Fortune's Daughter

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The fortune-teller said I was born under a lucky star, with wealth written in my fate.

My biological father didn't believe a word of it. He scoffed, "What good is that? She's just a girl!"

Later, he abandoned my mother and ran off with the other woman.

Then, my stepfather's career took off like a rocket. We moved into a mansion, drove luxury cars, and even got a private jet.

Meanwhile, my biological father sank into poverty. He had three more daughters in a row, and two of them weren't even his.

The neighbors all laughed at him. "That idiot turned his back on his own daughter—a walking money tree—and spent years raising someone else's kids. That's karma for you!"

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1.

I heard Zoe was throwing a fit about wanting to study art. Her reason? She wanted to get into film school and become a big star.

My classmates all said Zoe was jealous of me.

A few days ago, a talent scout stopped me at the school gate, wanting to recruit me for acting.

Nothing had even been decided yet, but somehow the news spread like wildfire.

Even more ridiculous, Zoe actually came to challenge me. "Celeste, I'm going to be way more famous than you someday. I'll crush you under my heel!"

Oh, I forgot to mention—Zoe is my half-sister. She's six months younger than me.

She's the result of my biological father, Damian Stone's, affair.

My mother was married to Damian for five years before she had me. When she was pregnant, everyone said her belly was pointy, a sure sign of a boy.

The Stone family was overjoyed. They waited eagerly for ten whole months.

But when I was born, I was just a girl.

Damian worked for a government agency. He couldn't have a second child.

A girl couldn't carry on the family name. The villagers would mock him for having no heir.

So Damian and his mother cooked up a plan. They kicked my mother out.

My mother still had feelings for Damian back then. She didn't want me to grow up without a father.

Tears in her eyes, she begged him to stay. "The one-eyed fortune-teller at the village entrance looked at Celeste. He said she has a noble destiny and wealth in her fate."

"After Celeste was born, you got promoted and got a raise. Everything's been going your way. Are you sure you want to give her up?"

But Damian was obsessed with divorcing her and having a son. He wouldn't listen.

"What good is she? She's just a girl!"

Afraid my mother would make a scene, he brought his mistress, Evelyn Hart—Zoe's mother—right in front of her. Pointing at Evelyn's swollen belly, he said, "If you won't agree to a divorce, then you can raise Evelyn's son as your own."

While my mother was going through a difficult pregnancy, Damian was fooling around behind her back.

The truth shattered her.

She wiped away her tears, signed the divorce papers, and took me away from the Stone family.

My grandmother's side of the family urged her to give me up for adoption. They told her she was still young, that she could find someone better than Damian.

But my mother couldn't bear to let me go. She said I was her own flesh and blood. Even if she had to eat chaff and swallow wild herbs, she would never abandon me.

As it turned out, she never had to eat chaff or swallow wild herbs.

As soon as I learned to walk at one year old, she took me to the big city to make our fortune.

And we got lucky. She found a wonderful boss.

The salary was far beyond what she'd expected, and the work was easy. A single mother could raise a child without any trouble.

And that boss? He's my dad now.

He fell in love with my mother at first sight. The salary and the position were just his way of getting close to her!

Compared to Damian, my dad was younger, better-looking, and richer. He was devoted to my mother and wouldn't marry anyone else.

My grandparents were furious. They even showed up at our door, trying to break them up.

But they failed.

My mother covered her mouth and giggled, a proud glint in her eyes. "You were like a little snowball back then, so soft and fair."

"Your grandparents hadn't held a baby in thirty years."

"When they saw how adorable you were, they were completely won over. They called you their little treasure, even more affectionately than I did."

2.

My dad took a lot of flak from his relatives for marrying my mother.

"Aaron is such an idiot. He's young and well-off, and he could have any pretty young virgin he wants. Instead, he's stuck on some old hag with a kid in tow!"

"If he's so eager to raise someone else's child, he might as well raise ours. At least our kids share his blood."

I was only three, and I didn't understand a thing. I just sobbed and sobbed, blurting out, "My daddy is not a pig! My daddy is a person, a good person!"

My dad thought his relatives were bullying me. His face darkened as he held me close and snapped back at them.

"Anyone who dares to bully Celeste is my enemy!"

"And if you're my enemy, then we're not family anymore."

At three years old, I became a legend.

