Trix's POV

Watching those three put on their little show of fake warmth, I turned away and headed upstairs. Figured I’d settle right into the master bedroom.

“Thanks, Mom and Dad, for setting up this room for me,” I said, stepping inside.

“That’s Lauren’s room,” Velma replied, marching in with a scowl. “Yours is the guest room next door.”

Right then, Lauren and Leroy walked in behind her. Lauren gave Leroy a pitiful look and started tearing up on cue. “I'll just move out,” she sobbed. “She's your real daughter, so she's the rightful one to occupy the master bedroom.” She let the tears roll, casting glances at Leroy and Velma like she was waiting for someone to rush in and save her.

But I wasn’t about to give them that chance. I just smiled, cool as a spring morning. “Thanks so much, sister. Truly.”

Before they could say a word, I shut the door in their faces. Whatever family drama they were cooking up outside was none of my concern. I started tidying the room, tossing anything I didn’t like onto the floor.

Just then, my agent Iris called, and I answered right away.

“Trix, what’s going on over there? The show’s still recording; you can’t hold things up too long.”

“Iris,” I said, getting an idea, “scrap the street vendor role. Let me just play as the long-lost heiress making her grand return home. That’s bound to get folks talking.”

We hashed out the details, and soon enough, Iris had the company rewriting the program’s script. I’d been wearing hidden cameras since the Hurst family “found” me on the street, so this twist would roll smoothly right into the story.

No sooner had I finished the call than there came a loud knocking at the door. I opened it to see the whole family practically falling over themselves outside.

Leroy got up, dusted himself off, and glared at me. “Alexia, the master bedroom’s always been Lauren’s. You don’t get to just claim it.”

“Yes, Alexia,” Velma cut in. “Your sister simply humbled herself, how can't you know how to read the room?”

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Lauren, who looked like she’d been wronged. “Well, she offered it to me. So I thought it was okay to take it. I didn't know it was just for show.”

Lauren’s face went bright red, caught in her own act. “Mom, Dad,” she sniffled, “I'll... I'll just leave. I can't possibly compete with your true daughter. I'm just an adopted, after all.”

Leroy pulled her close, glaring at me like I’d hurt his favorite pet. “What are you doing just standing there? Do I need to kick you out?”

I stared right back. “And why is that? You abandoned me for twenty years; can’t I at least choose my own room now?”

His face hardened, and in a flash, he slapped me across the cheek. “Ungrateful brat! You're in my house, so what I say goes—not you!”

Holding my cheek, I felt my heart grow colder. “So, that’s why you brought me back? Just to quiet the rumors? That’s all I am to you?”

Leroy clenched his jaw and looked away, saying nothing. Meanwhile, Velma sighed, her tone indifferent. “Alexia, you may be our daughter by blood, but we haven’t seen each other in two decades. You can’t expect that to give you the same standing as Lauren. She’s been my daughter for twenty years, so our bond with her is deeper than with yours.”

Leroy just cast me one last icy look, his mouth curling into a disdainful sneer.

Trix's POV

“Lauren’s been raised with care, graduated college by twenty, and has been right by my side, helping me run the company,” Leroy said. "So, how could you, selling street food, compare yourself to her? Let me get things straight now that you're here. Everything in the Hurst family—the business, the estate—that’s all going to Lauren. All you gotta do is sit back and enjoy the good life as a Hurst heiress.”

I looked at the three of them, standing together like they were thick as thieves. Seeing their “family unity” stirred up a cold smile on my face. I had already braced myself for this, but it still hit me.

The truth was, all of this had been planned in advance. They didn’t just stumble upon me by chance. I’d known I was the Hurst daughter even before I came back for the show. And I had people leak the news that the Hurst family’s long-lost daughter had ended up as a street food vendor. The media ate it up, and public pressured them to bring back their biological daughter. Without the weight of public opinion, I doubt they would have bothered taking me back at all.

As for my reasons for coming back, I simply wanted to know what kind of people they were—and why they’d abandoned me all those years ago.

I gave a small cough and spoke as calmly as I could, “If that’s the case, maybe I’ll just leave.”

“Don’t you dare!” Leroy grabbed my arm, his grip like iron.

I looked at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong? You don’t want me here, so why can’t I go?”

Leroy seemed to hesitate as if there were words stuck on the tip of his tongue. But he kept his mouth shut.

Velma then stepped forward, taking my hand gently. “Come on, Alexia, don’t be stubborn. It’s just a room. The guest room is a lot better than that little shack you were staying in.”

“Your father doesn’t want you to manage the family business for your own good,” she continued, her tone soft but dismissive. “You don’t know anything about it. You’d just run it straight into the ground.”

Fine. They didn’t want to tell me the truth? I’d find it out myself, sooner or later.

