Chapter 6
“Let me go,” I said, my voice shaking as the black–suited men ushered me through the grand gates of the Smith estate.
The mansion loomed ahead, its towering columns and sprawling gardens straight out of a movie. My palms were clammy, and my heart raced.
They knew.
They had found out I stole the ring. That was why I was here. Not for anything else- just to be punished for stealing their prized heirloom.
By the time we entered the main hall, my knees were weak. Every inch of the house screamed wealth and power. The gleaming chandeliers, the marble floors, the grand staircase–it all made me feel so small.
A woman stood at the center of the room, her presence commanding yet warm. Dorothea Smith. The lady of the house,
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Nadia‘ s supposed mother.
The moment I saw her, panic overtook me. I clutched my hands together as tears streamed down my face. “I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I didn’t mean to steal it. I swear I wasn’t trying to-” My voice. cracked. “I just needed money to leave because Nadia and Gabriel-”
Before I could finish, Dorothea crossed the space between us and pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Oh, my dear,” she murmured, her voice. trembling with emotion. “You don’t need to beg. It’s okay. You‘ re not in trouble.
I froze, too stunned to move.
Dorothea pulled back slightly, her hands gripping my shoulders. “That ring belongs. to you,” she said with a soft smile. “After all, you are the rightful owner.”
Her words hit me like a thunderclap. I blinked at her, my mind racing. “What?”
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She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she gently turned me around, her hands. moving to the back of my blouse. “May
I?”
I nodded numbly, too confused to resist.
Dorothea pulled down the fabric just enough to expose my back. I felt her
fingers brush
tly over r
at the base of my spine.
And then she sobbed.
skin, stopping
“It’s true,” she whispered. “It’s really you.”
She hugged me again, tighter this time, her tears soaking into my shoulder. “You‘ re our daughter. Our lovely, long–lost daughter.”
The words didn’t feel real. They couldn’t be. This was impossible.
“I… I don‘ t understand,” I stammered.
Dorothea cupped my face, her eyes filled with both joy and sorrow. “I’m so sorry,
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Amanda. Life must have been so hard for
you all these years. But don’t worry.” Her voice broke. “You‘ re home now.”
Hours later, I was still struggling to process everything.
My back rested against the plush headboard of the largest bed I’d ever seen. The room they had brought me to was massive, with high ceilings, ornate furniture, and a closet bigger than my old apartment.
Servants flitted in and out, bringing gowns, jewelry, and shoes for me to choose from. Apparently, there was to be a banquet that evening–a grand event where I would be introduced as the Smith family‘ s real daughter.
I barely noticed as they held up dress after dress, my mind too muddled to focus. How had my life turned upside down so quickly? Just days ago, I was nothing but a woman trying to escape a toxic relationship. Now, I was being treated like royalty.
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As I stood in front of the mirror, trying on a flowing emerald gown, the door to my room burst open.
I turned just in time to see Nadia storm in, her face twisted with rage.
“You!” she spat, slamming the door behind her. Her eyes darted to my back, narrowing as she stepped closer.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice icy.
Nadia didn’t answer. Instead, she lunged at me, grabbing my arm and twisting me around. “Show me!” she demanded, tugging at the neckline of my dress. “Let me see your back!”
“Get off me!” I shoved her, but she was
relentless.
Her nails dug into my skin as she yanked at the fabric. When she saw the birthmark, her face contorted with fury.
“No,” she hissed, shaking her head
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violently. “No, this is fake. You must have done something. You‘ re not the real daughter. I’m the real daughter!”
I tore free from her grasp, adrenaline surging through me. “You‘ ve lost your mind, Nadia.”
“You stole everything!” she screamed, her voice shrill. “The ring, my family, my life! You can’t take this from me!”
Her words pushed me over the edge. I grabbed her hair, yanking her backward with a force that made her stumble.
“Don’t you dare lay a hand on me again,” I snarled.
Nadia clawed at me, but I slapped her hard across the face, the sound echoing through the room. She froze, stunned, her cheek red and her breathing ragged.
Straightening, I marched to the door and yanked it open. Two guards were stationed outside.
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“That woman is banned from this
family,” I said firmly, pointing at Nadia.
“Escort her out.”
Nadia’s face twisted with hatred as the
guards stepped inside. “You’ll regret this!” she shrieked, struggling against
their grip. “I swear, Amanda, you‘ 11 regret everything!”
Her curses echoed down the hallway as they dragged her away, but I didn’t flinch.
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