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The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity

The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity

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For ten years, I lived as the "grateful orphan" in the Barnes manor, a shadow in their glittering world who endured every silent scoff and cold dismissal. I thought I had earned my place through silence and dedication, but I was nothing more than a charity project they were finally ready to discard. At dinner, Richard slid a thick envelope across the marble table and told me my "biological parents" from a rural wasteland were coming to pick me up the next morning. It was a hundred-thousand-dollar severance package, a final payment to buy my disappearance and ensure their social circle remained untainted by my presence. The exit turned into a nightmare when Mia tried to frame me for stealing a diamond necklace during a fake goodbye hug. Susan shrieked that I was a common thief, and Richard snatched the check back, sneering that I didn't deserve a single cent of their mercy. They mocked my tattered sweaters and my medical textbooks, laughing as they predicted I would end up begging for scraps on the street. I stood in the driveway with my single, scuffed suitcase, listening to their cruel laughter ring out from the porch. They wanted to see me crumble, to see the "charity case" break down in tears as they pushed me into the gutter, never realizing that the ten years I spent with them was merely a test of their character-one they had failed miserably. The mockery stopped the moment a battered, bullet-riddled Rolls Royce Phantom roared onto the gravel. An impeccably dressed butler stepped out and bowed deeply, his voice booming across the lawn as he addressed me by the name they had never heard. "Miss Pennington, the Board of Directors is waiting for your arrival to finalize the takeover." The color drained from the Barnes' faces as I stepped into the car, leaving behind the girl they thought they knew. I wasn't going to a farm; I was going to the boardroom of the Pennington Group to sign the papers that would strip the Barnes family of everything they owned by sunset.

Contents

Chapter 1 1

The sound of Richard Barnes's knife scraping against the porcelain plate was a violence all its own. It cut through the silence of the dining room, a high-pitched screech that made the fine hairs on Ophelia's arms stand up. She didn't look up from her plate, but she could feel the weight of the air in the room. It was heavy, suffocating, pressing against her chest like a physical hand.

Susan dabbed the corner of her mouth with a silk napkin, her movements precise and practiced. Her eyes flicked over Ophelia's sweater-a charcoal wool blend that had seen better days-and a tiny, almost imperceptible scoff escaped her throat. It wasn't loud enough to be an insult, but quiet enough to be a dismissal.

"So, Ophelia," Mia chirped, her voice too bright, too sweet for the gloom of the room. She twirled a forkful of pasta, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "Have you thought about what you're going to do? After... well, you know."

Ophelia finally lifted her gaze. Mia was smiling, but the expression didn't reach her eyes. It was a predator's smile, sharp and waiting for blood.

"I'll figure it out," Ophelia said, her voice steady. "I always do."

Richard set his knife down with a clatter. He cleared his throat, a wet, nervous sound. His hand went to the inside pocket of his suit jacket, and he pulled out a thick, cream-colored envelope. He placed it on the marble table and slid it across the smooth surface. It spun slowly, coming to a stop just inches from Ophelia's water glass.

Ophelia didn't reach for it. She just stared at Richard. Her stillness was a weapon, and she knew how to use it. Richard shifted in his seat, his face flushing a mottled red.

"It's a severance package, of sorts," Richard said, refusing to meet her eyes. He looked at the centerpiece instead. "To help you get settled. Your... biological parents contacted us. They'll be here tomorrow to pick you up."

"Those people are from the middle of nowhere," Susan interjected, taking a sip of her wine. "Farmers, or something equally tragic. You'll need every penny in that envelope, Ophelia. God knows they probably can't afford to feed another mouth."

Ophelia reached out, her long, slender fingers pressing down on the envelope. She could feel the paper beneath her skin, cool and crisp. She didn't hurry. She slid her thumb under the flap and tore it open. The sound was loud in the quiet room.

She pulled out the check. One hundred thousand dollars.

Susan leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with expectation. She wanted gratitude. She wanted tears. She wanted Ophelia to crumble.

Ophelia flicked the edge of the check with her fingernail. Snap.

"A little less than I expected for ten years of playing the grateful orphan," Ophelia said, her tone bored. "But it's enough to buy some peace and quiet."

The silence that followed was absolute.

Richard slammed his hand on the table, the silverware jumping. "You ungrateful little-! We took you in! We fed you!"

