Chapter 3

There were endless guests at the banquet hall on the day of the homecoming party, with everyone craning their necks to check out what the real heiress of the White family looked like.

However, I showed up in just a loose short-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of jeans, even though Mom had brought me over a dozen tailored dresses.

I refused without hesitation when I thought about having to waste so much time and effort to get changed and pretty up.

Beside me, Rosa was dressed flamboyantly, and there was no shortage of mocking laughter from the crowd.

"That's a hick for you—just look at Rosa in comparison. She's adopted, but it's like comparing a duck to a swan."

Hearing that, Rosa puffed her chest smugly as she relished the stares.

I couldn't be bothered to argue.

Since Mom and Dad weren't coming yet and I was feeling a little hungry, I went to a quiet place to sit down with the snacks I took.

Suddenly, someone bumped into me, but I thought nothing of it and kept munching.

In just a second, a woman suddenly grabbed my wrist and bellowed, "Why did you steal my necklace?"

Everyone turned toward us right then, while the woman, Yvie Starr, pulled a sparkly necklace out of my jeans pocket, snapping with righteous indignation, "It's a priceless heirloom from my grandmother, but you had it in your pocket! Who else could it be?!"

Then, holding up my hand, she turned to the rest of the guests and kept yelling, "Look, everyone! The rightful heiress of the White family is no more than a petty thief!"

The whole hall clamored right then, as the guests started to voice their disapproval.

Rosa appeared with impeccable timing just then, charismatically trying to make peace. "Yvie, you must have made a mistake. Claudia's not like that."

In reality, Yvie and Rosa were friends for over ten years, and Yvie looked disappointed upon seeing Rosa trying to intervene. "Why are you stopping me? Are you really happy being outshone by some petty thief?"

Rosa kept smiling.

Despite her intervention, she couldn't be more gleeful inwardly.

As for me, I had enough of such cheap frame-up routines for a lifetime, so I turned to leave.

"Stop!" Yvie grabbed my arm right then, smirking. "What, stealing my stuff and running? Is this how the White family raised you?"

I sighed wearily, mustering my vocal chords to say dryly, "I didn't."

However, this really got Yvie upset, and she shrieked, "Who else could it be?! You're the only bum in this entire hall!"

She then pushed me violently, knocking me to the floor.

I was going to defend myself because this concerned basic morals… until my back touched the carpet, and I realized it was softer than my bed.

As such, I simply closed my eyes and stayed on my back.

That was when Mom came downstairs, her shrill screams almost familiar now.

"Baby! Are you alright?!" she cried as she rushed to my side and glared at the crowd. "Who did this?!"

The guests had clearly presumed that the White family didn't care about me at all, given my plain outfit.

Now, seeing Mom's outburst, they realized it was not the case.

Yvie was stunned too, stammering as she argued, "S-She stole from me. I only gave her a little shove…"

Mom narrowed her eyes. "And what did she steal?"

Yvie quickly pulled out her necklace, only for Mom to snatch it, fling it on the floor, and crush it under her foot. "That's trash! Even our dog would look like a beggar if it put that on!"

Dad was glowering too as he growled dangerously, "Did you think our family can't afford that with all our wealth? And what, have the Starrs now grown bold enough to threaten me? Perhaps you don't mind losing the project down at the East End?"

Yvie was horrified and was in tears as she begged, "I'm sorry, Mr. White! I didn't mean to insult your daughter… this is only between us. Please don't tell my father, or he'll kill me…"

Dad snorted, but before he could say a word, Rosa strode up to him with a worried look. "Dad, I think we should send Claudia to the hospital for a full-body check-up, just in case."