Those relatives all said my mother was a vixen and I was her little apprentice, that we had my father completely bewitched.

The ringleader, Great-Uncle, pointed a trembling finger at my dad. "Are you willing to offend all of us for the sake of an outsider? What kind of love potion have those two women fed you?"

My dad's temper flared. "So it was you, Uncle. At your age, picking on a three-year-old baby. Have you no shame?"

His words nearly gave Great-Uncle a heart attack on the spot.

"Aaron, you bastard! You treat a bastard child like a treasure. Don't come crying to us later!"

These relatives had come hoping my dad, whose business was just taking off, would give them a leg up.

But their plan backfired.

Because of me, they didn't even get a chance to state their business before my dad chased them away.

The relationship soured. All they could do was pray for my dad's downfall.

They hoped his company would go bankrupt, that he'd end up sleeping under a bridge with my mother and me.

But that year, my dad's business was unexpectedly smooth. Big contracts kept coming in. He made a fortune!

3.

When I was four, we moved out of my grandparents' old house.

My dad had made enough money to buy the best villa in our city.

From that point on, he completely cut ties with relatives like Great-Uncle.

Those who had been waiting to see him fail were now practically begging at his feet, hoping for a few crumbs to fall from his table.

That year, something happened.

My dad's company was expanding, and he was always busy. He was constantly traveling for meetings and factory inspections.

Sometimes, I wouldn't see him for two weeks.

So before every business trip, I'd cling to his leg and refuse to let him go.

When the next trip came around, I used my old trick. I cried my heart out.

I cried so hard, so pitifully. "Celeste doesn't want Daddy to go! If Daddy goes, Celeste won't have a daddy anymore!"

I was spoiled by my mother and rarely cried.

But this time, I cried so hard I started hyperventilating. I couldn't catch my breath. I looked like I was about to keel over.

My dad was terrified. He forgot all about his trip. He scooped me up and rushed me to the hospital, stumbling the whole way.

Meanwhile, his subordinates set off for the airport right on schedule.

On the way, they were caught in a massive pile-up.

Everyone in the car died.

When the news reached us, my grandmother nearly fainted.

When she came to, she hugged my dad and sobbed, "My son, thank goodness you didn't go! You would have died!"

In other words, my crying fit had indirectly saved my dad's life!

4.

The next time I saw Damian Stone was when he came to the big city to try his luck. He wanted to rent my grandmother's old house.

"Trying his luck" was just a cover.

The real reason was that Evelyn Hart, that unlucky woman, had gotten a faulty ultrasound. It said she was having a boy, but she gave birth to another girl.

To get a son, Damian had quit his stable government job.

"Mira, it's you!" Damian's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw my mother.

He probably thought my mother would be miserable after he abandoned her.

But reality slapped him in the face.

My mother was even more beautiful than she'd been ten years ago. Her skin was fair and smooth. She didn't look like she'd ever had a child.

His current wife, Evelyn Hart, was five years younger than my mother.

But standing next to my mother, she looked fifteen years older!

"Vixen! Dressing like that to seduce men! Shameless!"

That wasn't from Evelyn. It was from her ten-year-old daughter, Zoe. Even at that age, she was already defending her mother.

If she hadn't been insulting my mother, I might have admired her.

After all, there's nothing wrong with protecting your mother.

I love my mother just as much. And like my dad, I'm petty. I won't let anyone slander her.

So I took my mother's hand and said firmly, "Mom, I don't like this family. We're not renting our house to them."

"No way! Mrs. Grant already said we just need to sign the contract today. If you back out now, that's a breach of contract!"

Damian was desperate to rent my grandmother's house.

The old house might be a bit dated, but it was in a great location, with easy access to everything.

My mother sneered. She pointed to the door. "No rent has been collected, and no contract has been signed. What breach of contract? Damian, take your people and your things and get out."

Damian's face turned red with rage. "Mira, you're just getting back at me! You're doing this on purpose!"

"So what? This is my house."

"I'd rather let a beggar live here for free than rent it to you, Damian Stone!"

It took ten years, but my mother finally got her revenge for being kicked out of her home.

5.

Damian's face was ashen. He demanded to see my grandmother. "I want to talk to Mrs. Grant personally!"

"My grandmother is busy. She said my mother is in charge of the house." I stood in front of my mother, meeting his gaze without flinching.

