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The Real Heiress Says Yes, but the Fake Heiress Gets Nowhere
The Real Heiress Says Yes, but the Fake Heiress Gets Nowhere
Chubby Dumpling

Chapter 1

Chubby Dumpling
The room went dead silent.

My brother, Ethan Bennett, froze with one foot still raised from kicking in my door.

Fiona stood there stunned for several seconds. Then her eyes reddened, and she bit her lower lip.

“Maybe I remembered it wrong. I was so scared Nina wouldn’t like me that I got confused.”

She sniffled and added softly, “I just didn’t realize she hated Grandma’s bracelet that much.”

Mom immediately pulled her into her arms.

Ethan’s face darkened.

“Even if you didn’t steal the bracelet, what kind of attitude is that? Fiona tried to give you something out of the goodness of her heart, and you just tossed it aside?”

I looked up in confusion. “Did I?”

Mom sighed. She patted Fiona’s back, then turned to me with a weary expression.

“You’ve barely been home a day, and you’ve already frightened Fiona this badly. She’s lived with us for eighteen years, and now you’ve suddenly come back to take her place. Of course she’s scared. Can’t you try to be a little nicer to her?”

I thought about it, then nodded.

“Sure.”

Ethan stared at me. “Then apologize to Fiona right now!”

“Okay.”

I agreed without hesitation.

Then I lay back down and continued scrolling through my phone.

After a while, the vein in Ethan’s temple began to throb.

“Why are you still lying there?”

I looked up at him innocently.

“I said I’d apologize. I just haven’t decided when.”

No one said a word.

Ethan drew a deep breath before Mom dragged him away.

That evening, Fiona knocked on my door with red-rimmed eyes.

“Nina, Mom said you should go to her room and get a box from her vanity. It’s a welcome-home gift she prepared for you.”

I put down my phone and sat up.

“Okay, sure. I’ll go right now.”

Fiona smiled and walked away, her footsteps light.

I turned around too.

And started opening my packages.

I’d just moved in with my ridiculously rich biological family. Of course I had some shopping to do.

I hadn’t even finished opening everything when Fiona suddenly rushed downstairs, tears streaming down her face.

“Mom! Nina went through your vanity, and now the sapphire earrings you bought at auction for eight million dollars are gone!”

Mom’s expression changed instantly, and she started to stand.

The butler’s calm voice came from the doorway.

“Mrs. Bennett, Miss Nina has spent the past hour in the living room opening packages. She hasn’t gone upstairs.”

He paused.

“We can check the security footage.”

Fiona’s expression froze.

Silence fell over the living room.

Mom and Dad pulled up the footage.

On the screen, I spent the entire hour crouched on the floor opening packages. I hadn’t even stood up once.

Fiona quickly lowered her head, her voice choking with tears.

“I must’ve remembered wrong. Maybe one of the housekeepers put them away by accident. I was too nervous. I’m sorry.”

Mom pulled her close and stroked her hair. Then she turned to look at me.

“Look how insecure Fiona has become because of you. Can’t you be more considerate and help her feel safe here?”

I sat on the couch, still holding a sample-size tube I’d just unboxed.

I nodded.

“Sure. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Then I watched as Dad, Mom, Ethan, and everyone else gathered around Fiona to comfort her.

Something about it felt strange.

But it didn’t really bother me.

A short while later, Fiona’s bedroom door slammed shut.

Then came the sound of something shattering inside.

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