The False Heir Accusation

I was the placeholder daughter.
The real one, the heiress, returned with a secret she couldn't hide any longer. She paraded her swollen belly through town as if it were a trophy.
This? she'd announced, a smug smile playing on her lips. This is the heir to the Sterling empire.
My jaw dropped.
On the other end of the phone, my boyfriend's voice crackled with fury. "Who the hell is spreading rumors about me?"

1
The day the true Hamilton heiress came back, I was one signature away from taking over my adoptive parents' company.
Which is why, whenever she looked at me, her eyes burned with a hatred so pure it was almost comical. I’m not exaggerating when I say that if a stray dog dropped a bone between us, Penny Hamilton would snatch it up and declare it had been hers all along.
The reason was simple: she couldn't stand the sight of me.
I understood her resentment, I really did. But understanding didn't change the fact that the decision to hand me the company wasn't mine alone.
"Dad, Mom," I said, trying to be diplomatic. "The company should go to Penny. I can help her, guide her through the transition. But asking me to take the helm… I can't do that."
My adoptive parents hesitated, and I knew why. Penny's reputation preceded her. She was famous for nothing but partying and spending, the epitome of a spoiled heiress. The Hamiltons had built a respectable business from the ground up, a legacy of sweat and sacrifice. They weren't about to let their prodigal daughter burn it to the ground.
Their plan had been to give her a third of the shares—enough to keep her comfortable for life without giving her the power to do any real damage. But Penny’s ambition was as vast as her incompetence. She was determined to outdo me.
When she found out I had a degree in finance, she immediately begged our parents to send her to a prestigious business school in Switzerland. Less than a month later, she came running back home, whining about being homesick. I suspected the truth was she couldn't keep up with the coursework.
Back home, she demanded a senior management position at the company. Fine. I stepped aside.
In the two months she was there, half our clients left, and a good chunk of our best employees resigned. With the company teetering on the brink of collapse, my parents had no choice but to call me back in.
Penny was practically vibrating with rage.
But while she fumed, I got to work. When she realized I wasn't even treating her as a rival—just an obstacle to be managed—she clutched her stomach and cried out in pain.
We all rushed her to the hospital in a panic, only to be torn apart by the doctor.
"What kind of parents are you?" he scolded, his voice sharp. "She's at least three months pregnant! You have to be more careful. You're lucky both of them are okay this time. One more scare like this and you might not be so fortunate."
My parents froze on the spot. Pregnant? When did Penny get pregnant?
After the doctor left, Penny stared at her hands, the picture of guilt. My adoptive father paced the room like a caged animal, his face a thundercloud. My mother’s eyes welled with tears. "Penny, honey… who's the father?"
Penny lifted her head, and a flicker of triumph, of all things, shone in her eyes. "I'm carrying the heir to the Sterling empire."
"Whose?" my father choked out.
"Chad Sterling's."
My world tilted on its axis.
On the other end of my phone, the man in question was practically shouting. "Who is spreading these lies about me? Viv, I swear on my life, I'm innocent."
I covered the receiver and slipped out of the hospital room. "Do you know a Penny Hamilton?"
I had never heard Chad so agitated. "Penny who? I don't know any Penny, or Sunny, or whatever her name is! Is she the one behind this?"
Well, that was… definitive.
Penny was three and a half months pregnant. If my memory served me right, three and a half months ago, Chad Sterling was on the other side of the Atlantic. This baby had absolutely nothing to do with him.
"Okay," I said calmly. "I get it."
Chad paused. "Viv? That's not the reaction I was expecting. Are you mad? Don't you believe me?"
I sighed. "I'm not an idiot."
Besides, I was well acquainted with Penny's talent for spectacular, jaw-dropping lies.
Chad was still rambling. "Viv, my heart, my whole life—it's all yours. It's always been yours."
"Chad," I cut in, a smile tugging at my lips. "Shut up."