Damian froze. He stared at my face for a few seconds, finally remembering he had another daughter.

"Is this Celeste? Why is Mrs. Grant your grandmother? Mira, did you marry my daughter off to another man?"

His face twisted with anger and jealousy, as if my mother had wronged him.

His daughter?

I looked at him and his family, confused. "What are you talking about? My real father died a long time ago."

That's what my mother told me.

She said, "Your biological father died the year you were born. That's why he never showed up. The dead can't come back to life."

I nodded, understanding.

I didn't care whether my biological father was alive or dead. I had no feelings for him.

I had my dad. He raised me, he cherished me. There was no better father in the world.

Damian exploded like a bomb. He grabbed my wrist and roared, "Who said I'm dead? I'm alive and well! Open your eyes! I'm your real father!"

I felt like my hand was about to break. I was shaking from the pain.

But his words made me forget the pain. I instinctively retorted, "No, you're not! I only have one father. His name is Aaron Grant!"

My mother saw my reddened wrist and her heart clenched. "Damian, let her go!"

"Mira, you told my daughter I was dead! You made her call another man 'Dad'!"

My mother raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

"Call him 'Dad' instead of you?"

"Are you worthy, Damian?"

"Have you ever come to see her in all these years? Have you ever paid a single cent in child support?"

"And now you want to play the doting father? No way!"

"The day we got divorced, I considered you dead. Celeste doesn't have a father. Don't you dare touch my daughter!"

6.

The Stones were chased away. My mother and I had won.

My mother stared at the direction they'd gone. She hugged me tightly, as if afraid I'd disappear.

"Celeste, forget about today."

I looked up at her, confused.

"Some people are alive, but they're better off dead. Like Damian Stone. He wasn't a good husband, and he's clearly not a good father. I won't let him see you again."

Her eyes were red, her tone resolute.

She rarely showed negative emotions in front of me or interfered with my friendships.

In fact, my mother was always the reserved type.

Unlike my dad, who would openly tell me, "Celeste, you're my treasure, my princess! Daddy loves you!"

My mother never said things like that.

But I knew she loved me just as much as my dad did.

"Okay, Mom, don't cry. I'll always remember that I only have one father, Aaron Grant. I'm Aaron's daughter!" I patted my mother's back to comfort her.

My grandmother wasn't upset that the house hadn't been rented out.

"It's not like it's hard to find a tenant. We'll find someone else."

But my dad noticed something was off about my mother. After she went to take a shower, he grilled me.

"Spill it, sweetie. What happened today?"

I had promised my mother I wouldn't mention Damian at home. I hadn't even told my grandmother who he was.

Faced with my dad's questioning, I could only shake my head miserably. "Nothing, Dad."

"Who are you trying to fool? Your mother was fine when she left. Now her eyes are red. Do you think I didn't notice?" My dad rolled his eyes, calling my bluff.

My eyes widened. "But Mom put on makeup! How could you tell?"

As soon as I realized what I'd said, I clapped my hand over my mouth.

My dad pulled my hand away. "Too late. Spill it!"

Under his threats and bribes, I had to confess everything about Damian.

"That Damian dares to throw his weight around on my turf and bully my wife and child?" My dad's temper flared.

"I should have gone with you two today! I would have beaten him so badly he'd be picking his teeth off the floor!"

My dad was all bravado in front of me.

But as soon as my mother came out of the shower, he quickly hushed me, signaling me not to blow his cover.

Then he cozied up to my mother and started drying her hair.

7.

That day, our house was peaceful. Damian's appearance didn't cause any family drama.

But the Stone household wasn't so lucky.

Damian hadn't been able to rent my grandmother's house. He was also riled up by my mother. That night, he drank alone in his hotel room, drowning his sorrows.

He got drunk and started a fight. He beat Zoe.

"You little brat! Who told you to call someone a vixen? If you hadn't made Celeste angry, she would have rented us the house!"

Everything in the big city cost money. Every extra day in the hotel meant more rent.

And finding a place as good as my grandmother's house on short notice was nearly impossible.

Zoe was howling from the beating. Evelyn couldn't stand it. She rushed over to stop Damian. "Damian, are you still hung up on Mira now that she's young and pretty?"

