They Chose the Wrong Daughter

I was the real heiress of a crime family, but I'd been lost to them for years. The day my parents came to take me home with a DNA test report in hand, I was crouched in an abandoned warehouse inventorying a shipment of smuggled weapons. I tossed my gun to one of my men, stepped outside, and skimmed the report. "You came looking for me? Isn't that adopted daughter of yours going to lose her mind?" My parents' expressions flickered, but their eyes turned red as they swore, "You're the only daughter we'll recognize!" I flicked ash from my cigarette, picked up the briefcase at my feet, and climbed into their Rolls-Royce. I spent the whole ride typing and sketching out plans on my laptop until my mother leaned closer. "Sweetheart... what are you writing?" "I'm predicting all the ways the fake heiress might try to hurt me." My parents froze for several seconds. Then they hurried to assure me none of the things I'd predicted would happen. They said their adopted daughter, Cynthia Pierce, had always been sweet and kind and had never been the scheming type. But I was their supplier's supplier. I knew the Pierce family was one of the biggest crime families on the West Coast. Their legitimate businesses were real estate and logistics. Behind those businesses, they smuggled weapons. An adopted daughter raised in a crime family who didn't know how to scheme? Only an i***t would believe that. Still, after all those years of longing for a family, I decided to give them three chances. I sent an email before finally looking up at them. "Whether she will do any of that isn't something you get to decide. I only care about facts." "And your word isn't enough." I closed my laptop. "I want a written agreement. The Pierce family promises to treat Cynthia and me equally. If you break that promise three times, I get 80 percent of the Pierce family's holdings. You hire the lawyer. We'll have three copies. I keep one, and your family lawyer keeps one." They swore none of my fears would come true and immediately arranged to have the agreement notarized. Before we reached the estate, I asked them for more money and bought a few things. The Rolls-Royce had barely stopped when Cynthia, who was waiting at the entrance, had the staff set off confetti cannons. In unison, they called out, "Welcome home, Ms. Hart!" Cynthia wore a dress from Chanel's latest collection and greeted me with a bright smile. "Bella, welcome home!" Her gaze paused for a second on my jeans and T-shirt. Disdain flashed through her eyes before she lifted her chin like a proud swan. I gave a faint nod and calmly looked away. After lunch, Cynthia played the gracious hostess and took me around the Pierce estate. At first, all she did was hint that she was our parents' beloved daughter and I meant nothing to them. I'd walked through gunfire and come close to death more than once. Cynthia's petty little games weren't enough to faze me. My complete lack of reaction finally made her snap. As we passed the pool, she shoved hard at my back with both hands. I sensed the movement and sidestepped at once. Cynthia couldn't stop her own momentum and pitched straight toward the pool. She screamed when she realized what was happening, and all the color drained from her face. I reached out and caught her by the arm. "Don't think I'll be grateful just because you saved me. I..." Cynthia stopped at the edge of the pool and turned to glare at me with even more hatred. I gave a soft laugh. "I'm not the kind of person who repays cruelty with kindness." I'd caught her only because I wanted my payback to hit harder. Before Cynthia could process what I meant, I let go, lifted my foot, and kicked her straight into the pool. She hit the water with a violent splash. Caught off guard, Cynthia swallowed several mouthfuls of water. "Bella, you b***h! I won't let you get away with this! Bella, I'm telling Mom and Dad!" Cynthia hurled abuse at me. "Still haven't learned your lesson? Let's keep going." I gave a cold laugh, stepped forward, and forced her head underwater. At last, fear took over, and she began sobbing and begging me to stop. From the corner of my eye, I saw my parents hurrying toward us. I lifted a brow and released Cynthia as if nothing had happened. She dragged herself out of the pool and threw herself into my mother's arms, crying. "Mom! Bella pushed me into the pool on purpose, then held my head underwater so I couldn't get out. She made me swallow so much water..." Tears filled my mother's eyes. "Bella, how could you do that to Cynthia?" "Now would be a good time to read the email I sent you on the way here." I met my mother's accusing gaze and reminded her calmly. 