The Almighty Heiress Unmasked: Divorce The Past, Inherit The World

"Katherine, you are no longer a member of the Warren family. Pack your belongings and go back to your real parents—right now." The words fell like a verdict. Ariella Warren—her figure draped in expensive fabrics, gold jewelry glinting coldly under the lights—stared at Katherine Warren with naked contempt. Ariella's one arm was wrapped protectively around another young woman, whose delicate features bore a striking resemblance to her own.

That young woman lifted her tear-stained face, her voice trembling with carefully measured fragility. "Mom, please! You've misunderstood everything. Katherine would never push me down the stairs on purpose. How could she possibly want to kill me?"

She was Lilah Warren—the Warren couple's true biological daughter.

A month earlier, Roger Warren had been involved in a serious car accident and urgently required a blood transfusion. Katherine, believed for twenty years to be his daughter, underwent routine testing—only for the results to reveal a devastating truth: she shared no blood ties with the Warren family.

The discovery sent shockwaves through the household. Using every resource at their disposal, Roger and Ariella launched an investigation and soon uncovered their real daughter—Lilah—who had been raised in a remote fishing village far removed from the luxury of the Warrens' world. And so, Lilah had returned.

From that moment on, Katherine's life became a living nightmare.

Lilah appeared gentle and innocent on the surface, but behind closed doors, she orchestrated one calculated scheme after another, always ensuring Katherine was the one left to take the blame. And without fail, Roger and Ariella sided with Lilah every single time.

They repeated the same words endlessly, as if trying to carve them into Katherine's bones—that she had stolen Lilah's rightful life, that everything she had enjoyed belonged to Lilah, and that she owed the Warren family an immeasurable debt.

To Katherine, the logic was absurd. She had not switched the babies on her own. She had not rewritten fate. A careless nurse had made a mistake two decades ago, yet now they demanded she shoulder the consequences alone.

Only then did Katherine finally see the Warrens clearly.

The truth was simple and ugly: Roger and Ariella had long wanted to send her away. They had merely delayed it, fearing that public scandal might affect the Warren Group's upcoming stock-market debut.

With clarity dawning upon her, Katherine resolved that remaining in this toxic environment served no purpose.

Her gaze drifted to Lilah's knee—where a faint, almost imperceptible bruise marred otherwise flawless skin.

Then she spoke. "If I really wanted you dead, I would've made you jump from the rooftop. That would've been faster. Pushing you down the stairs leaves you alive—and free to accuse me. That would be a very stupid way to commit murder."

Her voice was quiet. Yet it carried a chill that spread through the room. For a moment, no one spoke. Lilah, Roger, and Ariella stared at her in disbelief.

This wasn't the Katherine they knew—the obedient, soft-spoken girl who had always endured injustice in silence.

"So… you really do want me dead?" Lilah whispered, her expression a careful blend of shock and heartbreak. Yet a fleeting gleam of triumph flickered in her eyes.

Inside, she was delighted. She thought Katherine was digging her own grave. Those words alone would ensure their parents despised her even more.

And better still—it meant her plan to permanently expel Katherine was succeeding.

Ariella was the first to recover. She pointed a trembling finger at Katherine, fury twisting her features. "You ungrateful monster! You've gone mad! I'm calling the police right now and reporting your attempted murder!"

"Go ahead." Katherine's reply was unhurried. Her gaze lingered on Lilah's face, her lips curving into a faint, enigmatic smile. "I'm not the one who should fear a police investigation."

Lilah's expression flickered, a hint of panic seeping into her demeanor.

What did Katherine mean by that? Had someone noticed something?

She quickly dismissed the notion, convincing herself that Katherine was merely bluffing—after all, there had been no witnesses to support her claims.

She burst into louder sobs, clinging to Ariella, further inflaming her mother's rage.

"Fine, let's see how stubborn you remain when the police arrive," Ariella blustered, snatching her phone with determination.

Lilah felt a surge of panic, worried that any police investigation might unravel the web of deceit she had so carefully spun against Katherine.

Just as Ariella was about to dial, a deep voice interrupted. "Enough." Roger stepped forward. His expression was heavy, conflicted. "She lived with us for twenty years. She called us her parents. We can still give her a way out."

He knew the stakes. A police investigation would bring unwanted attention—and any stain on the Warren family's name could threaten the company's interests.

Relief washed over Lilah. She sank back into her seat, watching Katherine with smug satisfaction. Whatever Katherine said now would no longer matter.

Roger pulled a small stack of cash from his wallet and extended it toward Katherine, his tone condescending. "Your true family lives in that impoverished, backward Cloud Village. Take this for your journey and leave us. From this moment on, you have no ties to the Warren family."

Katherine stared at the money. Disdain flickered in her eyes.

For so many years, she had offered valuable advice and helped build their reputation. She had brought them honor, connections, and profit. And now, they were dismissing her with a few bills. How laughable.

She straightened, her spine rigid, her dignity unbroken. "Keep it," she said coolly. "You might need it—for your brain and eye treatments."

Then her gaze locked onto Lilah, sharp and unyielding. "But before I leave, I want the truth. Lilah—tell us. How exactly did you fall down those stairs?"