"An assistant? Don't give me that nonsense! I've seen plenty of freeloaders like you. I'm taking you to the police station right now—let's see if they can't deal with you!"
The restaurant owner grabbed me by the arm and started dragging me outside, not giving me a chance to explain.
Just when I thought I was about to be humiliated in the middle of the street, three people walked through the door.
"Stop!" they all said in unison.
Hearing the voices, I looked up.
The three of them were dressed in common luxury brand clothes—it wasn't hard to tell they came from wealth.
And strangely, I noticed they bore a faint resemblance to me.
Could it be…
Before I could say anything, the younger man strode over, stared at me for a long moment, and then sneered, "Mom, Dad, it's her!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the couple glanced at me, their faces darkening. Without saying a word, they turned and walked out of the restaurant, heading straight for a Mercedes parked outside.
The man yanked me out of the owner's grasp, muttering something under his breath about me not being worth a strand of Sienna's hair.
Still, he gritted his teeth and paid for my meal.
It wasn't until he dragged me to the door that he finally spoke.
"What a disgrace! I… I'm your brother, Caleb Byers. Those were our parents just now. We've spoken on the phone before! You sounded decent enough back then, but how could you be living like… this?"
Seeing the disappointed expressions on all three of their faces, I understood that they, too, thought I had been freeloading.
Reflexively, I wanted to explain, but Caleb shot me a glare.
"Shut up! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? Just get in the car!"
I sighed, waved off my stunned assistant standing nearby, signaling her not to come over, and mumbled a reluctant "Okay" before following Caleb into the car.
After all, the only thing tying me to them was our blood relationship.
We hadn't even met once in over twenty years.
And as a businesswoman, I understood better than anyone how important money is in human relationships.
So, I gave up on trying to explain myself.
Because I wanted to know—if I weren't a billionaire CEO, but just a disgraced heiress, how would they treat me?"
The car drove for about half an hour before we arrived at a villa.
I glanced around; the villa didn't look too big, and from the looks of it, the Byers family wasn't all that wealthy.
Although my first impression of Mr. and Mrs. Byers was quite negative, I was still willing to give them a chance.
So, I forced a smile and tried to appear happy.
Caleb Byers rolled his eyes when he saw me.
"What a loser. I really don't get why Mom and Dad insist on acknowledging you."
Before I could respond, Mr. Byers turned around and slapped me hard across the face. "You disgrace! Kneel!"
I never expected my biological father's first words to me would be that, let alone followed by a slap.
Stunned, I stood there, holding my face in shock.
Caleb snorted from the side. "Didn't you hear Dad? Kneel!"
I fought back the urge to explode, gritting my teeth.
"What did I do wrong? Why should I kneel? You've never raised me, never done a single thing for me. What right do you have to act like parents here?"
Seemingly not expecting me to resist, Caleb kicked me in the back of my knee.
The force of the kick sent me tumbling onto the stone path, kneeling in front of them. Then he spoke up.
"You've got arms and legs. Why can't you work for a living like everyone else? Why do you have to freeload? You've embarrassed Mom and Dad! Kneeling is the least we can do for you!"
Mr. Byers scoffed coldly.
"Tell us, do you have any other dirty secrets? A family like ours can't afford a daughter with a criminal record!"
I couldn't help but laugh. "What? If I had a criminal record, you'd throw me out?"
"This is my first day back home, and you give me this kind of treatment? If I were out there committing crimes, that's your responsibility as my parents and brother. Why blame me?"
The three of them grew even more upset, and I could almost detect a hint of guilt in their expressions.
Mrs. Byers even shed a few tears. Just as she seemed about to speak,
A clear, bright voice called out from the side. "Is that my sister?"
—-
Before I could react, a young girl grabbed my hand. "Sister, are you my sister? I'm Sienna."
Sienna?
When I received the phone call from the Byers family to recognize me, I had already done a bit of research into the situation.
It was simple yet dramatic, the Byers family's maid had given birth at the same time as Mrs. Byers.
The maid, envious of the Byers children being born with silver spoons, couldn't bear to see her own child suffer.
So, she deliberately swapped me with Sienna…
I was lost in thought when Sienna, seeing that I hadn't moved, quickly called for a servant to bring an ice pack to soothe the cheek where I had been slapped.
She kept talking to herself as she did so.
