The daughter I had raised with such care suddenly found her biological parents. As reluctant as I was, I still sent her back to them.

But once the little girl reached her real parents, it was as if she had forgotten me, the adoptive mother who had loved her all her life. She hadn’t contacted me for an entire month.

Unable to bear it any longer, I went to see her, only to find her parents hosting a lavish engagement banquet.

Yet the girl standing by their side wasn’t my daughter. And on her wrist—was the bracelet I had given to Isabella Hayes!

When they saw me arrive, her father sneered, “So you’re that cheap woman’s foster mother! You want to find her? Fine, go look underground!”

They treated my daughter with such disdain, not realizing that I am a mother who protects her child with everything I have.

…

I strode up to the girl, gave her a hard look, and suddenly grabbed her wrist.

“Where is Bella? Why are you wearing her bracelet?”

The girl jumped in fright.

At once, Richard Carter barked, “Where did this country bumpkin come from? How dare you lay hands on my daughter! Someone throw her out!”

Margaret Carter grew furious as well. “Any stray dog or cat dares to touch my daughter?”

She shoved me back and protectively clutched the girl’s hand. But I yanked the bracelet off her wrist and slapped her across the face.

“When you’re asked a question, you answer!”

“Why are you wearing Bella’s bracelet?”

Chloe Carter froze, covering her face in shock. Then she stammered, “Y-you… you’re Isabella’s mother!”

Turning to the wealthy ladies beside her, she shouted, “She’s Bella’s backwater mom!”

At once, the Carter couple’s faces twisted in disgust.

“You have the nerve to come here? Ever since she showed up, our house has been in chaos. Who knows what kind of upbringing you gave her!”

I sneered, “You’re right—I didn’t teach her well enough, which is why she’s so soft and easy for you to bully.”

“If you look down on her so much, why are you flaunting her bracelet? Even the dress on your daughter is one I bought for Bella.”

“What is it? The Carter family going bankrupt?”

I shoved past them. When they tried to block me, my bodyguard kicked them aside.

Gasps rippled through the hall as I strode in, flanked by only three men, moving as though I owned the place.

“Bella! Isabella! Mommy’s here to see you!”

I had my men drag Chloe by the hair and throw her into the center of the hall.

“Talk! Where is Bella? If you don’t tell me, today’s engagement party will be remembered only as your day of disgrace!”

Chloe screamed at the guests, “Are you all dead? Why aren’t you doing something?”

Before her words could settle, my palm cracked across her face. She shrieked, clutching her cheek. My ring tore across her skin, leaving a deep, bloody gash that split half her face in two.

The crowd recoiled in horror. Richard and Margaret rushed forward, pointing at me furiously. “You—”

Before Richard could finish, one of my bodyguards twisted his fingers until they snapped with a sickening crack. He howled in agony.

I sat down in the host’s seat and seized the microphone.

“Where is Bella? Bring her out to me!”

“If I don’t see her today, no one in this room is leaving!”

“You’re insane! Do you know where you are? You dare cause a scene here? Call the police, now!”

Bang!

The man who had spoken went flying across the room, crashing to the floor and unable to rise.

I let out a cold laugh. “My temper isn’t the best. If I don’t see Bella today, I truly will get violent.”

“On the other hand, if you tell me where she is, you won’t leave here empty-handed.”

With that, I opened the case I had brought. Inside lay rows upon rows of glittering gold bars.

Even the most jaded guests gasped at the sight.

“Who is this woman, to make such a display?”

“Are those gold bars real?”

“Of course they’re real. If they weren’t, she’d be in jail already.”

My voice rang out, sharp and cold: “I want to know where the so-called real daughter, Isabella Hayes, who was brought back a year ago, has gone. She is my daughter. I must find her.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

I picked up one bar. “This one weighs fifty grams. At today’s market price, it’s worth more than thirty thousand dollars.”

“Whoever tells me Bella’s whereabouts—this is yours.”

On the floor, Chloe glared at me with venom. “Don’t listen to her! She’s just some poor wretch from the countryside—how could she have so much money?”

“Is that so? Then how do you think Bella had such a fine bracelet? Even the dress you’re wearing was designed by a world-famous couturier I personally hired for her.”

“You call her poor, yet you steal her clothes and wear her jewelry. Tell me—who’s the pathetic one?”

At my words, Chloe’s face went white. The crowd turned toward her, whispering.

“So that dress wasn’t hers at all?”

“Ha! She claimed it was exclusive. Turns out she’s parading around in someone else’s castoffs!”

“Fake is fake. I don’t know what the Carters are thinking, favoring an impostor over their real daughter.”

