Orphan to Heiress: Mom's Ghostly Cheat Codes

After finding out that I'm the illegitimate daughter of the richest man in town, Frank Gibson, I excitedly rush over to meet my biological father. But the moment I arrive at his mansion, I discover that 98 other illegitimate daughters are already lined up to claim him as their father. It turns out Frank's only son has died, and he now needs an heir for his trillion-dollar fortune. So, he gathers all his illegitimate daughters and plans to choose the strongest candidate through a competition. I know I don't stand a chance against the others. Just as I hang my head in disappointment and prepare to leave, a line of text suddenly appears before my eyes. "Don't go, darling! It's your mom. I'm the Queen of Hell, and I know how to help you win the competition. "Remember your arch-nemesis from the orphanage? She's one of Frank's illegitimate daughters too. If you leave, his entire fortune will fall into her hands." I whip around, and sure enough, I see my arch-nemesis, Sophia Carter. The moment I remember how she locked me in the pigsty ten years ago and stole my chance at being adopted, resentment surges through me. Because of her, I've suffered for another ten years. Fine. I'll listen to Mom. I'm staying. That trillion-dollar fortune is going to be mine! Chapter 1 At once, my arch-nemesis, Sophia Carter, recognized me. "Jill, what are you doing here? You belong in the pigsty," she spat, her expression filled with contempt. "Don't tell me you're here to steal. Do you think a beggar like you belongs in a place like this?" Her impeccable outfit made something stir inside me. Just as I clenched my fists and was about to retort, my biological father, Frank Gibson, walked up to the second floor and looked down at us. "Over these years, I've failed to fulfill my duties as your father, and I owe all of you an apology. "So I've prepared 20,000 dollars for each of you as compensation. If you want the money, go find the butler, Gregory Pike." The mansion immediately erupted into chatter. "Thank you, Dad!" "I'm actually in desperate need of money. You're the best, Dad!" As everyone rushed to Gregory, Sophia scoffed from the side. "What a bunch of greedy fools. And they think they're worthy of competing with me for the position of the heir?" After stealing my chance at being adopted, Sophia had grown up in a wealthy family and lived a life of luxury. So, naturally, 20,000 dollars meant nothing to her. But to me, someone who had survived on nothing but plain bread every day, 20,000 dollars was enough to buy my life. Seeing me itching to join the others, Mom quickly stopped me with a line of text that appeared before my eyes. "This is the preliminary round, darling. "Anyone who accepts the 20,000 dollars will be seen as short-sighted and immediately disqualified. "But those who give up the 20,000 dollars will be viewed as ambitious and driven. Only they will qualify for the actual competition." I stopped in my tracks and secretly glanced up at Frank. Sure enough, he was scrutinizing the women lining up to collect the money, shaking his head in disappointment. Just then, Gregory announced, "Anyone who wants the 20,000 dollars must first sign this agreement relinquishing their right to inherit." Without a moment's hesitation, I hurried out of the line. However, the agreement didn't scare everyone off. Most of the illegitimate daughters only had their eyes on the 20,000 dollars right in front of them and eagerly signed the agreement one after another. Frank let out a disappointed sigh before turning his attention to those who remained. When my eyes happened to meet his, another line of text appeared before me. "See? Mom would never lie to you. "Just do as I say, and don't worry. I never managed to get a single cent out of that deadbeat while I was alive, so you have to make me proud and fight for what you deserve." The next second, Frank announced solemnly, "There are currently 20 people who have given up the 20,000 dollars. Follow the bodyguards upstairs." When Sophia saw me following behind them, she froze. "Jill, you're an illegitimate daughter too? So, we're half-sisters?" I ignored her. At that moment, Frank was announcing the rules of the first round. "If you want to become my heir, financial management and the ability to make money are both crucial. "I'll give each of you 100,000 dollars in starting capital. After one hour, only the ten people with the most money remaining will have a chance to become my heir." Chapter 2 The moment Frank finished speaking, his other 19 daughters pulled out their phones and immediately got to work. "My mom's an entrepreneur, and I've been learning how to make money from her since I was young. I'm definitely going to win!" "Please, I have a PhD in finance. Making money is exactly what I'm good at." Each of them had her own strategy. Some immediately opened stock-trading websites, while others pulled up investment fund platforms. One of them used the 100,000 dollars as seed capital and started drafting a business plan on the spot. Another seized on a trending topic and immediately started a live stream. "I'm at Frank Gibson's heir selection! Follow me, and I'll show you the inside story of this wealthy family's inheritance battle!" Meanwhile, I stared helplessly at the bank card one of the bodyguards had handed me. I hadn't even finished high school before the orphanage forced me out to make money by setting up a snack stall. Everyone around me was educated, knowledgeable, and highly accomplished. How could I possibly compete with them? A sneer crossed Sophia's face when she saw how lost I looked. "Everyone else is busy getting started, and you