Ever since Zoe was born and turned out not to be a son, Damian had been fooling around. He'd caused Evelyn no end of grief.

Damian was furious. "Evelyn, shut your mouth!"

"I'm not talking nonsense! The moment you recognized Mira, your eyes were glued to her. Are you regretting the divorce?"

"Too bad! She's already found a rich husband. Even your own daughter won't acknowledge you!"

Evelyn's words hit a nerve. Damian raised his hand and slapped her across the face.

"You useless woman! You can't even give me a son, and you dare to talk back to me!"

"Damian, you hit me?"

"You deserve it! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten divorced, I wouldn't have quit my job, and I wouldn't be suffering here!"

The more Damian talked, the angrier he got. His blows became more vicious.

I only knew all this because of Zoe.

Apparently, no one in their family slept that night.

Damian and Evelyn fought, and Zoe was too scared to sleep.

Zoe and I couldn't stand each other, but we ended up in the same class. Evelyn, afraid Zoe would be bullied at her new school, bribed our homeroom teacher.

So our dutiful teacher led Zoe into the classroom, scanned the room, and finally settled on the empty seat next to mine.

With a wave of her hand, Zoe became my desk mate.

"Celeste, you little monster! Because of you, I got hit by my dad for the first time!"

Zoe was full of resentment. She didn't blame Damian, the abuser. She blamed me.

I looked up at her and kindly reminded her, "You'd better be careful. My mom says hitting people, whether they're adults or kids, is domestic violence. And domestic violence only escalates."

"As long as you two vixens stay away, my dad won't hit me anymore!" Zoe seemed to have complete faith in Damian.

I didn't bother arguing. When I got home, I told my mother that Zoe was my new desk mate.

My mother's face went pale. She grabbed my hand, her voice shaking. "Why is she your desk mate? She transferred to your school?"

"Yeah, her mother brought her to register."

I had even run into Evelyn. She had glared at me viciously.

"No! You can't be desk mates! You can't even be in the same class, or the same school!"

8.

My mother decided to transfer me to a new school. She moved fast.

When she discussed it with my dad, he looked puzzled. "Isn't that a bit much? It makes it look like Celeste is afraid of them."

My dad didn't take Damian seriously at all. To him, crushing Damian was as easy as crushing an ant.

Transferring me would make us look like cowards.

My mother buried her face in my dad's chest, her eyes red. "Celeste isn't afraid of them, but I am."

"I'm afraid Damian will try to take my daughter away from me."

It was the first time my mother had shown such vulnerability in front of my dad. It broke his heart. He immediately forgot what he'd just said.

"Fine, fine. We'll transfer Celeste. Damian won't get within a foot of my daughter!"

The next day, my mother came with me to school to handle the transfer.

We ran into Damian there. He was alone. He wasn't there to see Zoe.

He was there to see me!

This time, Damian stared at me for a long time before turning to my mother. "Mira, we were married once. There's no need to make things ugly. You'll only scare Celeste."

"Damian, you're in my way. Move."

My mother didn't want to talk to him. She wouldn't even spare him a glance.

Damian, being treated like air, couldn't save face. He wasn't a patient man. Seeing my mother's stubbornness, he reached out and blocked me. "Celeste is my daughter too. I missed out on her childhood. Now that we've finally found each other, I need to make it up to her."

"What do you mean, Damian?" My mother's voice rose.

"I'm taking my daughter out to eat. I'm taking her to the amusement park. I'm buying her new clothes!"

9.

My mother was shaking with anger. I quickly patted her back to calm her down.

I turned to Damian. "I don't need you to buy me clothes. I'm tired of amusement parks. And I don't want to eat out."

"Then what do you want? Barbie dolls? Toys? Whatever you want, Daddy will buy it for you!"

Damian put on a generous air.

I don't know what had gotten into him. Instead of fussing over his other daughter, Zoe, he was trying to butter me up.

I shook my head. "I don't need anything. I have plenty of Barbie dolls. I'm not interested in toys."

We had so many empty rooms at home. I had my own walk-in closet, filled with the latest clothes and dresses my parents had bought me.

I even had a dedicated playroom, filled with all the toys I'd accumulated since I was a child.

Damian's face darkened. "Then let's just have a meal together, father and daughter."

I said bluntly, "No. I have class."

"I've said all this, and you still won't come out with me!"

