"My name is Yoder, and this is my wife, Zoe. We have no sons, only a daughter named Jenny, whom we’ve cherished dearly. A few months ago, a group of well-dressed people passed by our home. A noblewoman in the group saw our daughter and was struck by her resemblance to someone. I didn’t know what was going on, but then the woman approached us and asked if we were willing to send our daughter to live with a wealthy family. She even gave us a lot of gold coins, saying our daughter looked very much like the daughter of a noble family and that she could help our daughter take that place, allowing her to bring wealth and honor to our family."At this point, Zoe pushed Yoder and cried, "It’s all your fault for sending our daughter away!"The Earl of Croyso, frowning even more, interrupted them, "I think you’ve come to the wrong place!""No, we haven’t! Even if I were blind, I would recognize my own daughter!" Yoder suddenly shouted passionately.The Earl's frown
Earl Croyso frowned and immediately rebuked, “Nonsense! To conduct an inspection on the daughter of an earl just because of the ramblings of two lunatics—doesn’t that imply we doubt Miranda's identity? Such an act would only hand others a weapon to use against us! Moreover, what an insult this would be! Miranda is my daughter, my flesh and blood. I would never mistake her for anyone else—she is Miranda, not some Jenny! Do you really think I can’t recognize my own daughter?”To be reprimanded under these circumstances was entirely unexpected, and the Countess's initial anger flared up instantly.“But, my lord…,” the Countess began, swallowing her indignation. She cast a seemingly timid glance at the gathered crowd, her expression laden with concern. “Of course, I care deeply about Miss Miranda's honor. But look at the expressions on the faces of these stewards and housekeepers. I fear they all ha
Zoe, momentarily stunned by Miranda’s noble and composed demeanor, quickly resumed her tearful outcry, “Jenny! Your mother can’t live without you! How can you deny me like this?” Her face was streaked with tears, a picture of utter despair.Yoder, half regretful, half enraged, chimed in, “Lian’er, I know we wronged you. We shouldn’t have agreed to give you away to that woman. Now I regret it. Come home with your father! Our house may be poor, but it’s where you were born and raised, and we are your real parents! You can’t forget your roots and deny your own parents just for the sake of wealth!”With a slight wave of her hand, Miranda halted the servants who were ready to step forward. Her gaze grew dark and intense as she fixed her eyes on them. "Anyone close to me could know about the mole behind my ear, but why would they share such a private detail with you? This can only mean that someone in the estate is conspiring with you to frame me. Remember, my father is the
The startling revelation caused everyone to frown in disbelief, especially the Earl of Croyso and Lady Langley."She's not Miranda?" The Earl's voice was laced with incredulous anger, nearly on the verge of laughter. "Sophie, have you lost your mind? If she's not Miranda, then who is? I think you're the one who's ill!" His words were sharp, underlined with anger, yet there was a measure of restraint in his tone."She's not!" The Countess, having gone this far, was ready to risk everything. She had the evidence to prove that Miranda was an imposter and wasn’t afraid to confront her. "And think about it—since this false Miranda appeared, the biggest beneficiary has been Lady Langley! I cannot help but suspect there’s something fishy about all this. Did you really believe that Miranda was unaware of the true cause of Anna's death?""Enough, Sophie! What nonsense are you spouting?" The Earl’s voice boomed with fury. He had always avoided discussing Anna’s death in f
"Look at this face, my lord," Sophie declared passionately. "The Miranda we once knew, the Miranda everyone in this estate has seen, never looked like this. A plain, unremarkable girl suddenly transforming into a beauty of such grace and elegance—this alone should raise suspicion. They dared to deceive us all, to switch one person for another, solely because this girl shares the same face as Lady Anna!"Her voice quivered with righteous indignation before softening into sorrow. "My lord, they are exploiting your deepest feelings! Using your love to achieve their hidden, sinister goals!"Sophie knew Croyso too well. She was certain that invoking Anna would unsettle him deeply.With every piece of evidence laid out, each accusation seemed increasingly plausible. It was enough to make anyone doubt whether the young woman before them was truly Miranda. All eyes turned to Miranda, their gazes sharp and probing.Miranda drew in a deep breath, maintaining her co
"Enough! Sophie, this charade must end here and now! Never mind how absurd your claims are; the fact remains that Miranda is my daughter by blood, and as her stepmother, you should never treat her with such disrespect. I always thought you were a woman of propriety and sound judgment. But now, it seems that ten years of being a Countess has made you arrogant. Sophie, you have deeply disappointed me!" Earl Croyso could no longer tolerate the situation. He slammed his hand on the table, rising with a voice full of fury. "Miranda is my flesh and blood; I would never mistake my own daughter! From now on, the management of this estate will be entrusted to Miranda! You need to cool down and reflect on who you used to be, and who you've become!""My lord!" The Countess could hardly believe her ears.Could it be that Earl Croyso hadn’t noticed the fear in Miranda's eyes when she had questioned her earlier? Had he not seen the panic in Miranda's gaze when she mentioned the examination? She had
If she truly is Miranda, then all of this—every bit of it—was deliberately orchestrated by that wretched girl. She set the trap with care, intentionally provoking her, purposefully choosing those dishes, and ensuring that she would see her back, carefully concealing the mark... And it wasn’t enough. Just now, she even feigned fear, pretended to be terrified of being exposed, making her believe she held all the cards, goading her into losing all sense of reason.Otherwise, with her usual cunning, if she had been calm, as soon as she noticed something off about that girl’s expression, she would have stopped. She wouldn’t have allowed things to spiral into such utter chaos!But now? Now... Is it all over?“Have you not done enough? To push her this far, to humiliate her to this extent—has it still not satisfied you? What more do you want? Do you wish for her to die here?” Earl Croyso roared in fury.Miranda sai
Since the Countess had been stripped of her managerial duties within the estate, life had to go on as usual. Selena, having learned from her failed attempts to intercede, had wisely chosen to remain silent about her mother recently—likely with some prompting from the Countess herself.One day, Selena brought some pastries to her father's study."Miranda, you are truly a thoughtful daughter, cheering me up with your presence! Well, enough of pleasantries. I have official matters to attend to, so come and help me!"Seeing the harmony between father and daughter before her, Selena felt a pang of discomfort. Especially since Miranda was allowed to stay in the study to assist her father with his work, while she herself was not afforded such privilege.Placing the pastries on the desk, she approached and said, "Father, are there troubles weighing on your mind? Even if I cannot relieve your burdens, perhaps talking about them might ease your mind!"The Earl sighed again, his expression troubl