"Sister, please don't blame Mom and Dad. They love you, but sometimes they're too strict. I'm sure you didn't mean to freeload."
Caleb Byers sighed. "Sienna, you're too kind. You don't know how many bad people there are in this world…"
Hearing this, Sienna became upset.
"Brother, how can you say that about Sister? She's innocent! It's all my fault. If Mom hadn't accidentally swapped Sister and sent her away, how could she have suffered so much all these years?"
"But I… I've lived a life of luxury. Everything I have is what I took from Sister. If it weren't for me, Sister would have stayed at home. I'm the one who's been freeloading. So…"
As Sienna spoke, she suddenly knelt down.
"If Mom and Dad want to punish Sister, then they should punish me instead. I deserve to take her place!"
I was stunned for a moment.
After struggling all these years, it was the first time someone had been so kind to me. I couldn't help but wonder, was it really true that the Byers family loved me as deeply as Sienna claimed?
Were they really just strict because they cared?
But before I could think it through, Mr. Byers became even angrier.
"I raised you, I know your heart is pure better than anyone! Even if you starved, you'd never do something like freeloading!"
"Look at your sister—she's perfectly healthy. How could she ever end up starving?"
Caleb Byers quickly helped Sienna to her feet and guided her to sit on the sofa. "Sienna, actually, I was the first one who didn't want to accept the reunion. I knew you were kind-hearted, and I was afraid she'd take advantage of you!"
Sienna shook her head.
"As long as Sister is happy, I'll give her anything. I owe her everything."
Her words naturally made Mr. and Mrs. Byers sigh again.
Caleb, frustrated with fate, continued bitterly, "Why does my sister have to be someone like her? But fine, if she wants to stay, that's up to her. But remember, Sienna is also my sister, the little princess of this family. If you dare let her suffer in this house, I'll make sure you regret it!"
At that, I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"You're all ridiculous. You think I'm the one causing trouble? Since I got here, it's been nothing but slaps and insults. How could I possibly make her suffer here?"
"Your actions make it seem like I'm the one ruining this family, like I'm the outsider!"
Mrs. Byers quickly nodded, then shook her head, her expression stern.
"You don't have the right to interrupt when your parents are speaking. Yes, this is your house, but Sienna is my daughter, the one I've raised. Don't think you can come here and stir things up, trying to take everything away from her."
Seeing the four of them band together to exclude me, I couldn't help but wonder.
Was their attitude towards me because I looked so down and out?
At that thought, I gave up on the idea of leaving.
Instead, I obediently stayed, not putting up any resistance, and directly went to sleep in Sienna's former bedroom.
I spent about half a year at home, living lazily.
The three of them didn't treat me well, but their attitude was definitely better than when I first arrived.
At least they began to treat me somewhat like their daughter. I believed that, given time, our relationship could improve further.
The one who treated me the best was still Sienna.
Not only did she treat me well at home, but she even offered to take me to work at the Byers family company.
Mr. and Mrs. Byers initially refused, but they couldn't resist Sienna's persistent pleas. She even cried and said, "If you don't agree, I'll leave and never come back."
With that, I successfully entered the Byers family's small company and started working as a secretary alongside Sienna for Mr. Byers.
However, I didn't have to do anything. Sienna took care of everything for me.
—
A while later, Sienna mysteriously handed me a contract and a proposal, whispering, "Sister, this contract is really important.
I spent several sleepless nights working on it. I'm giving it to you now.
If you can help with the cooperation between our family and Duke Corporation, Mom and Dad will definitely change their view of you."
Sienna wasn't wrong.
After joining the company, I realized that while the Byers family's company appeared decent on the surface, it was actually in a shambles.
This cooperation was basically the last glimmer of hope for the Byers family.
As the largest shareholder of Duke Corporation, I readily accepted the contract from Sienna.
I quickly skimmed through it, and it did look promising.
Among all the competing proposals, this one was indeed quite good.
Could it be that Sienna was truly kind to me?
Or was it just a coincidence that every time she spoke on my behalf, she seemed to end up making Mr. and Mrs. Byers, as well as Caleb, dislike me even more?
I didn't think too much about it.
Holding the proposal, I went to contact Duke Corporation's representative.
However, a close colleague of mine, who had a better relationship with me, pulled me into the break room.
