The Phantom Heiress: Rising From The Shadows

At the Barrett family's residence in Shirie.

The grand living room on the first floor buzzed with conversation, guests swirling glasses of champagne as they exchanged pleasantries. A towering banner with the words "Welcome Home, Beloved Daughter" stretched across the entrance.

Meanwhile, in the cramped, airless attic on the third floor, Brenna Barrett was packing her belongings.

Alec Barrett, Brenna's adoptive father, stood before her, an envelope in his hand. He set it down gently before Brenna, his face lined with feigned reluctance.

"Brenna, why must it come to this?" he said. "Yes, we've found our biological daughter, but that doesn't mean you have to leave. You know our family's wealth-taking care of one more person isn't a burden. If you ask me, you should stay. Your mom and I will treat you no differently than before. But if you're determined to leave, I won't stop you. Still, your family is barely scraping by. I doubt they can even send a car to pick you up. Take this money-at least let it cover your travel expenses."

Brenna's eyes flicked to the slim envelope. She was already certain it held no more than a thousand dollars. Without a hint of hesitation, she pushed it back toward Alec, her expression cold. "I don't need it. My parents have already sent a car for me."

She scoffed inwardly. What a laughable attempt to make her stay. Persuading her to stay while already offering her travel money?

The Barrett family had taken her in when she was barely past her second birthday, a replacement for the daughter Ruby Barrett had lost-a child stolen from the hospital the day she was born. Drowning in grief, Ruby had grasped at the idea of adoption, convincing herself it would ease the ache of her loss.

But Brenna had never been a daughter for the Barrett family in anything more than name. She had spent her childhood in hand-me-downs from discount racks, scraping by on leftovers while serving as a servant in the Barrett household.

When she had gotten older, Alec had stumbled upon her natural flair for design. Even her casual sketches outshone those of seasoned professionals, their market value undeniable.

That was when everything changed. The Barrett family had stopped her from going to school. She had become their hidden asset, locked away to draft blueprints for car parts and even entire vehicles. They knew exactly how much of their wealth was earned by her.

Without Brenna, they would have never broken into Shirie's elite circles, never had the means to throw this lavish welcome party for their biological daughter, with influential figures from all walks of life attending.

And now that their fortune had just begun to flourish, they didn't want to keep Brenna anymore. The Barretts were eager to kick her out of the family, their selfishness laid bare.

Alec sighed and shoved the envelope into Brenna's bag.

He said, "They've sent a car to pick you up? I find that hard to believe. I looked into your biological family. Your parents have two sons, and your only uncle is bedridden, unable to care for himself. They live in a struggling village-barely making ends meet. They don't have the luxury to come pick you up. You've been living in comfort here, spending freely. Are you sure you're ready for that kind of hardship? Just take the money..."

Brenna pulled the envelope out of her bag and placed it on the table with quiet finality. "Goodbye."

She didn't notice Isabella Barrett, Alec and Ruby's biological daughter, slipping something into the side pocket of her backpack.

Without another glance, Brenna hoisted her black backpack over one shoulder and strode downstairs, leaving the Barretts behind.

Ruby, watching Brenna disappear down the stairs, clenched her jaw. "Look at that! She showed me no gratitude at all. I housed and fed her for twenty years, and she didn't have a single word of thanks before leaving me? Someone like that is bound to end up begging in the streets!"

Isabella looped her arm through Ruby's, her voice soft, almost soothing. "Mom, don't let her get to you. She never even finished school and was thrown into social circles at ten. How could she possibly have proper manners? She's walking away from a privileged life now-she'll be lucky if she doesn't starve. It's understandable if she's in a foul mood. Let me go see her off."

Ruby frowned, grabbing Isabella's wrist to stop her. "Why bother? She's ungrateful. She doesn't deserve it."

"Mom," Isabella said, her smile sweet, "since I came back, Brenna has treated me well. This might be the last time we ever see each other. It's only right that I say goodbye to her properly."

She gave the jewelry box in her hand a little shake, her eyes twinkling. "Besides, I have a parting gift for her."

With that, she hurried after Brenna, Alec and Ruby following behind.

