Blurb：
When Aster Keaton receives a desperate call from her sister Aubrey Keller, she rushes to confront the bully claiming to be Ophelia Keaton, heiress to the powerful Keaton family of Centuria. But Aster knows the truth—her father Tristan Keaton never had another daughter. As the real heiress, Aster must expose the impostor while protecting her introverted sister from academic sabotage. Dive into this gripping tale of family secrets, elite society drama, and sisterly bonds, where identities are questioned and loyalties tested. Will Aster reveal her true heritage to defend Aubrey’s stolen spot in the student exchange program?
Content：
I am in the middle of hosting an international conference when my younger sister, Aubrey Keller, suddenly calls me.
She is sobbing over the phone as she says, Aster, my spot in the student exchange program was taken away…
I immediately rush over to Aubrey’s university campus. She’s cornered in the teachers’ office, her eyes brimming with tears.
A young girl with punk flair is standing in front of Aubrey, gesturing at her with disdain. “Trying to fight for the spot against me, are you? I’m the heiress to the Keaton family in Centuria.
“My father even funded an entire laboratory building for the university! Who do you think you are?”
A teacher standing to the side is also adding fuel to the fire. “Aubrey, Ophelia’s father is one of this university’s key funders. Why don’t you just let this go this time so we can all move on?”
I’m about to rebuke the two when I hear the phrase ‘heiress to the Keaton family.’
Keaton family from Centuria? Since when did my father, Tristan Keaton, have another daughter besides Aubrey and me?
I immediately call Tristan’s number and ask coldly, “Dad, when did you cheat on Mom and sire another daughter behind her back?”
Chapter 1
“What nonsense are you talking about?” my dad, Tristan Keaton, scoffed over the phone. “Are you trying to mess with me again, Aster? When have I ever fathered any other daughters besides you and Aubrey?”
My suspicion faded away the moment he denied it.
After all, Tristan was well known in Centuria’s elite circle as the perfect husband. He loved my mother, Christine Keller, very deeply throughout their 30 years of marriage. Others often referred to him as a prime example of what a husband should be like.
Though news of husbands having mistresses on the side was constantly erupting throughout the circle, everyone was certain Tristan would never do that to Christine.
“You better not be lying,” I scoffed before hanging up the call. I then looked up at the girl with her shocking pink hair.
She had smoky makeup on and wore countless designer-branded items. She looked incredibly tacky for a rich kid.
I quelled my rage and asked politely, “Did you just say you’re from Centuria’s Keaton family?”
“Another one? Is this your backup, Aubrey Keller?” The girl sneered. “Yes, I’m the heiress to the Keaton family from Centuria. The name’s Ophelia Keaton! Why? Do you have something to say about it?
“Oh, I know. You two are trying to get in my good books. Well, you’re too late! No other families in Centuria by the name of Keaton are fit to be part of the social upperclass besides us, losers!”
Ophelia then turned to Aubrey and hissed out, “So what if you have good grades? So what if you spent the whole year preparing for this program? One word from my father and all your effort will go to waste!”
Aubrey lowered her head, knuckles turning white as she clenched them. I immediately understood something upon seeing Aubrey’s reaction. This Ophelia Keaton girl must’ve constantly bullied Aubrey here at the university.
Christine was never one to flaunt her influence and had always hoped Aubrey and I could make a name for ourselves. That was why Aubrey and I never revealed our true identities to the world.
Aubrey was more introverted than I am and worked hard in her academics. Who knew people would treat this as her weakness and take advantage of it?
I pulled Aubrey behind me before turning to Ophelia again. My tone was cold as I said, “If I recall, all applications for the student exchange program have already been submitted and should’ve been approved by the university. Isn’t it against the rules to swap the students now?”
“Rules?” Ophelia sneered.
She took out a stack of papers from her bag and waved them delightfully in my face. “You mean this? Aubrey’s application forms? Sorry, but I snatched them away before she could turn them in.”
Chapter 2
Ophelia was giggling as she said cruelly, “So the application list only ever had my name on it. So what if Aubrey prepared everything from the start? It’s futile in the end anyway.”
