Chapter 1

The grand ballroom of the Caldwell Estate glittered under the glow of crystal chandeliers, and the air was thick with the scent of champagne, designer perfumes, and the murmur of high society.

Everywhere she looked, Sarah Miller saw faces turned not to her, but to the dazzling figure just steps ahead.

Victoria Reed, the girl everyone believed was Eleanor and Richard Caldwell's daughter, moved through the crowd with the ease of someone who knew she belonged.

Her dress, a sleek midnight blue silk that fit her like it was made for her alone, shimmered with every step.

The Caldwell name was attached to her life, to her past, to her future, or at least, it had been until three months ago.

In stark contrast, Sarah stood beside her countryside mother, Mary, in a modest cream colored dress that felt wrong against the opulence surrounding her.

The dress was too simple, too plain, a stark reminder that she’d only just learned to navigate the chaos of a city’s department store, let alone the high fashion world of the Caldwell family. Still, she was here, however out of place she felt.

She was here because, against everything she knew to be true, she was their daughter. Or rather, she was the "other daughter," the one who had lived eighteen years on borrowed time.

Mary’s hand squeezed hers, and Sarah felt the weight of her mother’s words. “You don’t have to be here.”

The ache in Mary’s voice echoed in Sarah’s chest. She knew her mother meant it with every fiber of her being. And yet, she couldn't leave. Not tonight, when she needed to show everyone, even herself, that she was more than just a misplaced pawn in someone else’s life.

“Mom, I’m okay,” Sarah whispered back, though she wasn’t sure if it was true.

Her gaze lingered on Victoria, watching as her “sister” laughed, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder, all the while ignoring Sarah as if she were no more than a shadow.

Sarah’s stomach tightened. She knew what the people around her were thinking, the whispers that trailed through the crowd like smoke,

"Why couldn’t they have just left the poor girl where she was?"

"Why disrupt everyone’s lives for this awkward country girl?"

For the last three months, Sarah had heard every cutting remark, every sideways glance, every word of pity mingled with disdain.

The city, with its lights and high rises, had felt like an alien world, and the Caldwell mansion was no different. It wasn’t home, not to her.

Her heart still yearned for the winding country roads, the little house she’d grown up in, the small joys of her old life.

She looked down at her shoes, scuffed at the toes, and a pang of shame stabbed at her.

She could feel the eyes of the crowd, judging her, comparing her to the flawless socialite only a few feet away.

“Oh, Victoria is so charming, isn’t she?” someone said near her, loud enough for Sarah to hear. “What a shame this… this mix up had to happen. It’s so disruptive.”

Sarah bit the inside of her cheek, the words hitting like stones.

She wanted to disappear, to slip into the shadows of the grand room and pretend she wasn’t there. But she didn’t move. She stood, her chin up, a quiet defiance settling within her. She wouldn’t let them see her break.

Victoria’s laughter rang out again, clear and musical, drawing every eye.

She glanced in Sarah’s direction, her smile briefly tightening. For a split second, Sarah thought she saw something dark pass across her sister’s face, a flicker of anger, or perhaps disdain. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by a smile so dazzling it seemed impossible to question.

“Welcome, everyone!” Victoria’s voice silenced the murmurs, commanding attention as she raised her champagne glass. “Tonight is about celebrating family,” she declared, her gaze flicking to Sarah with a calculated warmth that barely masked the glint in her eye. “Family is everything to us Caldwells, isn’t it?”

A wave of murmured agreement rippled through the crowd.

Sarah’s chest tightened, she could feel the weight of the gazes around her, sizing her up, wondering if she’d somehow turn out to be worthy of the family’s name.

As Victoria continued her speech, Sarah caught sight of Richard and Eleanor Caldwell, watching her from the edge of the room.

Eleanor’s mouth was drawn tight, her expression unreadable, but her eyes were locked on Sarah.

Was it curiosity?

Disappointment?

Sarah couldn’t tell, and the uncertainty gnawed at her.

Her adoptive mother’s voice cut into her thoughts. “Sarah, we can leave if this is too much.”

Mary’s hand tightened, grounding her.

They will never truly understand me, Sarah thought, but then she met her mother’s eyes, and she knew that someone here did.

Mary, who had loved her when no one else had, would always understand.

“No, Mom,” Sarah said softly. “I’m staying. I have to.”

Across the room, Victoria’s speech ended, and she handed her glass to a waiter, her eyes cutting through the crowd until they landed on Sarah. With a saccharine smile, she started toward her, heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

The chatter in the room dimmed as everyone watched Victoria’s approach.

“Sarah,” Victoria greeted, her voice as smooth as honey. She leaned in, lips curving into a whisper only Sarah could hear. “Enjoying the party? I hope it’s not too much for you.” She paused, her voice turning cool. “I know this is all very new to you.”

Sarah’s pulse quickened, but she forced a calm smile. “Thank you, Victoria. It’s… a lot to take in.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow, the faintest smirk playing on her lips. “Yes, well, some things aren’t meant for everyone to take on, are they?” Her gaze dipped briefly to Sarah’s dress, and Sarah could practically feel the judgment prickling her skin.

Before she could respond, Victoria turned back to the crowd, her charm back on display. But the words had hit their mark, lodging themselves like barbs in Sarah’s mind.

She clenched her fists, the fabric of her dress twisting beneath her fingers as she fought to hold herself steady.

As Victoria swept away, drawing everyone’s attention with her, Sarah let out a shaky breath.

She’d known tonight would be difficult, but she hadn’t expected it to feel this...

Every part of her ached to run, to return to the simple life she knew, but she forced herself to remain still.

The voices of the guests blurred around her, but she could make out fragments, whispers of her name, and the phrase she was coming to dread, the other daughter.