Chapter 1

The Cavendish Family

I was packing my things in my room when Victoria Ashford walked in and threw her arms around me. Her eyes were red, her body trembling, and big tears were rolling down her face.

"My poor Charlotte, you've had a lot.. If I had a choice, I really wouldn't want you to leave!"

I stood there expressionless, letting her hold me, feeling nothing inside. I knew perfectly well that in this "mother's" heart, there had been no place for me for a long time.

Two months ago, a girl named Eleanor Beaumont showed up at our door, crying hysterically that she was the real daughter of the Cavendish family. She kept saying that she and I were born on the same day, but a nurse had accidentally switched our baby tags, which was why she'd ended up with the wrong family.

This shocked everyone in the Cavendish family. Although they didn't believe such a ridiculous story, they still had Eleanor take a DNA test. Surprisingly, she really was a Cavendish.

But what was even more shocking was that I wasn't the Beaumont family's biological child either. In other words, Eleanor's story about us being switched at birth wasn't true.

After the Cavendish family found out I wasn't their biological child, their attitude toward me clearly changed. They quickly brought Eleanor home and even changed her name to Eleanor Cavendish.

Eleanor's adoptive parents were from the countryside and quite poor. They tried to use this connection to extort money. My adoptive father, Aiden Cavendish, didn't want to deal with it, so he just gave them five hundred thousand dollars to completely cut ties with Eleanor.

They also posted my personal information online, claiming they wanted to help me find my biological parents, so my biological parents wouldn't still be grieving over losing me. But I knew the truth - the Cavendish family just didn't want me anymore.

After my information had been on the missing persons website for a few days, someone contacted the Cavendish family claiming to be my biological father. Allegedly, they were even poorer than Eleanor's family, with four boys at home.

I gently pushed Victoria away, my tone flat. "Alright, we're not related by blood anyway. There's no point in continuing this relationship, especially since you didn't want me here in the first place."

Victoria's face immediately changed, looking shocked. "Charlotte, how can you say that about me..."

"I heard what you said to Aiden yesterday. Stop acting." I didn't hold back in exposing Victoria's fake facade.

Last night, when I got up to use the bathroom, I overheard the couple talking in their bedroom, and I finally saw their true colors.

"Let's get her out of here tomorrow. I don't want my daughter to feel uncomfortable," Victoria had said, her voice full of resentment.

Aiden had agreed. "Definitely, she'll be gone tomorrow. I already told her. After all, we raised her for eighteen years, so don't be too obvious about it. Make her a nice meal tomorrow to send her off, and then we'll have nothing to do with each other."

Hearing my words, Victoria was speechless for a moment, her face turning red with embarrassment.

I didn't bother with her and continued packing my things.

Since I was completely cutting ties with the Cavendish family, I didn't take anything they'd bought me. I only packed clothes, jewelry, and cosmetics that I'd bought with money I earned from part-time jobs in high school.

Just then, Aiden walked in, his tone serious. "How's the packing going? Eleanor says she wants this room. Make sure you clean everything out."

I zipped up my last suitcase and stood up. "I'm only taking my own things. Everything else you bought me, I'm leaving. If Eleanor wants it, she can have it."

Glancing at the pile of jewelry on the dresser, Aiden's expression softened, as if he thought he was getting a good deal.

But he still said, "Since we bought it for you, you can take it if you want. We'll buy Eleanor new things anyway."

"No thanks, I don't want it," I said firmly.

Victoria started playing peacemaker, her eyes red. "Aiden, say less." Then she turned to me. "Charlotte, I had Bianca make lots of delicious food, all fancy dishes. Eat before you go, okay?"

I happened to be hungry, and it would be a waste not to eat, so I nodded. "Sure."

When I sat down at the dining table, the maid Bianca respectfully served the other three. When it was my turn, she only gave me a little food and practically threw the plate in front of me, her face full of disdain.

My eyes showed a hint of coldness and pride. I wasn't going to let Bianca get away with it. "No wonder you could only be a maid. If someone can't even do their job as a maid properly, what else can they do?"

Bianca's face immediately darkened, but she didn't dare say anything.

At the table, Eleanor sweetly put a crab in my bowl. "Charlotte, eat more. You won't get to eat this after you go back to your own family. But don't worry, if you want some, just call me anytime, and I'll have someone deliver it to you."

I glanced at the crab in my bowl, picked it up with my utensil, and put it back in Eleanor's bowl, my tone flat. "I'm allergic to seafood."

"Really? I never heard Mom and Dad mention that. Mom, Dad, how could you not know Charlotte was allergic to seafood after raising her for eighteen years?" Eleanor pretended to be angry and surprised.

My eyes showed a hint of mockery as I quietly watched Eleanor's performance.

Victoria's eyes turned red. "It's my fault. I never paid attention. Charlotte, why didn't you tell me?"

"Stop acting. Aren't you tired? Every time you ate seafood, didn't I say I don't eat it? Besides, how many times have we even had seafood? You just made a little money, and now you think you're better than everyone else? I bet Eleanor said she likes seafood, so you made this whole table for her, right?"

Suddenly, Aiden's fingers tightened, and his utensils hit the edge of the plate with a sharp sound that startled everyone. His face tense, he snapped, "Charlotte! Have I spoiled you too much all these years? Just because you can't be the Cavendish family's daughter anymore and can't enjoy wealth and luxury, you're taking it out on us!"

Hearing Aiden's words, I laughed bitterly. I'd never thought that way. I was angry because I was disgusted by this family's ugly behavior.

"I'm not that petty. Besides, the Cavendish family isn't even that wealthy. Your total assets are what, a hundred million dollars at most? You call that wealthy?"

This really set Aiden off. His grip on the utensils suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white, and the next second, the utensils were bent from the force.

Eleanor was scared. She quickly stood up and walked over to Aiden, holding his hand to check if he was hurt.

"Dad, are you okay? Does your hand hurt? Charlotte is leaving the home she's lived in for eighteen years to go back to that poor place. She must be upset. Don't hold it against her, please."