Ophelia then tore the documents that Aubrey had carefully prepared all this time in half.
“Aster!” Aubrey gasped, tears flooding her eyes. I watched as the shreds of paper fell on the floor.
My anger had reached its boiling point. I’d never met someone so outrageously rude before!
“How dare you!” I pointed at Ophelia, hand trembling from rage.
“How dare I what?” Ophelia tossed the remaining paper shreds on the floor and stomped on them with glee. “Are you upset? If you are, why don’t you get your dad to fund an entire building for the university?
“Oh, I forgot. Penniless folks like you don’t have the means to!”
My hands balled into fists, gaze tinged red.
The teacher beside Ophelia, Samuel Young, immediately added, “The current situation is very clear, Miss. Ophelia’s father donated a huge sum to our university to fund the construction of an entire building. He has done a great deed for our uni’s development.
“Because of that, the university authority has discussed and decided that it would be more suitable for Ophelia to take up the slot in the student exchange program.”
Samuel’s flattering expression made me want to puke.
“Mr. Young, right.” I turned to Samuel with a sharp gaze.
“My sister Aubrey scored highest in her entire form this year and won first place in a nationwide research-based competition, all so she can join the student exchange program. Aubrey has flying colors in all aspects of academia.
“May I ask what Ophelia, whom the uni thought to be more suited to join the program, has?”
Samuel’s face flushed right away.
Meanwhile, Ophelia burst into laughter. “What do I have? I have my dad! He’s the Keaton family’s head and chairman of Ad Astra Inc.! So I have money, got it?”
Ad Astra Inc.? The Keaton family’s head? I nearly sneered upon hearing Ophelia’s words. Ad Astra Inc.’s chairman wasn’t Tristan at all.
“Ad Astra Inc.? The Keaton family?” I asked curiously on purpose, cocking an eyebrow.
“I think I’ve heard of them before. They’re a very formidable family. But I didn’t know they had a daughter called Ophelia Keaton.”
Ophelia hadn’t expected me to behave so calmly. In her experience, anyone who heard of Centuria’s Keaton family and Ad Astra Inc. usually reacted in awe or jealousy. They were never suspicious like I was.
Ophelia immediately grew upset. “You’re just a lowborn! We don’t need you meddling in our family’s private affairs!”
Samuel scowled beside her and added, “Please watch your tone, Ms. Aster. The university has already verified Ophelia’s identity, so we will not tolerate your baseless accusations here!”
Chapter 3
“Verify?” I laughed. “How did the university verify it? Was it just based on Ophelia’s proclamation alone?”
“Of course not!” Samuel pushed his glasses up and said proudly, “Ophelia’s father, Tristan Keaton, personally called the headmaster and confirmed that he’d provided funding as well as Ophelia’s enrolment. Would Mr. Keaton lie?”
My heart sank when I heard my father’s name.
Tristan had spoken as if he hadn’t done anything earlier over the phone. Yet, here Samuel was stating that Tristan himself had personally vouched for Ophelia.
What was going on here? Did Tristan… Lie to me? I gazed at Aubrey, who was clutching the hem of my shirt. Her face was pale, and she was trembling slightly.
I quickly shoved the errant thoughts from my mind. It wasn’t the time to spiral out right now. Regardless, I couldn’t let Aubrey suffer like this.
I took out my phone and called the university’s board of directors right away.
“No matter who you are, you’ve not only destroyed my sister’s application papers, but you’ve also destroyed your chance to continue studying here,” I said to Ophelia.
“I’m calling the university’s board right now so they can take over the reins here. Let’s see whether your so-called funding can outweigh the uni’s rules itself!”
Ophelia’s and Samuel’s expressions shifted in an instant. They clearly never expected someone ‘ordinary’ like me to have the university board’s contact number.
The board of directors was composed of very influential and powerful people. Ordinary people had no means of accessing them.
Cold sweat erupted on Samuel’s forehead. He wanted to snatch my phone away, but he didn’t dare to in the end.
