The True Heiress Refuses to Return

At six, I was brought home by the Daltons.

Twelve years later, they learned the devastating truth about the girl they had so cruelly cast asidethe impostor daughter. Her life after leaving them had been a tapestry of misery.

And so, on the day Sophie died by suicide, regret consumed them all.

My parents and my brother could no longer bear to look at me. They planned to marry me off, to ship me away like damaged goods.

But Caden stopped them. He honored our betrothal and married me, but only so he could torture me himself.

"It's all your fault," he would hiss, his voice dripping with venom. "The day you came back, why did you have to cry in front of Sophie? She had done nothing wrong. Why did you have to drive her away? Why couldn't you just let her be?"

"...Iris," hed whisper in the dark, "you have to atone for what you did to Sophie."

Later, I died in childbirth.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the morning they first came to the orphanage.

The little girl in the bed next to mine asked for the heirloom locket I had worn my entire life.

I froze for a second.

Then I smiled. "Of course. It's yours."

1.

The words had barely left my lips when the little girl stared, first in disbelief, then with a look of pure, unadulterated joy spreading across her face.

"Really?! Iris, you'd really give it to me?"

She hesitated, her eyes scanning me up and down. "But... isn't this your most precious thing? You always said you'd wear it until your family came for you."

Everyone at the orphanage knew that the locket around my neck was more important to me than life itself. The matron told me it was on me when she found me as a baby.

"It's from your mommy and daddy, Iris," she would say, stroking my hair. "They'll come back for you one day."

That sliver of hope became my anchor. Other children were jealous; many tried to snatch my locket. Once, when a group of them cornered me, I swallowed it whole rather than let them take it. I nearly had to be rushed to the hospital. After that, they left me alone.

But now, I calmly unclasped the locket from my neck and placed it in the girl's small hand.

I smiled at her. "Of course, it's real. It's yours now."

"I... I don't want it anymore," I added softly.

The girl's fingers instinctively closed around the locket, clutching it to her chest as if she expected me to snatch it back.

I didn't move.

In my past life, the Daltons had identified me by that very locket.

But this time, I would give up anything to sever all ties with them.

In this life, the Daltons would still find their long-lost daughter.

But it would not be me.

When the Daltons arrived at the orphanage, I feigned a stomachache and hid myself away.

Later that day, I heard the news. The prestigious Dalton family from the city had finally found their daughter. It was the girl now wearing my locket, Anna.

No, she would be Anna Dalton now.

That night, back in the cramped dormitory, I listened to the soft breathing of the other girls.

For the first time in my life, a profound peace settled over my heart.

In this life, I thought, I finally don't owe anyone anything.

2.

I would later learn that I'd been far too naive.

Two days later, the Daltons returned to the orphanage.

They said they'd made a mistake.

It was then I understood. The Daltons hadn't just relied on a locket to identify me all those years ago. In my past life, they must have secretly run a DNA test when they took me home. It just happened to confirm I was theirs.

This time, Anna was not.

The director had all of us girls, aged six and seven, line up in a row. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton followed him, their eyes scanning each of us. Stalking ahead of them, dressed in expensive clothes with an air of profound boredom, was the boy who had been my brother, Elias.

I shrank into a corner, keeping my head bowed low. At this age, I was malnourished and frail, a small and unremarkable child.

The Daltons passed by me without a second glance. Elias's gaze swept over me and moved on, completely indifferent.

After they left, the matron informed us that all the girls would have to give a blood sample the next day.

A chill went down my spine.

As I stood there, lost and afraid, I saw the matron escort another woman into the room. She was dressed simply and was alone, a stark contrast to the Daltons' grand entourage. There was no grand lineup for her.

Her eyes, as she looked at us, were gentle, though hesitant.

I recognized her. She was a maid at the Dalton estate. I'd seen her there.

In my past life, after Sophies suicide, the Daltons forbade me from eating dinner.

"We heard that after Sophie was cast out, she could barely afford to eat. She developed stomach problems at such a young age, while you were here, living in luxury," Elias had sneered, his eyes filled with disgust. "The least you can do is feel a fraction of her pain."

Soon, being denied dinner escalated to being allowed only one meal a daycold leftovers.

Back then, she was the only one who showed me any kindness. She would secretly slip a piece of bread or some food through the crack in my door.

Remembering this, I made a bold decision.

As she walked closer, I lunged forward, wrapped my arms around her legs, and cried out, "Mama!"

3.

