The Heiress Who Laughed Last

After my billionaire parents brought me and my twin brother Mueller back home, my brother, who had always matched my grades, threw away his books and started living a life of extravagance.

Seeing that I still studied diligently, he mocked me with disdain:

I've got it all planned out. Once the SATs are over, I'm going to study abroad in Europe. Our parents are billionaireswhat's the point of being a bookworm? You need to learn how to network with high society.

He constantly bragged to me about which heiress he'd met today, which heir he'd made plans to hit the bar with.

Seeing me clutching my books, Mueller laughed contemptuously:

"Can't help itafter all, I'm the boy. I'll be the heir in the future. You're a girl, so all you can do is study hard to please our parents."

How laughable. What era does he think this is, that he can still claim an advantage based on gender?

Doesn't he realize that both Mom and Dad graduated from top global universities?

The Franklin family's first rule is clear: only those who get into Harvard are qualified to be the heir.

I didn't take Mueller's words to heart and continued attending classes attentively and working hard on practice problems after school.

Say what you will, the faculty at this elite private school was genuinely exceptional.

Until the day we had to submit our competition registration forms, I couldn't find mine anywhere.

I remembered the last time I saw my registration form, Mueller happened to be right beside me.

"Competition registration form?" Mueller said casually. "I didn't see it."

I grew anxious. "Think harder. Tomorrow's the final deadlineif I don't submit it, I'll lose my eligibility!"

He snorted. "Why bother with that thing? I already told you last time, learning all this stuff is useless. You're a girlno matter how good your grades are, you'll still end up getting married."

"Come with me after school to Rivers's birthday party. Learn how to deal with people. It'll help you manage business for me in the future."

I looked up at him and asked calmly, "Mueller, I'm asking you one more time. Did you take my registration form?"

Students around us noticed the tension between us and turned to look.

I knew it. He'd hidden it.

I held out my hand. "Give it back."

He suddenly laughed derisively. "Can't give it back. I burned it. It's in the trash cango look for it yourself."

My hand involuntarily tightened into a fist, anger surging through me. "Why?"

Mueller said indifferently, "Who told you not to listen to me? You kept going against me, so I had to make you understand who's in charge of this family!"

I froze. I never imagined that my brother, who'd grown up with me since childhood, would turn into this.

I looked at him deeply, then turned to go to the office to ask the teacher for another form.

But the teacher told me, "No one from our school has ever participated in this competition. I had to pull strings just to get that one form."

Even though I was confident I could place well, without a registration form, I didn't even have the qualification to compete.

I laughed coldly. If Mueller could only pull these petty tricks, he wasn't worth worrying about.

I'd only signed up for this competition to see what the Washington competition was like anyway.

As I left the office, Mueller blocked my way. "Well, since you can't participate anyway, you can finally come with me to Rivers's birthday party, right?"

Only then did I realize why he'd burned my registration form.

I looked at him coldly. "I'm not going. I'm going home to study."

He scoffed. "How many times do I have to tell you? Why do you only know how to study like a bookworm?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed that Rivers likes you. His family owns one of Washington's top tech companies. If you just keep him happy, isn't that better than participating in some stupid competition?"

Rivers walked over, putting his hand on Mueller's shoulder with a smile. "Olivia, don't listen to Mueller. I don't think studying is useless."

"It's just that today's my birthday. Do me a favor, okay? Plus, I invited a lot of classmates."

Mueller wasn't wrong about one thingRivers's family company did have business relations with mine.

I didn't want to make things too awkward, so I glanced at the time and reluctantly agreed. "I need to be home by nine-thirty."

But unexpectedly, Rivers took our group to a bar. The bar was chaotic and noisy.

Mueller raised his glass and shouted, "Come on, let's toast to Rivers's eighteenth birthday!"

I didn't drink alcohol. What I raised was juice.

Mueller's face turned cold. "Olivia, what's your problem? Everyone's drinking, and you're the only one with juice. What are you trying to prove?"

I took a deep breath and looked at this brother who was only born minutes after me, saying calmly, "You forgotI'm allergic to alcohol."

Mueller was about to say something when Rivers stepped in. "Come on, I'm the birthday boy and I haven't said anything. Why are you getting worked up?"

