Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English
Synopsis
After being missing for ten years, I finally came back.
My parents kept their heads low, too guilty to look me in the eye.
My sister, Chloe, was casually polishing her glittering diamond jewelry. She didn’t even look up as she said, "Amber, Julian and I are deeply in love and happily married. Leo thinks of me as his real mother. Just tell us what kind of compensation you want. But of course, the title of Mrs. Sterling is off the table."
I calmly looked at my parents. Unable to avoid my gaze, my father cleared his throat and forced out, "Amber, you disappeared without a word ten years ago. Everyone thought you were dead. We had no choice but to let Chloe take your baby and marry Julian in your place..."
Did I really "disappear without a word"?
No. They used a business trip to a sketchy supplier in Eastern Europe as an excuse to lure me abroad, only to steal my luggage, ID, and passport, leaving me stranded in a strange country.
Originally, the arranged marriage with the Sterlings was meant for Chloe. But when the Sterling family temporarily collapsed, my parents didn't want Chloe to suffer, yet they couldn't break the contract without ruining their reputation. So, they drugged me and set up a one-night stand, making sure I got pregnant with Julian's child so they could force me into the marriage.
Who would have thought the Sterlings would rebound so quickly and become billionaires? Suddenly, I became a useless pawn, and my baby became Chloe's golden ticket to climb into high society.
But this time, I was back to take back everything that belonged to me.
I smiled. "Don't worry. I'm just here for business. Remember the global supply chain you wanted me to find ten years ago? Well, I didn't disappoint. I found it."
1.
My parents let out a long sigh of relief.
"Amber, did you start your own business abroad?"
"How about this? As long as you keep Leo's real identity a secret, you can ask for whatever you want. As long as it's not too ridiculous, we will agree."
The moment they started negotiating, the last bit of guilt in their eyes vanished, replaced by the cold calculation of business owners.
To them, I was never a daughter. I was just an employee.
When we were kids, they claimed they couldn't afford to raise two children in the city. So, they kept Chloe in New York and sent me to live with my grandmother on a remote farm in Iowa. By the time they brought me back to their luxurious villa, they had no interest in building a bond with me.
I used to think that if I was just obedient and did whatever they wanted, I would finally earn their love.
But in the end, all Chloe had to do was shed a few tears, and I—the one who sacrificed everything—was ruthlessly abandoned in a foreign country.
To survive over the last ten years, I had to become ruthless, scheming, and cold. I became someone I used to despise.
"Fine," I said.
"I opened a manufacturing plant abroad, and I happen to have the raw materials you desperately need. Make me the sole supplier for both the Wood and Sterling corporations. Do that, and I'll sign a non-disclosure agreement. Everything stays buried."
I glanced coldly at Chloe and added, "Otherwise, my dear sister might lose her precious title of Mrs. Sterling."
At my words, my parents clenched their fists.
Chloe snatched up her diamond necklace and threw it at my face. "Amber, don't push your luck! We're only offering you compensation out of pity. Don't think we're afraid of you! Today, our family's company is just as powerful as the Sterlings, and we're deeply tied together because of my marriage. Even if Julian finds out the truth, so what?
He would never sacrifice his billions and offend the Wood family just for some cheap bitch he slept with once!"
Of course, I knew that. That was exactly why I hadn't gone straight to Julian to claim my son.
My parents forced a smile to smooth things over. "Amber, sweetheart! The supply chain involves too much money, and we have other board members to answer to. We can't make all the decisions. How about we give you fifty percent of the Wood family's supply contracts?"
In the past, whenever Chloe threw a tantrum, my parents would coddle her, and I would always step back and yield.
But now, I pulled out a contract and didn't budge an inch. "I said, I want to be the sole supplier."
"Chloe is infertile and can never have children. Leo is destined to be the sole heir to both of our empires. Dad, Mom, Chloe... do you really want Leo to find out who his real mother is?"
In the end, my parents signed the contract. At the same time, I signed the NDA. If I violated it, I would have to pay a penalty that would completely bankrupt me.
