The Heiress They Betrayed

Everyone in the city of Westrington knew that Claire Harrington, the youngest daughter the Harringtons found and brought back years ago, was the fiercest woman in town.

Her husband, Gavin Fulton, wasn't just the only heir to Fulton Group-he was also the most sought-after surgeon in the entire city.

They pampered Claire, let her run wild, and gave her everything she ever wanted.

Her older brother, Graham Harrington, had her back at the company. He once swore publicly that the company would always belong to Claire, and he was just the one making money for her.

The only one who ever encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone was Nina Harrington, the "wrong heiress" raised in Claire's place. Nina told her to be independent, to stop relying on others.

Claire laughed it off, thinking Nina was just overthinking everything.

Until the news hit-Nina had been stabbed in the Harrington Group underground garage.

Claire rushed to call the one person she trusted most-Gavin. But the reply from the hospital shattered her. Gavin was in surgery... saving the man who'd attacked Nina.

Even her brother Graham redirected all available medical staff to ensure the attacker survived.

Claire screamed. She begged. She dropped to her knees, pleading with them to save her sister.

But Graham simply ordered someone to restrain her. "Claire, calm down, would you? She's not even your real sister. Even if you lose her, you still have a husband and a brother who love you. But Marissa... she's different. And that man we're saving, he raised Marissa for over twenty years!"

1

Graham bent down gently and wiped the tears from Claire's face.

Then, without a flicker of hesitation, he signed the Do Not Resuscitate order and told the staff to send Nina-who hadn't even drawn her last breath-straight to the morgue.

"Stop crying, Claire. She's not worth your tears. I didn't want her to die either, but... unlucky things happen. Years ago, when I was trapped during that earthquake on a business trip, it was Marissa's frail adoptive father who dug me out with his bare hands. You're my real sister. That debt belongs to you to repay."

Same face. Same warm voice. But every word Graham said made Claire's blood run cold.

She couldn't understand it. How could her usually gentle brother say something so cruel?

She'd only known Nina for ten years, but Graham had lived with her for twenty-eight.

Hell, people got attached to their pets after a few years, and he had Nina for twenty-eight!

And even if he did owe that man something, why did it have to be paid with Nina's life?

Claire's eyes were burning red with rage. She ripped the signed DNR form from Graham's hands and tore it to shreds.

"She's still alive! And you-you won't save her, but you'll save the man who tried to kill her? You don't care? Fine. I do. As long as I'm still breathing, I won't stop until that bastard pays for what he's done!"

She turned and stormed off.

Gavin wasn't the only surgeon in the city. Even if he was in the OR, someone else could save Nina.

But before she got far, Marissa Rowe suddenly dropped to her knees and grabbed Claire's sleeve, sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Claire. This is all my fault. Punish me however you want! I just... I beg you, please spare my adoptive father. He's no saint, but he raised me for more than twenty years... If someone has to pay, let it be me. Take my life. Just let him go. That's the least I can do to repay him."

Graham rushed over and pulled her to her feet, his voice filled with anger and disappointment-directed not at Marissa, but at Claire.

"Look at what I've turned you into over the years... So selfish. So heartless. Nina was a fake heiress. A stand-in. She used the Harrington name to bully people for years. This? This is just karma."

Marissa shook her head gently. "Claire only did it out of desperation to save her sister. Please don't blame her."

Graham let out a cruel scoff. "Let me be honest with you, Claire, every surgeon capable of operating is already in that OR trying to Marissa's dad. As for Nina? The only place she's headed is the morgue."

Claire trembled with rage, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails pierced into her palms. But she seemed completely numb to the pain.

"I don't believe for a second that no doctor in all of Westrington can help her! Just wait and see!"

Kicking off her heels, Claire sprinted barefoot down the corridor, racing toward the hospital morgue.

By some miracle, she managed to catch the gurney just as it reached the doorway.

She tore away the bloodstained sheet without hesitation.

Nina was soaked in blood. The once-fair, beautiful face was now covered in deep, crisscrossing knife wounds.

The sight was gut-wrenching.

Yet even like this, she still forced a gentle smile at Claire.

"Don't cry, Claire."

Nina lifted a trembling hand, trying to wipe Claire's tears like she used to.

Claire grabbed her hand tightly, breaking down. "You'll be okay. I'll get you transferred. Someone will operate. I promise!"

But reality came crashing down like ice water.

Every hospital in Westrington turned her away. Even the few doctors she thought she had good relationships with responded coldly, "We're under strict orders from the top. No one is to perform surgery on Ms. Nina Harrington. Please don't make this harder for us. Honestly, you'd be better off begging that almighty brother of yours."

Claire was crushed. She had never imagined Graham could be this heartless.

She tried calling Gavin again, and again, but he never picked up.

Suddenly, Nina coughed hard, blood pouring from her mouth.