I stood up to go outside for some fresh air.

But suddenly Rivers blocked me at the door of the private room.

"It's my birthday. How about you give me a gift?"

A bad feeling crept over me.

I forcefully pushed away his face as it came closer. "I'm going home."

But the next second, Rivers suddenly grabbed my wrist, pressing his whole body against mine, his breath inches away.

Every hair on my body stood on end. I turned my head and yelled, "Mueller!"

At that moment, I still instinctively relied on Mueller.

But whether it was because the bar was too noisy or not, Mueller didn't hear me. He didn't come out.

I desperately tried to avoid Rivers's touch, my voice urgent and rapid. "Rivers, both our families are respectable. Aren't you afraid I'll tell my parents what you're doing?"

I could only hope my words would intimidate him.

But unexpectedly, Rivers scoffed. "Come on, have you had enough of this playing-hard-to-get act?"

He blew smoke in my face. "Mueller already agreed to let you keep me company. Even if you complain, he can testify that you seduced me."

My scalp went numb instantly. Gritting my teeth, I shouted fiercely, "Mueller, get out here right now!"

"I'm your sister! How dare you do this to me? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?"

My voice was so loud there was no way he couldn't hear me.

But there was no response. The door behind me remained closed.

Just as Rivers's hand touched my shoulder and he forcefully tried to tear my clothes, I gathered all my strength and suddenly lifted my leg, kicking him hard in the groin.

Rivers let out a piercing shriek. His whole body collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale.

The door behind me burst open with a bang.

Mueller rushed in. "What happened?"

Seeing Rivers's miserable state, he froze for a moment.

He frantically helped Rivers up, and seeing Rivers clutching his groin, he angrily questioned me, "Olivia, what did you do to Rivers!"

I stood up, straightened my clothes, and walked over to Mueller.

Furious beyond measure, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.

I was too angryone slap wasn't enough. I raised my hand to slap him a second time.

Mueller suddenly grabbed my hand. "Are you crazy?"

My eyes locked onto Mueller's. "Do you know what Rivers was just doing to me?"

"My life was almost ruined!"

Mueller lost his patience, frowning at me.

"Olivia, stop being so ungrateful!"

"It's only because you're my sister that I'm thinking about your future. You're a girlwhat other path do you have besides marriage?"

"If you keep Rivers happy and marry him in the future, you can be a comfortable rich wife. Isn't that good?"

"All this talk about studying hardyou just want to fight me for the inheritance. Well, let me tell you, no way!"

I looked at Mueller, who stood half a head taller than me.

For the first time, I felt this brother I'd grown up with was a complete stranger.

Before today, I'd always thought he was just a bit narrow-minded.

But I never imagined he could be both stupid and vicious.

I laughed coldly. "Mueller, this isn't over between us."

"You'd better pray the Franklin heir is me. Otherwise, I have ten thousand ways to make you bankrupt and homeless."

"And you, Rivers," I looked at him with icy eyes, "a good-for-nothing punk like you probably doesn't know that attempted rape is also a crime, right?"

"This time, I'll let you off for the sake of our families' business relationship."

My voice grew increasingly oppressive. "I suggest you stay away from me from now on. If you piss me off again, I won't mind sending you to prison to experience life there."

Rivers's face darkened, but he couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.

He could only watch helplessly as I picked up my backpack from the floor.

Mueller looked at me mockingly. "You're a girl, and you think you can compete with me for the heir position? As if you're qualified."

"Make me bankrupt and homeless? Ha!"

I knew he didn't take me seriously at all.

I looked at him quietly, my eyes frighteningly calm.

"Mueller," I said mockingly, "so you want to be the Franklin heir?"

I paused, my gaze sweeping over everyone who was watching the drama unfold.

Finally, my eyes landed on Mueller's face, full of mockery and contempt.

"Then let's each rely on our own abilities."

From that day on, I started treating Mueller like air.

I continued studying hard every day, working through practice problems. Every exam, I held steady in first place in the entire school.

But after the brief attention I received when I first ranked first in school, I practically disappeared from view.

I didn't care whether anyone paid attention to me. I only wanted to work hard toward my goal.

While I studied, Mueller thrived in the elite school.

