The Mad Heiress Goes on a Rampage

I'm the long-lost biological daughter of a wealthy family.

After returning home, I did only three things.

First, I installed surveillance cameras throughout the house -- no blind spots, 360 degrees.

Second, I dumped a whole bag of true vs. fake heiress stories on them and told them to learn how to handle the relationship between a biological daughter and an adopted one.

Third, I stayed ready to go completely unhinged at any moment.

It turns out, the first two didn't work on a family that's both blind and willfully ignorant.

Only by going full-on crazy and taking everyone down with me could I reclaim what rightfully belongs to me.

"I'm the one who stole eighteen years of Vanessa's life."

"Now that she's back, I should leave."

The fake heiress stood there in an expensive white designer dress, crying like a wilting flower.

Just as Mom, Dad, and my brothers were about to comfort her, I took the initiative and threw two large canvas bags off my shoulder onto the expensive floor.

"Wait a second, everyone."

"The security here is terrible."

"Let me install some surveillance cameras first."

To survive, I'd worked countless part-time jobs.

Installing surveillance cameras was nothing difficult for me.

I had to admit, wealthy estates were huge -- but also truly contradictory.

They didn't even have a single security camera.

I casually wiped the sweat from my face and flashed an honest smile at the family members with their varying expressions.

"Dad, Mom, Vanessa, Ethan, Lucas -- you don't need to thank me too much."

"Sure, buying all this stuff drained my entire savings, but at least it'll keep everyone safe."

"Plus, now other wealthy families won't laugh at us for not being able to afford surveillance cameras."

Seeing their suddenly stifled expressions, I quickly bent down to open the other bag and pulled out several novels with flashy covers.

Without waiting for a response, I stuffed them into their stiff hands.

"This is my first time being a real heiress, so I don't have much experience."

"But I figured reading more books can't hurt."

I rubbed my rough fingers together, my eyes sincere.

"Let's study and learn together."

Vanessa clutched the book in her hands so tightly her knuckles went white.

Tears instantly streamed down her face.

"Vanessa, are you doing all this because you're guarding against me?"

"I should just leave."

I quickly moved aside from the doorway and gave her a thumbs-up.

"You want to go back to your biological parents?"

"I knew you were beautiful inside and out."

"All that wealth didn't make you forget your real mom and dad."

"Sure, your dad loves drinking, gambling, and beating people."

"And your mom is cruel and vicious -- eighteen years ago, she deliberately switched you and me while working as a maid for the Hayes family."

"But at the end of the day, you share the same blood as them."

"There's a saying, isn't there?"

"A child doesn't despise their mother's ugliness, and a dog doesn't despise its family's poverty."

"No matter how awful they are, they're still the ones who brought you into this world."

With every word I spoke, Vanessa's face grew paler.

By the end, her whole body was swaying.

Ethan quickly pulled her into his arms protectively.

"Vanessa, shut up."

"Pearl was just a baby who didn't understand anything back then."

"What fault could she possibly have?"

I nodded eagerly.

"Ethan, you're New York's best lawyer."

"Since you've determined that switching children isn't a crime, then this whole thing must be perfectly legal."

Watching Ethan's expression darken progressively, I slapped my thigh hard.

"I'm such an idiot!"

"Pearl is so kind -- how could I say she has dirty blood flowing through her veins?"

"Three years ago, when her adoptive parents secretly came to the Hayes residence looking for her, she even gave them a large sum of money."

My eldest brother's handsome face turned completely dark at this point.

Pearl, leaning against him, rolled her eyes back and fainted.

"Lucas, go get the family doctor quickly."

Lucas was my second brother.

Ethan carried Pearl upstairs in a rush.

I anxiously followed behind them.

"Wait, so when you're sick you're supposed to see a doctor?"

"But my adoptive parents always said I just needed to tough it out."

Mom and Dad, who had been about to follow them upstairs, involuntarily stopped in their tracks.

The two exchanged glances and thoughtfully opened the "true versus fake heiress" novel in their hands.

