, huh? We’ll see how innocent you are in a minute!" My face burned. I tasted blood. Pretty sure I was disfigured. Brittany seemed satisfied with my wrecked state. She turned to leave, but I knew this wasn’t the end. She was going to bring those animals back, just like before. As she disappeared, I gnawed through the ropes with my teeth. Pulled out the hidden cell. Didn't hesitate. I hung up on Chad and dialed my dad. The second I hit dial, I heard Brittany shriek behind me. "What do you think you’re doing?!" My heart leaped. I scrambled to run, but the phone connected. Brittany was charging at me with three huge guys sporting creepy grins. Last time, it had been a nightmare. I froze. I managed to choke out one last sentence. "Dad, help." Brittany grabbed the phone and smashed it. But this time, I wasn't panicking. My dad was coming. I’m the only biological daughter of billionaire oil magnate, Jack Sterling. His late wife died bringing me into this world, so I’ve been kept under lock and key. Anyone who even thought about messing with me got their life ruined. If my dad saw me like this, he'd lose it and make them pay a thousand times over. Brittany shoved me to the ground and ground her heel into my wrist. She pointed at the three goons. "She’s feisty, huh? I guess three might not be enough. Someone who sleep with her way to many people!" The thugs closed in, grinning nastily. I squeezed my eyes shut. Tears trickled out. But then, I heard a brawl break out. I peeked open my eyes. It was Ethan, the guy who'd tried to testify for me last time, only to get mowed down by Chad. 2 "I'll hold them off, Tiffany. Run!" I didn't know what to feel. I didn't have time to think. I shook my head, trying to tell him no. "Get out of here! Don’t worry about me." I was bleeding out, too weak to run even if I could stand. I couldn't let him get hurt again. But it was too late. They kicked Ethan to the ground and started pounding him. My heart twisted. I tried to yell at them to stop, but it was no use. Brittany grabbed my hair and snarled, "Oh, look, the lapdog’s here. Coming to save you? Fine, you can both die!" Everything was getting blurry from the blood loss, but I glared at her. "You better let us go, Brittany. You can't afford to hurt me!" Brittany laughed. "What are you gonna do about it? Chad's a billionaire. He can make anything disappear." "Then you’ll just watch as I put the video of you sleeps around the internet, Tiffany, I'll see if you're still as stubborn as you are now!" The thugs started coming toward me again, leering. Ethan, using his last ounce of strength, tried to grab their legs. They stomped on his arm without hesitation. I heard the crack of bone, shaking with rage. I blurted out, "Enough! Chad is adopted! I'm Jack Sterling's only daughter!" "I could make him disappear with one phone call. If you don't stop, I promise your lives will be a thousand times worse!" Brittany froze. She thought about it, then cackled. "Oh, honey, you’re losing it. Thinking you can snag Chad? Everybody knows Jack Sterling doesn't have a daughter. Do your homework!" My heart sank. My family kept me hidden, always. Every dog that came near me got vetted. They scrubbed me from every public record. Plus, I took my mom’s maiden name, Lin. After a serious illness at five, I got sent overseas for treatment. Nobody knew the billionaire even had a Lin daughter. I grit my teeth, ignored the searing pain. "I'm telling the truth. Ask Chad!" Even though I knew he'd lie. Just to buy time until my dad got here... "Liar! You think I’m stupid?" Brittany slapped me again and yanked me to my feet. She pinched my cheeks, signaled for one of the thugs to grab an axe from the corner. I knew what she wanted. I started thrashing, bashing my head against Brittany’s face. Brittany staggered back, clutching her nose. Then she went ballistic. She hit me over and over. My face was on fire, but my limbs were ice cold. Was I really going to lose my hands again? Despair crashed over me. Just as the axe was about to fall, the factory door exploded open. An SUV barreled in, slamming into the guy with the axe. The thugs holding me jumped back. Brittany, seeing her plan fall apart, tried to bolt. But the bodyguards piling out of the SUV tackled her. My dad’s secretary, Mr. Davis, rushed over and told the others to get Ethan and me to the Sterling private hospital. 