The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity

The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity

You Xi

5.0
Comment(s)
480
View
200
Chapters

For ten years, I lived as the "grateful orphan" in the Barnes manor, a shadow in their glittering world who endured every silent scoff and cold dismissal. I thought I had earned my place through silence and dedication, but I was nothing more than a charity project they were finally ready to discard. At dinner, Richard slid a thick envelope across the marble table and told me my "biological parents" from a rural wasteland were coming to pick me up the next morning. It was a hundred-thousand-dollar severance package, a final payment to buy my disappearance and ensure their social circle remained untainted by my presence. The exit turned into a nightmare when Mia tried to frame me for stealing a diamond necklace during a fake goodbye hug. Susan shrieked that I was a common thief, and Richard snatched the check back, sneering that I didn't deserve a single cent of their mercy. They mocked my tattered sweaters and my medical textbooks, laughing as they predicted I would end up begging for scraps on the street. I stood in the driveway with my single, scuffed suitcase, listening to their cruel laughter ring out from the porch. They wanted to see me crumble, to see the "charity case" break down in tears as they pushed me into the gutter, never realizing that the ten years I spent with them was merely a test of their character-one they had failed miserably. The mockery stopped the moment a battered, bullet-riddled Rolls Royce Phantom roared onto the gravel. An impeccably dressed butler stepped out and bowed deeply, his voice booming across the lawn as he addressed me by the name they had never heard. "Miss Pennington, the Board of Directors is waiting for your arrival to finalize the takeover." The color drained from the Barnes' faces as I stepped into the car, leaving behind the girl they thought they knew. I wasn't going to a farm; I was going to the boardroom of the Pennington Group to sign the papers that would strip the Barnes family of everything they owned by sunset.

The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity Chapter 1 1

The sound of Richard Barnes's knife scraping against the porcelain plate was a violence all its own. It cut through the silence of the dining room, a high-pitched screech that made the fine hairs on Ophelia's arms stand up. She didn't look up from her plate, but she could feel the weight of the air in the room. It was heavy, suffocating, pressing against her chest like a physical hand.

Susan dabbed the corner of her mouth with a silk napkin, her movements precise and practiced. Her eyes flicked over Ophelia's sweater-a charcoal wool blend that had seen better days-and a tiny, almost imperceptible scoff escaped her throat. It wasn't loud enough to be an insult, but quiet enough to be a dismissal.

"So, Ophelia," Mia chirped, her voice too bright, too sweet for the gloom of the room. She twirled a forkful of pasta, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "Have you thought about what you're going to do? After... well, you know."

Ophelia finally lifted her gaze. Mia was smiling, but the expression didn't reach her eyes. It was a predator's smile, sharp and waiting for blood.

"I'll figure it out," Ophelia said, her voice steady. "I always do."

Richard set his knife down with a clatter. He cleared his throat, a wet, nervous sound. His hand went to the inside pocket of his suit jacket, and he pulled out a thick, cream-colored envelope. He placed it on the marble table and slid it across the smooth surface. It spun slowly, coming to a stop just inches from Ophelia's water glass.

Ophelia didn't reach for it. She just stared at Richard. Her stillness was a weapon, and she knew how to use it. Richard shifted in his seat, his face flushing a mottled red.

"It's a severance package, of sorts," Richard said, refusing to meet her eyes. He looked at the centerpiece instead. "To help you get settled. Your... biological parents contacted us. They'll be here tomorrow to pick you up."

"Those people are from the middle of nowhere," Susan interjected, taking a sip of her wine. "Farmers, or something equally tragic. You'll need every penny in that envelope, Ophelia. God knows they probably can't afford to feed another mouth."

Ophelia reached out, her long, slender fingers pressing down on the envelope. She could feel the paper beneath her skin, cool and crisp. She didn't hurry. She slid her thumb under the flap and tore it open. The sound was loud in the quiet room.

She pulled out the check. One hundred thousand dollars.

Susan leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with expectation. She wanted gratitude. She wanted tears. She wanted Ophelia to crumble.

Ophelia flicked the edge of the check with her fingernail. Snap.

"A little less than I expected for ten years of playing the grateful orphan," Ophelia said, her tone bored. "But it's enough to buy some peace and quiet."

The silence that followed was absolute.

Richard slammed his hand on the table, the silverware jumping. "You ungrateful little-! We took you in! We fed you!"

Ophelia's eyes snapped to his. The coldness in them was absolute, a frozen lake that Richard suddenly realized he was standing on. He faltered, his mouth hanging open.

Mia let out a small, frightened squeak and shrank against her mother, peeking at Ophelia through her lashes. Ophelia didn't even look at her.

The chair legs scraped against the hardwood floor-a harsh, grinding noise-as Ophelia stood up.

"I accept the arrangement," she said. "I'll start packing tonight."