Pearl now felt dizzy and nauseous whenever she saw me.

Ethan ordered me not to go anywhere near the second floor and made me stay in the servants' quarters on the first floor.

I hugged my patched-up little blanket, my face full of gratitude.

"Thank you, Lucas."

"At my adoptive parents' house, I was only allowed to sleep in the dog kennel and the cattle shed."

"You're actually letting me stay inside the house -- you're so good to me."

"I must express my sincere gratitude."

I immediately knelt down.

This whole performance left everyone in the hall completely stunned.

Mom pulled me up with trembling hands.

"Vanessa, is this really how Daniel and his family treated you?"

I nodded, then shook my head.

"Mom, actually my adoptive parents were pretty good to me."

"As long as I worked hard enough, they'd share a bite or two of the leftovers from the dog's bowl with me."

I proudly rolled up my sleeves.

"Look, I may be skin and bones, but I'm really strong."

"I did all the housework, big and small."

Mom's gaze fell on the crisscrossing scars -- old and new -- on my arms.

She couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down crying.

I clumsily tried to wipe the tears from her face.

"Mom, don't cry."

"My adoptive parents said I was just a little bastard, and that letting me live this long was already an enormous blessing."

The word "bastard" completely enraged Dad, who had been playing the invisible man until now.

He roared at Lucas, "Go investigate this for me! How dare Daniel have the audacity to abuse my daughter like this?"

Lucas clenched his fists tightly.

He was torn.

He really didn't like me, this sister who had suddenly barged into their lives, but I did carry Hayes family blood after all.

The way Daniel and his wife treated me was essentially trampling on the Hayes family's dignity.

"Lucas, please don't investigate."

"I'm begging you on my knees."

Pearl appeared at the top of the stairs, looking so fragile a gust of wind could knock her over.

The family members who had just started feeling sympathy for me all rushed upstairs to comfort her.

I was so worried about Pearl that I shouted anxiously from behind.

"Dad, Lucas -- Daniel and his wife are Pearl's biological parents, after all."

"They've done so many illegal things."

"If you really investigate them, they'll definitely be arrested."

"Pearl shares their blood -- won't it break her heart?"

Mom and Dad's hands, reaching out to touch Pearl, froze in midair.

Pearl stood on the second floor looking down at me, grinding her teeth in hatred.

I smiled and waved at her.

"You don't need to thank me."

"We're such good sisters, even if we don't share the same parents."

Pearl's eyes rolled back again and she fainted.

This time, she probably wasn't faking it.

Dad looked at Pearl being carried horizontally in Ethan's arms.

His usually loving eyes held a trace of scrutiny.

"Pearl's body is weak."

"Take her back to her room."

"As for Vanessa -- she's your real sister."

"You can't be too biased."

Then he instructed the butler, "Go prepare the room next to Pearl's for Vanessa."

Lucas instinctively objected.

"Dad, no."

"Pearl has a lot of things."

"All the rooms on the second floor are prepared for her."

Mom raised her hand and slapped Lucas across the face.

"Lucas, do you have any humanity left?"

"When we were spoiling Pearl like a princess, your real sister was sleeping in a dog kennel at the Harper house, fighting dogs for food."

"Just because Vanessa is sensible and doesn't fight for things doesn't mean she doesn't deserve them."

"Mom, I know Vanessa suffered, but none of this is Pearl's fault."

"Why should she be neglected just because Vanessa came back?"

"In my heart, I only recognize Pearl as my sister."

Lucas argued stubbornly.

Afraid the two would damage their mother-son relationship because of me, I quickly explained.

"Mom, don't blame Lucas."

"He's right."

"All the family's love belongs to Pearl."

"I don't want anything."

"I'll go back to where I belong right now."

I hugged my tattered blanket and ran out of the mansion in a flash, heading straight for the dog kennel.

That very night, I moved into the room next to Pearl's.