don't even have a phone. You really think you can compete with me for the inheritance?" She didn't just look down on me—she despised every single one of her competitors. "I graduated first class from business school," she said smugly. "When it comes to making money, no one here can beat me." With that, she took on the challenge from both angles. First, she bought stocks. Then, she started working on an investment proposal that she planned to present to Frank in an hour. As for me, all I could do was draw encouragement from Mom's messages appearing before my eyes. "Darling, have you ever heard the saying, 'A rich kid who spends too much is nothing compared to one who decides to start a business'? "Let them do whatever they want. You don't have to do anything this round, and you'll still win. "Even if you're pretending, you have to at least look confident!" Mom continued encouraging me. "You entered the real world when you were very young and experienced all the hardships life had to offer. When it comes to reading people and knowing how to conduct yourself around them, none of those girls can compare to you. "Now, start observing Frank carefully. You never know when that might come in handy later." Even after Mom had passed away, she was still doing everything she could to help me. Courage surged within me. After thinking it over, I retreated to a corner and quietly observed Frank, trying to figure out what kind of person he was and what his temperament was like. While the other illegitimate daughters were showing off every trick they had, I kept my attention fixed solely on Frank. My unusually calm and composed demeanor caught his attention as well. He had Gregory come over and ask me, "Why aren't you doing anything?" Following Mom's advice, I started making things up. "Protecting an existing fortune is far more difficult than building a new business," I stated. "The economy isn't doing well right now, so I'd rather take a conservative approach and protect the wealth you've worked so hard to build, Dad." A scream rang out the moment I finished speaking. "Why did my stocks suddenly hit the limit down? This can't be happening!" Someone else kicked over her chair. "Scam! This investment company is a complete scam!" she cried. "My money was converted into cryptocurrency and stolen!" "Who shut down my live stream? I just paid to boost it!" Chaos erupted around me, while I simply exchanged a calm smile with Frank. Something in his eyes seemed to brighten ever so slightly, but he said nothing. An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Somehow, my strategy of doing absolutely nothing had actually placed me in fifth place and gotten me through to the next round. "Mom, thank you!" I couldn't help but cheer inwardly. "I'm one step closer to that trillion-dollar fortune!" Sophia, meanwhile, had managed to make 50,000 dollars. Frank was even extremely impressed with the proposal she had written. When she advanced to the next round in first place, the others practically turned green with envy. As we followed Gregory upstairs once again, Sophia deliberately shoved me and hissed, "Jill, you just got lucky. You can still admit defeat and leave while you have the chance. Otherwise, once I become Frank's heir, I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me." I shot her a cold look and silently swore to myself. Once I inherited the trillion-dollar fortune, I would make her pay for everything she'd done to me when we were children. … When we arrived at the luxurious dining hall, Gregory unexpectedly pulled out a chair for me. "Jill, sit here." I didn't think much of it at first. But just as I was about to talk over, I noticed Sophia watching me with a faint, knowing smile, as though she were waiting for me to embarrass myself. I immediately stopped in my tracks, my guard going up. Chapter 3 At the same time, a series of text messages from Mom appeared before my eyes. "Darling, that's the seat reserved for your father. Whatever you do, don't sit there! "This isn't really about having dinner. They're testing your table manners to see whether you know how to conduct yourself in a formal setting. "From now on, stay sharp and do exactly as I tell you." A chill ran down my spine as I immediately waved Gregory off. "Mr. Pike, isn't that the seat reserved for my father? When is he coming?" Gregory flashed me an approving smile. I didn't dare celebrate just yet. Instead, I kept my eyes fixed on Mom's messages. Gregory assigned everyone their seats, but I deliberately held back. I refused to sit until Frank took his place, making sure I was the last one to sit down. Mom's messages continued to appear one after another. "Never start eating before your host. Wait until your father picks up his fork first. If you get the chance, make sure to show them what you know. "When you're done, place the cutlery neatly on your plate. Never leave them scattered across the table. "When you're served, remember to wait until everyone has been served before you start eating. "And whatever you do, don't put your elbows on the table. Remember!" With Mom's help, I absolutely dominated this round. When one of the girls eagerly reached for the wine bottle to pour Frank a drink, I said nothing. But the moment she finished pouring, I quickly stepped in and offered to serve him myself, making sure not to fill the glass to the brim. Frank's expression remained impassive, but I caught a flicker of approval in his eyes. When it was my turn to pour his wine, my experience as a waitress came in handy. "Here's to your health," I said, filling his glass perfectly without spilling a drop. "To many more years to come." I had picked up countless toasts