The richest couple in the city were celebrating their daughter's birthday in the grand ballroom downstairs, while my boyfriend, Andrew, was in a suite upstairs, promising me his first time. He was tied to the headboard, just how I’d left him, begging me to kill the lights and light some candles. But just as I picked up the lighter, a line of text, like a phantom chat log, flared into existence before my eyes: 【NO, LEAH! That lighter is rigged! Press it and it'll explode in your face!】 【Andrew’s only with you to clear the way for his childhood sweetheart, Celeste, the Hitchcocks' fake daughter. Your face is identical to a young Mrs. Hitchcock, and they're terrified you'll be recognized as the true heiress!】 【After the explosion disfigures you, you'll die in a car crash arranged by the fake heiress on the way to the hospital.】 【And Andrew? He'll dump you in a heartbeat, marry Celeste, and together they'll murder your wealthy parents and inherit the entire Hitchcock fortune!】 【Get downstairs to the ballroom NOW. The second Mrs. Hitchcock sees your face, she'll know you're her real daughter...】 My hand froze around the lighter, my mind reeling in shock as Andrew’s low, husky voice called out to me. 1. "Babe, come on, light the candles. I even wore my glow-in-the-dark boxers for you…" In the dim suite, Andrew was spread-eagled, his hands bound to the headboard, his voice a magnetic, seductive purr. The phantom text scrolled frantically in my vision. 【A honey trap, classic and deadly! What a venomous pretty boy!】 【Stay calm, Leah! Do NOT press that lighter!】 【That face is your ticket back to your family. You have to protect it!】 I swallowed hard, placing the lighter gently back on the coffee table. When I didn't move, Andrew's tone sharpened with impatience. “Leah, what are you doing? Stop stalling.” A cold dread washed over me as I realized just how strange tonight was. We’d been together for two years, and Andrew had always used "respecting me" as an excuse to never touch me, let alone be this eager and aggressive. Just this morning, he'd told me he had something important to do and couldn't celebrate my birthday. Then, tonight, as I was getting ready to work a late shift at the hotel, he suddenly booked this suite, inviting me for an unforgettable night. It was almost as if… he was deliberately keeping me from meeting the Hitchcocks. My heart pounded with a terrifying chill. I quickly set a ringtone on my phone and pretended to answer a call. "Okay, I'll be right there!" I hung up and flipped on the lights, turning to Andrew. "Andrew, that was my manager. The Hitchcocks' long-lost daughter—the one they found last year—is celebrating her birthday here too. They're giving every employee a huge cash bonus, but I have to go collect it now!" Andrew's face went rigid for a second before he plastered the seductive look back on. “Leah, a night like this is priceless. Is a bonus really more important than being with me?” he purred, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I’m giving you the chance of a lifetime. Don't you want to take it?” His abs were faintly visible through his semi-sheer shirt, but the sight stirred nothing in me now but ice. The text was still flashing. 【Thinks he's some kind of merman, trying to lure her in. Pathetic!】 【And he dares to tell her it's his first time? He and the fake heiress are old news. What a scumbag!】 I bit my lip and quickly searched for news about the Hitchcocks finding their daughter last year. But every photo of Celeste was carefully angled to hide her face. A commenter explained that because she'd been kidnapped at age five, her parents were now extremely protective of her. A jolt went through me. I was also kidnapped when I was five. My adoptive parents had been kind enough, working hard to put me through college. But they died in a car crash two years ago, and on her deathbed, my adoptive mother finally told me the truth. Devastated, I wandered into the street in a daze and was hit by a car. That's how I met Andrew, who was a doctor at the hospital. He personally tended to my leg injury, always bringing me homemade soup. After I was discharged, he came to visit and found me being cornered in an alley by a group of guys. When I resisted, they mocked me, calling me an orphan who’d cursed her parents. Andrew fearlessly stepped in front of me, told them he’d already called the cops, and scared them off. He walked me home and confessed his feelings. He said it was love at first sight, that he wanted to be with me and protect me forever. I thought he was my savior, my true love. I never questioned why, if he loved me so much, he wouldn't touch me for two years, why he was always disappearing. I just assumed he had… issues. Now I knew the truth. His entire relationship with me was built on a sinister lie. 【It was your bloodwork report from the hospital, Leah. That's when Andrew targeted you.】 【Poor girl, she's been played this whole time and never knew…】 I stared at the words, fighting back a wave of nausea. "Andrew," I asked, my voice trembling slightly, "do you really love me?" He looked startled, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "Of course I do. Why else would I treat you so well? Now, go light the candles." Rage boiled up inside me. I shoved him down onto the bed. "I don't want candles. Why don't we just do it like this?" Just as I expected, panic flashed across his face. "No! Turn off the lights! Let's just use the candles, okay?" I laughed coldly to myself but obediently stood up and picked up the lighter again. As he watched with anticipation, I carried a candle over to him. "How about we light it together, Andrew?" His face went white. He tried to shrink back, but his hands were still tied. "Don't be crazy, that's too close to the sheets. It's dangerous. Just light it on the table…" That was all the confirmation I needed. The lighter was definitely a trap. I had to get to that ballroom. "Andrew, they said the bonus is ten thousand dollars! I can finally buy you that watch you wanted! Wait for me!" Pretending to check my phone, I bolted for the door. Through a crack in the ballroom doors, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock on stage, thanking the city's elite for attending. Standing beside them was an elegantly dressed young woman—it had to be the fake heiress, Celeste. 