Claire panicked. One hand tried to hold Nina steady while the other pressed down on the gushing wound, desperate to stop the bleeding.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. "Please... just hold on. I'll figure something out. I swear I'll save you."

Nina slowly shook her head, her pale lips moving as if trying to say something.

Claire leaned in close, ear nearly touching her mouth, finally able to make out the words.

"Claire... the safety deposit box... password is your birthday... call... save your..."

Claire didn't understand what Nina meant. She wanted to ask more, but Nina had already closed her eyes, for the last time.

Before she could react, two bodyguards who had been lurking nearby rushed out and forcibly tried to take Nina's body away.

Years ago, Claire's parents died in a car crash on the very day they were driving to bring her home. It was ruled an accident.

Nina had just turned eighteen. Claire was sixteen.

To prevent their greedy relatives from seizing control of the family fortune, the Harringtons claimed that Nina and Claire had been switched at birth. They named Graham Harrington-the company-raised "son" who had been shadowing the business-as the successor.

From then on, the real heiress, Nina, became a "fraud" in the public eye, while Graham-the true imposter-enjoyed unchecked power under the Harrington name.

And Claire... Claire regretted everything.

If only she'd listened to Nina. If only she'd stepped up, taken control, held that power in her own hands.

If she had, they wouldn't have ended up like this.

Once the pampered darling of Westrington's elite, Claire now looked like a lunatic, kneeling on the floor, desperately trying to keep a lifeless body from being taken away.

One of the bodyguards grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face to the floor. The skin on her delicate cheek scraped against the rough floor, leaving lines of blood.

She gritted her teeth. "Let go of me! I'm Claire Harrington-the Harrington heiress. If you lay a hand on me, I swear you won't last another day in Westrington!"

The guards didn't even flinch. Pain burned across her cheek. She could feel her skin peeling away, her blood soaking into the floor, but no matter how she screamed or threatened, the two men remained unmoved.

Just when she was on the verge of breaking, someone appeared in front of her in a white coat. Gavin.

Claire looked up like she'd just seen her last hope come to life. "Gavin, please-help me. It hurts so much... they're taking Nina's body-"

Her voice caught in her throat.

Standing beside Gavin, looking perfectly composed in a designer dress, was Marissa. She stood so close, leaning sweetly against his arm.

Claire was a mess-covered in blood, her face swollen, her once-glossy hair tangled and matted like straw. Compared to Marissa, she looked like a beggar.

"Claire," Gavin said coolly, "she's gone. There's no point fighting for the dead. Marissa is my real sister. Her adoptive father raised her with everything he had-I can't repay kindness with betrayal. Nina is already gone. Even if she took the blame for everything, no one's going to press the issue. At most, a few people will curse her name. But you... you can still be my wife. I'll treat you just like I always have."

The guards released her shoulders. Pain radiated through her back and down her arms, leaving her dazed.

Twelve years ago, Claire had buried Gavin's sister-Jade Fulton-with her own hands. How could she be back from the dead?

Back then, Claire was still living in that rural village-the one known for human trafficking.

Jade had been fifteen when she was kidnapped and locked inside a pigpen at Claire's foster father's house.

She was clever. The moment Claire brought her food, Jade knew she was the one most likely to help her escape.

She knelt and begged immediately, her voice trembling. "Please, help me. My brother's powerful. Once I get out, he'll come for you. He'll give you money. I swear, just please, let me go."

She handed Claire a small silver locket as proof of her promise. It was only then that Claire gritted her teeth and risked her foster father's wrath to let her go.

Unfortunately, Jade's luck ran out. A landslide hit during her escape. She was crushed before she could make it to the road.

Later, Claire was found and rescued by the Harringtons. That mountain village was raided and wiped out by the police.

She had escaped hell. And over time, she'd buried the memory.

Until she saw a family photo at Gavin's home... and realized the girl she once saved was Gavin's sister.

To spare him the pain, she'd hidden the locket and never told him the truth.

She never imagined someone would dare impersonate Jade Fulton now, after all these years.

Claire's eyes were bloodshot. She raised her hand and slapped Marissa hard across the face.

Then she snapped at Gavin. "Jade is dead. Open your eyes and take a good look-she's nothing but a fraud!"

Marissa didn't flinch. She took the slap without even raising a hand to defend herself.

Gavin, unfazed by Claire's fury, pulled Marissa gently into his arms and scolded her with concern, "You silly thing, why didn't you dodge?"

Then he looked coldly at Claire. "Apologize to her."

Claire's heart twisted painfully. Just last night, Gavin had stroked her hair gently and promised to get off work early so they could have dinner together. Now, it felt like she'd woken up in a different world.

But her pride refused to let her bow her head. Lies always came unraveled-if not now, then eventually. Marissa's act wouldn't last forever.

"I did nothing wrong. I won't apologize." Without waiting for a response, she shoved past Marissa and wheeled Nina's body away by herself.