Seeing I’d gone quiet, Leroy put on his “loving father” face again. “Just get settled here. If you behave, maybe I’ll let you manage part of the company. Step by step, alright?”

I’d had enough of their show. I wasn’t here to win a place in this family, especially not with Lauren. So I picked up my bag and moved to the guest room without another word.

The next morning, I was half asleep when a loud knocking jolted me awake. Groggy, I opened the door to find two tall men in white coats shoving their way in. Before I could process what was happening, they were pinning me down on the bed.

“What are you doing?!” I shouted, struggling.

Leroy stepped into the room with a fake, reassuring smile and placed a hand on my head. “Relax, Alexia. They’re just here to give you a physical.”

A sudden chill ran through me as I realized what was going on. I fought harder. “I’m healthy! I don’t need a check-up!”

Just then, Velma walked in and tried to soothe me, her voice as smooth as honey. “It’s just a few vials of blood, dear. No need to be afraid.”

Despite my efforts, the two men held me down and drew my blood. Once they’d finished, they tossed me back into the guest room without a word. No one came to check on me after that—not a single person.

Trix's POV

When I got dressed and tried to head out for a walk, a bodyguard stepped right in front of me, blocking my path.

“Sorry, Miss,” he said, polite but firm. “Mr. Hurst gave orders that you’re not allowed to leave the villa without permission.”

“Where is he? I need to talk to him and get some answers—I’m his daughter, not some prisoner!”

The bodyguard just looked at me, expression blank. “Mr. Hurst is at the office. You’d best just stay here and relax.”

Left with no choice, I went back to my room, feeling that twist in my gut again. Bringing me back couldn’t just be about the public pressure. There was something else—something darker—that they were hiding from me.

I wasn’t expecting it to turn out like this. Feeling a rising worry, I called my agent, Iris, for help.

“Iris, you saw what happened, right? I think I’m in real trouble. Please arrange for someone to get me out of here.”

“Don’t worry, Trix,” she said right away. “I’ll arrange for someone to come by tonight. You’ll be safe.”

That evening, I heard Leroy come home. He didn’t waste any time and went straight into the study with Lauren and Velma. Luckily, earlier that day, I’d hidden a couple of cameras around the villa while they were out—one in the living room, another in the study.

I checked my phone and saw them in the study. Leroy’s face was lit up with excitement as he patted Lauren’s shoulder.

“It’s a perfect match, my dear! Once we give you her heart, you’ll be as healthy as ever!”

Hearing that, my heart just dropped. So, that’s why they brought me back—to take my heart and give it to Lauren.

Lauren nestled into Leroy’s arms, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

Lauren leaned into Leroy’s arms, tears of joy streaming down her face. “I knew you’d always take care of me, Dad. Don't worry, I’ll work hard to manage the company and be the daughter you and Mom deserve in return.”

Then I saw Velma, who had been frowning, ask in a low voice, “Dear, if we take Alexia’s heart for Lauren… what happens to Alexia? Will she… die?”

Leroy shrugged it off. “Don’t worry. She could still hold out for a few more months. But if anything happens to her after that, she can only blame her bad luck!”

The three of them shared dark smiles, and a chill ran down my spine. I’d heard enough.

I stormed into the study, throwing the door open with a loud bang, my gaze cold as ice.

“Are you really my parents, huh? Ready to let me die just to save your adopted daughter?”

They jumped at my entrance, but Leroy recovered quickly, smirking as he looked me over.

“Well, since you know already, there’s no point hiding it. Surgery’s set for tomorrow—so we won't let you get away.”

Velma sighed, looking at me with just the barest hint of regret. “Alexia, don’t blame us for this. Between you and Lauren, we could only choose her. We wronged you once, but please bear with us one more time.”

Hearing my own parents say this broke me. Tears filled my eyes, spilling over as I spoke.

“Twenty years ago, you threw me away, and now, you went through all this trouble to find me… just to take my life?”

I paused, feeling a surge of anger and sorrow all at once. “Fine. I get why you want me dead now. But at least tell me—why did you abandon me back then?”

As soon as I asked that question, I saw Velma’s face tighten up, and she dropped her head, refusing to answer. Meanwhile, Leroy looked at me, cold and hard, and spat, “You don’t need to know!”

“Then, I’ll find out myself!” I shot back. Then I bolted out of the study, flew down the stairs, and made for the villa’s exit.

Leroy’s angry shouts echoed down the hall behind me. “Catch her! Don’t let her get away!”

The two bodyguards at the door started toward me, but Iris and her team were already there waiting. At my signal, Iris’s people took the guards down, and I jumped into the SUV as we sped off.

In the car, I clenched my jaw and turned to Iris with a fierce resolve. “Send the video out. I want the whole world to see the Hurst family brought down!”