The Real Heiress Has Multiple Identities

A slap rang out!

Catherine Montgomery pulled her hand back.

The red mark blooming on Frederick Aldridge’s face caught everyone’s attention at the engagement party.

"You dare hit me?" Frederick covered his face, his eyes full of disbelief.

Catherine looked at him, her gaze cold. "You had just gotten engaged to Helena Thornton… and then you turned around, cornered me in the dressing room, and asked me to be your mistress. You really have some nerve, don't you? This slap is my wedding gift to the two of you."

Frederick's face flushed red as he gritted his teeth. "Catherine, don't be ungrateful. Letting you be my mistress is me taking pity on you. Do you think you're still the Thorntons' daughter?"

Catherine heard this and only found it ridiculous.

The Thorntons' daughter? She had never truly cared about that identity.

Just a week ago, staff from a charity organization had come to the Thornton home, saying they'd traced an orphan who might be their biological daughter. The Thornton parents did a paternity test and discovered that Catherine wasn't their biological child at all.

Catherine had gone from being a Thornton to being a Montgomery. Her biological parents supposedly lived in a very remote, impoverished area.

Once the truth was revealed, Helena was welcomed home, and her "fiancé," Frederick, who had pursued Catherine for three years, immediately got engaged to the newly returned Helena.

She, the fake daughter who had been living in the wrong place all these years, was naturally urged to leave.

Now the engagement party was over, the car that was supposed to take her home was on its way, and it was time for her to go.

But Frederick kept blocking her path.

He stared at Catherine's face, his eyes filled with resentment.

Catherine was much prettier than Helena. Before Helena was brought back to the Thornton family, he had pursued Catherine for three years. Even if there had been a marriage arrangement, Catherine had never given him a kind look. Now that her status was gone and she had no more value as a marriage alliance, she'd still make a very good mistress.

"Catherine, you'd better think this through." Frederick softened his tone. "The Thornton family ranks among the top fifty wealthy families in the Galaxy State. You're used to living well. Once you go back to some poor place, you definitely won't be able to handle it. I can arrange an apartment for you, as long as you..."

Catherine cut him off with a cold laugh. "Get out of my way."

She didn't want to waste words with him. If it hadn't been for the previous marriage arrangement, how would Frederick even have been qualified to stand in front of her?

But Frederick just wouldn't give up and reached out to grab Catherine's wrist, trying to pull her into his arms.

Just then, a voice rang out from around the corner of the hallway. "Catherine! Let me show you my diamond ring—"

Helena ran over, lifting her dress, proudly wanting to show off the ring on her hand to Catherine. She hadn't expected to see Frederick grabbing Catherine's wrist the moment she arrived.

She shrieked, "What are you two doing!"

Frederick reacted quickly, immediately stepping back and pointing at Catherine in anguish. "Helena, she's seducing me!"

"I was just passing by here, and she grabbed me..." He sighed heavily. "Catherine, why would you do this?"

"Catherine, you're shameless!" Helena burned with anger, raising her hand to slap Catherine's face.

Catherine caught her wrist and pushed forward.

Helena stumbled back several steps, nearly falling, her eyes immediately turning red.

"I'm telling Dad about this!"

She glared at Catherine fiercely. "Dad was going to give you tens of thousands of dollars for living expenses before you left. If he finds out what you did, let's see if he'll still be nice to you!"

"Forget it, she just lost her head for a moment. After all, she's about to go back to a poor place; she must be desperate." Frederick deliberately sighed.

"She deserves to live that poor life!" Helena kept glaring at Catherine and cursing. "Slut! A cheap woman who only knows how to seduce men!"

Catherine had wanted to just leave, but hearing this, she finally couldn't hold back.

She turned and asked Helena, "Are you introducing yourself? Listen to yourself, talking like that. Where's even a bit of the Thorntons' daughter's manners? If outsiders heard you talk like this, the Thornton family's reputation would be ruined."