The next day, while the other girls from the orphanage were being organized by the director to have their blood drawn, I was on a bus with my new mother, heading back to her hometown.

The Daltons provided housing for their staff, so logically, I should have moved into the servants' quarters with her. But I told my mother I was scared and wanted to wait a little longer.

Meanwhile, the Daltons, ever suspicious after losing their daughter to a rival's scheme, grew wary. After discovering the imposter, they feared it was a trap. They didn't question anyone else at the orphanage, focusing solely on Anna. Anna insisted the locket had been hers since birth. In the end, the Daltons passed her off to a distant branch of the family to be raised, and the trail to their real daughter went cold.

By the time I set foot in the Dalton house in this lifetime, two months had passed. The dust had settled.

The day my mother and I moved in, a young Sophie was curled up on the living room sofa, crying in Eliass arms.

"Elias, are you sure Mom and Dad won't send me away? Can I really stay?"

Elias looked awkward but patted her back rhythmically. "What are you talking about? Even if she comes back, they won't kick you out."

He scoffed. "You've been spoiled rotten your whole life. How would you survive out there on your own? Mom and Dad would worry themselves to death."

Sophie peeked up at him. "And you, Elias? Wouldn't you worry about me?"

He paused, then a smile broke across his face. "Alright, alright. I'd worry the most, okay?"

It was a picture of perfect family harmony.

I smiled, too.

Then I turned and slipped into the servant's room.

4.

No one at the Dalton estate suspected a thing. My mother explained that I was her daughter and had been living with my grandmother in the countryside.

Mrs. Dalton didn't recognize me. She knelt down to look at me, and for a moment, her eyes grew misty.

"...Iris," she said, her voice soft. "There's another girl in the house about your age. She's a very pretty young lady."

"But she's been very sad lately. Would you be willing to play with her?"

Mrs. Dalton wanted me to be Sophie's companion.

I thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Honestly, aside from being a bit spoiled, Sophie was easy to get along with. You just had to coddle her. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton were kind to me because I was their daughter's playmate, and my new mother doted on me as if I were her own.

The only person who kept his distance was Elias. He looked down on the daughter of a maid and treated me like I was invisible.

Sometimes, though, I would catch him looking at me with a frown.

I always pretended not to notice.

It wasn't long before I saw Caden at the Dalton house.

"Caden!" Sophie cried, throwing herself into his arms like a joyful bird.

It was then I learned that the marriage pact between the Dalton and Caden's families was arranged before their children were even born. Caden and Sophie were childhood sweethearts.

No wonder. No wonder he had hated me so much in our past life after her death. He had even married me, sacrificing his own life, just to avenge her.

In this life, Sophie was safe and sound, still the beloved princess of the Dalton family. They should have a happy ending this time.

Lost in thought, I didn't realize Caden's eyes had drifted towards me. When they did, I turned my head as if fascinated by something outside the window, deliberately missing his gaze.

5.

Time flew.

Before I knew it, Sophie and I were seniors in high school. I still lived with the Daltons. Nurtured by her family and Caden, Sophie had blossomed. The childhood trauma of discovering she wasn't a true Dalton had faded. In this life, she was beautiful, smart, and proudthe queen of our school.

As for me, I kept a polite distance from everyone. Elias still couldn't stand me, occasionally tossing a snide remark my way. I never understood his animosity, but I didn't care.

And Caden... he was cold to everyone but Sophie, a fortress of indifference.

The only thing that puzzled me was that Caden didn't seem to love Sophie romantically. He treated her more like a little sister.

One day, I happened to see Sophie run out of Caden's room, crying. Noticing me, she instinctively covered her exposed shoulder, her face a mixture of anger and shame. Her eyes landed on my face, and she paused.

"...Stop."

She stared at me for a long moment. "I heard you sprained your ankle at the track meet last week. And Caden carried you to the nurse's office?"

I blinked, recalling the incident. Someone had knocked me over, and I'd twisted my ankle. Before I could even react, I was being lifted into the air. The person holding me had a cool, clean scent. I looked up at a sharp jawline and realized it was Caden. I had wanted to tell him to put me down, but he just pursed his lips and carried me to the nurse's office without a word.

Truthfully, Caden and I had barely spoken over the years. Yet, for some reason, I always seemed to run into him.

Thinking about it, I gave a soft "Mm-hmm."

Sophie's expression darkened. "Are you two close? Why would he carry you? He wouldn't even..."

