Diamond In Disguise: Now Watch Me Shine

"Elena, our family has given you everything for the past twenty-three years, yet this is how you repay us? Such ingratitude! Gather your things and return to that rundown village to find your real parents!"

In front of Elena Reed stood a wealthy middle-aged woman draped in an exquisite gown, her wrists adorned with gold and diamond bangles. Her sharp gaze bore into Elena with evident contempt.

This middle-aged woman, Cecily Reed, was the one Elena had addressed as "mother" her entire life. Now, Cecily clutched another girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to her.

The girl, Sylvia Reed, looked up at Cecily, her tone tripped with mock consideration. "Mom, don't be mad. I'm sure Elena didn't mean any harm. She's just struggling to accept that your love and Dad's belong to me now. Please don't hold it against her..."

Cecily's expression softened as she looked down at Sylvia. Then, Cecily shot Elena a look with scorn. "She's the imposter-the one who stole the life meant for you. While you suffered all these years, she basked in wealth and privilege. It's only right that she faces the consequences!"

A fleeting glint of triumph flickered in Sylvia's eyes, quickly replaced by the perfect mask of innocence.

Earlier, Sylvia had shattered a glass downstairs, letting the shards cut her skin, and then framed Elena for it. Sylvia's parents immediately jumped to the assumption that Elena was to blame, dismissing any chance for Elena to defend herself.

Determined to banish Elena for good, Sylvia watched her with revulsion. Elena had stolen her rightful place for too long.

Elena's flawless features only fueled Sylvia's resentment.

Elena's-now Sylvia's-father, Benjamin Reed frowned at Elena, his face full of distaste. "To think you'd be capable of such cruelty-trying to scar Sylvia's face! With a heart as wicked as yours, you don't deserve to stay in Foiclens. I've already sent for your real parents. Get your belongings together and prepare to return to Cloudstream Village immediately."

For a time, Benjamin had considered keeping Elena. After all, they had invested years in raising her. Even if she wasn't suited to marry Darren Griffiths, the wealthy heir, she could have been useful in securing another alliance through marriage.

But Elena had supposedly hurt Sylvia and ruined every matchmaking attempt he arranged for her. Now that Elena was of no use, Benjamin saw no reason to keep her.

Elena lowered her gaze, a bitter smirk playing on her lips. The true colors of the Reed family had become painfully clear.

The Reeds had risen to prominence in Foiclens years ago.

Then, two months prior, Benjamin had fallen ill, requiring a blood transfusion. That was when they discovered Elena's blood type was Rh-negative-proof that she wasn't their daughter.

Immediately, the Reed family had pulled every string to locate their biological child: Sylvia.

It turned out during Cecily's labor, a fire had broken out in the hospital, causing chaos in the maternity ward. In the aftermath, newborns had been mistakenly swapped.

Cecily had unknowingly taken Elena home, while Sylvia ended up with a working-class couple.

Now that the Reed family had retrieved their real daughter Sylvia, they treated her like a treasure.

Cecily, in particular, was filled with guilt for Sylvia's years of hardship and held Elena responsible for it all. As for Elena, the girl they had raised? Now that she was of no benefit, she was cast aside without hesitation.

Their investigation revealed that Elena's actual parents were destitute farmers from a remote area of Cloudstream Village, struggling just to get by.

Sylvia's lips curled into a seemingly kind smile. "Elena, you don't want to return to that isolated village, do you? It's understandable. No one willingly trades comfort for hardship. You've enjoyed the luxury of being a Reed, while your real family has barely managed to earn a living. The contrast must be overwhelming."

But Elena felt no attachment to the Reed family. If not for her, their company wouldn't have thrived the way it had.

"Heh..." Without another word, Elena turned and walked upstairs, stuffing a few outfits and accessories into a bag.

By the time Elena descended the stairs, Sylvia's minor injury had already been neatly wrapped. Had she taken any longer, the wound might have healed completely.

Sylvia, feigning concern, tilted her head. "Oh, Elena, next month is Darren and I's engagement party. Even though you'll be back in that remote village, I hope you'll attend."

Darren had been Elena's childhood sweetheart, her once-promised fiancé. But ever since Sylvia's return, his attitude had shifted. He now doted on Sylvia while treating Elena with increasing coldness.

Seeing Darren for what he truly was, Elena had long since lost interest.

Yet, Sylvia continued in her syrupy tone, "You and Darren grew up together, but now he belongs to me. Elena, you're not upset, are you?"

Elena turned, barely concealing her disgust. "It's shocking that even garbage can have admirers. If you want him, he's yours. I don't make a habit of collecting trash-you're actually doing me a favor."

"You!" Sylvia's smile twitched, but she quickly composed herself. Turning toward Cecily, she pouted. "Mom, Elena must still have feelings for Darren. Otherwise, why would she say that?"