"Brenna!" Isabella called out, her voice warm and sweet as she lightly jogged forward. "You're leaving so quickly? I haven't given you the gift I got for you."

She extended her palm, revealing a square red box. Inside lay a white jade bracelet, its surface smooth and luminous. It was undoubtedly of high quality.

Brenna gave it a brief glance. She recognized the bracelet's good quality-it was probably worth a decent sum.

Her voice was cold as she said, "No, thanks. You keep it."

Isabella's expression didn't falter as she nudged the box into Brenna's hand. "You should take it. I spent over a hundred thousand on this bracelet. If things ever get tough, you can sell it for emergencies. It could come in handy someday."

Before Brenna could refuse again, Isabella snapped the box shut and tucked it into Brenna's backpack herself.

Just then, a flustered maid rushed over and exclaimed, "Miss Barrett, terrible news! The engagement necklace Mr. Barton gifted you is missing!"

Isabella froze mid-motion upon hearing that, the jewelry box still clutched in her fingers as she slipped it into Brenna's backpack. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you just say? That gemstone necklace is a gift from Jordy. It costs one million and eight hundred thousand! It has ten top-tier gems, each hand-selected. I left it on the table. How could it just vanish? Are you sure you checked properly?"

Brenna observed the unfolding scene intently, her expression impassive. She could already see the setup, the neatly arranged trap.

The servant's name was Sadie Brown. Her face went ghostly white, her hands visibly trembling. "Miss Barrett, I searched everywhere-every corner, every drawer-but it's gone. Could someone have taken it?"

With that, Sadie's eyes landed on Brenna, suspicion darkening her expression. She didn't need to say it outright-her eyes did the accusing for her.

Isabella shot her a sharp look. "What are you staring at? Just because Brenna's real family is poor doesn't mean she'd resort to stealing. Anyway, is anything else missing from my room?"

Sadie hesitated, then swallowed hard. "Yes... The design plans you drew a few days ago. They're gone too."

A strange glint flickered in Sadie's eyes. Without warning, she strode toward Brenna and yanked at a thin chain peeking out from her backpack.

Isabella gasped, her shock perfectly timed as she took the necklace from Sadie's hand. "Brenna," she murmured, feigning hurt, "how did the engagement necklace Jordy gave me end up in your bag?"

She clutched the piece, looking disappointed. "If you needed money, why not just ask Dad? He has supported you all these years-he wouldn't mind giving you more money. But stealing? This would break Mom's and Dad's hearts."

At that moment, Alec and Ruby walked over. Alec scowled, disappointment carving deep lines into his face. He exhaled sharply, his tone laced with disapproval as he said, "I offered you money, and you turned it down-only to do this? If you needed help, you could have said something instead of resorting to this disgraceful behavior. This is really shameful! Why did you do this?"

Ruby's temper flared instantly. "She must have thought the money was too little! What else could it be? A thousand for travel expenses wasn't enough for her, so she helped herself to something more valuable. One million and eight hundred thousand-her real parents' entire family couldn't make that much in a lifetime!"

Isabella reached for Ruby's hand, a pained expression settling on her face. "Mom, please stop. If you keep saying such things, how will Brenna ever face anyone again? I don't think she did it on purpose-maybe she took it by mistake."

Alec and Ruby remained silent, though the disdain in their eyes was clear. Inwardly, they had already written Brenna off as a thief.

Isabella managed a gentle smile, but a flicker of triumph danced in her eyes as she glanced at the gathering guests around them. This was perfect. With Brenna marked as a thief, she would never find help from Shirie's upper circles. The Barrett family's influence would be forever out of her reach.

Isabella turned to Brenna. "Brenna, I'd give you anything, but not this necklace. It's Jordy's engagement gift to me. I know it must be hard-watching him choose me when you were supposed to be engaged to him. But feelings can't be forced, right? Jordy and I love each other deeply. Please, don't come between us. If you need money, I'll give you all my jewelry, okay? Just not this one."

As Isabella spoke, tears welled in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks like she had just suffered a great injustice.