'I've never known what it feels like to be loved by my parents, but a small part of me still hopes for it. If one reminder is enough to steady them when they start wavering, I'll do it. Not just to give them a chance, but to give the part of me that still longs for a family one last reason to hope.' Cynthia blinked in confusion. "What email?" No one answered her. My parents took out their phones and opened the email. It read: 1. Play the victim: the fake heiress tries to hurt me, fails, then claims I attacked her. 2. ... My parents went still, remembering what they'd promised before we arrived. My mother turned to Cynthia. "Cynthia, are you sure Bella pushed you into the pool? You didn't try to push her first?" My father frowned. "Don't lie. This matters." Cynthia clutched her chest, and tears spilled from her eyes. "Mom, Dad, you don't believe me? I never pushed her. She's the one bullying me!" I took off one of my blood-red diamond earrings. "This is a miniature camera I bought with the money you gave me. If you want the truth, all we have to do is watch the footage." Cynthia looked mortified. She stared at me in disbelief. She stammered and refused to look. Everyone in the Pierce family immediately realized she was lying. My father had just frowned and was about to speak when Cynthia clutched her chest, tears spilling down her face. "Mom, Dad, you promised that even after Bella came back, I'd still be the only daughter you loved! But now... I feel awful..." Her entire body went rigid. She pressed a hand to her chest and acted as though she could barely breathe. My father immediately abandoned any thought of scolding her and scooped Cynthia into his arms while my mother hurried to explain, "Cynthia has never been very healthy. Bella, we need to take her to the hospital first!" I called Cynthia's bluff. "I know where to draw the line. I know you care about her. Even when I was teaching her a lesson, I wasn't going to hold her underwater long enough to actually make her suffocate. Look at her if you don't believe me. Her face is perfectly flushed and healthy. She's pretending to feel sick so she can avoid being held accountable once the truth comes out. If you're still worried, you can have a doctor come here and examine her." My father set Cynthia down, and my mother looked at her with suspicion. Cynthia stiffened for an instant, then quickly put on a heartbroken expression. "I get it. You just don't believe me or love me anymore. Now that Bella's back, you'll believe her no matter what! If that's how it is, there's no reason for me to stay here!" She turned as if she'd made a painful decision. "I'll pack right now and make room for your real daughter!" My parents immediately started after her. I stopped them. "Mom, Dad, you still haven't said what you're going to do about this." Their expressions grew even more awkward. My mother frowned in disapproval. "Sweetheart, Cynthia was wrong, but you weren't hurt. You didn't lose anything, and you still held her head underwater so she couldn't get out. Why do you have to keep pushing her and making her so upset?" My father cut off any further discussion. "Exactly. You've already taught Cynthia a lesson. We'll leave it at that, and you won't bring it up again." 'What a joke. Being able to defend myself doesn't give Cynthia a free pass. They promised on the way here that no matter what happens, they'll stand by me unconditionally. If they can't keep that promise, there should be consequences.' I watched them hurry back toward the main house. A flicker of sadness crossed my face, but I quickly composed myself. That was their first chance. They had two left. I took out my phone and saved the surveillance footage showing Cynthia trying to push me, along with my parents choosing to protect her even after learning the truth. I had just left the pool area and was passing through the garden when a man in an expensive suit stepped into my path. He looked so much like my father that he had to be my brother, Asher Pierce. I was about to greet him when Asher lifted his chin, his expression cold. "So you're the one who knocked Cynthia into the pool and wouldn't let her get out! You made her condition flare up?" I lifted a brow. "So what if I did?" Asher gave me a look of disgust and waved a hand. "You don't feel the slightest bit guilty. Clearly, I need to teach you a lesson." Behind me, his bodyguard stepped forward. The tall man raised his hand and swung hard at my face.