Sylvia loathed Elena's distant attitude the most, as if nothing in the world concerned her. Worse, how could Elena, a descendant of a lowlife, possess such breathtaking beauty?

Sylvia couldn't wait for Elena to return to that remote village, where endless labor under the scorching sun would strip away her refined elegance. There was no way Elena would remain as arrogant as she was now.

Cecily, already bitter over Elena supposedly taking Sylvia's rightful place in the household, was even more enraged upon hearing Sylvia's provocative words. She patted Sylvia's back comfortably. "Elena wouldn't dare, not after she has stolen your identity! Someone like her, hailing from a humble background, wouldn't even be worthy of serving Darren, let alone becoming his fiancée!"

Truthfully, Elena was just as much a victim in this ordeal, yet Cecily placed all the blame on her. If Elena had a choice, she would sever all connections with the Reed family.

Darren was the Griffiths' sole son, and his family wasn't just the wealthiest in Foiclens but also ranked among Klathe's elite. Although the Griffiths family didn't make it into the top hundred, they were still leagues ahead of the Reeds.

Elena and Darren had grown up together, naturally leading to their engagement. Elena once believed his feelings were genuine, but the moment the truth surfaced-that she wasn't truly a Reed-Darren turned his back on her. Not only did he end their betrothal immediately, but he also got involved with Sylvia.

Elena's face remained blank. "I want nothing from the Reed family, including a fiancé of your choosing."

She pivoted to leave, but Sylvia's voice stopped her. "If you don't care about anything from this family, then open your bag and prove it. Don't act like you don't want anything while secretly taking things with you."

Cecily chimed in instantly, "Exactly! Your village is dirt poor-stealing even one piece of our jewelry could feed your family for years. Elena, don't think you can steal from the Reed family to support those rural parents of yours!"

Sylvia stormed forward and yanked Elena's bag open-only to reveal something astonishing. An emerald necklace tumbled out.

Sylvia wasted no time exclaiming, "Isn't this the necklace my mom gave me? How did it end up in your bag..."

Sylvia couldn't hide her smirk. She knew Elena wouldn't leave empty-handed when there was so much wealth within reach.

Cecily snatched the necklace. "You filthy thief! Do you know what you've done? This piece was designed by the world-famous Helena Walsh! I paid five million for it. You truly are nothing more than a hick's daughter. I'm calling the police!"

Benjamin's expression darkened with fury, his glare sharp enough to cut. "What do you have to say for yourself?" His gaze at Elena held nothing but cold hostility.

Sylvia pretended to mediate while fueling the fire. "Dad, Mom, don't be too harsh. Elena must've really liked the necklace and took it without asking. Since she wants it so badly, I won't argue over it..."

Cecily's anger only escalated. "Not only did she steal your life, but now she wants a five-million-dollar luxury necklace? If we let her off, she'll bring nothing but disgrace to the Reed family! This design is one of Helena's limited creations, each with a unique serial number. I have to report this to the authorities!"

Sylvia feigned concern. "Mom, if you involve the police, Elena will end up in prison. Won't that destroy her reputation?"

"A thief like her belongs behind bars. She needs to learn her lesson. It'd be best if she rotted in jail forever, sparing the Reed family from any future humiliation!" Cecily retorted viciously.

Benjamin said nothing, silently agreeing with Cecily's decision. It was better to see Elena locked away than to have her tarnish their family's name.

Elena met Cecily's vicious glare and Benjamin's apathetic stare. For twenty-three years, she had called them Mom and Dad. She had once been grateful for the Reed family's upbringing and didn't want to think too badly of them. But now, she realized they were far worse than she ever imagined. They truly wanted her to struggle behind bars. Whatever affection she had left for the Reed family completely vanished.

Elena remained unfazed, her expression cold and unwavering. "Call the authorities if you like. But if I didn't steal the necklace, how do you plan to make it up to me?"

"You couldn't possibly-" Cecily flipped the necklace over, her breath hitching as her eyes landed on the engraving. "This... How could this be? I clearly remember purchasing Number 9, so why does this read 1?"

"Number 1?" Sylvia's smile disappeared, her face darkening with shock. "That can't be!"

Sylvia was convinced Elena had stolen her necklace. She quickly grabbed it, scrutinizing the back-and sure enough, it bore the number 1.

"This doesn't make sense..." Sylvia was dumbfounded. How had Elena come into possession of a piece from Helena's collection-especially the most prized and irreplaceable first edition?

Glaring at Elena, Sylvia demanded, "Where did you get Number 1? That's the prototype for the entire series, the original masterpiece, worth a fortune!"

Without hesitation, Elena retrieved the necklace from Sylvia's grasp, tucking it into her backpack with little care. It was nothing more than a design she had created on a whim.

"You're just shoving something so valuable into your bag like that?" Sylvia was dumbstruck. Did Elena even comprehend the worth of that piece?