2
Chad could be incredibly possessive, in the sweetest way. He spent the next ten minutes swearing oaths of fidelity, assuring me again and again that he had nothing to do with Penny. By the end of it, I was the one comforting him.
"Viv, can you come over tonight?" he asked, his voice small and wounded. "I'm worried some other lunatic is going to try and frame me."
I rolled my eyes. The allure of being Manhattan’s golden boy was a heavy burden, apparently.
I glanced back into the hospital room where my parents were still interrogating a defiant Penny. "Be good," I murmured into the phone. "I need to handle this family mess first."
Penny’s baby wasn't Chad's, which meant she'd been with someone else. I couldn't just drop that bomb on my parents; I needed to find out the truth quietly.
"Okay, okay! I'll wait for you!"
The man who was a ruthless titan of industry in public was now as docile as a puppy. I smiled softly and ended the call.
Very few people knew Chad was pursuing me. I’d been hesitant at first, unsure of where I stood in the world. But after Penny came back, his steadfastness had won me over. The Hamiltons were no longer my family, but Chad had promised me a home that would be ours and ours alone. At a time when my entire identity had been shattered, his words were like sunlight pouring through the cracks. That’s when I finally agreed to be his girlfriend.
I quickly discovered that the man tabloids painted as a playboy who changed women like suits was, in reality, a disciplined and brilliant CEO who ran the vast Sterling Corporation with chilling efficiency.
And in private, he was a complete romantic.
He’d send me photos of the roses in his garden or his goofy golden retriever. He brewed me ginger tea when I had cramps. He'd notice my shoes were uncomfortable and a new pair would arrive the next day. He would be my sounding board, a warm embrace when I felt like the world had abandoned me. He hadn't performed grand gestures, but his quiet, consistent care was everything. It was the warmth I desperately needed.
"Vivian, where did you go?" My mother rushed out, her face a mask of anger and anxiety. "You need to do something. Help Penny sort this out."
Inside, Penny stared at the ceiling, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
My face remained calm, but a cold knot formed in my stomach. Penny had been gone for twenty years; it was only natural for my parents to dote on her. But to immediately ask me to clean up her mess… how much longer would they rely on me?
"First things first," I said, my voice even. "Are we absolutely sure the baby is Chad Sterling's?"
Penny shot up like a cornered cat. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you jealous I'm the one carrying his baby?"
As if. If I wanted his baby, getting it would be the easy part. Jealous of her? Please.
"Calm down, calm down," my mother soothed, stroking Penny's hair before turning to me with a reproachful look. "Vivian, she's emotional right now. Don't provoke her."
I was just asking for confirmation. Was that too much to handle? I took a deep breath, forcing down the wave of irritation. I didn't mind her showering Penny with love, but did she have to tear me down in the process?
Seeing Penny’s smug, triumphant expression, a chill went through me. "I didn't mean anything by it," I said, my tone carefully neutral. "I just think that if it is Chad Sterling's child, then we should contact him immediately."
"But how?" My mother’s face was etched with worry. My father stood by, his brow furrowed in thought. The Hamiltons ran a decent company, but it was a rowboat next to the Sterling Corporation's battleship. They didn't move in the same circles.
"We have to find a way," I insisted, looking pointedly at Penny. "The baby is growing every day. We can't let him be born without a father in the picture." I softened my voice, feigning concern. "Whether he acknowledges the child, whether you even decide to keep it… those are conversations you need to have with him. But first, Penny, you have to reach out."
"That's right, that's right!" My mother, desperate for a plan, seized on my words. "Penny, call him now."
But suddenly, Penny looked conflicted. "His phone… it goes straight to voicemail. And he hasn't replied to my texts…"
This was getting more absurd by the second. Was she even sure who she’d been texting?