After making sure no one was around, they whispered in my ear, "Wendy, you've been tricked! Sienna is deliberately causing trouble for you."
After hearing this, I sighed.
So it's true—these stories of the fake heiress rivalry really do happen in real life, not just in novels.
No wonder I'd been wondering why Sienna was so kind to me. It turns out she was just waiting for this moment.
But unfortunately, these schemes weren't enough to faze me.
The next day, after lunch break, Sienna immediately called me into Mr. Byers' office. Not only were Mr. and Mrs. Byers there, but the annoying Caleb was also present.
Mr. Byers looked at me with a somewhat friendly expression.
"Sienna told me you're in charge of the Duke Corporation partnership. The meeting at 3 PM this afternoon will be fine, right?"
Before I could speak, Sienna nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course! Sister is amazing. I heard she made an even better proposal than mine."
I ignored Sienna and spoke on my own.
"The manager in charge of the partnership, Manager Franklin, had an urgent matter come up, so…"
Before I could finish, Caleb slammed his hand on the table.
"Do you have any idea how important this collaboration is? You're just going to brush it off with ‘an urgent matter'?"
Mr. and Mrs. Byers frowned deeply.
"What's going on?"
Sienna suddenly covered her mouth and gasped dramatically.
"Sister, although this collaboration isn't the best choice for us, it's still a very good opportunity. You're not holding a grudge against Mom and Dad, or Brother, and intentionally sabotaging this collaboration, are you?"
Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Byers' expressions darken, Sienna smiled faintly.
But the words that followed were dripping with sarcasm.
"Mom, Dad, it's all my fault, not Sister's. I took everything from her, and that's why she wants to get back at us. Please, give her another chance."
Because Mr. and Mrs. Byers, as well as Caleb, had always been partial to Sienna, and given how well Sienna had "treated" me over the past months, no one questioned her words.
Mrs. Byers was so angry she was trembling.
"How did I end up with a daughter like you? Get out, now! Leave the company, get out!"
Sienna looked quite pleased with herself, but when she realized that Mr. and Mrs. Byers were only asking me to leave the company, not the family, her expression faltered. She frowned, preparing to speak again.
But before she could say anything, a slightly older voice came from the door. "Mr. Byers, what's with all the anger?"
Mr. and Mrs. Byers froze for a moment, exchanging glances. Seeing the newcomer's dignified presence, Mr. Byers forced a smile. "And this is?"
I glanced at Sienna and smiled.
"Manager Franklin didn't have time, so I invited Mr. Duke. He's in charge of the cooperation with Duke Corporation this time."
Sienna's face turned ashen, full of disbelief.
Normally, no one would be able to invite Mr. Duke, but no matter how high his position, he was still an employee of my company.
No one, not even him, could surpass me as the CEO and a major shareholder.
Mr. and Mrs. Byers were overjoyed, never expecting that I could bring in Mr. Duke. Caleb snorted, "Why didn't you tell us you had Mr. Duke? Were you just waiting for Mom and Dad to get angry?"
I shot him a glare.
"I would've said something, but my lovely brother and sister didn't give me the chance. They already sentenced me to death. Luckily, Mr. Duke showed up, or I'd be out the door by now."
Mr. Duke glanced at me, then spoke in a deliberately flattering tone.
"How nice. I only have one child, but I really envy Mr. Byers' family, with so many children around causing a ruckus. It must be such a blessing."
Mr. Byers looked a bit awkward, chuckling but unsure of what to say next.
—-
Mr. Duke quickly waved the proposal in his hand.
"I didn't intend to come, but this proposal is really well done. I had to come in person. Mr. Byers really has a great daughter!"
Mr. and Mrs. Byers beamed with pride, especially Mr. Byers, who, for the first time, smiled at me.
"Yes, Sienna is very smart. My wife and I are very proud of her. We've always believed in her. We're even waiting for her to take over my position one day."
Caleb was about to speak, but Mrs. Byers shot him a sharp look, silencing him immediately.
Not satisfied, Mrs. Byers instructed Sienna to leave and serve tea.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Sienna burst into tears.
"I can't do it! Sister, I can't do it!"
Although Mr. and Mrs. Byers were usually kinder to Sienna than to me, when it came to work, they didn't give her any special treatment.
"If you can't do it, then find someone else to teach you. Why cry over making tea?"
