Blurb：
After five years of selfless sacrifice caring for her ailing grandfather abroad, Dr. Wendy Pittman returns home only to discover her identity stolen by her cousin Bianca Pittman. The shocking social media post about “her” wedding to Jared Reilly was just the beginning. Arriving at Pittman Mansion, Wendy finds her mother Tessa Pittman treating Bianca as the true heiress, even gifting her the family emerald necklace meant for Wendy.
In a dramatic confrontation, Wendy reclaims her position as the legitimate Pittman heiress, exposing Bianca’s deception. The tension escalates as Wendy confronts her mother Tessa’s betrayal and slaps Bianca for her insolence. Now back in her rightful home, Wendy must navigate family politics, reclaim her fiancé Jared Reilly, and uncover why Tessa replaced her with the orphaned Bianca during her absence.
This gripping family drama explores themes of identity theft, maternal betrayal, and the fierce determination of a wronged heiress fighting to restore her legacy against all odds.
Content：
When my grandpa fell gravely ill and needed treatment abroad, the elders in the family decided to choose a junior to accompany him.
They picked my cousin, but my mom tearfully pleaded with me to take her place.
You’re a doctor. Caring for your grandfather is second nature to you. Bianca is an orphan, frail and delicate. She can’t handle such a grueling task.
To save her distress, I agreed to go in Bianca Pittman’s stead, embarking on a five-year stay abroad.
When my grandpa finally recovered, I boarded a flight home, eager to reunite with my family. But as I landed, a post on my mother’s social media froze me in my tracks.
[My daughter is getting married! Thank you all for your blessings!]
But I was her only daughter. I couldn’t help but wonder who she was referring to.
Chapter 1
…
I raced from the airport to the Pittman Mansion, my heart pounding with anticipation.
The cab screeched to a halt, and I stepped out to see my mother emerging from the house, arm-in-arm with my cousin.
Tessa Pittman beamed with pride, her eyes sparkling as if she were showcasing a masterpiece. Bianca Pittman, radiant in a wedding gown, blushed demurely as relatives fawned over her.
“Bianca has got your eyes, Tessa. Like you stepped out of a time machine.”
“Look at that gown. It’s made for her.”
Tessa’s smile deepened, fine lines crinkling around her eyes. She pinched Bianca’s cheek affectionately. “She’s always been my mirror image. My baby’s getting married today, and my heart’s breaking a little.”
Bianca giggled, nestling into Tessa’s embrace. “Don’t be sad, Tessa. Even after I’m married, I’ll visit every day, I promise.”
Her words sparked teasing laughter from the crowd.
“Every day? Poor Jared will be left warming the bed alone.”
“No kidding. Bianca is practically glued to Tessa’s side.”
Bianca stomped her foot playfully, sparking another round of chuckles. I watched from the shadows, clutching my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. My chest ached as if someone had driven a knife through it.
A butler approached, holding a velvet box. He bowed slightly, his voice smooth. “This is a custom wedding necklace from Mr. Reilly for his fiance. The centerpiece emerald, a gift from Mr. Pittman Sr., is meant to surprise his granddaughter. Please accept it, Miss Pittman.”
Bianca’s eyes sparkled, her cheeks flushing as she reached for the box. “Oh, Jared’s too sweet.”
I let out a sharp, bitter laugh and stepped into the light. All eyes turned to me, wide with shock, as I snatched the box and flashed a tight smile. “Tell Jared I said thanks.”
The room fell deathly silent.
Bianca’s smile collapsed into a grimace, while Tessa’s face darkened. The butler blinked, his gaze darting between us before settling on Tessa.
“Mrs. Pittman, what’s going on?” he asked, puzzled.
I opened the box, revealing a dazzling emerald necklace, unmistakably a family heirloom. My fingers traced the gem’s cool surface as I met the butler’s eyes. “I’m Wendy Pittman.”
Turning to the stunned crowd, I let each word land like a hammer. “I’m Jared Reilly’s fiance.”
…
Bianca’s face drained of color, her lips trembling as she hissed at the servants behind her. “What are you standing there for? Get my necklace back!”
“Don’t you dare!” I stepped back, raising an eyebrow at Bianca. “Getting comfortable playing heiress, are you? Do you really think you’re me?”
Tessa swept in front of Bianca, her brow furrowed. “Wendy, what are you doing? Don’t ruin your sister’s big day!”
“Sister?” I laughed, pointing at Bianca with disdain. “Everyone knows the Pittman family has one heiress, and that’s me!”
Tessa’s jaw tightened, her tone turning sharp. “Shut up! Stop spouting nonsense!”
Bianca leaned in, her whisper venomous in my ear. “So what if you’re the heiress? You’ve been gone five years. No one remembers you.”
My hand flew up, and I slapped her hard across the face. “Shut up! A freeloader like you has no right to talk to me like that!”
Chapter 2
Bianca clutched her cheek, her eyes wide with shock.
Tessa enveloped her in a protective hug, murmuring comfort. Turning to me, she snapped, “You’re out of line, Wendy! Someone, drag her to her room and lock her in!”
I kicked away the servants lunging at me and spun toward the butler. “Who exactly is Jared marrying?”
His face was grave. “The heiress, Miss Bianca Pittman.”
My face turned cold. “The Pittman family has one heiressme, Wendy Pittman! Bianca is irrelevant!”
Tessa lunged forward, trying to clamp a hand over my mouth, her face flushed with panic as she glanced at the butler. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. Bianca is my daughter, and Wendy is just my niece, throwing a tantrum here because she’s bitter about caring for the old man.”
She turned to me, her tone softening, but her eyes flashed with a warning. “I know you’re upset. I’ll make it up to you, okay? Just stop this.”