After the papers were signed, they didn't even bother pretending to be family anymore. They coldly told me to leave.
Chloe walked me to the door. Right before I stepped out, she leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Amber, mom and dad are too polite to say it, but you know we dumped you in Eastern Europe on purpose, right?
You were lucky enough to survive, but luck doesn't last forever. Walk away now, and we'll let you live in comfort. But if you push us too hard... well, you know what happens."
The raw hatred and rage on Chloe's face were almost amusing to me.
Did she really think it was just "luck" that a broke, homeless girl who didn't even speak the local language managed to survive on the streets, start her own factory, and build an empire from scratch?
She was such a delicate, spoiled greenhouse flower.
I replied calmly, "The NDA is signed. I'll keep my word."
But the contract never said I couldn't get close to Julian.2.
Julian got out of his car in front of the private school, waiting for Leo. Chloe sat in the passenger seat, bored, touching up her makeup.
When Leo ran out, Julian held him. Leo began to beg for a new toy, but Chloe said impatiently, "Just take him home. I have a dinner date with my girls."
Julian's smile stiffened slightly as he held his son. "I promised Leo we'd get him a toy. It won't take long."
Chloe slammed the car door shut. "Then go. I'm leaving first."
Leo watched the car drive away, his eyes turning red. "Daddy, does Mommy not like me?"
Julian smiled and tapped Leo's nose gently. "Don't think like that, buddy. Your mom is just worried that buying toys will distract you from your schoolwork."
I quickly adjusted my expression, held the toy I had prepared, and walked over, pretending it was a chance encounter.
"Hello, Mr. Sterling. I'm your new supplier."
Julian gave me a polite, professional smile.
He didn't recognize me. His warmth was guarded, carrying the typical distance of a wealthy businessman.
Back when my parents brought me back to the city, they never allowed me to attend any public events. That night when they drugged us and put us in the same bed, we were both too wasted to remember each other's faces.
But I knew him.
I knew him better than anyone else did!
When the Sterling family was starting to rebound, my parents had tried to "negotiate" with me. They wanted me to give birth to the child and hand him over to Chloe so she could marry Julian.
But why?
I was their daughter, too.
When the Sterlings were broke, they were terrified Chloe would suffer, so they tricked me into getting pregnant with a stranger's child.
It took me so long to accept my pregnancy. But the moment the Sterlings got rich again, my parents changed their minds and forced me to give up my own flesh and blood!
Of course, I refused. But by then, I realized that my parents only cared about Chloe. If I wanted to save my baby and get their validation, the only way was to win Julian over.
While I was locked in my room back then, I used every resource I had to gather information about Julian.
I learned everything about his past, his likes, and his dislikes.
For a long time, he was my only hope.
But just as I was planning to escape and get close to him, my parents dragged me to that airport and shipped me overseas...
"I didn't expect you to love fencing as well as the piano. There's a concert this weekend, and I bought two tickets. Would you like to go with me?"
On our seventh meeting, Julian was the one to ask me out.
I was helping Leo with his homework at the music academy. I looked up and smiled softly. "I'd love to. But I'm worried Mrs. Sterling might get the wrong idea."
Julian immediately replied, "She won't. Chloe's only hobbies are cocktail parties and shopping. She has zero interest in classical music."
When it was time to say goodbye, Leo hugged me tightly. "Ms. Wood, will you come to my next piano lesson? You're so much better than my tutor. If you're here, my grades will definitely improve, and maybe Mommy will like me more."
My smile stiffened, and my heart ached. After a brief pause, I whispered, "Of course I will."
"But Leo, you should study for yourself, okay? You don't need to try so hard to please anyone else."
For someone who didn't care about you, it didn't matter how perfect you were—they would still ignore you.
On the day of the concert, Chloe, who usually avoided such classy places, actually showed up. The moment Julian and I stepped out of the car, she blocked us. A swarm of paparazzi surrounded us, their cameras flashing violently, blinding me.
"I knew it, Julian! Marcus told me you've been meeting up with some woman lately. I didn't believe him, but look at you, fooling around behind my back!"
"Explain this! Who is this cheap bitch to you?"
