Chapter 1

At the Smith Mansion.

John Smith placed the stack of cash he had prepared earlier on the table and pushed it towards Alexandra Smith, who was sitting across from him.

"That's thirty grand for your tuition."

His gaze was serious, and his tone carried a hint of finality. "This is the last thing we can do for you. Take the money and go."

"John!" A sharp voice interrupted Alexandra's thoughts. Clara Williams rushed over and snatched the cash off the table. "She's not part of our family anymore! Why are you giving her so much money!?"

"Clara, she was our daughter for eighteen years."

John sighed heavily, a trace of reluctance in his eyes.

Clara clutched the money tightly to her chest. "She's no longer our daughter! If she hadn't taken Megan's place, Megan wouldn't have ended up suffering out there! It breaks my heart just thinking about it!"

"Megan recently had her eye on a handbag that costs exactly thirty thousand dollars! This money can't go to Alexandra! It has to be saved for Megan's bag!"

The woman in front of Alexandra was the person she had called "Mom" for eighteen years.

Half a month ago, Clara had fallen seriously ill and urgently needed a bone marrow transplant to survive.

Alexandra was the first to get tested, only to be told that she had no blood relation to Clara.

She wasn't a Smith. She wasn't John and Clara's daughter.

This revelation shocked everyone.

But with Clara's life hanging in the balance, the Smith family immediately launched a search and found Megan.

Megan's blood type matched Clara's perfectly, and a DNA test confirmed that Megan, a girl from the countryside, was indeed their daughter.

Alexandra, on the other hand, had no relation to them.

After Clara was discharged from the hospital, she immediately had people investigate and found Alexandra's biological family, planning to send her away.

Today was the day Alexandra was leaving.

"Alexandra's biological parents live in Willowbrook, a poor and remote place where they struggle to make ends meet. She has three brothers, all unmarried, and the youngest is still in school. The family's financial burden is enormous! If she goes there, they probably won't be able to afford her education. We've raised her for eighteen years; the least we can do is ensure she finishes school."

John's tone carried a hint of helplessness, but Clara's gaze was sharp.

"We've done more than enough by raising her for eighteen years! Megan lost all the love and care she deserved because of her. Now she wants to take more? No way!"

Clara didn't even want to look at Alexandra. "Get out! Once you're with your poor parents, your fate is your own! It has nothing to do with us anymore!"

Alexandra stood up, her expression calm. "Dad, I'm leaving."

"Alexandra." As Alexandra turned to leave, Megan hurriedly chased after her, reaching out to grab her. But Megan stumbled and fell to the ground.

Clara rushed over, distressed. "Megan, are you okay?"

Megan, tears in her eyes from the pain, clutched Clara's hand. "Mom, if Alexandra doesn't have this money, she won't be able to go to school! I don't need the bag. Give the money to Alexandra!"

"Miss Megan Smith is so kind-hearted! Even now, she's thinking of others!" the housekeeper couldn't help but remark.

Clara turned to Alexandra, her eyes blazing with anger. "It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, Megan wouldn't have fallen! You've taken eighteen years of Megan's life, isn't that enough? What more do you want?"

"Mom! Don't say that about Alexandra. She didn't do it on purpose!" Megan quickly intervened, taking the money from Clara's arms. Despite the pain, she got up and handed it to Alexandra. "Alexandra, take this money. Study hard and don't let Dad and Mom down."

Seeing Megan's fake sincerity made Alexandra feel sick. She slapped the money out of Megan's hand, and the bills scattered in the air, falling all over the floor.

Megan looked shocked. "Alexandra, what are you doing?"

Clara, furious, rushed forward, ready to hit her, but Alexandra quickly grabbed her arm. "I'm not your daughter anymore. You have no right to hit me."

"Alexandra, don't go too far," John, who had been silent, finally spoke up, clearly displeased. "Megan is trying to help you. How can you act like this?"

"Are you jealous that Megan is our biological daughter, and that's why you're so hostile towards her?" Clara pulled her arm back. "Alexandra, you've had a good life, receiving our care and love for years. Now it's time to give back everything you took from Megan!"

"Jealous of her? Ridiculous." Alexandra scoffed and turned to leave.

But Megan quickly picked up some of the money, stumbling as she ran after Alexandra, stuffing it into her pockets. "Alexandra, I'm sorry. Don't blame Mom and Dad."

"Megan! You're too kind! She doesn't deserve your pity!" Clara was heartbroken. "She's no longer your sister. She doesn't deserve it!"

Alexandra couldn't be bothered with this family anymore and walked towards the door. Megan still chased after her, with Clara and John worriedly following behind.

As they stepped outside, a car pulled up, kicking up dust as it stopped at the entrance. The car was old and battered, with dents and scratches all over.

Everyone was stunned. They had never seen such a rundown car!

A disheveled middle-aged man got out of the driver's seat, looking exhausted. He hurried over and opened the back door. But the next second, the door fell off in his hands.

He turned to the group, his smile becoming awkward. "Uh, there was a little accident just now." He quickly went to the trunk, pulling out some gifts he had prepared. The bumpy ride had left the gift boxes battered and broken.

He brought the pile of "junk" to John and Clara, offering a shy smile. "I'm really sorry for the delay. These are gifts for you, to thank you for raising Miss Alexandra Smith."

Looking at the disheveled man and the pile of broken gifts, Clara's face was full of disdain. She stepped back behind John.

This man must be Alexandra's biological father. They had heard her family was poor, but they hadn't expected it to be this bad! The man looked like a laborer, and with the beat-up car and the pile of junk in his hands, it was clear they were dirt poor!