3
My adoptive parents looked like they’d been slapped.
My father’s hand shot up as if to strike her, but seeing her pale, tear-streaked face, he dropped it with a growl of pure frustration. "You foolish, foolish girl!"
"What are you doing, yelling at her at a time like this?" My mother immediately jumped to her daughter's defense.
Penny burrowed into her mother's arms, sobbing. "Mom, I swear, it's Chad's baby!"
"I know, I know, sweetie. It's his." My mother comforted her, then looked at me, her eyes pleading. "Vivian, you have to find a way to meet with him. You have to explain Penny's situation."
Getting a meeting with Chad would be easy. But I wasn't going to do it. Not for this. This woman was trying to pin a baby on the man I loved, and she wanted me to be her messenger? To ask him to play daddy to another man’s child? The nerve was astounding.
"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go," I said, shaking my head and offering a more practical suggestion. "If he won't even see Penny, why would he see me? A better approach would be to use the company as a pretext. Request a formal business meeting. He'd have to show up for that."
Whether Hamilton Industries was important enough to warrant his time wasn't my problem.
My mother frantically urged my father to make the arrangements. He looked miserable, but he didn't argue, just stalked out of the room, phone in hand.
"This is the heir to the Sterling empire," Penny sneered, shooting me a look of pure contempt. "Soon, I'll be the next Mrs. Sterling. You'd better watch how you act around me."
I just raised an eyebrow. If Chad Sterling would fall for someone like Penny, then he wasn't the man I thought he was. And I wouldn't want him anyway.
My mother chided Penny for her rudeness, but a little pouting was all it took for her to be forgiven. The two of them were soon lost in a fantasy world, chattering excitedly about how Chad would react.
I quietly hit record on my phone.
My father returned quickly. A line had been secured. They could meet with Chad tomorrow. My mother and Penny were ecstatic. I stopped the recording and sent the audio file straight to Chad.
The gold digger was on the move.
The prospect of meeting Chad seemed to cure Penny instantly; she checked herself out of the hospital. On the ride home, she was a whirlwind of giddy chatter, fantasizing about becoming the Sterling matriarch and using their resources to elevate the Hamilton family to new heights. She even managed to charm my father out of his foul mood, and soon the whole family was caught up in her daydream.
My phone buzzed. It was Chad. I quickly declined the call and texted back: Can't talk. Text me.
He replied instantly: I'M INNOCENT!
I sent him a hugging emoji and told him we'd talk properly when we could meet. From my parents' behavior, it was clear there was no room for me in the Hamilton house anymore. It was only a matter of time before I had to leave.
I just didn't expect it to happen so fast.
The moment we got home, Penny started in on me, her eyes flashing with resentment. This was her house now. So what if I knew how to run a company? Once she married into the Sterling family, she'd have everything.
I let out a soft, contemptuous laugh. "Why do you need a man to define your worth?"
Her entire fantasy hinged on Chad. If she wasn't the next Mrs. Sterling, she was nothing.
"Vivian Hamilton!" she shrieked, clutching her stomach as if in agony.
My parents came running at the sound. Penny immediately burst into tears. "Mom, I don't want her in this house! Make her leave! Make her leave now!"
"Penny, stop this nonsense," my father scolded, but my mother just looked torn.
I almost had to laugh. "Penny needs to rest," I said, making the decision for them. "It's best if I stay somewhere else for a while." I paused, then added, "And I'll hand over my duties at the company."
From the moment I learned of Penny's existence, I had been preparing for this day. I'd secretly started my own consulting firm. Now was the perfect time to step away and focus on my own future.
I was grateful to my adoptive parents for raising me. But it was time to say goodbye.

4
My parents put on a show of being heartbroken.
My mother even dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "Vivian, are you angry with me for spoiling Penny? It's just that she's been through so much…"
"Mom," I cut her off gently, "she's pregnant and needs a stress-free environment. Me leaving is the best thing for everyone."
I didn't blame her for loving her biological daughter. That was natural. What I couldn't stand was being trampled on in the process. There was no point in forcing them to choose between us.
"The company is in your hands now," I told them. "You'll have to work hard."
We all knew Penny was incapable of running it, but if she wanted it, she could have it. My father’s jaw was tight, but he said nothing. No one did.
They didn't insist. They didn't say, "This is your home, and no one can kick you out." And in their silence, I found a strange sort of peace. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out the door.
People change. They had found her, the real thing, and I, the replacement, was no longer needed. All those years of love and affection evaporated like morning mist.
Penny followed me to the car, a fake pout on her face. But as I passed, her eyes glinted with triumph and she whispered, so only I could hear, "You should just drop dead out there and never come back. Only when you're gone will this family truly be mine."
Is that so? I thought. I had poured my blood, sweat, and tears into building Hamilton Industries. She couldn't even finish business school. Good luck to her.
But it wasn't my problem anymore.
I took my suitcase to the sleek, modern apartment I'd bought a while back. It was a quiet building, just two units per floor. The only drawback was my next-door neighbor: a certain lovesick billionaire who had insisted on buying the adjacent unit.
When Chad found out I'd moved out, he was practically wagging his tail like an overjoyed puppy.
"Viv, are you hungry? I can make you some noodles," he chirped, following me around as I unpacked. "Are you still mad? Go on, hit me. Your boyfriend is your personal punching bag."
He flitted around my apartment, a whirlwind of energy, chattering away while he helped me unpack, mopped the floors, and wiped down the counters. With him around, everything was easier.
"I'm not mad," I said, finally. "I just think she's an idiot."
To sleep with a man and not even know who he was… it was beyond reckless. "Have your people look into it," I added. "Find out who really got her pregnant, and why she's so convinced it was you."
"On it," he said, his tone suddenly serious. The crown prince was angry, and when he was angry, things happened.
After making a quick call, he disappeared into his own apartment and returned minutes later with two steaming bowls of beef noodle soup, my favorite. As we ate, he asked about my plans. I laid out my strategy for my new company.
"Well," I finished with a smile, "I guess I'll be counting on the great Mr. Sterling's support from now on." My little company needed all the help it could get.
"Anything for you," he said, leaning closer, his eyes sparkling. "Does that earn me a kiss?"
He was ridiculously endearing.
I gave him a deep, lingering kiss, losing myself in the affection pouring from him. Thank God fate had brought him to me. I couldn't imagine how I would have survived this, having the family I'd always known choose to cast me aside, without him. His unwavering support was the only thing keeping me from sinking into a pit of despair.
"Viv," Chad murmured, holding me close after our meal. "How do you want to handle this? I swear, I don't even know who this Penny woman is."
"Just deal with it logically," I said, stroking his hair. "You don't need to do anything drastic just for my sake." I didn't want him dragged into this petty drama. If Penny ever found out about us, she would create a scandal that could damage his reputation. "Handle it your way."

