The Heiress They Underestimated

The Heiress They Underestimated

Gavin

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I am Avelia Sterling, the sole heir to Sterling Media. Yet, whispers followed me everywhere: a woman couldn't lead, I needed one of the three "candidates" my father picked. For years, I foolishly held a secret hope for Ethan Clark, trying to earn his attention. Then, I overheard him on his knees, his voice thick with emotion-not for me, but for Bella White, our housekeeper's daughter. He vowed to marry her once he gained control of Sterling Media, calling his arrangement with me a mere "charade" to repay my father. My entire world crumbled, replaced by a bitter reality. Bella, the innocent victim, exploited every opportunity to frame me, from a broken keychain to a shattered family heirloom. Ethan, Noah, and Lucas, my intended protectors, always circled her, ready to condemn me, even when I found my own birthday gift, the state-of-the-art Starbright Arts Center, had been used by them to promote *her* "art." Why did they always believe her crocodile tears? How could they be so blind, so eager to paint me as the villain while she systematically undermined me? The injustice was a suffocating weight. At my birthday gala, it all culminated: Bella, feigning injury, screamed I'd sent thugs after her. Noah, in a fit of rage, struck me across the face. Then, Ethan, with infuriating martyrdom, offered to marry me-not out of love, but "to control" me and "protect Bella." My heart, already a stone, hardened further. Through the stinging pain, I met his gaze. "That won't be necessary, Ethan," I said, my voice cutting through the silent ballroom. "I'm already engaged." Just then, the grand doors swung open, and the man they called "the cripple" wheeled in.

Introduction

I am Avelia Sterling, the sole heir to Sterling Media. Yet, whispers followed me everywhere: a woman couldn't lead, I needed one of the three "candidates" my father picked. For years, I foolishly held a secret hope for Ethan Clark, trying to earn his attention.

Then, I overheard him on his knees, his voice thick with emotion-not for me, but for Bella White, our housekeeper's daughter. He vowed to marry her once he gained control of Sterling Media, calling his arrangement with me a mere "charade" to repay my father.

My entire world crumbled, replaced by a bitter reality. Bella, the innocent victim, exploited every opportunity to frame me, from a broken keychain to a shattered family heirloom. Ethan, Noah, and Lucas, my intended protectors, always circled her, ready to condemn me, even when I found my own birthday gift, the state-of-the-art Starbright Arts Center, had been used by them to promote *her* "art."

Why did they always believe her crocodile tears? How could they be so blind, so eager to paint me as the villain while she systematically undermined me? The injustice was a suffocating weight.

At my birthday gala, it all culminated: Bella, feigning injury, screamed I'd sent thugs after her. Noah, in a fit of rage, struck me across the face. Then, Ethan, with infuriating martyrdom, offered to marry me-not out of love, but "to control" me and "protect Bella." My heart, already a stone, hardened further.

Through the stinging pain, I met his gaze. "That won't be necessary, Ethan," I said, my voice cutting through the silent ballroom. "I'm already engaged." Just then, the grand doors swung open, and the man they called "the cripple" wheeled in.

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Tomorrow was supposed to be my divorce day, marking the end of a three-year contract marriage to Olivia Hayes, the woman I hopelessly loved. But tonight, walking into Liam Peterson' s lavish penthouse, I found myself facing the man who' d effortlessly stolen my life, and the woman I called my wife. I' d just signed away my rights to her, believing it was for her well-being, only to be told by Liam that my entire marriage was a sham, a mere placeholder until he returned. He bragged about how Olivia despised my touch, how every thoughtful gesture she made-from the white roses to redecorating my office-was secretly a homage to him. Each revelation was a calculated strike, exposing me as the ultimate fool. The world tilted as I stumbled out, the image of Olivia' s social media post-her hand intertwined with his, declaring "Finally back where I belong. #truelove #reunited"-searing into my soul. I was nothing to her, less than nothing. But later, when Olivia' s grandfather beat me savagely for defending her honor, and I saw her obliviously texting Liam outside, something inside me snapped. The pain, the humiliation, the years of one-sided devotion-it all coalesced into a cold, hard resolve. I would no longer be a ghost in my own life. I would leave, taking what was left of my shattered heart, and build a new life for myself, without Olivia Hayes. Then, she called, frantic that Liam was cold. She demanded I give him the cashmere coat I bought as a symbol of my own hard-won success. The old me would have handed it over, but that man was dead. I' d give her the coat, but it would be the very last thing I ever gave her.

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