while working as a waitress, and they rolled off my tongue without a second thought. When Gregory brought out the main course, I immediately stepped forward to help serve. "Everyone, please dig in," I said pleasantly, making sure the others had everything they needed before taking my seat. Sophia couldn't believe I was doing so well. She gritted her teeth, practically itching to challenge me. But this was a formal dinner. She couldn't interrupt or make a scene, so all she could do was sit there and watch me steal the spotlight, seething with envy. I watched Frank's every subtle reaction, committing each one to memory. By paying attention to the smallest details, I was already piecing together his habits and temperament. For once, I felt completely at ease at the dinner table. By the time the meal was over, Gregory led us downstairs. I immediately noticed that five other contestants were missing—the girl who had started eating before Frank, the one who had left her cutlery carelessly scattered across the table, and even the one who had repeatedly rested her elbows on the table had all been eliminated. They were forced to sign away their inheritance rights, collect their 20,000 dollars, and leave in disgrace. "See that, Jill?" Sophia taunted, poking my back with a sneer. "That's exactly what will happen to you. "Don't think your little tricks have won Frank over. I'll make you regret overestimating yourself soon enough." "Sophia, you'd better worry about yourself," I shot back coldly, my previous timidity gone. "Because if I win, the first thing I'm going to do is lock you in a pigsty." "Jill, you're asking for it!" Sophia screeched, her face flushing red with rage. Just as she was about to slap me, Frank suddenly stopped walking and turned to look at each of us. "Before we move on to the next round, there's something serious I need to ask you. Think carefully before giving me your answer." Chapter 4 Realization immediately dawned on me. This was the next round of the competition. Everyone held their breath, giving Frank their full attention. "If one day, my business falls into a crisis and the only way to save it is for you to marry a man who's both infertile and in a coma… Will you do it? "Think carefully. This isn't just a hypothetical situation. It's something that could very well happen." The moment Frank finished speaking, Sophia stepped forward. "I'll do it, Dad!" she declared. "If it means helping you, no sacrifice is too great. "And with my abilities, I'm confident I could do more than just save the company through the marriage. I could also use his family's influence to take our business to even greater heights." Seeing this, the other women eagerly stepped forward to prove their loyalty as well. "As your daughter, marrying for the family is my duty. It's something I was born to do. If it's for the sake of our family's honor, I'd even be willing to die!" "An infertile man who's in a coma would be even better," another one said. "I wouldn't have to bear children for his family, and I could have children on my own and give them our family name!" The daughters crowded around Frank, showering him with declarations of loyalty. The scene almost looked straight out of a happy family gathering. Worried that I'd stumble over my words, Mom thoughtfully sent me another message. "Darling, don't let him scare you. He's just testing your loyalty. Just say what everyone else says. Be sweet and flattering. Do as they do, and you can't go wrong." But when I noticed Frank's stoic expression and the faintest hint of scrutiny in his eyes, I hesitated. His reaction felt off. Was it really enough to simply follow everyone else's lead? Why did something about it feel so wrong? I stood there, racking my brains as I tried to figure out what Frank's question was really getting at. But Mom couldn't stand it anymore. "Darling, what are you waiting for? Just say you're willing to! "Remember how sharp you were back at dinner earlier? Do the same thing now! Say something flattering and sweet-talk your father a little. "Come on, I dated that jerk for six months. I know him well. He can't resist a charming lady. Hurry up and say it!" Something felt wrong. Mom had it all wrong. Frank wasn't someone who could be easily manipulated. Sweet words couldn't possibly be the right answer to this question. I replayed the moments when our eyes had met, going over every subtle change in his expression. My mind raced as I tried to figure out what he was really testing. When I still hadn't said anything, everyone's attention turned to me. Frank frowned, fixing me a meaningful look. "Jill, is this question really that difficult to answer? Look at your sisters. They all answered without hesitation." A smug smile crossed Sophia's face. "Poor country bumpkin. She probably doesn't even understand the question," she jeered. "If I were you, Jill, I'd take the 20,000 dollars and run before you embarrass yourself any further!" Several of the other daughters began whispering among themselves, clearly waiting for me to make a fool of myself. "She was so smug at the dinner table earlier. Looks like we've finally seen what she's really made of!" Mom was practically beside herself, as if she wanted to crawl out of the underworld and answer for me. "Darling, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Just say it," she cried. "If you don't say you're willing, you'll lose your chance at the trillion-dollar inheritance!" Everything around me was pushing me toward what seemed like the safest answer. The tension in the room grew suffocating. I took a deep breath. "I refuse." The moment my answer rang through the room, Frank's expression changed instantly.