According to the servants' gossip, both Ethan and Lucas had been scolded by Mom and Dad, who even ordered them to read those "true versus fake heiress" novels I'd brought back.

I locked my door from the inside and pulled out a diary with a cartoon cover.

My fingertips traced the cold pages, and finally I used a red pen to make a checkmark.

Early the next morning, Pearl and I appeared at the staircase landing at the same time.

She suddenly grabbed my hand and positioned herself to fall and roll down the stairs.

I quickly grabbed the staircase railing.

"Pearl, I installed surveillance cameras all throughout the mansion -- 360-degree coverage with no blind spots."

"Please don't do anything rash."

She reluctantly let go of me and went downstairs resentfully.

I followed her to the dining room.

Mom, Dad, and my brothers were already there.

All four of them had heavy dark circles under their eyes -- clearly they'd stayed up late.

Mom beckoned me to sit beside her.

"Vanessa, we've all read those 'true versus fake heiress' novels you brought."

"Don't worry -- we're not like those brainless parents in the books."

"You're my flesh and blood."

"I would never mistreat you."

Lucas awkwardly chimed in.

"I've already had people investigate your life at the Harper house."

"You really did suffer all these years."

"But your suffering wasn't caused by Pearl."

"Don't keep targeting her."

Ethan agreed.

"When Daniel and his wife switched you and Pearl all those years ago, they were just trying to give their own daughter a better life."

"The law doesn't go beyond human compassion."

"Be magnanimous and don't pursue their legal responsibility."

Pearl grabbed my hand and pressed it against her face.

"Three years ago when I secretly gave them money, it was actually to help you live a better life."

"But ultimately I was too selfish."

"I didn't tell Mom and Dad the truth right away."

"Hit me if it makes you feel better, okay?"

The crisp sound of slapping instantly rang out.

Everyone stared at me in shock.

Lucas instinctively swallowed.

"Vanessa, you actually hit her?"

I looked bewildered, like a child who'd made a mistake, scratching at my hair.

"Lucas, I thought Pearl really wanted me to hit her."

"I'm sorry -- I'm just too straightforward."

"I won't do it again."

"Pearl, you're so kind -- you won't blame me, will you?"

Pearl shook her head through her tears.

"Vanessa, as long as you're happy, you can torment me however you want."

I looked helplessly at the two people in the head seats.

"Mom, Dad -- did those 'true versus fake heiress' novels mention how to handle this kind of situation?"

"I think Pearl is mad at me."

The two of them had just started feeling dissatisfied with me, but hearing me mention those novels immediately sobered them up.

Mom set her knife and fork down on the table with a clatter, her voice stern.

"Enough."

"You're the one who told your sister to hit you, and now you're crying for everyone to see?"

"If your parents hadn't had such vile intentions back then, you'd be the one living that subhuman existence."

"Not sending them to prison is already us showing you consideration."

Pearl hadn't expected Mom and Dad to take my side this time.

She panicked and even forgot to cry.

Mom didn't spare Pearl another glance.

Instead, she held my hand and brought up the subject of school.

"Vanessa, your brothers both graduated from prestigious foreign universities."

"Even though Pearl is an art student, she got into a decent college too."

"As a child of the Hayes family, academic credentials may not represent everything, but they can't be too poor either."

Ethan applied ointment to Pearl's face while not forgetting to mock me.

"With your 150-point score, you're really embarrassing our family."

"Even though Pearl doesn't have Hayes blood, she's just as excellent as Lucas and me."

"She's more like our family's child."

Pearl modestly shook her head.

"Don't praise me like that."

"Vanessa's thought process may be a bit unusual, but she's excellent too."

"Pearl really has a good eye."

"Ethan, the reason I scored only 800 on the SAT is because I only took the math exam."

As soon as I said this, Mom and Dad stared at me in shock.

"Vanessa, you actually scored perfect on math?"

"Then why did you only take one subject?"

I looked at Lucas in confusion.

"Aren't you supposed to be a business tycoon -- the kind who can find out everything about a person in minutes?"

