Forsaken Daughter Turns the Game Upside Down

ugh the air-hollow, rehearsed-mingling with the scent of expensive perfume and sweet wine. The capital'

back entrance that another

iseptic. Her dark hair, hastily pinned, framed a face drawn by fatigue. Bu

greet

oked away. And certainly not the woman waiting at the bottom of the grand s

ving into a smile that didn't reach

dn't slow

cefully on the marble banister. "I just thought I

ehearsed it sounded, as if Kendall had practiced t

ly was drowning in debt?" Esther said quietly. "Wh

But gratitude doesn't change the fact that

retched be

r smiled-s

g I ever gave you

nked. "You'

n't get my stuff back, I'll post it online" Es

ained from K

ho had once promised to stand by her forever-was quick to switch sides the

the center, Alan Davenier himself stood with a glass ra

, my daughter has returned. The

s applaus

he picked up a glass of champagne and held it, untouched, letti

hat..

nier? She ac

y a Davenier anymore. Why hasn

they've revealed the true daughter, wh

that low. They've already moved on. Evander has two

autiful daughter again, they'll latch on

, the Westvale family rejected her, and now ev

discarded blood? Please. They would

hh

once when someone from the

d, Evander's assistant! What's

vander totally against the Davenier

their necks fo

was huge. Most of the guests tonight were small-time nobles and social climbers trying to stay relevant.

here to show

lan stepped forward with Chloe by his sid

y daughter's welcome banquet," Alan said warmly. "

s Davenier's banquet," Le

ed, caught

er, "And I'm not here to m

r half a second, then

stvale," he said clearly. "We don't care

ell over

d clear: the Westvale fam

ropped, the whole ballro

nd stepped on him for good measure. Esther, standing closest, caught the exact moment his fac

ee

e some human-shaped calculator who only cared about profits. Bu

he wasn't the only one. A few people nearby were already snickering under their breath, while a couple of s

sud

nothing to do wi

show, someone nudged her from

her like it was custom-made (because it probably wa

ip," she said, loud enough for the room to hear. "There's even a marriage agreem

pointed look, al

ng like that... is he trying to make

*