Chloe erupted, “Shut up! That cheap little tramp only thinks she can get away with things because she’s pretty! She even tried to seduce my fiancé!”

“Your fiancé?” I scoffed. “You’re just a cuckoo in the nest, a fraud. And you dare boast?”

I gave a sharp laugh. “Well, it doesn’t matter. After today, you won’t be getting married anyway. Once your fiancé sees the real you, he won’t want you.”

My words hit her like a bomb. She stood frozen.

“No… no! Daniel promised—why hasn’t he shown up yet?”

I smiled. “He hasn’t come because my people intercepted him along the way.”

Richard’s eyes bulged with rage. He clutched his broken hand, his face purple. “You dare! The Carter family is uniting with the Miller family! If you stand in our way, you’ll be ruined—just like that wretched girl!”

Before he could finish, I hurled a gold bar at him. It struck his mouth, shattering his teeth. He crumpled to the ground, groaning.

“And you dare look down on my daughter?”

Margaret stumbled forward, trembling with anger. “You want to take Isabella away? That’s our family’s business! You only raised her for a few years—what right do you have?”

“That little brat disrespected her elders and schemed against Chloe. The fact we let her live was mercy enough!”

I stared them down, my voice icy. “Is that so? Then how is it that the daughter I raised with such care turned into a cruel, deceitful girl the moment she entered your house?”

I turned to Richard. “And as for Chloe’s parentage… I don’t need to say more. Since you don’t want Bella, I’ll take her away. Isn’t that exactly what you wanted?”

“You won’t let me take her because you’re afraid of what she might say—or because you’ve done something so vile it can’t be known!”

The crowd’s eyes snapped to the Carters. They stammered, unable to respond.

“No way… could they really be that cruel?”

“Imagine—ignoring your own flesh and blood, yet doting on a stranger’s child?”

“Well, she was raised as a pampered heiress for years, while the real daughter grew up in the countryside. People play favorites.”

“But this ‘countryside’ girl looks well-off. That bracelet and gown alone are beyond the Carters’ means.”

Whispers swirled through the room. The Carter family’s faces turned dark.

Chloe clutched her swollen cheek. Suddenly, the sound of a car horn came from outside, and her eyes lit up.

“Old witch, you’re dead! My uncle is here. Once he arrives, he’ll destroy you!”

Richard smirked as well. “That’s right. Do you know who’s coming? The richest man in New York City, Adrian Hughes—my wife’s brother. You’d better know your place.”

The onlookers gasped.

“The richest man in New York City? Not someone to mess with!”

“I didn’t say anything reckless, did I?”

“Who knows if it’s true. If it is, the Carters wouldn’t still be some third-rate family.”

The room buzzed with speculation. Richard ordered the doors opened, his face brimming with smugness.

I remained unimpressed. Today, they would see just how dangerous this ‘countryside madwoman’ could be.

When Adrian Hughes entered, Chloe rushed forward. “Uncle, Uncle!”

“Today’s my niece’s engagement. I came to support her. What happened—your face!”

Her face was a swollen, bloody mess, grotesque to look at.

Adrian frowned, scanning her up and down. “Who… who are you?”

“Uncle, it’s me! I’m your niece!”

“My niece isn’t some hideous monster. And where’s your bracelet?”

“It was her! Uncle!” Chloe jabbed a finger at me. “That crazy woman stole it and tore up my face! You have to help me!”

Her sobbing filled the hall.

Adrian’s brows furrowed with impatience. But when his eyes landed on me, he froze in shock.

“Catherine Hayes? Sister—what are you doing here?!”

“If I hadn’t come, your real niece would have been killed and replaced by this fraud!”

Chloe’s face went blank with horror.

Margaret paled as well. “Sister? What do you mean? Mr. Hughes, you must be mistaken!”

Adrian snapped, “How could I mistake my own sister? The question is, where is Bella? My niece?”

“I heard she was getting engaged today. I rushed back for this. Where is she?”

My voice turned to ice. “Ask them. They’ve stolen Bella’s bracelet and paraded around in her gown. Shameless impostors!”

“And you, Adrian—this is how you’ve been protecting Bella?”

At my words, Adrian raised his hand and slapped himself across the face. The crowd gasped in shock.

“Sister, I was wrong!”

“When Bella first returned, she called me. She told me she was doing well here. I visited her a few times. But for the past month, she stopped answering my calls—only texted me that she was busy.”

I gave a bitter laugh. “Clearly, someone was impersonating her. You fool!”

Realization dawned on Adrian. He turned and seized Chloe by the throat.