"Didn't you investigate why?"

Lucas coughed lightly and avoided my gaze guiltily.

"That was my oversight."

Pearl looked at me apologetically.

"Vanessa, don't blame Lucas."

"It's my fault for being sickly."

"He was busy taking care of me, so he didn't finish reading your information."

"If you want to hate someone, hate me."

"I'm the one who took away your chance to go to college."

I reached my hand toward Pearl.

She instinctively backed away.

I smiled and stood up, pressing down on her head and patting it firmly.

"How could I hate you?"

"I'm extremely grateful now that you and I were switched."

"The Hayes family is such a wealthy household and they still couldn't keep you healthy."

"If you'd been at the Harper house, you'd have died long ago."

Pearl looked at Mom and Dad's faces turning cold and went deathly pale, not daring to talk back anymore.

Mom touched my face lovingly.

"Vanessa, tell Mom -- who exactly stopped you from taking the SAT?"

I sighed sorrowfully.

"Mom, my adoptive parents locked me up."

"They were afraid if I got into college, they'd never be able to control me again."

Dad slammed his hand on the table.

"Damn that Daniel!"

"Ethan, I order you to send that couple to prison as quickly as possible."

Mom's eyes reddened with heartache.

"Vanessa, you've suffered so much."

"It's okay that you didn't do well this time."

"We'll take it again next year."

I frowned in distress.

"Mom, do I have to repeat senior year?"

"But I've already been accepted to Harvard through early admission because of my awards in math and physics competitions."

Time seemed to stop for an instant.

Everyone stared at me with their mouths slightly open.

Mom was the first to recover.

She excitedly pulled me into her embrace.

"Vanessa, you're Mom's pride and joy."

Dad nodded as well.

"Truly worthy of being my daughter."

Though Ethan and Lucas didn't say anything, their expressions showed they now recognized me.

Pearl never imagined that someone who'd been trampled into the abyss could have a chance to rise up and shine brilliantly.

No.

She couldn't let Vanessa take away her identity as the wealthy family's heiress.

After Mom and Dad learned of my astonishing talent in physics and mathematics, they immediately decided to hold a grand homecoming banquet for me.

To ensure I appeared before the upper-class elite in the best possible condition, Mom hired professionals to care for and style me.

By the day of the banquet, I had completely transformed.

The black gown and exquisite hair and makeup made me look even more refined and elegant.

As I descended the spiral staircase step by step, my bearing was like that of an heir who had risen from the ashes, determined to reclaim everything that belonged to her.

"Wow, she's beautiful!"

"Is this the Hayes family's real daughter?"

"Didn't they say she grew up in the countryside?"

"She doesn't look like it at all."

"This real heiress is truly remarkable!"

"She won first place in both the National High School Mathematics and Physics competitions, and has already been accepted to Harvard."

"With her talent, entering a scientific research institution for further study is just a matter of time!"

"I used to think Pearl was pretty outstanding, but compared to the real heiress, she falls far short."

"What's fake can never become real."

"Even if a pheasant flies up into a tree, it still can't become a phoenix."

Parents love intelligent children.

Amidst everyone's praise, the eighteen-year gap between me and my parents seemed to slowly disappear.

Just then, Pearl rushed up to me and my parents, holding a diary with a cartoon cover.

"Mom, Dad, don't let Vanessa fool you."

"She hates all of us."

"She wants to destroy the Hayes family."

"This diary records every step of her plan in detail."

I lunged at her in panic.

"How could you read my private diary?"

"Give it back!"

My guilty reaction made Mom and Dad suspicious.

Ethan grabbed the diary first and strode up to the speaking platform, about to place it on the video display stand so all the guests at today's event could view my diary together.

I fell to my knees at Mom's feet, crying and hugging her legs.

"Mom, Dad, I'm begging you -- please don't look at it, okay?"

Mom forcefully pulled her leg away, looking at me with disgust.

"Vanessa, you've disappointed me so much."