Thanks to my dad's work, I have to transfer schools. Soon, I go to my new school to register for my enrolment.

After submitting my personal information, the teacher in charge shoots me an odd look.

"Is your father Mr. Chapman, the new shareholder? His child should have enrolled with us a long time ago. In fact, his daughter is half a year older than you. You're not that person at all…"

Stunned, I dig out my phone and show my photo with my dad to the teacher.

She glances at the photo before showing me the system window.

"Mr. Chapman's daughter has been studying in this school since the first term. He even donated a library to the school recently. This is a photo the school board has taken. You can take a look yourself."

In the photo, my dad and an unfamiliar student can be seen standing at the school's bulletin board.

That young lady looks as old as I do. Her features are similar to my dad's. In fact, she resembles him more than I do!

If they are an actual father and daughter pair, then who am I?

"Mr. Chapman's daughter is an honor student and the president of the student council, yet you think you can impersonate her?

"You'd best check your attitude and learn your place, young lady. Our school has no place for a student like you!"

The teacher in charge looked annoyed with me, regarding me as if I were a degenerate. She flapped her hand to dismiss me, and when I finally snapped out of my daze, I found myself shooed out of the office.

When the students passing by noticed I'd been thrown out of the office, they began to whisper among themselves. But all I could think about was that promotional picture I'd seen, my questions multiplying.

The man in that picture was my father, Gregory Chapman—that much I was certain. But why was he being portrayed as another young lady's father?

Had he betrayed Mom and me? Had he been secretly raising an illegitimate child?

I was furious and perplexed. Without further delay, I called my father, ready to confront him. But all that answered me on the other end of the line was an automated voice, telling me the line was busy.

I sent him countless texts, but those went unanswered, too.

What the heck was going on? Had my dad blocked my number?

It was only a second later that I remembered he'd been going to the next town for business. It was why I'd shown up for admission alone.

Dad told me the company had recently reached a pivotal stage. He could hardly catch a break, often going out early in the morning and coming home late at night.

It had been a while since I last saw him. He was probably in a meeting at this hour or inspecting a construction site.

Because I couldn't get in touch with Dad, I had no choice but to delay my admission until he returned. I'd never forgive him if he truly did have another family!

Dad finally called me when I got home.

"Hey, sweetheart. I was doing inspection work on-site earlier. What's up?" Dad switched to video call. He looked haggard and worn down. "I have a meeting to attend later. Swipe my card if you're looking to buy something."

My heart wrenched to hear how he still thought of me despite all the work he had on his plate. I was about to show my concern when I suddenly remembered what had just transpired.

Overcome with anger, I demanded, "I'm not buying anything, but I do have a question for you. Did you, by any chance, betray our family? Are you secretly seeing someone else, and did you have a child with her?"

Dad's face blanched on the screen, his indulgent expression replaced with a wide-eyed look of disbelief.

He immediately propped his phone upright on the table. "For heaven's sake, sweetheart, I would never do something like that! I've never fallen for anyone aside from your mother, let alone had an illegitimate child!"

Seeing the skepticism on my face, he immediately grabbed the phone and headed out of the room. Beyond the door lay the construction site he'd been inspecting.

"See for yourself, sweetheart. I'm so tied up with work I may as well make a home out of the construction site! Look around!

"What time do I have to fool around? Not that I would even if I had the time. You have to believe me!"

He sounded disgruntled. "Who's been spewing such nonsense about me?

"I won't stand for such vicious gossip spreading around and reaching my daughter's ears! Was it those troll accounts that love making up ridiculous tags and headlines? I'll make them pay immediately!"

"Elodie, I swear you're the only daughter I have. Don't fall for their ridiculous lies," Dad insisted.

I dismissed my suspicions after seeing Dad put his hand up as if he were taking an oath.

I'd grown up spoiled, with Dad treating me like a princess and overseeing most aspects of my life.

He'd told me bedtime stories, made sure I had three meals a day, and even held a coming-of-age party for me when I was old enough to go to school. He actively participated and contributed to every big and small moment of my life.

He took such good care of me that he'd bring me everywhere, even when he was grinding at the company. Because I was constantly by his side, the company staff of all levels got to know me, too.

Among them were staffers who just couldn't keep their mouths shut. One of them had been caught whispering about my being Dad's "little deadweight".

That person was fired on the same day, even though he was a core technician whom the company went to great lengths to poach.

When I grew older and understood the unspoken rules of society, I stopped shadowing Dad. He'd bemoaned the lonely fate awaiting him, for if I were distancing myself from him at my age, he dreaded how much more detached I'd be once I started dating.

Then, he grew worried that some no-good punk would steal me away, so as a preventive measure, he gave me half the company shares. "I won't have you running off with someone who can't provide for you as I can."

I'd become the second-largest shareholder in the company at the tender age of ten, yet Dad rejoiced in it more than I did.

When I started attending an international high school, Dad made it a point to donate a building to the school so everyone on campus would know I was the beloved daughter of the CEO of Chapman Construction Group. It became clear that I was not to be bullied.

How could a man who loved his daughter so fecklessly and unconditionally have an illegitimate child?

The thought reassured me.

"Alright, then, Chapman. I'll let you off the hook just this once. But if I find out you're secretly raising another child, you're dead!" I ground out.

Dad swore over and over that he hadn't done anything wrong. He looked so small and humble, nothing like his usual formidable self.