I raised my hand to block the cameras. Chloe aggressively rushed over to drag me away, but Julian stepped in and blocked her. "Enough! I just brought a business partner to a concert. We did absolutely nothing wrong."
"But look at you! You bribed my driver, Marcus, to spy on me, and now you brought the paparazzi? Are you out of your mind?"
Chloe wouldn't listen. She shoved him aside violently and yanked my hand down to stare at my face.
The moment she recognized me, her eyes turned bloodshot. She screamed in a screeching, manic voice:
"Amber?"
"You dare to throw yourself at my husband? Do you want to die?"
"Did you forget what you promised me?!"3.
I blinked innocently. "Chloe, what are you talking about?"
"Mr. Sterling and I simply share the same hobbies and happen to be business partners. We've developed a casual friendship. Why are you so panicked?"
Chloe's hysterical words instantly made Julian suspicious.
"Chloe, do you know Amber? What did she promise you? And what does it have to do with me?"
Chloe panicked even more, her voice tight and trembling. "It has nothing to do with you! This is between Amber and me. Get in the car. I'll deal with you later!"
She chased away the paparazzi she had brought and dragged me to a secluded corner.
Once we were alone, I violently shook off her grip. "My dear sister, you're overthinking. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone about the past, and I keep my word."
"Besides, aren't you and Julian happily married? I only accompanied him to a concert. Are you really that terrified?"
Chloe grabbed my collar, her eyes filled with a murderous glare. "Me, afraid of you? You're just a country bumpkin who got lucky enough to get pregnant with Julian's child. You think you can steal him from me by acting like a cheap slut? In your dreams!"
"Julian and I were together back in college. Even without the family arrangement, we were each other's first loves! Who do you think you are? How dare you think you can shake my place in his heart?"
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Then you have absolutely nothing to worry about."
"I'm not worried. You're the one who should be terrified!"
"Amber, ten years ago I made you crawl and beg on your knees, and I can easily do it again! Oh, I forgot to tell you—your precious son has been sickly since he was a baby. He's had high fevers that nearly killed him multiple times. Do you want to bet if the family doctor will conveniently be unavailable next time he gets sick?"
My face went completely blank. The polite mask fell away, leaving only a bone-chilling coldness. "Chloe, I told you before—if anything happens to my son, I will personally end you."
That year, when I woke up to find my luggage and passport gone, abandoned in a remote, dangerous town in Eastern Europe, I used a sharp rock to break the leg of a local thug who tried to kidnap me. I held him at knifepoint and forced him to drive me to the airport.
When I finally tracked down Chloe, she was holding my newborn baby, her fingers wrapped tightly around his tiny neck.
I had fallen to my knees, begging her, "I won't marry Julian! I won't touch a single dime of the Wood family's inheritance! Please, just give me my baby and take me home. I'll do whatever you want!"
I had meant every word.
Growing up isolated with my grandmother in Iowa made me desperately crave a family.
But my parents and Chloe showed me a side of humanity colder and more vicious than any monster. My baby was all I had left. I didn't care about anything else.
But instead of giving him back, Chloe had squeezed his neck even tighter. "What kind of life can he have with you? If he comes with me to the Sterling family, he'll live like royalty."
"If you don't want your precious son to die, stay abroad and shut your mouth. Understood?"
Looking at my baby’s flushed face as he gasped for air, I had completely broken down, screaming, "Chloe, if you ever hurt my baby, I will kill you!"
For ten long years, I dreamed of my baby almost every single night.
That was the only thing that kept me alive. I crawled my way up, using every dirty trick to survive. I learned fencing, piano, and mastered everything Julian was interested in.
Meanwhile, Chloe was too stupid.
She became Mrs. Sterling, helped the Wood family grow, and thought she could control Julian forever. That made her incredibly arrogant.
"Amber, your son calls me Mom now. If you both behave, why would I hurt him?" Chloe sneered.
"But don't think Leo is irreplaceable. Even without him, I can easily adopt another kid."
