Chapter 3

It was Stephanie's birthday party today, and Mom and Dad rushed toward her as soon as they stepped through the door.

Mom wrapped her arms affectionately around Stephanie's shoulders and handed her the property deed to a villa, saying, "Happy birthday, my darling Stephy!"

Dad also smiled and pulled out a diamond bracelet—worth at least several million dollars—and gave it to her.

I stood far off in the shadows of a corner, dressed in my old, faded clothes. Watching the three of them share this picture-perfect family reunion, a bitter realization settled deep in my chest—my presence was just a joke.

As Stephanie hugged Mom back, her eyes swept over the crowd until they landed precisely on me. A mocking grin tugged at the corners of her lips. She leaned in, whispering something into Mom's ear.

Mom followed her gaze. When she finally spotted me lurking in the corner, the radiant smile on her face froze instantly.

A short while later, Mom and Dad walked toward me.

"We will make ourselves clear with you now, Allison. We were never bankrupt. We only wanted to train you and test your resilience so you wouldn't act like a spoiled brat once you started living a life of extravagance.

"We adopted Stephanie after you went missing, and she was the one who grew up by our side in your place. We'll never allow her to suffer or feel pushed aside. Therefore, we are introducing Stephanie to the public as our biological daughter. You'll be introduced as our adopted daughter. Don't you dare expose us."

I looked at their self-righteous, unyielding faces. I made sure my voice was steady, enunciating every single syllable. "But aren't I your biological daughter after all?"

Dad's brow furrowed in deep impatience. "Why must you be so difficult and unreasonable? Stephanie was raised to be poised, elegant, and cultured. You are deaf in one ear and didn't even manage to graduate high school! How could you ever hope to compare to her?"

Mom sighed heavily, patting my shoulder with patronizing condescension, as if comforting a child throwing a tantrum.

"Stop being so stubborn. Do you have any idea how few abducted children ever actually make it back to their parents? You should be grateful that you returned to a family that puts food on your table and a roof over your head. What more could you possibly want from us?"

The back of my scalded hand was still raw, the blisters weeping and bleeding, but neither of them cared. They genuinely believed they had already bestowed the ultimate act of charity upon me just by letting me come home to them.

But they were the ones who had lost me at the amusement park 18 years ago. Everything Stephanie had should have been mine.

I let out a long, slow breath, letting go of the heavy weight in my chest. "I don't need your love anymore."

Dad's face went purple with anger. "You damn ingrate! We spent two years trying to mold you, and you're still the same pathetic, low-class wench you were when we found you!"

Mom pointed a finger directly in my face, her voice rising to a shrill hiss. "Stephy was right. You're just playing hard-to-get, thinking it'll make us feel sorry for you!"

Before she could finish her tirade, a sudden, loud murmur rippled through the room.

I turned around and saw a series of photos come vividly into view on the big screen.

They were the naked photos that Stephanie had forcefully taken of me the night she slipped into my room.

My blood froze at the sight. I opened my mouth to speak, but Stephanie's driver beat me to it and exclaimed loudly, "This bitch is Ms. Coleman's personal maid! She wormed her way into the family's good graces and convinced Mr. and Mrs. Coleman to adopt her!

"She might look innocent, but she's been stealing Ms. Coleman's jewelry behind her back. She even sent me these explicit photos, trying to seduce me into sleeping with her!"

Stephanie walked up to me and spoke in a low voice, "Did you really think you could just stroll back home and become the next Coleman heiress? In your dreams.

"You're just trash that Mom and Dad threw away. You aren't even worthy to lick the dust off my shoes. Get lost if you know what's good for you, Allison Baker."

The guests all shot me nasty, condescending looks. Mom and Dad looked at me with a complex emotion in their eyes, but neither of them uttered a single word to defend me.

I dug my fingernails into my palms so hard the pain went entirely numb.

Then, I walked onto the stage under the shocked gazes of the guests. I said loudly, "I was abducted and gone for 18 years because of my parents' negligence. But since coming back two years ago, all they've done is despise me for being ugly, uneducated, and classless."

I turned to Mom and Dad. "You give Stephanie Coleman a two-million-dollar monthly allowance. Yet you claimed you were too bankrupt to buy me a proper hearing aid.

"But since you refuse to acknowledge me as your flesh and blood anyway, I will gladly grant your wish. I am selling myself to your 'creditors!'"

After saying that, I left the villa without another backward glance and got into the car waiting for me at the entrance.

Panicked, Mom and Dad sprinted out after me, pounding on the car window. "Are you crazy, Allison Baker? We don't have any creditors!

"You damn ingrate! If you dare to leave us now, we'll disown you permanently! You'll be entirely on your own!"

Yet, the bald man who once played their creditor stopped them and said, "Mr. Coleman, Ms. Baker here has already signed an agreement with me. So, from now on, she belongs to me."