Although no one had asked Sienna, she continued speaking through her tears.
"I'm happy for Sister, but I also saw the proposal earlier. That proposal is mine!"
"You know that Sister doesn't have the ability. If Mr. Duke notices the issues later, it's better to tell him now!"
"If you don't believe me, you can check my computer. My proposals are all documented. Sister, I'll give you whatever you want, but this concerns the company, and I can't back down on this."
Mr. Duke froze for a moment, instinctively looking at Mr. Byers.
His tone wasn't exactly friendly.
"What's going on here? Plagiarism? Is this the kind of atmosphere in your company?"
When Mr. Byers heard this, he was so frightened that he almost lost his composure. He raised his hand and slapped me without asking anything.
"Your mother told you to leave the company earlier, and now I'm taking back that statement.
Not only do I want you out of the company, but I want you out of my house. From today on, you're no longer my daughter."
I wasn't prepared for the slap, and if it weren't for Mr. Duke standing up to support me, I probably would have fallen to the ground.
Mr. Byers didn't look at me but instead turned to Mr. Duke.
"Mr. Duke, unfortunate family matters. For the upcoming collaboration, let my youngest daughter handle the liaison. She's the more capable one."
Mr. Duke frowned and shook off Mr. Byers' hand.
"No need. Our President Wendy doesn't want to work with you anymore."
Mr. and Mrs. Byers froze for a moment.
"President Wendy isn't even here. Mr. Duke, how can you say such things?"
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and sat down on the sofa.
"Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Wendy Brooks, and I'm the largest shareholder of Duke Corporation!"
When I said this, the Byers family was stunned.
It took Mr. Byers a while to stutter out, "How… how is that possible? How could you be President Wendy? Why didn't you tell your parents?"
Mrs. Byers quickly walked over to my side, exaggerating her actions as she said, "Oh dear, did your father hurt you just now? Is it painful? Your father's temperament is like that—he's strict with those he cares about. It's all a misunderstanding. We're family, you won't blame your father, right?"
I coldly and distantly shrugged off Mrs. Byers.
"Mrs. Byers, you're mistaken. My last name is Brooks, and your last name is Byers. We're not family. Your precious daughter is over there!"
I pointed at Sienna as I spoke.
At that moment, Sienna was leaning heavily against the table, and it was easy to imagine that if the table hadn't been there, she would have fallen to the ground.
But she quickly recovered and, with a smug expression, said, "It's all fake. Mom, Dad, Brother, it's all fake."
"Wendy Brooks knows how low-key and mysterious President Wendy is, and that's why she bribed Mr. Duke to lie. You can't believe her! Wendy Brooks can't even afford a meal. How could she be President Wendy?"
Mr. Duke, who was well-mannered, rolled his eyes.
"Bribe me? Do you think you can pay me enough to tell such an easily debunked lie?"
However, Sienna wasn't intimidated. She sneered at Mr. Duke.
"Of course, money won't buy you. Wendy Brooks doesn't have money. She's using her body to seduce you and bribe you."
"I have evidence. If you don't believe me, you can see for yourselves."
As she spoke, Sienna opened the office's display and connected her phone.
She pulled up several photos, showing them one by one.
"Sister has been having improper relationships with these men for the past six months. I couldn't stand it, so I let her come to the company. But I didn't expect her to do this, so I can't cover for her anymore."
—
At first, Mr. and Mrs. Byers didn't know who to believe, but after looking at the photos, they immediately sided with Sienna without a second thought.
Their anger returned in full force.
"You actually dared to do such a disgusting thing and teamed up with someone to deceive me and your mother? How could you be so vile?"
"I even thought your father was too harsh just now, but looking back, he was too lenient. He should have beaten you to death!"
Caleb finally got a chance to speak.
"I told you, we didn't give her much money after she came home, but look at how recklessly she spends it. Turns out, the money's not clean!"
I sighed.
"I really don't know how you run a business with brains like yours. A few photos and you're completely fooled?"
"Let me show you proof of my real identity."
I looked at the photos and began video calling each of the businessmen I supposedly had improper relations with.
When they answered, they were all extremely respectful, addressing me as ‘President Wendy' right away.
These businessmen were well-known in the city, some of whom Mr. and Mrs. Byers also knew. It was about as real as it could get!
Mr. and Mrs. Byers finally believed me.
