She is the Fake Daughter

Name: She is the Fake Daughter
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Modern | Completed

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I never thought that on the day I saw my parents again, I would be embraced by a facade. When my biological parents found me with their adopted daughter, I was handing out flyers by the roadside under the scorching sun. They hesitated to hug me, yet were genuinely warm and cheerful while inquiring about others.

Family Reunion Sibling

Chapter 8

05-15 15:04

Chapter 1

Shaun Barlow and Yolanda Barlow came to find me while I was desperately trying to hand out flyers with smiles.

Under the scorching sun, I stepped into the mall. After being rejected multiple times, I set the stack of flyers aside and pulled out a tissue to wipe the sweat streaming down my face.

Just as I was about to grab the water bottle from my bag for a much-needed drink, I heard an uncertain voice call out, "Shirley?"

I turned around and saw a couple whose refined demeanor was tinged with an air of discomfort.

I guessed this must be my biological parents, who had contacted me over the phone the night before.

I nodded slowly in response, and Yolanda rushed forward, gripping my hands tightly as if trying to bridge the years of separation. Her voice trembled with emotion as she poured out her longing for me and the joy of finally being reunited with me.

Shaun patted my shoulder and handed me the DNA test results confirming our blood relationship.

Shaun, his joy carefully restrained, said he hoped I would get along well with the elegant young woman beside him, who was named Irene Barlow and their adopted daughter, according to his introduction.

Their enthusiasm left me feeling a bit overwhelmed. I glanced at Irene with a mix of curiosity and anticipation, hoping for some connection with this family I had never met before.

But Irene merely cast a disdainful glance at me, crossing her arms and refusing to talk to me.

Yolanda quickly let go of my hands and turned her attention to Irene, affectionately brushing aside the strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead. "You're a grown woman now, so you should comport yourself with maturity."

I pressed my lips together, my hands still in the position of being held.

Shaun asked me to be understanding. "Irene isn't very good with words," he said, brushing the matter aside.

Amid their harmonious family interactions, I felt like an intruder, disconnected and unwelcome. My heart grew cold, and the fragile hope I had for familial connection shattered.

They offered a hug that I no longer cared to receive as if they finally remembered me and were trying to make amends.

Not far away, a petite figure slowly approached.

Yolanda's eyes lit up with excitement as she greeted her warmly. "This must be Kara! I've heard you and Shirley have been best friends since childhood. What a wonderful girl you are!"

Yolanda's gaze was filled with tenderness and love, and she was showering Kara with her unrestrained affection.

Shaun, standing nearby, tried to reassure me. "We've been searching for you all these years. So your mom is kind to the girls about your age."

But then he turned to Kara, showering her with concern. I felt again that they were like a family while I was an outsider.

Kara looked visibly uncomfortable, signaling to me for help.

I finally took a sip of the water I'd been holding onto, soothing my parched throat and moistening my lips.

Interrupting their conversation, I asked Kara if she was feeling better.

Later that afternoon, after I finished my part-time job, Kara messaged me, saying she wasn't feeling well and needed to use the restroom. She asked if I could help cover for her.

"Thanks so much, Shirley! I'll head back to work now!" Kara hurriedly grabbed the flyers, biting her pale lips as she prepared to leave.

But Yolanda stopped her immediately. "Kara, your lips are turning white, and you shouldn't push yourself like this. How much can you even earn handing out flyers? Your health is far more important!"

Despite Yolanda's concern, Kara insisted she was fine and needed to finish distributing the flyers.

Yolanda turned to me with a hint of dissatisfaction in her gaze. "Shirley, Kara is your friend. She's clearly unwell, and yet you're standing by and doing nothing for her?"

Shaun's eyes carried a subtle judgment, as if examining my morality.

Even under the blazing summer sun, I felt an icy chill seep into my heart, which twisted into a bitter laugh. I fixed my gaze on Yolanda, searching her expression for something amiss. "Mrs. Barlow, she's an independent human. I'm neither her boss, who can dictate her work, nor her mother, who needs to coddle her."

Besides, Kara and I were together not by choice but by the demands of a mysterious benefactor.

Irene seemed puzzled at my words, tugging at Yolanda's arm for an explanation, but Yolanda ignored her completely.

My doubts about this couple deepened, and my interest in recognizing them as my parents waned. But Yolanda's expression shifted, and she quickly adopted a motherly tone. "Why do you still call me Mrs. Barlow? I was just so eager to learn about your life and your friends. Can you forgive me for that?"

Before I could respond, a voice chimed in from the side. "It's all my fault. Shirley was just reunited with you, and now I've caused misunderstandings between you guys. It's all my fault!"