5
Chad was more disciplined than anyone I knew.
The next morning, I woke up to the smell of a full breakfast cooking. It was all my favorites. By the time I finished my shower, a bowl of warm porridge was waiting for me, at the perfect temperature to eat. He even made a move to feed me the first spoonful.
I dodged him with a laugh. "You can save that for when I'm old and can't lift a spoon myself."
It was just a figure of speech, but his eyes lit up. "Viv, does that mean… you're ready to spend the rest of your life with me?"
Oh.
I wanted to say no, not yet. But looking at his hopeful, puppy-dog expression, I couldn't bring myself to disappoint him. I gave a small nod.
He was so overjoyed he looked like he might actually lift me up and spin me around.
"But I need to focus on my career first," I added quickly, afraid he'd start planning a wedding on the spot. I loved him, I truly did, but I needed to be my own person. I wasn't going to be like Penny, whose only ambition was to trade her last name for a more powerful one.
"I know, I know," he said, nodding eagerly, a wide grin on his face. "But that doesn't mean I can't help you build your empire, right?"
Of course not. I'd be a fool to turn down his help. Chad's business acumen was legendary. My plan was to head to my new office, get my files in order, and then meet him at Sterling Corporation.
But before I could leave, my adoptive mother called.
"Vivian," she said, her voice laced with a pleading tone. "Could you come with us to Sterling Corporation today?"
In the background, I could hear Penny muttering about how useless I was, but my mother persisted.
I raised an eyebrow. "Alright," I said. "I'll meet you there."
Might as well get some entertainment in before a long day of work.
When I arrived, the Hamiltons were already waiting outside the imposing glass tower. Penny was kicking at a loose stone on the pavement. "Took you long enough," she grumbled. "Anyone would think you'd dropped dead on the way over."
"Penny!" my mother hissed, scandalized.
Penny just scowled and stormed towards the entrance. My mother gave me a weary, apologetic smile.
"The appointment was for nine-thirty," I said coolly. "It's nine-twenty. If we'd shown up any earlier, people might think we were in a rush to meet our maker."
"You—" Penny whirled around, but I ignored her. Just because she was pregnant didn't mean I had to tolerate her abuse. Let her mother coddle her. One day, she'd regret it.
"She's getting more out of line every day," my father muttered, shaking his head. But that was all he did. If he'd ever bothered to curb Penny's arrogance, she wouldn't be the beautiful, brainless mess she was today.
The receptionist at Sterling Corporation knew me. She smiled brightly as I walked in, ready to greet me by name, but I gave her a subtle shake of my head. She didn't miss a beat.
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked the group, her smile unwavering.
All eyes turned to my adoptive father. "No," he mumbled, his face turning a deep shade of red.
"But I thought you said you'd secured a line?" I asked innocently.
His face went from red to purple. It seemed his "connection" was flimsy at best—a favor called in for nothing.
"My daughter is pregnant with your CEO's child!" my mother suddenly declared, her voice ringing through the marble lobby. "We are respectable people! You will call Chad Sterling down here right now, or I will make a scene you won't forget!"
The young receptionist glanced at me, her eyes wide. I gave a slight nod. My mother wasn't one for dramatics, but she was a cornered mother bear. If they tried to stop her, she would absolutely cause a scene.
But Chad didn't come down. Instead, his executive assistant appeared, a man with a perpetually calm demeanor. He gave me a barely perceptible nod before addressing the room.
"Which one of you is Penny Hamilton?"

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