I could tell they were regretting their actions, but I didn't give them the chance to speak.
I left with Mr. Duke.
But as I reached the door, I paused and turned back.
"That maid swapping us was actually a blessing. I can't even imagine how annoying it would be if you two were my parents."
"And by the way, this collaboration is totally off. Sienna, you can forget about reaching out to your Manager Franklin. When I get back, he'll be fired."
With that, I turned and left without looking back.
I hadn't walked far when I heard another slap coming from the office.
I touched my swollen cheek.
At least, this time, it wasn't me being slapped.
Because I refused to cooperate with the Byers family, Mr. and Mrs. Byers, along with Caleb and Sienna, came to my estate.
Caleb looked at the grand estate, seemingly realizing the meaning behind the look I gave them when I returned home.
He muttered, "So, you weren't jealous back then; you were just pretending not to despise us."
I ignored him and coldly looked at the group.
"What do you want? I think we have nothing more to say to each other."
Caleb gritted his teeth.
"Sister, stop being difficult. We're family. What kind of family has grudges? Mom and Dad have missed you these past few days. Come back with us…"
He couldn't bring himself to say the word "home."
Of course, who would leave their golden nest to go to someone else's doghouse?
Mr. Byers furrowed his brow, clearly displeased with Caleb's incompetence.
He cleared his throat and said, "You are my daughter. Tough love, you know? I hit you because I love you."
I grew even more impatient.
"What are you really here for? If you're here to confess your love, I'm not interested. You can leave now."
Mrs. Byers stood up abruptly.
"Wendy, what are you making a scene for? Without me and your father, would there even be you? Now that you're so wealthy, you should help your family."
"You know the situation with the company. Hurry up and agree to the collaboration. If you don't want to, at least inject a few billion into us!"
I couldn't help but laugh at their shamelessness.
"With your audacity, you could succeed at anything. There's no need to come begging to me. You just said it yourself—I'm Wendy Brooks, not a Byers!"
The three of them were speechless.
I had been back for over half a year, but the Byers family had been telling people I was a distant relative and had never officially recognized me.
They hadn't even changed my name.
As I was about to have the butler escort them out, Sienna finally couldn't hold back and knelt before me.
Sienna was crying uncontrollably, clutching at my pants leg and pleading desperately. "Sister, all the mistakes are mine. It's my fault. I was so jealous because Mom and Dad love you so much."
"You're their biological daughter, and I'm just a fake heiress. I've been so malicious, and I know I'll be kicked out of the Byers family sooner or later. But you, Sister, are the Byers' blood. No matter what you do, you'll always be forgiven. I just wanted… I just wanted Mom and Dad to dislike you a little more and like me a little more."
If it were before, seeing Sienna like this, Caleb and Mr. and Mrs. Byers would have been heartbroken.
But now, the three of them just coldly looked on.
—
Before, I thought that even though I looked like the Byers family, we had different personalities.
Now, looking at them, I see there are many similarities.
After all… I'm just as cold as they are.
Seeing that I didn't speak, Mr. and Mrs. Byers thought I was softening.
They quickly spoke up.
"Yes, Sienna, all of this was really a misunderstanding. You shouldn't be angry with Mom and Dad."
I smiled and nodded.
"Right, I'm not angry with you."
Caleb's eyes lit up.
"So you've forgiven Mom and Dad? You're willing to invest now?"
I didn't answer, but continued my own thoughts.
"I don't blame you at all."
"You didn't feel sorry for your biological daughter who was secretly taken away and suffered, to the point where she ended up freeloading. You didn't think about how pitiful that was. You only felt embarrassed. But I don't blame you."
"You repeatedly favored the adopted daughter over your own flesh and blood, belittled me time and again. I don't blame you for that either."
"You didn't protect your real daughter. You didn't educate your fake daughter. Even the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. All of these things, I don't blame you. But should I blame myself?"
…
They were speechless in the face of my words, and I couldn't be bothered to listen any longer.
I didn't want to waste any more time on them, so I ordered the butler to show them out and told him never to let them in again.
For the next few months, the Byers family tried to contact me, but they couldn't find a way in.
After all, we didn't belong to the same world, and it wasn't easy for them to find a chance to see me.
But eventually, they did find an opportunity.
At a project gala a few months later, the four of them appeared again.
