The Real Heiress: A Blooming Thorn

From then on, everyone in our circle joked that Percy had found his “first love,” someone truly worthy of his admiration. Next to her constant white dresses, my tank tops and jeans made me look like a complete tomboy.By our senior year, Bella knew graduation was approaching fast, and if she didn’t win Percy over soon, that would be the end of their story.Unsettled by how special Percy seemed to treat me, she began provoking me, trying to grab his attention. She even stole my research results, attempting to publish a paper with Percy. When our professor caught on, she retaliated by accusing my advisor of harassment. Then, she spun a story that I had deliberately pushed her to the advisor to gain sympathy from the group, determined to leave her mark before graduation.I couldn’t stand to see her get away with it, so I testified against her. The school expelled her, putting an end to her ambitious climb. Percy witnessed the whole ordeal and only remarked, "Was that really necessar

“Why is it so hard to reach you these days?” Percy asked, his voice low as he took the wine glass from my hand just as I brought it to my lips.“I told you already—your fiancée’s changed. Go be with her,” I said, shooting him a pointed look.Percy glanced over at Bella, then turned back to me, but before he could say anything, Bella somehow appeared with a microphone in hand. She climbed a few steps up the stairs and began speaking to the crowd.“Hello, everyone. My name is Bella Scott, the true daughter of the Scott family. The Alice you all know is actually my mother’s adopted daughter. Now that I'm back, I hope we can all get along. And I hope my sister doesn’t worry—I’m not here to take away her affection. It hasn’t been easy for me all these years…”Bella dove into yet another tale of her hardships, eagerly soaking up all the attention. She carried on for a full half hour, leaving my mother teary-eyed, while the distinguished guests shifted uncomfortably, glancing around awkwardl

I carefully selected outfits for my parents—elegant but not overly luxurious. The outfits struck the perfect balance—respectful to our hosts without seeming overly flattering.Many people who knew me from before made a point of coming over to offer a toast. My parents, well-versed and confident, held their own in every conversation, navigating the small talk with ease. There was a sense of goodwill and curiosity in each exchange. After all, it was the first time anyone here had met them, and a little probing was just part of the evening's tradition.The banquet was already underway when Bella finally arrived, dressed in an extravagantly luxurious gown that instantly drew all eyes. The dress was layered and voluminous, so much so that wherever she walked, people had to clear a path for her. I recognized it as the gown my mom had bought for one of my previous birthdays; it must have been something Bella dug out from storage. Even after six months back in the family, she was still

There were never many people in our circle who were close to Bella, and after the Shaw family banquet, there were even fewer. She was left to mix with a handful of faux socialites, becoming increasingly ostracized by the inner circle. Her desire to see me humiliated only grew stronger with each passing day.Ever since her return, Bella knew Percy had a passion for racing, so she spent half a year rigorously training with an instructor. When she invited me to a go-kart race, I was genuinely surprised. How had this pampered heiress taken an interest in racing? Back in school, whenever we organized activities, she would tag along, but she was always too worried about getting hurt and ruining her appearance, so she’d just cheer from the sidelines and hand Percy water.I glanced at Percy, who was reviewing a contract beside me, and realized this was Bella’s attempt to use me to catch his attention. I had always respected people with the courage to act boldly, and I admired her spirit

An adopted daughter was still a daughter. After raising me for 20 years, my Scott parents had been through countless sleepless nights with me. They had seen my laughter and my tears, watched me take my first steps, and witnessed my growth from a baby to a successful student. This kind of bond was impossible to sever.At this moment, my Scott parents’ expressions turned cold. My dad, Charles Scott, brought the same commanding presence to the room that he usually reserved for business."It’s our fault. We failed to properly discipline Bella when she was young, and now she’s grown up with this attitude."My biological parents were quick to apologize, even though it was their own daughter who had been hurt and their adopted daughter who had caused the harm. But Charles cut my mother off before she could continue. "The problem is with our daughter. She can’t keep going down this path. I’ve arranged for her to attend an all-girls school in Westin—strict, full-boarding. Bella, you’ll g