Chapter 3

The Cayenne swerved left before I quickly straightened it out. I shuddered in disgust.

“Dad!”

I stood with my hands on my hips and shouted upstairs.

Ethan lay sprawled on the couch, covering his ears without expression.

I walked over and flopped down in the same position, trying to process my surreal day.

I’d known for years that I wasn’t the Bennetts’ biological daughter. But I’d never been curious about my birth parents.

Who would want to know the parents who’d abandoned them?

I’d once wondered if they’d been so poor that giving me up had been their only choice.

Apparently not.

I looked at Dad as he came downstairs. “Did you really find me in a dumpster?”

He gave me a sideways glance. “I didn’t.”

Ethan lazily tossed a pistachio into his mouth.

“I dug you out.”

Me: “?”

Ethan immediately collapsed against the couch, laughing.

I turned and glared at him. “Is it that funny?”

Still laughing, he pointed at his mouth.

“I can’t help it.”

“This pistachio is cracking me up.”

Martin’s investigation showed that the Parkers had been an ordinary family.

Then, during Chloe’s senior year of high school, she’d met the chairman of Crestwell Group while working part-time at a luxury boutique. Their standard of living had mysteriously jumped overnight.

I wasn’t interested in digging deeper. I hopped on my bike and left the family house.

I’d just parked on campus when I spotted Chloe behind me, holding her books.

She rushed forward and hugged me, her eyes watery and her voice thick with emotion.

“Emma, I had no idea you had it so hard.”

Me: “...I’m doing fine.”

The girl beside her lifted her chin haughtily.

“You don’t have to pretend. Chloe told me you can’t even bear to replace your worn-out shoes.”

“Nina, stop. Emma has her pride.”

Nina nodded and playfully mimed zipping her lips.

The two of them laughed and nudged each other.

I rolled my eyes hard enough to hurt and turned toward my classroom.

“Emma, wait!”

I stopped abruptly. Chloe couldn’t dodge in time and walked straight into my back.

“Ow!” She clutched her forehead, pouting as her eyes filled with tears.

“What’s wrong with you? Look how red Chloe’s forehead is! Apologize!”

Nina carefully supported Chloe’s arm as if she were a priceless, fragile work of art.

“Oh, no. This is all my fault. I had no idea you were so delicate.”

“Let me see. Did I ruin that pretty face?”

I stepped forward with exaggerated concern and pulled her hand away.

“Oh, look. Not a mark.”

There wasn’t so much as a red spot on her forehead.

Chloe let out an awkward little laugh.

I smiled too, then gently patted her cheek.

“Save the act for someone else, okay?”