She cut herself off. The air grew thick with tension.

Finally, her eyes red, she looked at me and said, "When are you moving out of my house?"

"You're not planning to freeload here forever, are you? Do you really think you're one of us?"

I lowered my eyes. "Don't worry," I said. "As soon as I graduate, I'll move out."

I never wanted to stay at the Dalton's house anyway. My mother had spent all her savings and sold her house to pay for her late husband's cancer treatments. Taking me in was already a burden. I couldn't be selfish.

Once I got into college, everything would be different.

Without looking at her again, I turned and walked away.

I had never intended to overstay my welcome. In this new life, I was going to be free.

6.

Sophie didn't say anything about my plan to apply to S-State University.

Elias, however, was acting strangely. One day, he abruptly asked me why I wanted to go so far away.

"No reason. Just want to see the world," I said dismissively.

He was silent for a moment, then, looking irritated, he suddenly slammed his fork down and stormed upstairs.

"What's with him? His temper is getting worse and worse..." Mrs. Dalton muttered, bewildered.

I just kept my head down and ate. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton were surprised by my choice, but they were supportive. After all, I was just the maid's daughter. My life was none of their concern.

I thought that was the end of it.

But the next day, during a break between classes, Caden found me.

I was confused. He got straight to the point.

"I hear you're applying to S-State."

I nodded. The air suddenly felt colder. I looked up and saw him staring at me, his eyes like chips of ice.

"Why?" he asked. "Didn't you and Sophie promise to go to A-City University together?"

That was just to placate her. Besides, I doubted Sophie still felt that way.

But I just said, "That has nothing to do with you."

The fingers of his hand, hanging by his side, curled into a fist. Then, without another word, he turned and left.

For the rest of the semester, I threw myself into my studies. I signed up for three tutoring programs, my days and weekends packed. Sophie and I, by some unspoken agreement, stopped hanging out. Although I still lived in the same house, I rarely saw her or her brother, let alone Caden.

Part of it was intentional. With my new life so close, I didn't want any distractions.

That weekend was Sophie's seventeenth birthday. I had a tutoring session and figured she probably didn't want me there anyway, so I asked Elias to give her my gift.

He took it, looking displeased. "Sophie's just having a small party at home with close friends. Why can't you come?"

I apologized and said I really couldn't make it. He left in a huff.

After my session, I still had a difficult problem I couldn't solve, so I went to a classmate's house to study. It was almost eleven when my mother called. My friend offered to let me stay the night, and I agreed.

Just as I was about to call my mom back, my phone rang. It was Caden.

His voice was calm. "Where are you? Send me the address."

"I'm on my way to pick you up."

Before I could refuse, he added, "Your mother is worried."

I paused. "Okay. Thank you."

I sent him my location. Ten minutes later, I got a text.

"Downstairs."

I said goodbye to my friend and took the elevator down. Caden's car was parked in the darkness. I opened the back door and slid in.

The car started smoothly. I put in my earbuds and played some music.

Out of the blue, Caden spoke.

"Do you hate me?"

I was startled. Then I smiled. "No, of course not."

I added, "We don't know each other well enough for me to hate you."

7.

My mind drifted back to my past life.

I had just been welcomed back into the Dalton family, finally reunited with the parents and brother I had longed for. Then, I saw Sophie. I was small and thin, shy and insecure. She, the girl who had taken my place, was beautiful and fair, dressed in an expensive princess gown, raised with all the love in the world.

She cried the moment she saw me, her tear-filled eyes looking to her parents, to her brother. So I cried too. We were both terrified of being abandoned.

After much deliberation, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton made the difficult decision to send Sophie away. And just like that, the beautiful, delicate girl vanished from my life.

Until my eighteenth birthday.

Sophie took her own life in a tiny, cramped apartment.

Only then did the Daltons discover the truth of her miserable existence. They had given her a large sum of money when they sent her away, but she was just a young, lonely girl. She couldn't protect it. She was swindled out of everything and fell into massive debt. She worked four jobs, developed depression, and...

While the Daltons were throwing a lavish coming-of-age party for me, Sophie was being assaulted by thugs in a dark alley.

She saw the news of my party and ended her life in her tiny, squalid room.

And so, everyone was filled with regret.

The day of her funeral, Elias came home and, without a word, slapped me across the face. The force of it split my lip and made my vision swim. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton just stood by and watched. In that moment, I understood. A deep, unstoppable hatred for me had taken root in their hearts.