Meanwhile, Ophelia was outraged and shocked. She’d gotten used to getting her way in uni by using her identity as the Keaton family’s heiress. She’d never experienced such retaliation before.
“How dare you?” Ophelia screeched. “How dare a lowlife like you threaten me? Just you wait and see!”
She glared at me before calling someone on her phone. The moment the call went through, she began wailing over the phone.
“Mom, I’m being bullied on campus! Hurry up and come help me! I’m right in the teacher’s office! Two pathetic losers are trying to steal my spot in the student exchange programme—you have to help me!”
Ophelia then hung up the call. She placed both hands on her waist, head held high as if suddenly regaining her pride.
“Just you wait. My mother’s on her way here right now! I’m going to make both of you get on your knees and beg me for mercy!”
Samuel looked uneasy. He glanced at Ophelia, then at Aubrey and me. He seemed to want to interject, but he didn’t have the courage to.
I gazed coldly at Ophelia, the trust I had for Tristan starting to crumble. If Ophelia really had nothing to do with my family, then why was she so arrogant about it? If she didn’t have someone behind her back in this, I’d eat my own hat!
Aubrey tugged at my shirt and said softly, “Aster, why don’t we just let this go? I don’t want to cause you trouble.”
I patted her hand and said firmly, “You didn’t do anything wrong, nor is this troublesome. No one can take away what’s rightfully ours!”
Just then, a bejeweled woman in glamorous clothing ran into the office.
Chapter 4
The woman had a cruel and proud look about her. She took Ophelia into her arms and began examining her, as if making sure Ophelia hadn’t been injured.
“Ophelia, sweetheart! Who bullied you?” The woman asked worriedly.
Now that Ophelia’s backup was here, she immediately gestured at Aubrey and me and complained, “Those two, Mom! This girl, Aubrey Keller, tried to steal my spot in the student exchange program, and she even has her sister backing her up! Her sister even said we weren’t following the university’s rules!”
The woman immediately grew angry. “How dare they? Who dares accuse us Keatons of disobeying the rules here in Centuria?”
She eyed me with disdain and continued, “You should feel blessed that my daughter Ophelia wants to join the student exchange program!
“Who are you two girls compared to the mighty Keaton family? What right do you have to fight with us over this?”
The woman then paused before saying proudly, “Do you know who I am? I’m Anastasia White, wife of Centuria’s wealthiest man and chairman of Ad Astra Inc.—Tristan Keaton!
“Ophelia is the Keaton family’s sole heiress! Anyone who dares go against Ophelia is making an enemy of the entirety of Ad Astra Inc.! Do you really have what it takes to go against us?”
“Wife of Centuria’s wealthiest man?” Suspicion grew in my heart as I continued gazing at this stranger. I did not know Anastasia at all.
My mother, Christine, was a classy and elegant woman born into a noble family. She never dressed up so extravagantly nor used such a foul tone to speak to others. Did Tristan really get himself a mistress?
The thought sent chills up my spine.
Anastasia then pointed at Aubrey and spat venomously at Samuel, “I hereby declare that this student exchange program spot belongs to Ophelia!
“Anyone who dares question it is declaring war against the Keaton family! I demand the two of you apologize to Ophelia right now!”
Ophelia clung onto Anastasia’s arm and said gleefully, “Mom, an apology isn’t enough at all. We have to make them kneel!”
Anastasia caressed Ophelia’s hair, nodding. “Ophelia is right. The two of you must kneel and apologize, or else I won’t let the matter go!”
“In your dreams!” Aubrey cried, trembling from anger. Though she was introverted, she was also very defiant and strong.
“Still acting tough, are we?” Ophelia took out her phone again and made another call. She really was pissed off now. “Dad, you need to come to my uni right now!
“Mom and I are being pushed over like nobody’s business! We’re going to be eating dust if you don’t come to our aid!”
Ophelia then grinned happily, hanging up the call.
Ten minutes later, someone barged into the teachers’ office. Aubrey and I froze to the spot the moment we saw who it was.
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