I nodded. "That's right. I won't."

Damian's face turned ugly. "You're just looking down on me because I'm poorer than your new dad. Haven't you heard the saying, 'A dog doesn't mind a poor home'?"

"You're so young, and you haven't learned anything else. But you've learned to be a snob from your mother!"

Damian's voice was loud. It drew the attention of the teachers and the school administration.

They all stared at my mother and me, their gossipy eyes like sharp little knives, stabbing at us.

"Damian, you're a misogynist who forced my mother out of her home with nothing just so you could have a son. What right do you have to call us snobs?"

"If it weren't for my dad, I don't know what would have happened to my mother and me."

"You abandoned your wife and daughter, and now you're trying to turn the tables. I've never met anyone as shameless as you!"

Since I was transferring anyway, I didn't mind airing our dirty laundry in front of the teachers.

The ones who had been whispering about us now wore looks of understanding. They muttered about how Damian was a terrible person.

My mother came to her senses. She let out a cold laugh. "Celeste is right. Damian, you are shameless."

"Mom, don't bother with him. Let's go."

I tugged at my mother's hand. I didn't want to waste any more time on Damian.

Seeing this, Damian immediately turned to the teacher. "Isn't class supposed to be starting? Why are you letting Mira take my daughter out of school? What kind of management is this? Allowing students to skip class?"

The homeroom teacher rolled her eyes. "Celeste has already transferred. She's no longer a student here. Ms. Su is taking her home. We have no authority to stop her!"

"What? Mira, what do you mean? Why are you transferring my daughter?"

Damian chased after us, refusing to let it go.

My mother stopped and turned around. She looked at him expressionlessly. "Because I'm Celeste's mother. And because I have money."

Damian's face turned green. "Mira, you're ruthless. Just you wait. I'm going to make more money than Aaron!"

My mother looked at him calmly. "The last person who said that to me was Aaron's third uncle. He's seventy now, and he's working as a security guard."

10.

After we left the school, I asked my mother worriedly, "Do you think Damian will actually do something?"

Seeing how confident he was, I was a little concerned.

He was already so arrogant, and he hadn't even made any money yet.

If he actually got lucky and struck it rich, wouldn't he try to crush our family?

My mother sneered. "He's dreaming. With his personality, he'll never amount to anything!"

She sounded very sure.

But I was still worried. When I got home, I whispered to my dad for a long time. "Dad, why don't you throw a wrench in his plans?"

My dad huffed. "Do you think I'm that kind of person? I don't do sneaky things like that!"

"Then do it openly!" I urged him.

"Otherwise, if Damian makes some money and gets cocky, he might come back and try to take me away from you and Mom. Are you willing to let him take the daughter you've raised for all these years?"

My mother was legally bound to my dad. Damian couldn't do anything to her.

But with his narrow-minded personality, what if he tried to take me just to spite my parents?

I thought Damian was capable of it.

My dad's face showed a flicker of panic. "No way! You're a member of the Grant family. You have nothing to do with Damian Stone!"

"So, are you going to throw a wrench in his plans or not?"

My dad nodded. "Fine. I'll do it."

"Great, Dad. I'll be waiting for the good news."

Unfortunately, my dad never got the chance. He told me, "Damian found a college buddy to invest in a factory with him. But the guy's a crook. He has a criminal record."

"I don't even need to lift a finger. Damian is going to be in trouble soon."

It was... something else.

11.

My dad, thinking the threat from Damian was over, was in a good mood. He took my mother and me on a shopping spree.

But it wasn't for clothes or jewelry.

The old man had his eye on a new villa development in our city. He wanted to buy a villa.

We ran into Damian while we were looking at the properties.

Damian was wearing a suit and tie, his hair slicked back with gel. He looked full of himself, like a successful businessman.

Behind him, Evelyn and Zoe were also dressed in new clothes. Evelyn was sporting two thick, chunky gold bangles, as if afraid no one would know they had money.

When Evelyn saw us, she deliberately dragged Damian and Zoe over.

"Long time no see, Mira."

My mother's expression was cold. "Is there something you need?"

"I just saw you looking at villas too. We can compare notes. Maybe we'll be neighbors!" Evelyn said smugly.

I was shocked. I looked at my dad.

Didn't he say Damian was about to get into trouble?

