Chapter 3
Trix’s POV
“Lauren’s been raised with care, graduated college by twenty, and has been right by my side, helping me run the company,” Leroy said. “So, how could you, selling street food, compare yourself to her? Let me get things straight now that you’re here. Everything in the Hurst family -the business, the estate–that’s all going to Lauren. All you gotta do is sit back and enjoy the good life as a Hurst heiress.”
I looked at the three of them, standing together like they were thick as thieves. Seeing their “family unity” stirred up a cold smile on my face. I had already braced myself for this, but it still hit me.
The truth was, all of this had been planned in advance. They didn’t just stumble upon me by chance. I’d known I was the Hurst daughter even before I came back for the show. And I had people leak the news that
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the Hurst family’s long–lost daughter had ended up as a street food vendor. The media ate it up, and public pressured them to bring back their biological daughter. Without the weight of public opinion, I doubt they would have bothered taking me back at all.
As for my reasons for coming back, I simply wanted to know what kind of people they were–and why they‘ d abandoned me all those years ago.
I gave a small cough and spoke as calmly as I could, “If that’s the case, maybe I‘ 11 just leave.”
“Don’t you dare!” Leroy grabbed my arm, his grip like iron.
I looked at him, puzzled. “What‘ s wrong? You don‘ t want me here, so why can‘ tI go?”
Leroy seemed to hesitate as if there were
words stuck on the tip of his tongue. But he kept his mouth shut.
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Velma then stepped forward, taking my hand gently. “Come on, Alexia, don‘ t be stubborn. It’s just a room. The guest
room is a lot better than that little shack you were staying in.”
“Your father doesn’t want you to manage the family business for your own good,” she continued, her tone soft but dismissive.
“You don’t know anything about it.
You‘ d just run it straight into the ground.”
Fine. They didn’t want to tell me the truth? I’d find it out myself, sooner or later.
Seeing I’d gone quiet, Leroy put on his “loving father” face again. “Just get settled here. If you behave, maybe I’ll let you manage part of the company. Step by step, alright?”
I’d had enough of their show. I wasn’t here to win a place in this family, especially not with Lauren. So I picked up my bag and moved to the guest room without another
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word.
The next morning, I was half asleep when a loud knocking jolted me awake. Groggy, I opened the door to find two tall men in white coats shoving their way in. Before I could process what was happening, they were pinning me down on the bed.
“What are you doing?!” I shouted, struggling.
Leroy stepped into the room with a fake, reassuring smile and placed a hand on my head. “Relax, Alexia. They‘ re just here to give you a physical.”
A sudden chill ran through me as I realized. what was going on. I fought harder. “I’m healthy! I don’t need a check–up!”
Just then, Velma walked in and tried to soothe me, her voice as smooth as honey. “It’s just a few vials of blood, dear. No need to be afraid.”
Despite my efforts, the two men held me down and drew my blood. Once they‘ d
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finished, they tossed me back into the guest room without a word. No one came to check on me after that–not a single
person.
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