He used his identity as the billionaire's son to form cliques.

Until just before the SATs, Mom and Dad specially held a grand recognition banquet.

They formally introduced us to society as the children of the Franklin family.

I looked at the important figures before mepeople I'd only seen on TV and in magazinesand felt involuntarily nervous.

But Mueller was completely different. He moved through the crowd with ease, wine glass in hand.

As the banquet ended, Mueller stopped me, his tone smug. "Did you see that?"

"Many of the people who came today are parents and relatives of our schoolmates. They don't even recognize you, but they praised me highly."

"Mom and Dad were so happy just now. I brought them so much honor."

His eyes showed contempt and disdain as he said matter-of-factly, "What's the use of you being first in your class every day?"

"In society, it's all about who has the wider network and knows how to deal with people, right?"

"Look at those big bosses and rich peoplehow many of them were first in their class? Understanding how to navigate social relationships is more important than anything."

I looked at him calmly. "So?"

Seeing that I remained unmoved, Mueller's face showed a trace of annoyance. "Olivia, apologize to me properly right now."

"In the future, when I take over Mom and Dad's fortune, I can give you a little more."

I smiled mockingly. "No need."

Mueller glared at me. "Fine, fine, fine. Don't you dare regret it. Even if you kneel and beg me in the future, I won't show you any mercy!"

I shrugged, not taking it seriously.

But unexpectedly, on SAT day, Mueller locked me in the house.

I pounded on the door. "Mueller, let me out!"

His careless voice came through. "Olivia, I told you studying was useless, but you never listened to me. I had no choice but to lock you at home."

I shouted the housekeeper's name.

Mueller scoffed. "Stop shouting. I sent everyone away. I hid your phone a long time ago too."

I was both shocked and furious, asking in disbelief, "Why won't you let me take the SAT?"

His voice was cold. "Sorry, Olivia. I need to eliminate every opportunity you have to compete with me for the heir position."

"Since my grades aren't good, you shouldn't get to win against me through exams."

I took a deep breath. "Mueller, if you don't open the door right now, we're done being siblings!"

Mueller fell silent for a moment.

When he spoke again, his voice was resolute. "Then let's be done. I'll make you understand the consequences of going against me!"

I closed my eyes, completely disappointed in Mueller.

I wasn't released until the first day of testing was over.

He was triumphant. "Even if you do well, it's useless. I'm the one qualified to inherit the Franklin family. I'm helping you accept your fate sooner!"

I didn't cry or make a scene.

Instead, I lowered my eyes and laughed mockingly.

Mueller probably didn't know that my target was never the SATit was Harvard.

And among the conditions for Harvard admission, the SAT was never mandatory.

I'd only wanted to take the SAT to give myself closure after twelve years of hard study.

I just never imagined Mueller would go to such lengths for his own selfish desires.

If I hadn't applied to Harvard early, Mueller would have really succeeded.

I didn't attend the remaining two days of testing. Mueller thought I'd truly accepted my fate.

He came to persuade me again. "Rivers said what happened last time was a misunderstanding. As long as you're willing to be with him, after I take my position, he'll help me maintain my place as the richest."

"After you two get married, just focus on being a good wife and mother."

I looked up and coldly spat out one word: "Scram."

Mueller held a grudge. He picked a time when both Mom and Dad were home and deliberately apologized to me.

"Olivia, I'm sorry. I was just thinking that since you didn't take the SAT, you can't even get into community college. Rivers is a well-known young master in Washington."

"His family's situation isn't much worse than ours. Since he likes you, you should seize the opportunity. I didn't expect you to be so resistant. It's all my fault."

The more he spoke, the more aggrieved his voice became, as if everything were my fault.

Mom and Dad's expressions grew increasingly surprised as he spoke.

Mueller looked determined to succeed. "Olivia, Rivers really likes you. Why don't you give him a try?"

Dad put down his fork, frowning as he interrupted Mueller. "Who told you Olivia can't even get into community college?"

"Don't you know she's already been accepted to Harvard?"

I smiled slightly at Mueller. "Mueller, you didn't know, did you? In our Franklin family, we don't support freeloaders. Only those who get into Harvard are qualified to be the heir."

All color drained from Mueller's face instantly.