How did he have time to look at houses? Especially such expensive villas?

My mother sneered. "Neighbors? I think you're still dreaming. It's broad daylight."

"Mira, do you think only your husband can afford a villa?" Damian looked down his nose at us.

"As it turns out, I'm just as capable. Making money is easy for me."

Evelyn chimed in, "That's right. What's so special about a villa?"

My dad nodded. He ruffled my hair. "Nothing special. It's just a graduation gift for my daughter."

"What, Aaron? Are you afraid you're going to go bankrupt? Why are you in such a hurry to buy a graduation gift for that little girl?"

Damian looked at me sideways, a look of disdain on his face.

For some reason, seeing him look at me like that actually made me feel better.

This was the normal attitude of a misogynistic man towards his daughter. I don't know what had gotten into him when he came to my school.

My dad chuckled. "College graduation is a long way off. But elementary school graduation is coming up soon. As her father, shouldn't I prepare a gift?"

The Stones' faces turned green in unison.

My dad smiled. He turned to the real estate agent. "I'll take this one and the one on the left. One for my daughter's graduation gift, and one for my wife and me."

The agent beamed. "Of course, Mr. Grant. I'll take care of everything!"

Damian's face was twisted with envy. He sneered, "You should buy her something. If it weren't for my daughter, you wouldn't be where you are today, Aaron."

"Damian, no one asked for your opinion." My mother scolded him.

"Mira, you can't say that."

"You said Celeste was born under a lucky star, that she had wealth in her fate. It seems that blind fortune-teller was right. Look at how much money Aaron has made, thanks to my daughter."

"But I'm different. I don't need my daughter's luck. I can make my own money!"

Just as Damian finished speaking, his phone rang.

He pulled it out and looked at the screen. His smug expression grew even more pronounced. "See? Another money-making opportunity. When luck comes, you can't stop it."

Damian answered the phone right in front of us, shouting into it. "Xiao Liang? Didn't I tell you I'm looking at houses today? Why are you bothering me with this? Find the deputy general manager!"

Whatever was said on the other end of the line, Damian's expression suddenly changed. "What did you say?"

My dad squeezed my hand, signaling that the show was about to begin.

Damian hung up the phone, got into a nearby car, and drove off.

"Damian, what's wrong? We haven't signed for the villa yet!" Evelyn rushed after him.

Damian's face was full of impatience. "There's something at the company I need to handle. We'll sign another day."

12.

Damian's business partner never gave him a chance to sign for the villa.

The man cleaned out the company, took his wife and kids, and fled. He left Damian with a huge mess and millions in bank loans.

"He took out a bank loan?"

Millions was no small amount.

My dad nodded. "It was his partner's doing. I don't know how he talked him into it, but Damian went and took out a loan."

"I thought it would take a few more months for the whole thing to blow up. I didn't expect it to happen so soon."

Damian hadn't just borrowed from the bank. He'd also borrowed from his relatives and friends.

His college buddy had been dressed to the nines, looking very wealthy. He had completely fooled Damian.

Damian's entrepreneurial venture was a complete failure.

And it had left him with a mountain of debt.

But soon, I didn't have time to worry about him anymore.

My mother was pregnant.

All our attention shifted to her.

Over the years, because my mother and father hadn't had any children together, those relatives never stopped gossiping.

"Celeste is pretty and smart, but she's not a Grant by blood."

"Aaron's business is booming. Is he going to leave it all to a girl?"

They no longer called my mother an "old hag."

But the fact that she hadn't given my father a child was still a source of criticism.

They even whispered among themselves, wondering if my mother was infertile.

Now that my mother was pregnant, those relatives were even more excited than we were.

They looked at my father with satisfaction. "Aaron, you can rest easy now. You've finally got a child after all these years of marriage."

Of course, they didn't let me off the hook either.

"Celeste, you're a big girl now. You're going to be a big sister. You have to take care of your little brother."

I thought it was hilarious. "Who said it's a brother?"

The relatives' faces stiffened. "Is it a sister?"

"What's wrong with a sister?"

"Nothing. A sister is fine. You can always try for a brother. Your father has money. He can have ten or eight more if he wants."

My dad walked over, his face dark. "Ten or eight? Do you think my wife is a sow?"

The relatives knew my dad's temper. They toned it down in front of him.