"By the way, I ran into problems during admission. Could you take me to school to go over the paperwork once you're back?"

"Oh, of course, Your Royal Highness. Did the person in charge offend you? I'll make them apologize once I get home," he promised.

I laughed, then decided not to burden him any further with my concerns after I saw the dark circles pooling under his eyes. This could wait until his return.

When the call ended, I planned to relish in a few more days of fun before starting school, only to get a call from the new school itself. The teacher in charge from earlier was on the other end of the line, requesting my presence at school.

I was surprised by how quickly Dad resolved this. Had he called the school and put an end to this farce for me?

My plan to have fun was put on hold, and school was in session. I wanted to check out the new school anyway, so I headed over.

…

The teacher in charge, who went by Ms. Lowenstein, was waiting for me outside the school gates. When she spotted me, she led me through the gates without so much as a greeting.

"The welcoming ceremony has been set up, and all the students have gathered in the hall to meet you. Go on, then."

I was baffled. "Surely there's no need for you to hold a welcoming ceremony for a transfer student like me."

Even if Dad had donated a ton of money to the school, I doubted I had to present myself on stage.

Ms. Lowenstein snorted, then added a touch sinisterly, "The ceremony's specially prepared for you. You said you were Mr. Chapman's daughter, right? Ms. Elodie Chapman, successor to Chapman Construction Group."

She then half-shoved me onto the stage in the assembly hall, leaving no room for protests.

The students gathered below the stage whispered among themselves.

"This is the impostor who told everyone she's the heiress of the Chapman family? She's not much to look at, is she?"

"She doesn't have half of Annabel's beauty and grace!"

I frowned at this discussion, but I regained my composure and graciously addressed the crowd, "Thank you for holding this welcoming ceremony for me, ladies and gentlemen. As you can see…"

The whispers grew louder after I'd introduced myself. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and a young lady stood up among the audience.

The young lady stood under the lights, lifting her chin to meet my stare. "Elodie, if you're Mr. Chapman's daughter, what does that make me?"

There was something so familiar about her face that it caught me off guard. Wasn't this the young lady who'd taken pictures with Dad and strongly resembled him? How could she be so certain and bold as to challenge me in front of the whole school?

My gaze snagged on the collar of the shirt peeking out under her uniform. It was a pale pink shirt with a small tangerine embroidered on the collar.

I remembered treasuring that shirt more than anything else before I lost it!

My heart tightened with anger. What in the world was going on?

"Who are you? Where did you come from?"

My voice passed through the microphone and filled every corner of the assembly hall. The students below the stage hurled abuse at me when they heard my questions.

"Annabel is an honor student at this school. Everyone knows how much her father loves her, yet you come in here impersonating her!

"No wonder she's asked us to gather in the hall! This impostor is too shameless for Annabel to take down alone!"

Annabel flashed me a smug smile. She made her way onto the stage. "Everyone knows my dad donated a library to the school in my honor. He loves me too much to break my heart.

"I don't know where you came from, young lady, but you'd best put a stop to this nonsense. Be better and stop envying others for their happiness."

Upon hearing this, the audience who'd rallied behind Annabel immediately snapped at me like sharks in bloody water, "Maybe she's an orphan who came here looking for her new parents! Some people have no shame!"

"Did she say she was the Chapman family's heiress? Annabel obviously takes after Mr. Chapman, but not this impostor! She looks nothing like him!"

"Annabel did mention that Elodie is only half a year younger than her. Even if Mr. Chapman had cheated, Elodie would be an illegitimate daughter, at best! She's not the real deal!"

They were warping the facts. Dad and I were blood-related—that much I was certain. He and Mom were definitely husband and wife, their marriage licensed and certified.

"Is there any proof that what you said was true? Gregory Chapman is my biological father, and I'm his legitimate, biological daughter." I pulled up all the pictures I'd taken with Dad on my phone and showed them to the crowd.

They all grimaced at the pictures. "Given how advanced photo-editing technology has become, I could claim to be Mr. Chapman's son and fabricate as many pictures as I want without breaking a sweat."

"Come on, genetics don't lie. Annabel is practically wearing Mr. Chapman's face at this point. What do you have to back up your claims? A DNA test? I doubt you'd get a meeting with Mr. Chapman even if you tried!"

Smirking, Annabel drawled sarcastically, "Who do you think you are? Did you believe you could claim any relation with my dad just because you have a few edited pictures?"

My head spun. I had no idea what trump card Annabel had up her sleeve that encouraged her to make a scene here and risk a major defeat.

Frustrated by how well-prepared she seemed, I retorted, "You impersonated me, then kicked up a huge drama over this. What are you trying to accomplish?"

Annabel shoved me aggressively and bit out, "Taking back my identity, of course!"

…

Pictures of Annabel and Gregory began to play on the large screen on stage.

There were shots of her in sparkly, poofy dresses as a little girl, then shots of her in her current school uniform. It was a montage of their shared father-daughter moments.

A well-dressed woman appeared on the other end of the stage. She held up a marriage certificate before the audience. "This is my marriage certificate to prove I'm Gregory's wife. Annabel is my daughter, and the three of us are a family!"

That was impossible! Why would this woman have proof of her marriage to Dad?

I wanted to snatch the marriage certificate from her to take a good look at it, but she had an image of it projected on the large screen. The certificate even bore an official stamp!

Panic seized me at once. I thought about how I'd never seen my mom and dad's marriage certificate in all these years.