【Whoa! MC sees her real mom and dad, and the impostor!】 The impostor, Celeste, took the microphone, her eyes welling with tears. "Thank you, Mom and Dad, for never giving up on me. Thank you for all the love and protection you've shown me this past year." "But I'm 23 now. It's time for me to give back. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to intern at the Hitchcock Corporation. I love you both so much…" My stomach dropped. They were officially announcing her role in the company tonight? 【Leah, you have to stop them!】 【If that snake gets into the corporation, she'll bring it down from the inside!】 【She'll extort employees, take kickbacks on every deal… the Hitchcock Corporation's reputation gets destroyed because of her!】 My heart hammered against my ribs. I was about to burst through the doors when a hand clamped down on my arm, yanking me back. "Leah, they're lying to you! There's no bonus! It's just a cruel prank! If you go in there, you'll be disciplined!" It was Andrew. A week ago, I would have believed him. A waitress bursting into a private event like this would mean instant termination. But I wasn't afraid of that anymore. I had to know the truth. I wrenched my arm free, shoved him back, and threw open the ballroom doors. Andrew cried out my name, and the sound drew Celeste's gaze from the stage. Her face contorted in shock. She clutched her chest, a look of agony on her face, and collapsed against Mrs. Hitchcock. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock rushed to her side, helping her off the stage as the room erupted in whispers. 【Damn, that bitch is faking sick the second she thinks she's been found out!】 【Go, Leah, go! Let your parents see your face!】 Spurred on by the phantom text, I charged into the room, shouting, "Wait! She's a fraud! I'm the real Hitchcock heiress!" The entire room gasped. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock finally turned their attention to the commotion. My manager, Mr. Henderson, rushed over to block their view, hissing at me. "Weren't you on leave? What the hell are you doing crashing this event? Get out, or you're fired!" Andrew threw his arms around me from behind. "Leah, I know you have a huge gambling debt, but you can't just lose your mind and pretend to be the Hitchcock heiress!" "What? A gambler trying to pass herself off as Miss Hitchcock? She's got a death wish!" The crowd murmured, their judgment swift and sharp. The Hitchcocks started to walk over, but Celeste let out another pained cry, pulling their attention back to her. I shoved Andrew off. "That's a lie! I've never gambled in my life!" I turned to my manager. "Mr. Henderson, if you value your job, I suggest you get out of my way!" He laughed as if it were the joke of the century. "Leah, you must be drunk. The nerve! Security, get her out of here!" Four of my coworkers grabbed me, and Henderson patted my cheek condescendingly. "You're fired. Now, get lost." Panic seized me. As I struggled, an idea struck. I kicked out, sending the towering champagne pyramid crashing to the floor. The sound of shattering glass and the collective shriek of the guests made the Hitchcocks look over again. This time, Mrs. Hitchcock got a clear view of my face. Her expression changed instantly. She let go of Celeste and hurried toward me. "Mrs. Hitchcock, I'm so sorry. One of our staff members is having a breakdown. For your safety, please escort Miss Hitchcock out of here," Henderson said, blocking me with a sycophantic smile. Mr. Hitchcock ignored him and ordered the staff to release me. "Mrs. Hitchcock, she's the fake one! I'm your daughter, the one who was kidnapped!" I yelled, pushing past Henderson. Mr. Hitchcock finally saw my face clearly and drew a sharp breath. "Eleanor… my God, she looks exactly like you when you were young!" They looked from me to Celeste, who had followed them over. The entire room was stunned. "It's true! This waitress looks more like Mrs. Hitchcock than her own daughter does!" Mrs. Hitchcock, Eleanor, stepped forward, her eyes scanning every inch of my face. "Mrs. Hitchcock, I am your real daughter," I pleaded. "She's an impostor!" 【Yes, Leah! Expose that fraud!】 Before another word could be said, Andrew grabbed my arm again. