Chapter 1

I was the fake heiress.

When the real heiress was found, she was thin and dark-skinned. My parents felt sorry for her and took the initiative to offer her compensation.

But she said, “I’m the one who’s actually related to Mom and Dad. Since you want to compensate me, why don’t you give me the company?”

My entire family tried to persuade me.

“You aren’t their biological daughter, after all. It’s time to give her your position.”

I smiled and nodded as I handed everything over.

The next day, the company’s biggest client, core technical team, and every distributor announced that they would only work with me personally.

My parents panicked and hurried over to beg me.

I crossed my arms and said,

“Tell your biological daughter to come beg this employee to return.”

When Ava was brought back, she stood timidly in the lobby.

At the time, I had just secured a partnership with MC.

On the way back, my assistant had already told me that the Whitmore family’s biological daughter had been found.

My heart had pounded wildly before finally calming down. As long as she was found, they could raise her properly. The Whitmore family had plenty of money.

But I never expected that when the real heiress saw me standing before her, radiant and successful, the fear in her eyes would suddenly turn into jealousy.

“I’m willing to come back and reclaim my place in the family, but she’s occupied my position for so many years. Isn’t it time for her to give it back?”

“I don’t want anything else. I only want the company!”

I smiled when I heard that.

“I’ve managed the family business for ten years. Are you sure you can handle it?”

My contempt was far too obvious, and Ava’s face flushed red.

“If I don’t know how, I can learn. If I had grown up here too, I wouldn’t be worse than you!”

Some of our relatives also tried to persuade me.

“Claire, just give it to her. She’s the biological daughter, after all!”

I looked at my parents.

My father spoke with difficulty.

“Claire, we owe her. Ava has had a very difficult life all these years.”

My mother hugged Ava and began sobbing.

“Those horrible traffickers forced her to marry an old man. If we hadn’t found her, Ava would have already…”

“Claire, please agree. Your mother won’t treat you unfairly!”

I looked at them and smiled.

“Fine!”

I agreed and immediately began handing everything over to them.

I had originally thought that even if the Whitmore family’s biological daughter returned, I would simply do my best and never compete with her.

I had even felt sorry for her and ordered gifts for her.

But I never expected to face this kind of situation after she came back.

Compensation, right?

Fine. I didn’t want any of it.

I had my assistant prepare all the transfer documents on the spot, then signed everything over to her.

Ava was so excited after receiving the company that she threw herself into our mother’s arms.

I took a deep breath.

“It’s all done. If there’s nothing else, I’m going upstairs to rest.”

Only then did my mother lift her head.

“Ava just came home. Let’s have dinner together as a family!”

“I’m tired. I don’t want to eat.”

“Do you not want to see me, Claire? I just got back, and you’re already treating me like this!”

Ava’s eyes reddened as she stared directly at me.

My mother’s expression darkened.

“Claire! Why are you being so unreasonable?”

I said calmly, “I just got back from a twenty-hour flight. I’m exhausted, and I haven’t even recovered from the jet lag.”

Only then did she realize that I had just returned from a business trip.

When she saw my bloodshot eyes, she looked embarrassed.

I went straight upstairs, ignoring the voices from below.

But the family group chat kept filling with new messages.

After taking a shower, I glanced at my phone and let out a cold laugh.

“Ava is back! When is your brother going to hold the family reunion banquet? This is wonderful news for our family!”

“Exactly. It should be as grand as possible, and the company situation should be announced at the same time. By the way, Claire probably can’t keep living at home anymore, right? And what about the engagement? Shouldn’t that be reconsidered too?”

I ignored the other messages piling on me, but I couldn’t ignore that one.

The Whitmore family had an engagement agreement with the Hayes family.

Now that I was no longer the Whitmore heiress, what attitude would Ethan have?

The messages in the group kept flooding in. I found them annoying and left the chat.

According to them, I was no longer part of the Whitmore family and naturally had no right to remain in the group. I left on my own so they wouldn’t have anything to say.

But I still had to clarify things with Ethan.

Early the next morning, Ava went out with my parents. I packed a few clothes and prepared to move into my own place.