She hadn't gone far before Marissa's sweet voice rang out behind her. "Don't be mad, Gavin. She's just emotional. I'll kneel and beg her for forgiveness. Don't let this hurt your relationship."

Gavin's tone turned icy. "She's the one in the wrong. You have nothing to apologize for. As long as I'm here, I won't let you suffer another day of injustice. You've endured so much over the years, and she never once tried to understand you. So why should I show her any mercy?"

Claire once told Gavin about her life before being found by the Harringtons. How her foster mother used to beat and scream at her. How her foster father had tried things no child should ever endure.

If it hadn't been for her pretty face and their plan to sell her for a decent price, she might not have lived long enough to be found.

At the time, Gavin was heartbroken. He pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered, "Claire, I swear to love and cherish you for the rest of my life. If I break this promise, may I lose everything and die a horrible death."

His vow still echoed in her ears. But now, the man standing before her was a complete stranger.

Claire arranged Nina's funeral alone.

When the cremation chamber closed around her sister's body, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

From now on, there would be no one left who would unconditionally have her back.

After the funeral, Claire headed to the security department at the company to pull footage from the underground parking lot.

She needed to know what had really happened down there.

Nina had trained in self-defense after turning eighteen-there was no way she would've gone down without a fight.

But as soon as she entered the building, Claire realized something was wrong. People were pointing at their phones, whispering and sneering.

"Wow. Never judge a book by its cover. She looked so sweet and pretty-who knew she was a snake?"

"Thank God I never crossed her. Who knows what would've happened to me?"

"Acting like a princess when she was never meant to be one. She got what she deserved."

Claire froze. A wave of dread washed over her.

She checked her phone-and found it. A set of photos showing Nina bullying Marissa was going viral online.

The internet was now accusing Nina of abusing Marissa for years and getting what was coming to her-nearly killed in retaliation by Marissa's poor, helpless adoptive father.

Marissa and her father had become martyrs overnight. Nina? A vicious imposter with a heart of stone.

Within hours, lies had blanketed the internet like wildfire.

Claire refused to believe it. She stormed to the security office and demanded to see the underground footage.

But the guard just gave her a troubled look. "Miss Claire, it's not that we don't want to help... but the cameras in that area have been down for over a month. Without word from upstairs, no one's coming to fix them."

He lowered his voice. "We're just following orders. It's not worth risking your reputation for someone that doesn't matter anymore."

Hearing the guard's gentle persuasion, Claire didn't feel even a hint of comfort; her whole body trembled with rage.

She called the head of security directly to request access to the surveillance footage, only to be told, "The cameras really are broken, Mrs. Fulton. I've got nothing to show you. Please, I'm begging you-let me off the hook! I've got aging parents and little kids at home. This job is the only thing feeding my family. Please don't ruin me, okay?"

Just then, her phone buzzed with a special notification. It was a text from Graham. "Claire, as long as you stop digging, we're still family. Isn't it better to have me and your husband around to love and protect you?"

Claire shuddered. When she turned around, she locked eyes with Gavin, whose smile didn't reach his eyes.

Marissa stood beside him, beaming sweetly. But there was something strangely off about her expression; it bordered on eerie.

"Claire," Marissa said with mock concern, "My brother heard you came to the office to pull surveillance footage and rushed over in a panic. He was so worried about you. Thank goodness you're alright."

A mocking smirk flashed across Claire's face. "Worried? You're just afraid I'll find proof to expose how filthy the two of you really are."

She glared at Gavin. "You twist truth into lies and lies into truth. Sooner or later, karma's going to catch up with you."

Gavin chuckled softly, reaching out to gently caress Claire's cheek. "Claire, I'm only trying to teach you a lesson. You're my wife. I don't want you tangled up in this mess. If you just apologize to Marissa, Graham and I will protect you just like we always have. Isn't that good enough?"

No. Not even close.

Why should Nina be buried in slander, her name dragged through the mud even in death, while these despicable, shameless people got to sit on their thrones, weaving lies with silver tongues?

But no matter how much hatred burned inside her, she had no power.

Only now did Claire realize the truth. For the past ten years, these two men had raised her like a delicate, clueless princess. She had no allies in the company. No real friends outside of it.

And thanks to her once-flashy lifestyle, she'd attracted plenty of jealous enemies. Now that she'd fallen from grace, they were all too busy enjoying the show to lend a hand.

Her heart sank into despair.

"And what if I say no?" she asked. "Will I end up like Nina? Smeared with lies, blamed for everything, and dead without justice?"

Gavin shook his head and took something from the man behind him-a ceramic urn.

His face remained soft, but his voice turned cold and cruel, like the devil himself.

"I'd never let you be reduced to ashes, Claire. But... can you bear to let your sister find no peace, even in death?"

Claire's eyes locked onto the urn in his hands. It was Nina's.