Seeing this, Brenna let out a short, cold laugh. What a waste of talent. Isabella should have been an actress with her acting skills.

She believed since they had already staged this drama, it would be impolite not to play along.

Brenna flung a glance at the necklace, unimpressed. The chain was thick, the gemstones sizable, but the craftsmanship left much to be desired. The color, cut, and overall design... They were far from top-tier.

"I wouldn't be caught dead wearing something this poorly made," Brenna remarked coolly. "There must be some mistake. When I packed my things in the attic, that necklace wasn't in my bag. But I do recall you holding it in your hand earlier, dear sister. Could it be that you accidentally dropped it into my backpack?"

She scoffed, refusing to shoulder the blame.

With deliberate calm, she set her backpack on the floor and tipped it over, spilling its contents onto the cold surface. "Go ahead. See if there's anything else from the Barrett family in my backpack. If there is, take it. I'd rather not carry the label of a thief."

Among the scattered items, a blue folder slid into view. Isabella's eyes widened in feigned shock. "Aren't these my design drafts for new energy auto parts? Brenna, how did they end up in your bag?"

She crouched, picking up the folder and flipping through its pages with practiced disbelief. Inside were intricate sketches of mechanical components. She looked at Brenna, shaking her head, disappointment etched across her features. "I never imagined you'd stoop this low. You didn't even finish grade school-what could you possibly want with my design drafts? Planning to sell them?"

Brenna rolled her eyes. She didn't need to check-she already knew what those papers were. The nuclear-powered cargo ship component blueprints she had spent an entire night perfecting. How had they become Isabella's?

Brenna blinked, suddenly realizing something. Yesterday, Isabella had spent the day seated at the grand dining table, sketching exaggerated designs in an attempt to flaunt her mechanical expertise. The entire household had seen it. That gave Isabella the chance to frame her now.

Isabella continued, pointing at the drafts, "You stole them. Just admit it. Since we're family, I'll let it slide."

Ruby stepped closer, snatching the folder and scanning its contents. The moment she saw the sketches, her face twisted with fury. "How could I have raised someone like you?" she said to Brenna. "You are such a disgrace!"

Brenna remained silent. Her blueprints had clear, unmistakable markings. The title, written in a foreign language, identified them as designs for nuclear-powered cargo ship components.

Didn't any of them notice that?

Right there in the lower right corner, her personal anti-counterfeit signature gleamed-proof that no one could claim her work as their own.

Brenna faced Alec and Ruby. "You both know what I'm capable of," she stated, her voice steady. "A decade ago, you were running a small auto parts factory, barely making about five hundred thousand a year, living in a modest duplex. At that time, you saw my potential. That's why you kept me from school and forced me to stay home and design advanced components for you."

Brenna looked at the Barrett family with clear contempt, her expression calm as she revealed the truth to the surrounding guests. "For over a decade, this family has capitalized on my designs-transforming a modest auto parts business into a full-fledged car-manufacturing empire, even securing a public listing. But now that they've outgrown their need for me, they're framing me for theft, all to protect their real daughter. How touching," she said with a snort.

Alec's face darkened with fury, his voice rising. "What kind of nonsense is this? You barely made it through grade school. How could you possibly understand mechanical design?"

Brenna held her designs up for the gathering guests to see. "Take a good look. This isn't a blueprint for new energy auto parts. It's an advanced cargo ship design. I have no reason to steal from anyone, least of all Isabella."

Now, the regret hit her hard. In the past, she had been too young to see through Alec's schemes. She had been too trusting to realize why he had insisted on putting his name on her designs.

It was painfully clear now-Alec had been setting this up from the very beginning.

Brenna tapped a line of component names on the blueprint. "Read this carefully. It's in Amland's language, and it translates to 'nuclear-powered cargo ship propulsion system'."

Tilting the paper slightly, she pointed to the faint watermark in the lower right corner, which shimmered under the shifting light. "This is my personal mark. You can compare it to Isabella's so-called 'designs'. Her designs are garbage," she said.

Just as she finished speaking, Sarah Moss, one of the servants, hesitantly stepped forward, holding an identical folder. "Miss Barrett... I thought these were trash, so I threw them in the trash can. These are your design drafts..."