"Don't bother taking the furniture," Susan spat. "None of that junk is worth moving."

"Some things are worth more than money, Susan," Ophelia said quietly.

She turned and walked out of the dining room. Her footsteps were steady, rhythmic. Behind her, she heard Susan start to curse, a low stream of vitriol, but Ophelia felt nothing. Her heart rate hadn't even spiked.

She climbed the stairs to the guest room-the smallest room in the manor, the one with the drafty window. She closed the door and locked it.

From under the bed, she dragged out an old leather suitcase. It was scuffed and worn, the only thing she truly owned. She didn't go for her clothes. Instead, she walked to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick medical textbook. From the hollowed-out center of the pages, she removed a black, encrypted hard drive.

She placed it in the hidden lining of the suitcase, her fingers brushing the cold metal.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out. The screen showed an encrypted number.

She answered. "Yes."

"Miss Pennington," a voice said. It was Arthur. His voice was shaking slightly, thick with emotion. "We are ready."

"Stick to the plan, Arthur," Ophelia whispered. "Tomorrow."

Downstairs, Mia's laughter rang out, shrill and mocking. They were celebrating.

Ophelia walked to the window and looked out at the moonlit grounds. She turned back to the room and began tossing heavy books into the suitcase-German anatomy texts, Latin surgical guides.

The door handle jiggled, then the lock clicked. Mia stood in the doorway, swinging a spare key on her finger.

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't stealing the silver," Mia said, stepping into the room. She sat on Ophelia's bed, bouncing slightly, claiming the space. "God, you're going to be so miserable. I hear the water in that town tastes like rust."

Ophelia continued to fold a sweater, her back to Mia. "Get out."

"Make me." Mia kicked the small wastebasket by the desk, sending trash spilling across the floor.

Ophelia turned. She moved so fast it was a blur. One second she was by the suitcase, the next she was looming over Mia. She didn't touch her, but she leaned in close, her shadow swallowing the girl.

"Don't make me leave you a parting gift you can't wash off," Ophelia said. Her voice was a low hum, vibrating with a threat that felt very, very real.

Mia's eyes widened. She scrambled back, nearly falling off the bed. The air in the room felt suddenly thin.

"You're crazy," Mia whispered. She stood up, trying to regain her composure, smoothing her skirt with trembling hands. "We'll see who's laughing tomorrow."

She stormed out, slamming the door so hard the frame rattled.

Ophelia walked to the door and threw the deadbolt. She went back to the suitcase, checking the lining one last time. Then, she picked up the check Richard had given her.

She opened a book on neurosurgery and slipped the check between pages 402 and 403. A bookmark. That was all it was.

She turned off the light. In the darkness, her eyes were open, staring at the ceiling.

"Game on," she whispered.

Continue Reading

Other books by You Xi

More

You'll also like

HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION(An Erotic Billionaire Romance)

HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION(An Erotic Billionaire Romance)

Viviene
4.9

Trigger/Content Warning: This story contains mature themes and explicit content intended for adult audiences(18+). Reader discretion is advised. It includes elements such as BDSM dynamics, explicit sexual content, toxic family relationships, occasional violence and strong language. This is not a fluffy romance. It is intense, raw and messy, and explores the darker side of desire. ***** "Take off your dress, Meadow." "Why?" "Because your ex is watching," he said, leaning back into his seat. "And I want him to see what he lost." ••••*••••*••••* Meadow Russell was supposed to get married to the love of her life in Vegas. Instead, she walked in on her twin sister riding her fiance. One drink at the bar turned to ten. One drunken mistake turned into reality. And one stranger's offer turned into a contract that she signed with shaking hands and a diamond ring. Alaric Ashford is the devil in a tailored Tom Ford suit. Billionaire CEO, brutal, possessive. A man born into an empire of blood and steel. He also suffers from a neurological condition-he can't feel. Not objects, not pain, not even human touch. Until Meadow touches him, and he feels everything. And now he owns her. On paper and in his bed. She wants him to ruin her. Take what no one else could have. He wants control, obedience... revenge. But what starts as a transaction slowly turns into something Meadow never saw coming. Obsession, secrets that were never meant to surface, and a pain from the past that threatens to break everything. Alaric doesn't share what's his. Not his company. Not his wife. And definitely not his vengeance.

I Slapped My Fiancé-Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

I Slapped My Fiancé-Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

Jessica C. Dolan
4.9

Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé. Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now-billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn't mind. I'd crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one? Wrong. One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That's when it hit me-he didn't love me. He didn't even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn't even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup. So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster-my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise. Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol. Enter him. Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I'd met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes. It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised. But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. And, as it turned out, the best decision I'd ever made. Because my one-night stand isn't just some random guy. He's richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with. And now, he's not letting me go.