Not only did they show up, but they also brought along a few media outlets, looking aggressive, as if they were here with bad intentions.
Mrs. Byers grabbed my hand, crying uncontrollably, her nose running.
"Wendy, we've missed you so much. But you've been ignoring us. We found out you were here, so we came specifically to look for you."
Mr. Byers stood beside her, looking just as sad, sighing repeatedly.
"I know, you're a billionaire CEO, and your mother and I are just the owners of a small company, which is on the brink of bankruptcy. You probably don't want to acknowledge us, but at the end of the day, we are your parents!"
"And it's not about your money or your company. We're not after that. We just want to be a family again!"
As they spoke, they wiped their tears, looking devastated.
Caleb, who had previously been the most hostile toward me, now looked at me with sympathy.
"Sister, we've missed you so much while you've been away. Mom and Dad really care about you."
"They say a son doesn't mind his mother's ugliness, and a dog doesn't mind a poor home. How could you reject us just because we're poor? Don't you know… this feels worse than if you had killed us?"
I furrowed my brows tightly, but they didn't give me a chance to speak.
They continued talking, painting me as a person who cared only about money and had no sense of family.
Many people in the audience, too, were split.
They couldn't wait for me to make some kind of scandal, hoping I would lose popularity and money.
So, one by one, they started to gossip.
"What is this? Without parents, how could you even exist? This is too much."
"This is why having a son is so important. A son wouldn't do something so heartless."
"Honestly, I've thought for a while now. This President Wendy is so young and already so successful, she must be someone formidable. Look at these people—they all seem kind, but how could they possibly outplay her?"
People really need to have some conscience. Treating parents like this… who knows "how your own children might treat you one day?"
…
As the discussion grew more heated, I took the microphone and said to my assistant, "Write down the names of everyone who's spoken ill of me just now. Make sure to note that Duke Corporation will never cooperate with people like this."
The audience let out a collective gasp.
Those who had been so enthusiastic just moments ago now regretted their actions.
A few were almost in tears, wishing they could slap their own faces and beg for my forgiveness.
—-
Mr. Byers didn't expect me to be so firm and awkwardly said, "It's my fault. I didn't teach my daughter well. It's all my responsibility…"
Mrs. Byers followed, crying.
"Wendy, we know you've suffered so much over the years, but you can't just tear apart someone else's shelter because you've been hurt. Please listen to your mother, take back those words, and come home with us, okay?"
…
At this point, I felt like I was on the verge of inciting public anger. A reporter couldn't hold back anymore and shoved the microphone toward me.
"President Wendy, Mr. Byers and Mrs. Byers have already shared their side of the story with me."
"Indeed, when you came back, Mr. and Mrs. Byers, feeling guilty, didn't know how to properly get along with you. But love isn't something you just say casually. I believe they truly love you."
I sized up this reporter, who seemed to be used as a pawn, and couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, really? Do you know every detail of our relationship, or did you just believe what they told you?"
"As a reporter, shouldn't you be presenting facts, not making subjective judgments on right and wrong? Didn't your teachers teach you to report the truth? Shouldn't you be here to get the facts instead of morally blackmailing others, thinking you know best?"
The reporter was left speechless, stammering, "You're right, I haven't fully understood the situation, but what happened earlier, I saw it with my own eyes. The people in the audience just spoke a few truths, and now you're threatening not to do business with them. Isn't that a rather vicious act?"
I laughed even harder.
"I'm not refusing to do business with them because they said a few harsh words. I'm refusing because they're as stupid as pigs!"
"They didn't even question the situation before blindly criticizing me. With that kind of intelligence and judgment, they're not fit to collaborate with Duke Corporation!"
The reporter stuttered for a long time before managing to say, "Y-You're just making excuses."
I gave her a glance.
"I didn't get to where I am by just talking. I have logic and evidence for everything. You've heard their side for so long—now, shouldn't you listen to mine?"
I had actually expected the Byers family to come.
Although I hadn't spent much time with them, I could see very clearly that they were the type of people who only cared about profit.
So, I took the phone from my assistant and connected it to the large screen next to us. I began playing a series of surveillance videos.
As the videos played, I explained to everyone, "This is when I first stepped into the Byers' house. Mr. Byers slapped me right away. Why didn't Mrs. Byers say she was my biological mother at that moment? Why didn't she help me?"