Brenna let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Did you hear that? Even Sarah recognized them as trash."

Isabella's face burned with humiliation. She shot Sarah a murderous glare before yanking the folder from her hands and flipping through it in a panic. Then, with a furious growl, she slammed it down. "These designs aren't mine!" she exclaimed.

Sarah paled, stammering, "I-I didn't mean to say they were trash! I just... mistakenly thought they were and threw them away..."

She trailed off, glancing around awkwardly and realizing there was no way to clarify this without making things worse.

Ruby, unwilling to let Isabella be humiliated any further, immediately shifted the attack back onto Brenna. "Oh, please! Look at yourself. Do you really expect us to believe that someone who never even finished grade school designed a nuclear-powered cargo ship propulsion system? You must have stolen this! People like you bring nothing but disgrace. Don't you dare associate yourself with the Barrett family again from now on!"

Brenna didn't spare Ruby a glance. She simply flipped open both her own design drafts and Isabella's, setting them side by side for the crowd to compare.

Alec's and Ruby's faces immediately turned dark. Alec clenched his fists, his entire body tense with barely restrained anger. Then, he barked, "Enough with this nonsense! Do you really think you made our family rich? The Barrett family's success is built on my and your brother's hard work. You had nothing to do with it! We clothed and fed you for years, and this is how you repay us? You ungrateful brat-get out now!"

Ruby, feeding off his rage, didn't hesitate to pile on the lies. "We took you in, gave you everything, spent millions raising you-and you dare act like you're the victim here? Do you think the scraps of talent you brought to this family mean anything compared to what we gave you?"

Brenna's eyes turned ice-cold. She believed there was no point in arguing with them. She was leaving, and once she walked out that door, the Barrett family's problems would no longer be hers. "Fine. We will have nothing to do with each other from now on," she said.

She bent down to grab her laptop from the floor.

However, Isabella was faster. She snatched the sleek black device before Brenna could reach it, holding it tightly in her grasp. "You're so stubborn, Brenna. I was kind enough to offer you a way out earlier, but in return, you throw dirt on me and my family? You make mistakes, refuse to apologize, then try to turn it around on us? This computer must contain confidential information about the Barrett family. You can't take it with you!"

Before anyone could react, Isabella grabbed a glass of water from a nearby guest's hand and poured it directly over the keyboard of the laptop.

Without warning, Brenna slapped Isabella across the face. Then she grabbed the drenched laptop and immediately began drying it off.

"How dare you hit me?" Isabella gasped, her face twisted with fury. She raised a trembling hand to strike back-only to be slapped again by Brenna.

Ruby, a second too late, lunged forward, incensed. "The Barrett family raised you, and this is how you repay us now? By attacking our real daughter?"

For years, Ruby had treated Brenna as a convenient target for her frustration, an outlet for her anger. But never-not once-had Brenna retaliated.

Ruby wanted to hit Brenna. But something in Brenna's eyes made Ruby falter, her raised hand hanging mid-air.

"Mom, she hit me!" Isabella exclaimed, clutching her stinging cheek, her eyes burning with resentment.

Ruby grasped Isabella's hand, her breath catching at the sight of the glaring red imprint on her precious daughter's face.

"Does it hurt, Isabella?" she asked.

Isabella shot Brenna a venomous glare, her fury boiling over as she lifted her leg, aiming a kick at Brenna while she gathered her belongings.

Brenna dodged instinctively, smoothly. Securing the last of her things, she turned to face them, her voice icy. "Oh? So it hurts? Mom, when you used me as a punching bag all these years, did you ever ask if I felt hurt? You had no problem beating me senseless, but the second I lay a single hand on your precious daughter, you act like you are heartbroken?"

Ruby's eyes flickered with unease for a moment. Then, she recovered quickly, her lips curling in disdain. "And what do you think we took you in for? To pamper you?"

"So you're finally admitting what you did to me." Brenna swept a frosty look over the Barrett family, then swung her backpack over her shoulder. Without a word, she turned to leave.