"Haha, Aaron, don't be mad. We were just joking."

"That's not a funny joke."

"Don't say things like that in front of Celeste anymore, or I'll get angry." My dad's tone was stern. It was a clear warning.

"Whether this child is a boy or a girl, we're not having any more."

"Celeste and this child will split the inheritance equally. Whoever is more capable will take over the company."

The relatives gasped.

They didn't say anything, but their eyes said they thought my dad had lost his mind.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can go now."

My dad chased them away. He scratched his head, pulled me down on the couch, and talked to me about having a sibling for the first time.

"Your mother and I weren't planning on having any more children. This one was a surprise." My dad looked a little hesitant.

"Dad, you don't have to be so nervous." I tried to comfort him.

I completely believed my dad.

If he had wanted to have another child, he would have had plenty of time and opportunities over the past ten years. He wouldn't have waited until I was old enough to understand.

My dad sighed, a look of worry on his face. "I'm just worried you'll be upset. I need to be clear with you."

"Your mother wasn't trying to get pregnant. I was drinking around that time. I don't know if the baby will be okay."

I said, "Don't scare yourself. It'll be fine!"

Actually, I was happy my mother was pregnant.

I didn't mind having a younger sibling.

My dad had always led by example. He had given me more than enough security.

"I'll love my little brother or sister, just like I love you, Dad."

13.

Just before my mother was due, Damian showed up again, after being silent for so long.

This time, he came straight to my new school. He found my homeroom teacher and asked to see me.

I thought it was my dad. When I saw it was Damian, I turned around and walked away.

"Celeste, don't go! I haven't talked to you yet."

I ignored him. What was there to talk about?

Shouldn't he be working, trying to pay off his debts? Why was he wasting his time at my school?

"I heard your mother is pregnant again." Damian followed me, chattering away.

"I heard it's a son."

When he mentioned a son, his voice was full of envy.

He still hadn't managed to have a son, and now my mother was pregnant with one.

I laughed. I turned around and looked at Damian, who was wearing a wrinkled shirt. "What does that have to do with you?"

"Celeste, you're young. You don't know how much trouble a baby can be. Once your little brother is born, there won't be any room for you in the Grant family. Your stepfather might say all the right things now, but once he has his own son, do you think he'll care about you?"

"So you came all this way just to stir up trouble?"

Damian shook his head, stubbornly denying it. "I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid you'll suffer in the Grant family."

"You should worry about yourself first."

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. But I can't stop worrying about you. Celeste, you can't rely on your mother and your stepfather anymore. The Grant family won't accept you. Come back to me."

Damian's eyes flickered. He suddenly dropped a bombshell.

"What are you talking about?"

I thought it was absurd.

Was Damian out of his mind? Where did he get the nerve to say something like that?

"Don't look at me like that, Celeste. You and Aaron aren't related by blood. That will never change. A stepfather is just a stepfather!"

Damian rambled on and on, asking me if I understood.

I laughed. "My stepfather bought me a house and a lot of jewelry."

"You're my biological father. What have you ever given me?"

Damian scoffed. "I can buy you a house and jewelry too..."

"Great! Take me to buy some right now. Buy me two villas first. Then I'll go back to the Stone family with you."

Damian's voice faltered. "My money is tied up right now. I need a couple of days..."

Even now, he was still pretending to be rich.

I sneered inwardly, but my voice was calm. "If you can't afford it, that's fine. I'm doing pretty well in the Grant family. I have plenty to eat and wear. My dad even gave me shares in the company. I'll inherit them when I turn eighteen."

Damian was furious. His face was purple with rage. "I said I just need a couple of days! Why are you so materialistic?"

"I learned it from you. You divorced my mother because she couldn't give you a son."

"If you can't afford to buy me a house, I won't acknowledge you."

It couldn't have been more blunt. He was so angry he raised his hand to hit me. "What did you say? Say it again, Celeste!"

"If you dare to hit me, my dad will break your hand. Do you believe me?"

I even took a step forward, staring at his huge hand.

He didn't hit me. He lowered his hand and finally showed his true colors.

"You little brat! Ungrateful wretch! A waste of money!"

"If I'm such a waste of money, why do you want me back in the Stone family? Damian, you actually believe what my mother said, don't you? You think I bring good luck, that I can make