Ophelia's eyes snapped to his. The coldness in them was absolute, a frozen lake that Richard suddenly realized he was standing on. He faltered, his mouth hanging open.

Mia let out a small, frightened squeak and shrank against her mother, peeking at Ophelia through her lashes. Ophelia didn't even look at her.

The chair legs scraped against the hardwood floor-a harsh, grinding noise-as Ophelia stood up.

"I accept the arrangement," she said. "I'll start packing tonight."

"Don't bother taking the furniture," Susan spat. "None of that junk is worth moving."

"Some things are worth more than money, Susan," Ophelia said quietly.

She turned and walked out of the dining room. Her footsteps were steady, rhythmic. Behind her, she heard Susan start to curse, a low stream of vitriol, but Ophelia felt nothing. Her heart rate hadn't even spiked.

She climbed the stairs to the guest room-the smallest room in the manor, the one with the drafty window. She closed the door and locked it.

From under the bed, she dragged out an old leather suitcase. It was scuffed and worn, the only thing she truly owned. She didn't go for her clothes. Instead, she walked to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick medical textbook. From the hollowed-out center of the pages, she removed a black, encrypted hard drive.

She placed it in the hidden lining of the suitcase, her fingers brushing the cold metal.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out. The screen showed an encrypted number.

She answered. "Yes."

"Miss Pennington," a voice said. It was Arthur. His voice was shaking slightly, thick with emotion. "We are ready."

"Stick to the plan, Arthur," Ophelia whispered. "Tomorrow."

Downstairs, Mia's laughter rang out, shrill and mocking. They were celebrating.

Ophelia walked to the window and looked out at the moonlit grounds. She turned back to the room and began tossing heavy books into the suitcase-German anatomy texts, Latin surgical guides.

The door handle jiggled, then the lock clicked. Mia stood in the doorway, swinging a spare key on her finger.

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't stealing the silver," Mia said, stepping into the room. She sat on Ophelia's bed, bouncing slightly, claiming the space. "God, you're going to be so miserable. I hear the water in that town tastes like rust."

Ophelia continued to fold a sweater, her back to Mia. "Get out."

"Make me." Mia kicked the small wastebasket by the desk, sending trash spilling across the floor.

Ophelia turned. She moved so fast it was a blur. One second she was by the suitcase, the next she was looming over Mia. She didn't touch her, but she leaned in close, her shadow swallowing the girl.

"Don't make me leave you a parting gift you can't wash off," Ophelia said. Her voice was a low hum, vibrating with a threat that felt very, very real.

Mia's eyes widened. She scrambled back, nearly falling off the bed. The air in the room felt suddenly thin.

"You're crazy," Mia whispered. She stood up, trying to regain her composure, smoothing her skirt with trembling hands. "We'll see who's laughing tomorrow."

She stormed out, slamming the door so hard the frame rattled.

Ophelia walked to the door and threw the deadbolt. She went back to the suitcase, checking the lining one last time. Then, she picked up the check Richard had given her.

She opened a book on neurosurgery and slipped the check between pages 402 and 403. A bookmark. That was all it was.

She turned off the light. In the darkness, her eyes were open, staring at the ceiling.

"Game on," she whispered.

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Chapter 1 1
09/02/2026
Chapter 2 2
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Chapter 3 3
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Chapter 4 4
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Chapter 5 5
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Chapter 6 6
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Chapter 7 7
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Chapter 8 8
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Chapter 9 9
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Chapter 10 10
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Chapter 11 11
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Chapter 12 12
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Chapter 13 13
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Chapter 14 14
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Chapter 15 15
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Chapter 16 16
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Chapter 17 17
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Chapter 18 18
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Chapter 19 19
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Chapter 20 20
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Chapter 21 21
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Chapter 22 22
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Chapter 23 23
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Chapter 24 24
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Chapter 25 25
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Chapter 26 26
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Chapter 27 27
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Chapter 28 28
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Chapter 29 29
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Chapter 30 30
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Chapter 31 31
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Chapter 32 32
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Chapter 33 33
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Chapter 34 34
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Chapter 35 35
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Chapter 36 36
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Chapter 37 37
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Chapter 38 38
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Chapter 39 39
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Chapter 40 40
09/02/2026
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