As Catherine said this, she slightly raised her chin.

She wore only a simple black dress, her figure tall and slender, her swan neck and spine forming a straight line. She still looked more like a true wealthy family's daughter than Helena did.

"You!" Helena trembled with anger. "Well, you're still a cheap woman who seduces people!"

"Really?" Catherine gave Frederick a meaningful look. "Did I seduce you?"

"You'd better admit it." Frederick lowered his voice, a hint of threat in his tone as he stared hard at Catherine. But he wasn't nervous — after all, she had no backing anymore. Even if she accused him, no one would believe her!

But in the next moment, Catherine actually pulled out her phone and pressed play.

Ever since Frederick had pulled her aside to say those disgusting things, she'd quietly started recording. After all, she knew him well, and now it was finally coming in handy.

In the recording, Frederick's voice was clear, arrogant, and presumptuous.

Without Catherine needing to say another word, both their faces changed instantly.

Frederick's face turned pale at once. He waved his hands frantically. "Helena, let me explain, it's not like that. She deliberately recorded this to frame me. Don't believe it..."

But Helena was nearly mad with rage, screaming Frederick's name while clawing at his face.

The two of them fought in the dressing room, making enough noise to draw attention. Guests started looking over and whispering.

Catherine didn't bother watching the show anymore and turned to walk out of the hotel.

At the hotel entrance, Helena's father, Brandon Thornton, and mother, Aurora Thornton, were seeing off guests. Seeing Catherine come out, both their expressions changed slightly.

"Catherine, we want to live with our biological daughter, and I’m sure your parents want to be with their biological daughter. That’s why I’m trying to send you back so quickly."

Brandon walked over and sighed softly, sincerity in his eyes. "In the future, whenever you want to come back, you can come back anytime. You don't have to suffer in some poor place."

After speaking, he even pulled a prepared envelope from his bag. "This money..."

"Don't give her money!" Aurora suddenly reached out and snatched the envelope away.

"With so much money in her hands, what if she gets robbed in the countryside? And what if she brings that whole family of poor people to ask our family for money later? We won't be able to get rid of them!"

The surrounding guests, hearing this, all turned contemptuous looks on Catherine.

Aurora put the money away and glared at Catherine. "Alright, remember, this family doesn't owe you anything. From now on—"

"From now on, I won't contact you anymore." Catherine interrupted her, raising her voice in response.

Her voice stayed calm, but it traveled far, making sure everyone around them heard every word.

"Mrs. Thornton, please rest assured."

Her gaze swept over those faces watching from not far away, the corners of her lips curving into a faint arc.

"During my time working at the Thornton Group, the three core projects I secured for the company have brought in enough profit to repay these years of upbringing. From now on, we're even."

She paused, then continued as Aurora's face changed dramatically:

"I also hope your biological daughter can keep this family business running well. After all, without me, I wonder if anyone else can get investment from Concord Capital for you, and I wonder if the Thornton family can still hold its position among the top fifty wealthy families of the Galaxy State."

As her words fell, she smoothly displayed her phone screen.

It showed communication records with Concord Capital, clearly displaying exchanges at key project milestones.

Brandon's face instantly turned deathly pale, his lips trembling. "Catherine, you... the follow-up on those three projects..."

Aurora was shaking with rage. Pointing at Catherine, she shouted, “Who are you trying to scare? The Thornton family can survive without you. Who do you think you are?”

But the meaningful looks from the surrounding guests were already piercing them like needles.

Just then, the car coming to pick up Catherine finally arrived.

The sedan was covered in a thick layer of mud, so dirty you couldn't even tell its color. Half the front bumper was missing, and the trunk lid was nowhere to be seen.

Aurora immediately became proud again, laughing mockingly. "Such a broken car, it'll fall apart before it even leaves the city! In less than five minutes, you'll regret this!"

The next moment, the car door opened, and a deep male voice came from inside. "Baby, I'm here to take you home!"