"Do you really think Julian is only with me for love? Please. He's tied to the Wood family's business now. No matter how much you throw yourself at him, you can't take him away. You'll only make me angry and dig your own grave!"
After patting my cheek mockingly, Chloe turned around and walked back to the car.
The wiretap on my phone clicked on, playing the conversation between Chloe and Julian.
Julian had calmed down. His voice carried a placating tone as he said, "Chloe, Amber and I really just went to a concert. Since Marcus is your guy, you should know we did nothing wrong."
Chloe scoffed. "You are never to see Amber again."
"Julian, my parents only partnered with your company because of me. One word from me, and your entire business will suffer! I also have those paparazzi photos. If you don't want a public scandal, you'd better behave."
Julian laughed softly. "Fine, Chloe. I'll do whatever you want."
I smiled. It was almost time for my move.4.
When I tried to reach out to Julian again, he refused to see me.
For the next six months, Julian cut back on his social life. Aside from work, he spent all his time with Chloe and Leo.
When Chloe and I met again, she looked insufferably smug. "Amber, your precious son is so pathetic. I casually mentioned I liked wood carving, and the boy practically lost his mind trying to learn it. His hands are covered in bloody cuts every day just to please me."
"He's just as desperate and pathetic as you are."
Our parents cleared their throats. "Chloe, mind your tongue. This is a business meeting. Keep it professional."
"Amber, dear," my father said, turning to me. "The price we're paying for your raw materials is much higher than the market rate. Times are tough, and our margins are tight. If you don't lower your prices, you'll force us to find another supplier."
I instantly realized what was happening. They weren't afraid of me anymore.
Before, they made me their supplier to keep me quiet. But now, Chloe had more dirt on Julian and had secretly gathered sensitive core data on the Sterling Group. She was confident she had Julian in the palm of her hand.
I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
"Dad, Mom, I am your biological daughter too. You won't even let me have this business?"
My parents wore cold, businesslike smiles. "Amber, business is business. Don't try to guilt-trip us with family ties."
"You've already made quite a fortune from us these past few months—"
"But you owe me my life!" I interrupted coldly. "Ten years ago, you dumped me in Eastern Europe to die. My survival was an accident."
"And now, you want to ruin me again?"
Chloe sneered, her voice shrill. "Dear sister, let's just lay all the cards on the table! Either get lost and settle for whatever scraps we throw you, or we terminate the partnership right now. The Wood family and the Sterling Group will team up to completely crush you!"
I looked at my parents. They kept their heads down, silently agreeing with Chloe.
At that moment, instead of anger, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and liberation. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Fine. Let's terminate the partnership."
The very next day, I cut off all supplies to the Wood Group, throwing them into a massive production crisis.
Chloe's call came in immediately. "Amber, are you out of your fucking mind?!"
My voice was calm. "Didn't you say you wanted to terminate the partnership?"
"That was for the next contract! Cutting us off suddenly is a breach of contract! Where are we supposed to find an alternative supplier on such short notice?"
"I'm sorry, but that's not my problem. My shipping lines are facing issues. As for the breach of contract penalty, let the court decide how much I owe you."
By the time the legal process finished, the Wood Group would already be bleeding dry, even if they won.
Chloe let out a venomous laugh over the phone. "Fine, Amber. This is your little counterattack, isn't it? Don't forget, you bitch, your son is still in my hands—"
I hung up on her. When she called back, I ignored it.
That afternoon, I rushed to the hospital. Leo had suffered a severe allergic reaction after being exposed to a known allergen, but thanks to a timely rescue, he was out of danger.
Julian's face was dark with fury. He clenched his jaw. "Thank you for warning me. If you hadn't, Leo would have died. I didn't think Chloe could be this evil."
I glanced toward the end of the hallway. "She's here."
Chloe stormed in. Seeing me there, she lost all control, lunging forward and slamming me against the wall by my neck. "Amber, I told you to stay away from my family! How dare you show your face here?"
But the next second, Julian, who had always tolerated her, grabbed Chloe by her hair and threw her violently onto the floor.
"Family?" Julian growled.
"Chloe, who the hell is your family?"
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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