Chapter 1

Ava Chen stood by the champagne fountain, a perfect picture of Manhattan cool-girl indifference.

Her black gown shimmered, her expression was serene, but inside, her mind was a riot.

These tiny salmon puffs are a crime against humanity, she thought. I need a five-patty burger, extra cheese, and a mountain of fries. Now.

This was Ava' s life, adopted into the obscenely wealthy Hamilton family, a constant performance of unbothered elegance. Her personal guideline: never let the mask slip, no matter what.

Tonight was the annual Children' s Literacy Gala, a pinnacle of the East Coast social calendar.

Mrs. Hamilton, her adoptive mother, glided over, eyes sharp. "Ava, darling, you look divine. The Astors are here. Do try to be... engaging."

Engaging? I'm engaging with the idea of ordering a whole pizza to my room the second this is over.

Then Skyler Hamilton arrived, the recently discovered biological daughter, the "true" heiress.

She wore a dress too bright, her smile a little too wide, a stark contrast to Ava' s curated calm. Skyler' s mission, Ava knew, was to dismantle Ava' s "fakeness."

A vintage Hermès scarf came up for auction, a delicate silk square. Ava, for a fleeting second, admired its craftsmanship.

Hmm, pretty. Would look good tied to the handle of a designer bag I'll never use to carry actual things. Mostly just snacks.

Skyler, noticing Ava' s brief glance, immediately started bidding, her voice loud, determined. She won it for an absurd price.

Mrs. Hamilton hissed under her breath, "Skyler, such ostentation is unbecoming."

Ava offered a placid smile. "It's quite alright, Skyler has excellent taste."

Excellent taste in wasting money, Ava' s mind supplied. That scarf money could have bought out that new Nashville hot chicken food truck for a week. Level three spice. My mouth is watering. Can' t exactly eat that in this dress, though. Maybe a late-night delivery, sweats on, watching that true-crime docuseries about the cannibal chef.

Mr. Hamilton, standing beside his wife, suddenly frowned, glancing at Ava with a strange, puzzled expression. Mrs. Hamilton mirrored it.

"Chicken, Ava?" Mr. Hamilton murmured, confused.

Ava blinked, her serene expression unwavering. "Pardon?"

Did I say that out loud? No. Impossible. Guideline number one: maintain composure.

Skyler smirked, thinking Ava was flustered. She held up the scarf. "See, sis? Real passion."

But as Skyler spoke, she clutched a small, antique silver locket in her other hand, a piece she' d found in her biological mother' s old things. She' d been wishing on it all night, wishing everyone could see Ava for who she really was.

The air around Ava seemed to shimmer for a moment, unnoticed by anyone but her.

A wave of dizziness washed over Ava, so faint she almost dismissed it.

Weird. Maybe I do need that burger.