3 I'd barely gotten bandaged up and settled into the VIP suite when my dad called. I told him everything that happened. I couldn’t help but feel a warmth bloom in my chest for Ethan, being brave to protect me. But my dad was livid. "She tried to what?! Does Brittany know who she’s messing with? And that little weasel Chad – they'll both regret being born." I nodded. "Dad, I want Chad cut off. No more inheritance. Kick him out." "And Ethan was a hero, by the way. I'll introduce you later." Dad promised, "Don't worry, that little snake isn't my son anymore if he dares to hurt you." "My secretary will pick me up, get there right away to support you!" I hung up, finally letting out a breath. I wanted to check on Ethan next door. But the door burst open, and Chad stormed in with his own security team. He kicked me right in the gut. "Who gave you the right to mess with Brittany?!" I crumpled. I didn’t understand why he could hit me like that. He was adopted. My parents took him in. Before that, he was a stray, fighting dogs for scraps. I'd treated him like a brother before going overseas. Even told my dad I wanted him to help run the company. My family gave him a life, and he'd thrown me to the wolves. Brittany slinked out from behind him, all fake sympathy. "Leave her alone, Chad. She only said she’s a billionaire one to get your attention…" Chad sneered, looking down at me. "Oh, she's a billionaire's daughter, all right. The kind who sleeps her way to the top. You're no Sterling." "I grew up in the Sterling family. I know who the real Sterling is." I felt a jolt. I was Jack Sterling's daughter. Then an older guy, Mr. Johnson, stepped forward. He was my dad’s right-hand man. I felt a flicker of hope. I looked at him, but he stomped on my freshly bandaged wrist. "Look at this shameless woman, seducing my boss before seducing the young master. you even dared to impersonate our miss." "What can I do to help you to grow your lessons!" He ground his heel into my wrist. Blood seeped through the gauze. Tears blurred my vision. "You're insane! I am a Sterling!" But Mr. Johnson scoffed. "I’ve been with the family for years. You expect me to believe you’re a Sterling when I’ve never seen you?." He yanked me up by my hair, his voice dripping with contempt. "The Sterlings coddle their daughter. If you were her, why wouldn't Jack Sterling have mentioned you before?" "Enough lies. Chad already filled me in. You’re just a gold digger, manipulating the boss into pretending you're his daughter. He hates you, so you’re trying to seduce Chad.” Johnson had twisted everything. I tried to explain Dad hid me to protect me. He played it cool when he saw me. But that was now "proof" I was a fake. Before I could speak, Brittany chimed in with fake concern. "I just wanted her to stop being the other woman, but she said she was a Sterling. Is someone like that really gonna give the family a good reputation?" 4 Johnson’s eyes gleamed. He waved the security team forward. They swarmed me. I tried to fight, but Johnson slapped me, reopening the wound on my face. Nobody had ever hit me. I was the Sterling’s treasured jewel. But today, I’d been slapped more times than I could count. It wasn’t just the pain. It was the humiliation. Brittany sauntered over and patted my swollen cheek. "Honey, I've seen your kind before, trying to claw your way up. You're trash." "Get on your knees and lick my and Chad’s shoes. Then shout ‘I'm a gold digger!’ Then I’ll let you be my maid.” I sneered. "You think you're marrying into the Sterling family? I bet you and Chad will be out on the street." "Chad isn't a real Sterling. His life depends on what the Sterlings say." Brittany froze. But Chad went berserk, smashing my head against the wall. "What did you say?!" "You just need to know that I could end you with a word.” He threw me to the ground like garbage. Blood streamed from my forehead. But I laughed. "What if Dad saw you hurting me? Would you survive?" Chad hesitated, then picked up a chair. "He wouldn't care! I'm the Sterling heir. He wouldn't kick me out for you!" Just as the chair was about to crush my skull, I was yanked into someone's arms. Ethan took the blow. The chair crashed onto the back of his head. I heard him grunt and felt something wet on his head. My tears started falling. Doctors abroad taught Ethan. He met me, talked to me, didn’t even know my real name. But he kept choosing me, knowing the danger. I felt guilty for dragging him into this, but more than that, I was touched. Ethan, fighting dizziness, held me tight, roaring, "Enough! Tiffany is not the other woman. Stop hurting her!" The security team backed off, surprised by his outburst. Chad stared, then scoffed. "Idiot. What’s in it for you? You really think she's a Sterling?" Johnson agreed, looking smug. "You don't know how seriously the Sterling family guards their daughter." "She was kidnapped once, her captors were killed. A maid tried to get close to Jack, her face was mutilated and she was sent to Burma.” "You’re playing a dangerous game." Chad glared at Ethan, then snarled. "Hit him. Break his hands!" The security team jumped forward, pounding Ethan and me. Just as I was about to pass out from the pain, Johnson dragged me in front of Chad. My face was covered in blood, I’m not sure if it was from me or Ethan. He pried open my mouth. Brittany kneeled down, holding a scalpel. "The Sterling family's honor must be protected. So I will punish you" She shoved the scalpel into my mouth. Blood choked me. Everything was blurring. I was going to die. Then the door burst open. And I heard my dad's voice. "What’s going on here?"
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "392234", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel