The True Heiress He Lost: I Left and Never Looked Back

Audrey Winslow was the long-lost daughter of the prestigious Winslow family.

When she was seven, she had been abducted by the family's housekeeper and left to fend for herself on the streets.

Ten years later, she finally returned home, only to find that the housekeeper's daughter, Lillian Winslow, had taken her place and become the adopted daughter of the Winslow family.

Audrey couldn't accept it.

So she personally sent the housekeeper to prison, drove Lillian out of the house, and took back everything that rightfully belonged to her.

By the time she turned twenty, her parents spared no effort to make it up to her. Julian Ashcroft, her fiancé, had also publicly declared that the only woman he would ever marry was Audrey.

She thought everything had finally fallen back into place-that the happiness meant for her had, at last, arrived.

That illusion shattered on the eve of her wedding. Lillian sent over a "gift"-a set of lingerie that was clearly not her size.

Fury surged through Audrey. Audrey immediately had Lillian's boutique smashed and warned her never to show her face again.

But no sooner had the shop been wrecked than Julian came looking for her.

"Lillian's already had it hard enough. Why can't you just leave her alone?"

"Lillian? Had it hard enough?" Audrey frowned, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Her mother ruined my life and left me on the streets. She took my place and lived as the Winslow family's daughter for ten years. What part of that is hard enough?"

"Her mother wronged you, sure, but she's innocent!" Julian cut her off quickly, urgency bleeding into his voice. "Back then, she was just a little girl left behind in the Winslow household. And in the past three years, you've already taken everything back. She's been driven out too. Isn't that enough?"

"Not enough. Not even close!" The past clawed its way back, and Audrey could no longer hold it in. "This is what they owe me. As long as she's still alive, I won't let her live in peace!"

"What will it take for you to let her go?" Julian clenched his fists, barely containing his anger.

"Unless she dies."

The moment the words left her lips, Julian shoved the window open and jumped from the second floor.

A heavy thud echoed through the air.

The sound exploded in Audrey's ears. She bolted downstairs in a panic, only to find Julian lying in a pool of blood.

"Julian!" Audrey rushed over like she'd lost her mind, pulling him into her arms, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

But Julian struggled to lift his hand and pushed her away. His voice came out hoarse. "I'll pay her debt with my life. Is that enough for you?"

Audrey froze where she stood, as if struck by lightning.

For her?

What right did he have to do that for her?

Audrey was his fiancée. The rightful daughter of the Winslow family.

But there was no time to think. She rushed him to the hospital.

The surgery began soon after. By the time her parents arrived, Audrey was sitting alone on a bench in the hallway, dried blood staining her clothes.

The image of Julian jumping replayed over and over in her mind.

She couldn't understand how everything had spiraled into this.

Footsteps approached. Before she could react, a sharp slap landed across her face.

"You ungrateful girl! We've done everything to make it up to you. Why won't you let it go? Driving Lillian out wasn't enough for you? Now you've nearly cost Julian his life!" Her father, Edward Winslow, spoke in a voice that trembled with rage. "If I'd known it would come to this, you might as well have died out there!"

The blow knocked Audrey's head to the side. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of her lips.

In that instant, everything finally became clear to her.

Three years ago, when she had driven Lillian out of the house, there had been reluctance in her parents' eyes as they looked at Lillian, and Julian had let slip, however briefly, the attachment he still felt for her.

Now, at last, every last piece fell into place.

Over the years they had spent together, they had come to see Lillian as family.

And Audrey had been nothing more than an outsider who could be cast aside at any time.

And yet, when she had first returned to the Winslow family, the joy in her parents' eyes had seemed real. Julian, too, had stayed by her side every step of the way.

On her birthday, they had made up for the ten years of gifts she had missed.

When she mentioned a dessert she had loved as a child, they had driven three hours just to buy it for her.

When she said she didn't want anything Lillian had ever used, they had packed it all up, thrown it away, and replaced every last piece for her.

Even when she had accidentally noticed that the amounts on the gift list had all been doubled...

Even when a corner of that same dessert box had casually appeared in one of Lillian's social media posts...

Even when the things that were supposedly thrown out had somehow ended up in Lillian's home...

She had chosen not to look too closely. She had simply let herself enjoy that hard-won happiness.

But now, all the details she had deliberately ignored were rising to the surface.

She had no choice but to admit it. She had lost, and she had lost completely.

In that moment, she finally understood that no matter how hard she tried, she would never get those lost ten years back.

Those years had already been filled by Lillian.

And as for Audrey, she had died in their hearts the day she was taken at seven.

Audrey gently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. When she raised her head again, nothing remained in her eyes but cold despair.

"Fine." Her voice was quiet. "Then I'll give you exactly what you want."

"What?" Edward frowned, as if he hadn't heard her clearly.

But Audrey said nothing more. She simply turned and walked out of the hospital.

The sky gradually darkened. Rain came pouring down and soaked her to the skin, but she felt none of it.

Then her phone suddenly buzzed with a new message.

"Ms. Audrey Winslow, the letter of forgiveness submitted on your behalf by Mr. Julian Ashcroft has been approved. As a result, the defendant, Linda Barrett, has been granted a reduced sentence and will be released upon completion of her term in the coming days. This is to inform you accordingly."

Linda Barrett... Lillian's biological mother. The very housekeeper who had kidnapped her all those years ago.

So they had planned all along to reunite Lillian with her mother, while she alone had been kept in the dark like a fool.

Audrey gripped her phone so tightly that her fingers blanched, yet she refused to let go.

Tears slid from the corners of her eyes, falling onto the screen one drop at a time.

She suddenly remembered how furious Julian had been when she first came back to the Winslow family and he learned that Linda Barrett had been the one to abduct her.

Back then, he had sworn he would make Linda pay.

And this was his idea of making her pay. Three years in prison. Nothing more.

A soft laugh escaped Audrey's lips, but it carried nothing except endless bitterness.

A long while later, she finally let out a slow breath and dialed a number she hadn't called in three years.

"Do two things for me. First, I want Linda sent back to prison. Second, I want to fake my death and disappear. From this moment on, there will be no more Audrey Winslow in this world."

"Finally figured it out?"

There was a three-second silence on the line before a low male voice finally came through.

Dorian Mitchell sounded casual, almost unruly. "Audrey, I told you a long time ago. I'm the only one who's ever truly treated you like family."

Family...

Audrey's eyes instantly turned red.

Her own parents couldn't even compare to a so-called "brother."

She had met Dorian when she was still living on the streets.

Back then, she had just escaped from traffickers, only to collapse from her injuries, barely clinging to life.

Dorian had been the one who saved her.

He told her he once had a younger sister who had been killed by traffickers. So the moment he saw Audrey, she reminded him of her.

She had naturally started regarding him as her brother, and he had truly treated her like one.

Whenever there was something good to eat, he always brought it to her first. When other drifters tried to bully her, he was always the first to step in and shield her.

That was how they survived together for ten years.

It wasn't until Dorian founded Mitchell Group and rose as one of the most powerful new elites that Audrey finally found news of her family.

Back then, Dorian had tried to stop her. "You were missing for ten years. If they truly cared about you, how could they not have found you? Stay with me, Audrey. From now on, I'll be your family."

But at the time, Audrey had only thought he was jealous that she had found her biological parents.

They had a huge fight, and she cut off all contact with him.

She hadn't expected that in just three years, she would prove how foolish she had been.

"Yeah..." Audrey laughed softly, her eyes red. "I really overestimated myself."

Dorian's breathing faltered. The amusement vanished from his voice. "Don't cry. I'll come get you myself in a week."

......

After returning home, Audrey ran a fever for an entire day and night.

In her dreams, she was back at seven years old again. Wearing a birthday hat, she stood before a cake, making a wish, while her parents and Julian surrounded her, singing her a birthday song.

The candlelight danced across her face. Everything looked so warm, so perfect.

But when she woke up, all she saw was a cold, empty house.

When she unlocked her phone, messages from Beatrice Winslow-her mother-flooded in one after another.

"Lillian heard Julian was hurt and rushed over in tears. She's been taking care of him day and night without any rest, and you didn't even show up. Do you have any conscience at all?"

"Your father was so angry he nearly had a heart attack! And Lillian has been pleading for you this whole time, asking us to forgive you. Don't you feel even a shred of guilt?"

"Don't think you can hide from this by playing dead. Get to the hospital and apologize right now!"

When Audrey didn't respond, Beatrice kept sending videos one after another.

Audrey tapped on one at random.

On the screen, Lillian, her cheeks flushed, was feeding Julian. Edward and Beatrice sat beside them, looking pleased. "Lillian is the considerate one. Unlike someone else... nothing but an ungrateful brat."

Audrey said nothing as she watched the messages. She simply began packing her things.

All the things she had once treasured... she didn't want any of them anymore.

The first custom gown her parents had given her, the handmade ornament Julian had crafted, photos from her childhood... even the matching gifts they had also given Lillian-she threw all of them into the trash.

But just as she finished packing everything, the front door burst open. Beatrice and Julian rushed in.

"Audrey!" Beatrice shouted furiously, pointing straight at her. "What did you do this time to make Lillian cry all night?"

"Linda was about to be released, and now she's been sentenced to another ten years. Was this your doing?"

Julian's face was cold as he reprimanded her.

Audrey suddenly laughed. "Her sentence was extended because a new witness came forward. What does that have to do with me?"

"Who else would do something like this if not you?" Julian shot back, his voice tight with urgency. "First you trashed Lillian's shop, then you nearly got me killed. You've always been this aggressive, this unreasonable!"

"Go withdraw the testimony. Now." His tone left no room for argument. "Just say you arranged false testimony. At worst, you'll pay a fine. Nothing will happen to you..."

"That's enough!" Audrey snapped, unable to listen any longer. "And you have the nerve to question me? Did you forget that Linda is a child trafficker? If you hadn't forged my signature and submitted that letter of forgiveness, would she have been getting out this soon? As for withdrawing the testimony? Not a chance. She committed a crime. She deserves to be punished."

"You...!"

Seeing Audrey refuse to budge, Beatrice snapped, "Why waste your breath on her? Lock her in the confinement room. Let her out when she agrees to withdraw the testimony."

"What?" Audrey froze in place.

She couldn't believe it. Her own mother was willing to side with the woman who had trafficked her-to lock her up, all just to comfort Lillian.

"Heh..."

A faint laugh slipped from Audrey's lips, but as she laughed, tears began to fall.

"Mom... in your heart, isn't Lillian the one you see as your real daughter?"

Beatrice stiffened, something flickering uneasily in her chest. At that moment, Lillian suddenly rushed in from outside.

"Audrey! It's all my fault! Please don't argue with Mom!"

She ran up to Audrey and dropped to her knees. "I know... my mother wronged you. She did terrible things and made you suffer so much. I hate that she gave birth to me. If you won't forgive her, then I'll pay you back with my life!"

With that, she slammed her head into the wall. Blood immediately streamed down from her forehead.

"Lillian-!"

Julian panicked. He shoved Audrey aside and rushed forward, pulling Lillian into his arms.

Caught off guard, Audrey stumbled back, her back slamming into the edge of the table. Pain flared sharply.

Beatrice looked at Lillian with aching concern. "Silly child, this isn't your fault. She's just cold-hearted!"

Then she turned to Audrey, fury blazing in her voice. "Are you really going to push Lillian to her death? Guards, take Audrey away. Lock her in the confinement room until she learns her lesson!"

The next second, Audrey was shoved into a cold, dark confinement room.

The pain in her back made it hard to even stand. It felt like she had been dragged back to that tiny dark room from when she was trafficked.

Filthy rats and insects crawled over her, gnawing at her flesh.

Fear and despair spread through her as she curled into herself, barely able to tell memory from reality.

"Let me out! What right do you have to lock me in here..."

She pounded on the door again and again, her hands raw and bloodied, her voice turning hoarse-but no one came.

She was like a broken doll drained of all color, completely abandoned.

Only after her voice gave out completely did Julian finally storm in, shoving the door open.

"Lillian lost too much blood because of you. She still hasn't woken up! Since this is your fault, you're going to pay for it!"