Without sparing a glance, Elena responded, "It belongs to me. I'll handle it however I please. Weren't you going to call the police? Why haven't you yet? If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I have more important matters to attend to-like finding my real parents."

Sylvia, unwilling to let the matter go, searched through Elena's belongings once more but found nothing beyond everyday clothing. Frustrated at the lack of any dirt on Elena, she clenched her jaw.

Cecily pondered for a moment. No one had ever given Elena an allowance-there was no conceivable way she could afford such a high-end piece. It had to be a counterfeit! So, that was it-Elena was so obsessed with appearances that she had gone out of her way to purchase a cheap replica of Sylvia's necklace.

Cecily snorted. Did Elena not understand her place? The daughter of a hick had no business wearing the same jewelry as the daughter of the Reed family. And even if Elena dared flaunt it, anyone with an eye for quality would recognize it as a knockoff immediately. What a joke...

Cecily scoffed. Elena had never been to Cloudstream Village-she had no idea what kind of life awaited her there. The moment she met her real parents, she'd come running back to the Reeds, begging to stay. And when that time came, they wouldn't so much as open the door for her.

"You'll regret this soon enough!" Cecily snarled.

Elena merely shrugged. Without her, the Reed family business would soon encounter obstacles. Who would end up regretting things in the end was still up for debate.

With her bag slung over her shoulder, Elena stepped outside-only to spot an old, dust-covered van parked at the entrance.

A man stepped out. The moment his gaze landed on Elena, he approached with great respect. "Miss Harper, I sincerely apologize for my tardiness."

Elena frowned slightly, puzzled.

The man continued, "Miss Harper, I hadn't anticipated that there wouldn't be a helipad here. The helicopter had to be stationed farther away, so to prevent any further delays, I arranged for this vehicle instead. It hasn't been used in some time, so it may appear a little worn. I hope you don't mind..."

Hearing his explanation, Elena took a closer look. The so-called van was actually a vintage Maybach-an extremely rare limited edition. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure her birth family was as destitute as the Reeds had led her to believe. "Where are my parents?" she asked, noticing the vehicle was otherwise empty.

"Miss Harper, I am Declan Marsh, your family's chauffeur. Your parents had planned to personally escort you home, but upon hearing the news, your grandmother became so overwhelmed with emotion that she fell ill. They had no choice but to send me in their place."

Elena's gaze flickered, and then she gave a slight nod. "Alright, let's go."

"One moment, please." Declan moved toward the trunk. "Your parents prepared a token of appreciation for the Reed family, to thank them for raising you all these years."

The car had clearly been unused for quite some time, and with the strong winds outside, dust swirled through the air, creating a rather messy scene.

Just then, the Reeds stepped out, their expressions filled with open disdain.

Sylvia took one look at the weathered vehicle and immediately assumed it was scrap metal hauled from a junkyard. Were Elena's parents really so poor that they couldn't even afford a decent sedan and had to resort to this? It only confirmed what she had suspected all along-Elena's biological parents were impoverished farmers, living a world apart from the wealthy Reed family of Foiclens.

Cecily wrinkled her nose, taking a few steps back as if afraid the very air carried the stench of poverty. This man looked like he had just come from a long day of labor, his hands caked with dirt-probably from tending the fields. He must stink of sweat. Just the thought made her cringe.

Benjamin, more composed, remained silent while observing Declan. This man, older in appearance and speaking to Elena with such familiarity, must be her real father. It was understandable that someone from a destitute place couldn't own a proper car-but dragging out a worn-out van like this? That was downright humiliating.

With the recent rain, Declan had slipped on the lawn earlier, and his muddy hands had left stains on the gift box he now held out to Benjamin. "Mr. Reed, this is a gesture of gratitude for taking care of her for twenty-three years. Please accept it."

Benjamin eyed the dirty box. What could a humble family possibly have to offer? Likely just some homegrown produce, packed in a worn container... Still, he remained courteous. "That won't be necessary. You may leave."

Cecily snorted. What could possibly be inside that box that was worth accepting? The Reeds had no need for farm goods.

Declan hesitated, recalling his employer's strict instructions. The boxes in the trunk contained deeds to twenty-three properties, twenty-three high-end jewelry pieces, twenty-three luxury car keys, and a bank card with a balance of 230 million-all as a token of appreciation for the 23 years the Reed family had spent raising Elena.

"Mr. Reed, are you certain?" Declan asked.

Benjamin waved his hand dismissively, his patience wearing thin. "The Reed family has no use for such things. Take it back and go."

Declan had no choice but to close the trunk and escort Elena away.

But Sylvia had caught a glimpse of something inside the trunk and stiffened. The packaging of one of the boxes-wasn't it from Helena's exclusive jewelry line? No... That couldn't be possible. It had to be an empty case that man had found somewhere. There was no way it actually contained jewelry from Helena's collection!