The Fake Heiress Takes Back Her Empire

I was the fake heiress. When the real heiress was found, she was thin and dark-skinned. My parents felt sorry for her and took the initiative to offer her compensation. But she said, “I’m the one who’s actually related to Mom and Dad. Since you want to compensate me, why don’t you give me the company?” My entire family tried to persuade me. “You aren’t their biological daughter, after all. It’s time to give her your position.” I smiled and nodded as I handed everything over. The next day, the company’s biggest client, core technical team, and every distributor announced that they would only work with me personally. My parents panicked and hurried over to beg me. I crossed my arms and said, “Tell your biological daughter to come beg this employee to return.” When Ava was brought back, she stood timidly in the lobby. At the time, I had just secured a partnership with MC. On the way back, my assistant had already told me that the Whitmore family’s biological daughter had been found. My heart had pounded wildly before finally calming down. As long as she was found, they could raise her properly. The Whitmore family had plenty of money. But I never expected that when the real heiress saw me standing before her, radiant and successful, the fear in her eyes would suddenly turn into jealousy. “I’m willing to come back and reclaim my place in the family, but she’s occupied my position for so many years. Isn’t it time for her to give it back?” “I don’t want anything else. I only want the company!” I smiled when I heard that. “I’ve managed the family business for ten years. Are you sure you can handle it?” My contempt was far too obvious, and Ava’s face flushed red. “If I don’t know how, I can learn. If I had grown up here too, I wouldn’t be worse than you!” Some of our relatives also tried to persuade me. “Claire, just give it to her. She’s the biological daughter, after all!” I looked at my parents. My father spoke with difficulty. “Claire, we owe her. Ava has had a very difficult life all these years.” My mother hugged Ava and began sobbing. “Those horrible traffickers forced her to marry an old man. If we hadn’t found her, Ava would have already…” “Claire, please agree. Your mother won’t treat you unfairly!” I looked at them and smiled. “Fine!” I agreed and immediately began handing everything over to them. I had originally thought that even if the Whitmore family’s biological daughter returned, I would simply do my best and never compete with her. I had even felt sorry for her and ordered gifts for her. But I never expected to face this kind of situation after she came back. Compensation, right? Fine. I didn’t want any of it. I had my assistant prepare all the transfer documents on the spot, then signed everything over to her. Ava was so excited after receiving the company that she threw herself into our mother’s arms. I took a deep breath. “It’s all done. If there’s nothing else, I’m going upstairs to rest.” Only then did my mother lift her head. “Ava just came home. Let’s have dinner together as a family!” “I’m tired. I don’t want to eat.” “Do you not want to see me, Claire? I just got back, and you’re already treating me like this!” Ava’s eyes reddened as she stared directly at me. My mother’s expression darkened. “Claire! Why are you being so unreasonable?” I said calmly, “I just got back from a twenty-hour flight. I’m exhausted, and I haven’t even recovered from the jet lag.” Only then did she realize that I had just returned from a business trip. When she saw my bloodshot eyes, she looked embarrassed. I went straight upstairs, ignoring the voices from below. But the family group chat kept filling with new messages. After taking a shower, I glanced at my phone and let out a cold laugh. “Ava is back! When is your brother going to hold the family reunion banquet? This is wonderful news for our family!” “Exactly. It should be as grand as possible, and the company situation should be announced at the same time. By the way, Claire probably can’t keep living at home anymore, right? And what about the engagement? Shouldn’t that be reconsidered too?” I ignored the other messages piling on me, but I couldn’t ignore that one. The Whitmore family had an engagement agreement with the Hayes family. Now that I was no longer the Whitmore heiress, what attitude would Ethan have? The messages in the group kept flooding in. I found them annoying and left the chat. According to them, I was no longer part of the Whitmore family and naturally had no right to remain in the group. I left on my own so they wouldn’t have anything to say. But I still had to clarify things with Ethan. Early the next morning, Ava went out with my parents. I packed a few clothes and prepared to move into my own place.Ethan asked to meet me. “Claire, there’s a problem with our engagement.” I had known Ethan for more than ten years. The moment he said that, I understood what he meant. I said coldly over the phone, “I heard I’m not the Whitmore heiress anymore, so you want to cancel our engagement?” He fell silent. Those ten seconds of silence told me everything. “Fine. But canceling an engagement isn’t something the two of us can decide on our own. The Hayes and Whitmore families still need to discuss it. Don’t you agree?” After a long pause, he finally said, “Fine,” and hung up. I let out a long breath, feeling as though a heavy burden had been lifted. For the past ten years, I had devoted myself to the Whitmore family and taken the company to new heights. Our engagement with the Hayes family had also been a mutually beneficial arrangement. I had always thought I had been a good fiancée, and Ethan and I had gotten along well enough. We understood each other without saying much. In public, we always protected each other’s dignity. I thought Ethan and I had a genuine bond. I never expected that one change in identity would turn us into this. I took a deep breath and shook my head. After taking care of everything, I prepared to leave, only to find that Ava and the others had returned. I had to admit that money was a wonderful thing. Ava had been timid just yesterday, but today she had changed into an elegant outfit and looked like an entirely different person. Her skin was still somewhat dark, but with time and proper care, that would change. When she saw me carrying my bag, Ava froze. “You’re leaving?” I nodded. “It