The Byers family's faces turned dark, unable to speak.
I continued playing the next video.
"This is from the day I left the Byers' house. Just because of a few words from Sienna, Mr. Byers slapped me to the ground without asking any questions. Why didn't you say you were my real father at that moment?"
…
Next, I played videos showing how I had been treated with indifference and disdain at home.
By the time the videos were finished, I turned to the young reporter beside me.
"So, journalist, after watching these videos, do you still think this abusive father, the indifferent mother, and the instigating brother are good family members?"
"They treated me like this before they knew I was President Wendy. But after they found out who I really am, their attitude changed completely. Now they want to be good parents, good siblings."
"If you were in my shoes, would you believe they've changed? Would you accept them back?"
The reporter seemed speechless, as though someone had choked her. She couldn't say a word. However, the audience didn't let this chance to express their opinions slip by, quickly speaking up.
"I don't believe them. They're just after your money, trying to take advantage of you. I heard they're about to go bankrupt."
"Yeah, don't acknowledge them. They're like leeches!"
"As the saying goes, a loving mother raises a filial child. They can't be good parents if they weren't loving first."
"President Wendy wasn't even at home as a child, and now that she's back, they're treating her like this? This is too much!"
—-
Sienna remained silent for a long time before finally speaking up.
"Sister, you only say that Dad hit you. Why don't you say why? I dare say, if you told the truth, any father would have slapped you."
No one expected the situation to take such a turn.
Everyone stretched their necks to get a better view.
Sienna quickly spoke up, "It's true that you stole my proposal. You're competing with me maliciously, ignoring the company. The company is Mom and Dad's hard work over the years. Shouldn't Dad be angry?"
I hadn't expected Sienna to come forward and dig her own grave.
I didn't respond but continued playing the videos.
The videos were split into two parts. One showed Sienna handing me the proposal, asking me to use it to please Mom and Dad.
The other part was secretly filmed by a colleague, showing Sienna calling Manager Franklin, telling him not to show up and letting me mess up the situation.
That way, she could come in and "fix" things while also using Franklin's words to accuse me of stealing the proposal.
I clapped my hands in front of Sienna. "Nice try, but not quite good enough."
Sienna shook her head.
"You were never sincere from the beginning. Just because you're rich, you maliciously assumed Mom and Dad's intentions, pretending to be poor to get their attention. Is that right?"
I didn't argue. Instead, I smiled and explained everything to the audience.
Of course, this led to more sighs and criticism, with people scolding Mr. Byers for hitting his own daughter over a meal.
They agreed that freeloading was a last resort, not something to be punished for.
Mr. Byers became furiously angry, unwilling to admit that everything was his responsibility.
He slapped Sienna hard. "So it was all you! You drove away my perfect daughter, the billion-dollar CEO. I'll kill you!"
Sienna was hit hard and couldn't help but argue, "I just wanted Mom and Dad to love me a little more. What did I do wrong?"
"And it's you who told me you were tired of having such an incompetent daughter. You wanted to see if she had the ability to help the family. After realizing she couldn't, you told me to ‘manage' her. You suggested all of this! How can you blame me?"
But Mr. and Mrs. Byers didn't answer. Instead, they continued to beat Sienna.
Sienna then looked at Caleb, pleading, "Brother, say something. I've always been your favorite little sister. Didn't you tell me you wished Wendy had died outside?"
Although this scene was quite amusing, I had more important things to do.
I had the security escort the Byers family out, and the banquet continued.
…
The next time I heard from the Byers family was six months later.
The Byers' company had completely gone bankrupt.
They tried countless times to contact me, but by then, I had already left the country and returned to the Duke Corporation headquarters in France.
Sienna even tried to steal from the Byers family and was caught red-handed.
It wasn't entirely Sienna's fault.
After the family's bankruptcy, she became the lowest in the family's food chain.
The Byers family blamed her for their downfall, and she was beaten and scolded every day, living a miserable life.
In the end, the Byers family, desperate to survive and at least eat, arranged for Sienna to marry an old man.
Sienna resisted fiercely and even pushed Mr. Byers down the stairs before running away.
Mr. Byers wasn't seriously hurt, but it triggered a heart attack.
After failed resuscitation, he passed away. Mrs. Byers had no choice but to return to her hometown with Caleb, living a life of hardship.
[End]