He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

SHANA GRAY
4.5

The sterile white of the operating room blurred, then sharpened, as Skye Sterling felt the cold clawing its way up her body. The heart monitor flatlined, a steady, high-pitched whine announcing her end. Her uterus had been removed, a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but the blood wouldn't clot. It just kept flowing, warm and sticky, pooling beneath her. Through heavy eyes, she saw a trembling nurse holding a phone on speaker. "Mr. Kensington," the nurse's voice cracked, "your wife... she's critical." A pause, then a sweet, poisonous giggle. Seraphina Miller. "Liam is in the shower," Seraphina's voice purred. "Stop calling, Skye. It's pathetic. Faking a medical emergency on our anniversary? Even for you, that's low." Then, Liam's bored voice: "If she dies, call the funeral home. I have a meeting in the morning." Click. The line went dead. A second later, so did Skye. The darkness that followed was absolute, suffocating, a black ocean crushing her lungs. She screamed into the void, a silent, agonizing wail of regret for loving a man who saw her as a nuisance, for dying without ever truly living. Until she died, she didn't understand. Why was her life so tragically wasted? Why did her husband, the man she loved, abandon her so cruelly? The injustice of it all burned hotter than the fever in her body. Then, the air rushed back in. Skye gasped, her body convulsing violently on the mattress. Her eyes flew open, wide and terrified, staring blindly into the darkness. Her trembling hand reached for her phone. May 12th. Five years ago. She was back.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book
The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity The Unwanted Daughter's Secret Billionaire Identity You Xi Modern
“For ten years, I lived as the "grateful orphan" in the Barnes manor, a shadow in their glittering world who endured every silent scoff and cold dismissal. I thought I had earned my place through silence and dedication, but I was nothing more than a charity project they were finally ready to discard. At dinner, Richard slid a thick envelope across the marble table and told me my "biological parents" from a rural wasteland were coming to pick me up the next morning. It was a hundred-thousand-dollar severance package, a final payment to buy my disappearance and ensure their social circle remained untainted by my presence. The exit turned into a nightmare when Mia tried to frame me for stealing a diamond necklace during a fake goodbye hug. Susan shrieked that I was a common thief, and Richard snatched the check back, sneering that I didn't deserve a single cent of their mercy. They mocked my tattered sweaters and my medical textbooks, laughing as they predicted I would end up begging for scraps on the street. I stood in the driveway with my single, scuffed suitcase, listening to their cruel laughter ring out from the porch. They wanted to see me crumble, to see the "charity case" break down in tears as they pushed me into the gutter, never realizing that the ten years I spent with them was merely a test of their character-one they had failed miserably. The mockery stopped the moment a battered, bullet-riddled Rolls Royce Phantom roared onto the gravel. An impeccably dressed butler stepped out and bowed deeply, his voice booming across the lawn as he addressed me by the name they had never heard. "Miss Pennington, the Board of Directors is waiting for your arrival to finalize the takeover." The color drained from the Barnes' faces as I stepped into the car, leaving behind the girl they thought they knew. I wasn't going to a farm; I was going to the boardroom of the Pennington Group to sign the papers that would strip the Barnes family of everything they owned by sunset.”
1

Chapter 1 1

09/02/2026

2

Chapter 2 2

09/02/2026

3

Chapter 3 3

09/02/2026

4

Chapter 4 4

09/02/2026

5

Chapter 5 5

09/02/2026

6

Chapter 6 6

09/02/2026

7

Chapter 7 7

09/02/2026

8

Chapter 8 8

09/02/2026

9

Chapter 9 9

09/02/2026

10

Chapter 10 10

09/02/2026

11

Chapter 11 11

09/02/2026

12

Chapter 12 12

09/02/2026

13

Chapter 13 13

09/02/2026

14

Chapter 14 14

09/02/2026

15

Chapter 15 15

09/02/2026

16

Chapter 16 16

09/02/2026

17

Chapter 17 17

09/02/2026

18

Chapter 18 18

09/02/2026

19

Chapter 19 19

09/02/2026

20

Chapter 20 20

09/02/2026

21

Chapter 21 21

09/02/2026

22

Chapter 22 22

09/02/2026

23

Chapter 23 23

09/02/2026

24

Chapter 24 24

09/02/2026

25

Chapter 25 25

09/02/2026

26

Chapter 26 26

09/02/2026

27

Chapter 27 27

09/02/2026

28

Chapter 28 28

09/02/2026

29

Chapter 29 29

09/02/2026

30

Chapter 30 30

09/02/2026

31

Chapter 31 31

09/02/2026

32

Chapter 32 32

09/02/2026

33

Chapter 33 33

09/02/2026

34

Chapter 34 34

09/02/2026

35

Chapter 35 35

09/02/2026

36

Chapter 36 36

09/02/2026

37

Chapter 37 37

09/02/2026

38

Chapter 38 38

09/02/2026

39

Chapter 39 39

09/02/2026

40

Chapter 40 40

09/02/2026