isn’t convenient for me to keep living here.” “Claire, you’re leaving the moment I come back. Are you upset with me?” My mother’s expression darkened too. “Claire, what’s happened to you? The moment Ava comes home, you start giving her the cold shoulder!” “Mrs. Whitmore, let’s be honest. Didn’t you discuss kicking me out of the Whitmore family in the group chat yesterday? I’m only doing what you said. Is there a problem?” Her expression stiffened. “I… They were talking nonsense. That wasn’t what we meant. The Whitmore family can easily afford to support you. By doing this, are you trying to humiliate us?” I smiled. “If that isn’t what you meant, why did you contact the Hayes family?” “Ethan already proposed canceling our engagement today. I’m returning everything to you, and moving out now should be exactly what you want. Or do you want outsiders to say that the Whitmore family has two daughters and that you somehow gave birth to twins?” My words made her sway. Ava spoke from the side. “Why are you saying that, Claire? Mom was only trying to help!” “And the place you live in belongs to the Whitmore family too. If you really want to cut ties with us, then you can’t…” I stopped and stared straight at her. The force of my presence made her shut her mouth in fear. “The money I, Claire, earn is mine to control. Whether I depend on the Whitmore family or the Whitmore family depends on me, you clearly don’t understand. That’s fine. Just have someone teach you properly later.” With that, I walked away. My mother shouted after me. “Claire! Claire!” I didn’t slow down. They had forced me into this today, but one day they would be the ones begging me. I didn’t expect my father to call right after I left. “Claire, they may not understand you, but you should understand them. Leave some dignity for everyone and stop making a scene, all right?” “Tomorrow is your sister’s family reunion banquet. You have to come.” I smiled without saying anything. The moment my assistant heard that I had left the Whitmore family, she immediately followed me. “Wherever you go, Ms. Whitmore, we’ll go too.”Everyone on my team also said they would support me. Ava didn’t know that the reason the Whitmore family had been able to stand firm in the industry wasn’t their so-called old-money status. It was me, Claire Whitmore. Still, I had to attend her family reunion banquet. The Whitmore family spared no expense and held it at Stonebrook Manor. Every important figure in the city attended, and so did I. When I arrived, several wealthy young women who had once been friendly with me looked at me with mocking smiles. “Claire? You still had the nerve to come! You’ve been thrown out, yet you’re still putting on airs. Aren’t you embarrassed?” “Exactly. Look at how extravagant this banquet is. She’s obviously the biological daughter. And you? You worked for them all these years and ended up with nothing!” “Why don’t you beg me? Maybe I could give you a job. My company happens to need a receptionist. Your face is decent enough. You can stand at the front desk. How does eight thousand a month sound?” I looked them over and said disdainfully, “No wonder your family would rather raise an illegitimate child from outside than let you inherit the company.” The moment I finished speaking, they flew into a rage and moved toward me. Ava appeared, forcing them to back down. “Everyone, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend the Whitmore family’s reunion banquet. We’ve finally found our younger daughter, Ava, who was separated from us many years ago. From now on, we’ll do everything we can to make it up to her!” Ava slowly walked onto the stage in an evening gown. After being dressed and made up, she looked visibly more noble. Her deliberately styled appearance, however, made her head look slightly too large for her body. When our eyes met, Ava lifted her chin proudly. “Although Claire isn’t the Whitmore family’s biological daughter, she has worked at the company for many years, so I’m willing to let her continue working there.” “Claire, stop being angry with Mom and Dad!” The moment Ava said this, everyone around us looked at me with amusement and contempt. I curled my lips. “No need. I don’t lack money.” “Claire really doesn’t lack money. Unlike me, who suffered terribly while living away from home. But I never gave up on my education.” “Claire, if possible, I hope you’ll stay at the company. You can work for me.” My parents also came over. “Claire, I won’t hold your moving out against you. But your sister is right. The Whitmore family has supported you for so many years. It’s time for you to repay us.” I raised an eyebrow. “For ten years, I took the Whitmore family from an ordinary family business to an elite household. Don’t you think I’ve repaid you enough?” “Work for you? I, Claire Whitmore, only work for myself. No boss can control me, so don’t expect me to sacrifice myself for him. You’re the one who taught me that, Mr. Whitmore!” His face turned livid with anger. The Whitmore relatives began piling on. “Look at how arrogant she is. She still thinks she’s the Whitmore heiress!” “What would she be without the Whitmore family? How dare she talk like that!” “Brother, I think you’re being too softhearted. Throw her out while you can! She’s occupied Ava’s place for so many years and still doesn’t know how to be grateful!” Ava looked down at me with undisguised triumph. I smiled. Did this idiot really think these people were genuinely on her side? I let out a mocking laugh. “You don’t need to throw me out. I’ll leave on my own. But remember this: the moment I walk out that door today, I’ll have nothing to do with the Whitmore family ever again.” “Claire!” My father was furious, but in the end, he let out a sigh. “Don’t blame us for being heartless. You really need to control your temper.” “Fine. Then announce it publicly right now. Acknowledge that Ava is the person in charge of the Whitmore family.” “I quit.” With that, I turned around and left. Before anyone could react, I sent out a public statement declaring that I no longer had anything to do with Whitmore Group. After I left, Ava stomped her foot. “Dad, Claire is being so petty! She…” Before she could finish, Richard Whitmore’s phone rang. It wasn’t just his. The phones of the other Whitmore family members began ringing one after another. “What? MC only recognizes Claire? The contract is void!”