The guests erupted in whispers, their stares prickling my skin.
“Talk about ungrateful.”
“A cousin trying to steal Bianca’s fianc? And making a scene like this?”
Bianca chimed in, her voice soft and pitiful. “Wendy, why are you picking on Tessa?”
Her eyes glinted with venom for a split second before melting into teary innocence. “I know you’ve always been jealous, throwing fits to get Tessa to love you more.”
She clung to Tessa’s arm and sobbed, “You’ve taken my clothes and jewelry, but now you’re after my identity and fianc?”
My heart pounded painfully at their betrayal.
I locked eyes with Tessa. “You’re really going this far for her? Twisting my entire life to hand it to her? I went abroad to care for Rupert without a single complaint. Is this how you repay me?”
Their faces twitched, but I pressed on. “And you even matched her up with my fianc? Does Rupert know any of this?”
The room buzzed with gasps and murmurs.
“What is going on? If that’s true, Tessa has crossed a line.”
“I always thought it was odd. When did the Pittman family get another heiress? Sounds like a bait-and-switch.”
“Shh, keep it down. If the Reillys realize the bride’s a fake…”
Exchanging looks with others, an older woman whispered, “Five years ago, when Mr. Pittman Sr. was sick, Wendy went abroad with him to receive treatment.”
“So, Tessa sent her daughter away and raised her niece as the heiress?” Someone sucked in a sharp breath. “That explains why we’ve only seen Bianca at all the fancy parties these past years.”
Tessa’s face shifted from pale to red as the whispers reached her. Suddenly, she raised her hand and slapped me hard.
…
The crack of the slap echoed through the hall. I stumbled back, my cheek burning as if branded.
“You ungrateful brat!” Tessa shrieked, her voice trembling with rage. “I poured my heart into raising you, and you choose today to make a scene?”
She grabbed my hair, yanking so hard my scalp screamed. “Look at you! A few years abroad, and you’ve forgotten every ounce of decency I taught you?”
Forced to tilt my head, I saw the fury in her eyes, laced with a flicker of panic she couldn’t hide.
“Mrs. Pittman?” the butler gasped.
“I’m disciplining my child. Sorry for the scene.” Tessa forced a smile, her grip tightening like a vise. “This girl has always been a handful, but today she’s gone too far.”
She turned to the gawking guests, her voice booming. “Please, forgive the drama. This is my late sister’s daughter, orphaned young and raised in our house. Caring for Rupert must’ve been too much. She’s not herself.”
Bianca sobbed, clinging to Tessa like a damsel in distress. “Mom, don’t be mad. Wendy is just exhausted.”
“See how sweet Bianca is?” Tessa shoved me. “And look at you!”
Chapter 3
I crashed into a champagne tower, the glasses shattering with a deafening crash.
Shards sliced my leg, blood trickling down my ankle onto the marble floor, but Tessa didn’t spare a glance.
“Today, I’m teaching you manners.” She grabbed a stick from a table and swung it at my back, each blow whistling through the air. “This is for lying! For slandering Bianca!”
I bit my lip, refusing to utter a sound.
Guests shifted uneasily, some stepping forward to intervene but shrinking back under Tessa’s ferocious glare.
“Mrs. Pittman,” the butler interrupted, “beating her in front of everyone like this…”
“I’m teaching her to behave!” Tessa screamed, her voice cracking. “She’s a compulsive liar, and now she’s pretending to be an heiress. If I don’t set her straight, she’ll be unstoppable.”
She raised the stick again, but I caught it mid-swing, locking eyes with her. “Go on and hit me! Kill me, and your secrets die with me!”
Her hand froze in the air, her eyes flashing with raw fear.
“You’re full of it!” she screeched, swinging the stick with bone-breaking force.
Unable to dodge, I closed my eyes and braced myself for the strike. In the nick of time, a frail figure threw herself in front of me.
The stick cracked against flesh with a sickening thud, but I felt no pain. My eyes flew open to see Candace, our old nanny, crumpled before me.
Her back was torn open by the blow, but she clenched her teeth, refusing to make a sound.
“Candace!” I gasped.
Tessa’s face contorted with rage. “You meddling hag! Who let you in here?”
Candace ignored her and clutched my hand, her eyes brimming with tears. “Miss, you’re finally back.”
My heart skipped a beat. Candace had raised me. She was the only person I trusted in the house.
Five years ago, when I was forced to leave, she’d chased my car, sobbing, until it vanished from sight. Now, she’d taken a blow for me without hesitation.
I touched her back gently, my voice shaking. “Does it hurt?”
She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Not a bit. I’m just glad to see you again.”
Tessa was livid, raising the stick again. “Drag these troublemakers out!”
The servants hesitated, then stepped forward. Candace spun around, spreading her arms to shield me, her voice trembling but fierce. “Don’t you dare touch Miss Wendy Pittman!”
Her glare, sharp as a blade, froze the servants in place.
Tessa trembled with fury. “This is mutiny! A servant defying the master?”
She screamed at the housekeeper, “What are you standing there for? Get rid of her!”
The housekeeper swung, the stick cracking against Candace’s spine. She groaned, her body buckling.
“Candace!” I roared, pulling her behind me.
“Protecting a servant? You’re as low as they come!” Tessa sneered, then turned to the housekeeper. “Keep going!”
“I dare you!” I shot back, my voice like ice.
Tessa froze, stunned by the fire in my eyes. Bianca seized the moment, fake-crying. “Mom, look at her! A nanny means more to her than I do!”
Tessa’s rage reignited. She grabbed the stick and swung again. “I’ll teach you respect, you ungrateful wretch!”
I shielded Candace, bracing for impact, when a deep, commanding voice thundered from the entrance. “Who dares lay a hand on my granddaughter?”
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