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Hitchcock, this is all my fault! My girlfriend was in the hospital that day too. After she saw you, she became obsessed with the idea that she was your long-lost daughter. It's driven her to this…" Eleanor’s eyes widened. "Dr. Vance? I remember you. You were the one who conducted our DNA test!" A wave of understanding rippled through the crowd. "So the doctor is telling the truth. His girlfriend must be crazy with jealousy, trying to latch onto the Hitchcock name!" "Right! And didn't he say she's a gambler? She's probably desperate for money…" My mother's face hardened, her expression turning to stone. "Plenty of people in this world look alike. You're naive if you think you can fool me with just a pretty face." Taking his cue, Henderson kicked me viciously in the side. "You arrogant little bitch! Teach her a lesson!" I fell into the sea of broken glass, sharp edges slicing into my skin. My coworkers descended on me, their fists and feet connecting with my body. My face quickly swelled, turning a mottled purple. "I'm not lying…" I gasped. Before I could finish, Henderson grabbed a bottle of champagne and smashed it across my mouth. "Shut up!" CRACK! Glass shards dug into my lips. I screamed in agony, and Henderson used the opening to shove the jagged neck of the bottle into my mouth. I choked, spitting out a mouthful of blood. The pain from the glass embedded in my tongue was so intense I couldn't speak. Celeste, who had been watching with poorly concealed anxiety, finally relaxed. Her eyes filled with crocodile tears. "Dad, Mom," she whimpered. "I've only been back with you for a year, and someone is already trying to hurt me, to replace me! My heart… it hurts so much…" She clutched her chest again, feigning another attack. "My dear girl, don't be afraid. Your father and I will protect you. Let's get you to a doctor right away…" As they turned to leave, tricked by Celeste once again, I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the searing pain. "Where do you think you're going, you little slut?" Henderson grabbed my collar to drag me back. With a loud RIP, my blouse tore open. The crowd erupted in jeers and catcalls. "Well, look at that. The little psycho's got a nice body…" My mother turned back at the noise, and her eyes fell on my exposed shoulder. Her face went pale. She rushed over, her fingers tracing the birthmark just below my collarbone. "Richard, come look at this!" she whispered, her voice trembling. Mr. Hitchcock came closer, his eyes wide with shock. "Have you had that birthmark since you were a child?" Unable to speak, I nodded frantically. "Our daughter was born with a black, crescent-moon-shaped birthmark right on her shoulder," my mother breathed. "How could you have one too? Could it be… are you really our daughter?" 【Thank God! She was in so much pain, I was afraid she'd forget about the birthmark!】 I felt a surge of hope, but it was immediately crushed when Celeste pulled down the strap of her dress, revealing her own shoulder. "Dad, Mom, I have that birthmark too! She faked it!" Everyone looked. And there it was—an identical black, crescent-moon birthmark. My heart sank. This had to be Andrew's doing. And right on cue, Andrew sighed dramatically. He explained that I was so desperate to impersonate Celeste that I had forced him to take a picture of her birthmark during a medical examination so I could get a tattoo to match. He pulled out his phone. There it was: a photo of Celeste in an examination room, her birthmark clearly visible. Then he scrolled through more photos, showing them pictures of a woman who looked nothing like me. "This is what Leah used to look like," he said gravely. "She had extensive plastic surgery to look like Miss Hitchcock." My vision tunneled. The pain in my heart was worse than any physical wound. Why? I had loved him, trusted him for two years. Why would he do this to me? 【That bastard is pure evil! Leah, find your old photos! Prove him wrong!】 The text jolted me into action. I fumbled for my phone, scrolling frantically for my old pictures. They were gone. Every single one. Not even in the cloud. Then I remembered. A year ago, when I got a new phone, Andrew had insisted on transferring all my data for me. He must have deleted every last photo of my old face then. 【Damn it, that scum really thought of everything! He's hell-bent on destroying her!】 Seeing me clutching my phone in helpless fury, Celeste began to sob dramatically. "Mom, Dad, you promised you would always love me and believe me! But now you're doubting me, making me expose myself in front of all these people… I might as well just die!" She snatched a cake knife from a nearby table and pointed it at her own heart. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock rushed to grab her arm, murmuring words of comfort. "Don't be foolish, my dear girl. We'll always love you. We believe you. Let's go home now." Mr. Hitchcock gestured for Henderson to call the police and have me, the impostor, arrested. As my coworkers dragged me away again, I knew this was my last chance. If I let them take me, Celeste would make sure I never spoke again. I was right. I heard Henderson whisper to one of the men holding me, "Proceed as planned. There's a big reward when it's done." Terror clawed at my throat. They were all in on it. They were all Celeste's people. That's why they had made my life hell since the day I started working at this hotel. They weren't just bullying me; they were monitoring me for Celeste, ready to get rid of me at a moment's notice. 【Is this it? Is she still going to be disfigured and die in that car crash?】 My eyes burned with rage. No! I roared silently. If I'm the main character, I can change my own damn fate! Fueled by a surge of adrenaline, I broke free, lunged for the fallen cake knife, and dragged it across my own wrist. "Oh my God! She's trying to kill herself! Someone call an ambulance!" The room descended into chaos. The Hitchcocks spun around, their faces masks of horror. With my bleeding hand, I scrawled two words on the marble floor. DNA TEST. Someone in the crowd, moved by my desperation, spoke up. "She'd rather die than give up. Why not just do a DNA test? What if… what if she really is their daughter?" Hearing this, Mr. Hitchcock's face grew dark and resolute. "Arrange a DNA test for her and my wife. Now."
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